3.1

If God's purpose for us is to just see us receive Him, why doesn't He zap to heaven people who immediately receive His salvation?

The answer: 3.1

Being saved is not just about believing. It's also about the doing. We were made for the 3.1

3 Commandments:
Matt 22:37 - 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

John 15:12 - My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (referring to fellowship among believers)

Matt 22:39 - Love your neighbor as yourself. (referring to the world)

1 Commission:
Matt 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Genuine Humility

by Charles R. Swindoll

1 Corinthians 2:4-5

When we think of what the great apostle Paul was like, the idea of humility isn't the first one that jumps into our minds. Consider his own admission:

My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)

Now for a preacher, that's quite a comment. The man comes up front and declares not only his lack of persuasiveness but his reason why—that they might not be impressed with his ability but rather with God's power.

There's something very authentic in Paul's humility. Over and over we read similar words in his writings. I'm convinced that those who were instructed face-to-face by the man became increasingly more impressed with the living Christ and less impressed with Paul.

When people follow image-conscious leaders, the leader is exalted. He is placed on a pedestal and ultimately takes the place of the head of the church.

But when people follow leaders with servant hearts, the Lord God is exalted. Those people speak of God's person, God's power, God's work, God's name, God's Word . . . all for God's glory.

Let me suggest a couple of revealing tests of humility:

1. A non-defensive spirit when confronted. This reveals a willingness to be accountable. Genuine humility operates on a rather simple philosophy:

Nothing to prove.
Nothing to lose.

2. An authentic desire to help others. I'm referring to a sensitive, spontaneous awareness of needs. A true servant stays in touch with the struggles others experience. There is that humility of mind that continually looks for ways to serve and to give.

In short, when it is genuine, humility becomes a conduit for the power of God.

Lists

by Charles R. Swindoll

Micah 6:8

Lists are everywhere. The sports page is full of them. Elsewhere we find lists of Academy Award winners, Pulitzer Prize winners, and beauty contest winners. The publishing world has its best-seller list, the music world its gold and platinum album lists, the financial world its Fortune 500 list. Even the religious world has its list of super churches, largest Sunday schools, biggest worship centers, or those giving most to missions.

Usually after looking over such lists, I wonder, Who really cares? It is doubtful that God has ever been impressed with the size of anything. His Book invariably ranks quality above quantity. As a matter of fact, He seems to delight in reminding us that greater glory to Him takes place when victory occurs in spite of the odds. As in David vs. Goliath. Or the Hebrews vs. the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Or Gideon's few. Or Jesus' small band of disciples.

But about the time I'm ready to suggest that we ignore all lists, I come across a list in the Scriptures! Dozens of them, in fact!

For example, God not only lists the Ten Commandments that depict His holy character, He lists the things He hates to find among His creatures. Remember them? Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, one who spreads strife among brothers (Prov. 6:16-19).

The apostle Paul helps us out by listing "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22-23). Elsewhere, Paul lists the gifts of the Spirit in several of his letters (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11), Peter lists the qualities of a maturing Christian (2 Pet. 1:5-8), and John lists the first-century churches that represented examples worth noting (Rev. 2:1-3, 22). There are lists of qualifications for being an elder and also for being a deacon.

Lists, lists, and more lists! And since they are authored by the living Lord, we'd be wise to read and heed each one.

Even though it finds its origin in one whose life was not centered on Christ our Lord, Mahatma Gandhi's own list of "seven deadly sins" in the form of contrasts deserves our attention: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, politics without principle.

Now, there's a list to heed and not carry out!

The prophet Micah names the absolute basics "required" by the Lord.
The next time you're feeling that living for God is getting too complicated, blow the dust off Micah's list: to do justice,
to love kindness, to walk humbly with God.

Quote for 2011

Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul~ Author Unknown