Sunday, October 25, 2009

We love because He first loved us

A MISSIONARY once undertook to instruct a group of Indians in the truths of his holy religion. He told them of the creation of the earth in six days, and of the fall of our first parents by eating an apple. The courteous savages listened attentively, and after thanking him, one related in his turn a very ancient tradition concerning the origin of the maize. But the missionary plainly showed his disgust and disbelief, indignantly saying: —“What I delivered to you were sacred truths, but this that you tell me is mere fable and falsehood!” “My brother,” gravely replied the offended Indian, “it seems that you have not been well grounded in the rules of civility. You saw that we, who practice these rules, believed your stories; why, then, do you refuse to credit ours?” (Eastman, 2002, 30–31)25

THE SOUL OF AN INDIAN – Charles Eastman


Even as we become bold and passionate as we share the gospel, let us also remember to be sensitive to the people around us and their beliefs.

And let us do so by loving them because Christ loved us first.
19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
1 John 4:19-21

Our hope is in You

As exams & insurmountable hours of studying and stress loom ahead, take comfort that the truth remains;

Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 13: 16-17: "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

&&

2 Timothy 1:7: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

With confidence & reassurance rooted firmly in our hearts, let's take that leap of faith and spread truth and light where there is darkness.
Break intimidation; & let us see amazing things unfold :)

Saturday, October 17, 2009

To Kick Start Coffee Ministry

Mark 1:17

Matthew 5:13

Luke 10:33

1 John 4

God loves people, we love His people
God the Spirit comforts and encourage, we comfort and encourage by His Spirit