Don't Flatter me!

1 Thessalonians 2

¹ You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. ² We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. ³ For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. ⁴ On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. ⁵ You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. ⁶ We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. ⁷ Instead, we were like young children^[a] among you.

Flattery (also called adulation or blandishment) is the act of giving excessive compliments, generally for the purpose of ingratiating oneself with the subject.

It is good to say nice things about people. Paying someone a genuine compliment is not as popular as in the past. I think it is hard to accept compliments. But, it's even harder to take flattery. Flattery takes a compliment to a different level. Compliments are always nice. But compliments lose their value the more you get. I always get suspicious of someone who goes overboard saying nice things about me. The reason is simple. I'm a sinner. I'm not that great a person. So, either the person dishing out the flattery doesn't really know me or they're just doing so for their own gain.

Paul had a tough time sharing the gospel message. People were suspicious of the message. It was new and unique. The early apostles of Christ had to be careful to be as genuine as possible. People then and people now can see through the "fluff". Their motives were questioned constantly. It's not much different than today.  The message of Christ today gets quite a bit of bad publicity. So, when  people here the message, they are cautious. We need to make sure we follow the early christian example. We need to be persistent, accurate, pure in motive, honest, open, unselfish, and innocent as children. We need to follow the guiding of the Holy Spirit. We need to be humble and constantly realize WE ARE SINNERS! Remember God is your witness. He is with you every time you share the message. He is looking for a pure heart with pure motives. The message doesn't need to be sweetened to make it great. Persistence and a pure heart committed to the Lord is all you need.

Louder than Words!

1 Corinthians 14

 6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

I don't know a whole lot about speaking in tongues. You have to remember I'm not a biblical scholar by any definition. I understand it's quite amazing when the Holy Spirit works through someone in this way. I've not witnessed it, but am fascinated by it. But, what good is speaking in tongues if no one can understand it? What good am I if I witness to others but can't do so in a way that is understood by the lost?

Have you ever heard someone try to speak to a non-christian, but get bogged down in one cliche after another? We might as well speak in tongues. It is our mission to speak the Gospel message so others can understand and relate to our story. Our great hope is to be the catalyst for change. We can't do that unless our message is clear and understood. I think the best way to make your message clear is not with your tongue, but your actions. Sharing your story in words can be very important. Just like a picture is worth a thousand words, our actions are worth ten times that.

As we get in to this early Christmas season, make sure your actions are speaking louder than the Christmas words we share. In the season where we all hope for Peach and Goodwill, make sure YOU  actually DO it.  Speak clearly about God's Love. Speak Clearly about what Jesus has done for you. Speak Clearly about the miracles the Holy Spirit has worked in your life. But, more importantly, show that the Spirit of God is behind all your ACTIONS and is the most important part of your life!

Thank You for you!

1 Thessalonians 1

 ² We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. ³ We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.


I'm not sure people realize the value of positive words of encouragement. It really doesn't matter if they come from family, friends, coworkers, bosses, or strangers. Everyone appreciates when someone talks well about them. Today is Thanksgiving Day. It's a great time to tell PEOPLE how much you appreciate them. There are no rules here except to be sincere. It always helps to be as specific as you can. There's nothing wrong with saying you appreciate someone, but what about them do you appreciate? It costs you nothing but it is valued more than any gift purchased on Black Friday.


 I am Thankful for my family. Specifically, I am so thankful they all Love the Lord and have made worshipping him a big part of their family. I am so thankful God has blessed me with a wonderful wife for 33 years. She is the greatest blessing I have ever received from God. Like all of my blessings, I don't deserve her and thank God every day for her love.


I am Thankful for YOU. You help motivate me to stay in God's word. YOU help me to meditate and consider what God is saying to me. This Blog is a place where God speaks to me. I pray those of you who read these posts are also open to the voice of God. Thank YOU!


Dear Lord, I am thankful for my family every day, not just on Thanksgiving. Thank you for giving them a faith they put in action every day. Thank You for the Love they share and the hope they live in winning others to your kingdom. Thank You for speaking to me through your word. Thank you for the Spirit which guides my life. You are an amazing and wonderful God. You are creator and savior for all mankind. Thank you for your grace and promises for eternity!
Thank you Lord! Amen!

What's love got to do with it?

1 Corinthians 13

 ¹ If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This is one of the most popular chapters in the Bible. It is most popular at weddings but it seems like everyone knows it. It is such a "pretty" chapter. it leaves you feeling all "gushy" inside. OR DOES IT? In fact, this verse is pretty tough on us. It is especially tough in verses 4-7. Do you consider yourself a Loving person. Can you live up to God's description of love.  If you're not quite sure try this: Replace the word Love with the word I. I found this in an internet site and was floored by it's impact. What do you think?

⁴ I am patient, I am kind. I do not envy, I don't boast, I'm not proud. ⁵ I don't dishonor others, I'm not self-seeking, I'm not easily angered, I don't keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ I do not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. ⁷ I always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere. I never fail.

I don't know about you, but I'm in trouble. With that slight modification to these verses, I realize I'm not quite the "Lover" I like to think I am.

This is quite the standard God has set for us and frankly, this is what life's about.  All the other things that we deem as important are nothing. Knowledge, wisdom, and Faith are all important parts of our life as Christians. But, GOD SAYS, without Love we have nothing. The song "what's love got to do with it" can't be further from the truth. Love has everything to do with everything. Do I really love my family? Do I really love my wife? Do I love my GOD? If we can't accept this great definition of love, we can't say we really love at all.

Now on the other hand. God perfectly reflects all these great characteristics of Love. God sets the standard. We can only dream of working toward that standard. Our choice is, will be even try. He is all those things and so much more. When we realize, GOD IS LOVE, and then realize what Love is, we can begin to share that Love with others. Love is the key. True Love, is the key.

Dear Lord, Please forgive me for not really Loving you, my family, and my friends. Lord I am blessed to have your Love. Help me to share that Love as you would have me. Help me to understand what it truly means to love. Thank you for loving me. Amen.

God's Geometry!

Acts 28

 ¹¹ After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. ¹² We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. ¹³From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.


What a trip for Paul, bouncing from port to port, being shipwrecked, hitching rides on strange ships. I always taught, as a geometry teacher, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. If you want to get from point A to point B you follow a straight line. God doesn't always follow the rules of Math.


Paul is a perfect example of a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. He didn't whine, he didn't complain, he didn't pull a "Jonah", he just went where God took him. I know from my own experience, it's not always easy to follow the path God has laid before us. The path is not like an Interstate Highway. It's more like a meandering river.  But, every part of the plan is important for the purposes of Christ. There is nothing by chance. When we are committed followers of Christ, we must relinquish control of the plan. We need to be willing to trust in the Lord to take us where he wants us to go. We might scratch our head and wonder. We might even question him. But, he is perfect. His plan for us is perfect. Geometry doesn't matter.


If we let him be in control and willingly follow where he leads, we will be on the greatest adventure ever. We will see people, places, and do things we never imagined. But, the blessings will be amazing. Praise God he is in control. Praise God he has a personal adventure planned just for me. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!