⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4 7-12

Yep, there you have a idyllic warning of pending catastrophe!  Idyllic? really. Well I think so when you compare it to the warning bells and whistles that went off last week in Japan. Have you been able to watch any of those videos of the water crashing in, and the only warning being a shrill high pitched alarm. And with that warning the people reacted.

Of course, those of us who “buffet our bodies daily” realize that with each and every day, we must be watchful and careful.

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 English Standard Version (ESV)

It is something that we must do each and every day, not just on the Ides of March, not just when the warning whistle is sounding. We have been provided a warning and always need to be on the lookout! Not only watching for attacks on our faith, and on our soul, but also watching for those in need, seeking opportunities to multiply mercy peace and love.

Oh, and back to Japan, if you are looking for a place to help, Healing Hands International will be working with local churches in the area – trying to get supplies, water, and blankets to those who are suffering and are in need. You can check it out here.

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 (New International Version, ©2011)

Heed the warning and be watchful today

Rose are Red
Violets are blue
I like to blog
but I stink at Haiku!

Many moons ago on this very day, Amy and I enjoyed our first date together – Dinner at Dalt’s and movie. Yeah, I know – pretty cheesy right – first date on Valentines, but let me tell that night quickly pushed my previous best Valentines memory to the background – the memory of being in the fourth grade and it finally being my turn to have one of my drawings copied of the old mimeograph machine. I still remember drawing old Snoopy and Woodstock on that blue paper, with the words Happy V-Day in the talking bubble. Anyway, the very best part of that first date with Amy, besides being lucky enough to be allowed to spend the evening with her, was that there was another one the very next day, and they haven’t stopped since!

So, it’s the day we remember and recognize our love for others. I hope you take a moment to confirm that to those around you whether it be with flowers, chocolate or a simple note or word. It’s important for us to hear and to tell those around us how we feel.

Also take a moment to remember where love comes from. Enjoy the Day!

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11 (New International Version, ©2010)

Also, when I travel sometimes I over estimate the personal work I can accomplish in my hotel room at night.  This trip was no exception, however, I found my nights dominated by my work more then my personal work.  So this morning I had several things still to get down before I headed out.

So much that as I was walking out the room door I realized I had not taking any time to study and to write this post.  I had become so caught up in the simple tasks that I was trying to accomplish that I bypassed one of hte most important for getting my day going.  Wow!  How easy it is to be caught up in things and completely miss and forget the important stuff.  So this morning is quite a lesson to me on how important staying close to study really is and how easy it is to get out of practice and out of pattern.  That’s why this blog is named what it is.  Everyday we must buffet our bodies, (including our minds), and make our bodies and our minds our slaves, versus the other way around.

So, I hope that my about face in the doorway, and this post keep you in a pattern of study today, and that it’s a subtle reminder of the importance of staying close to him.

⁴You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (New International Version)

15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. Psalm 119:15

No, not the port-o-let version, the Johns – John, 1 2 and 3 John.  I actually remembered last nights conversation while I was reading a little bit of 1 John this morning looking for some motivation and realizing that I don’t have the same energy that I used to have.  Getting starting this morning after a “school night” concert is proving to be a little more to overcome than I anticipated.  But anyway, back to the John, well, back to 1 John.

⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:5

I found this to be motivational today.  Realizing that the victory that overcomes the world is simply our faith! When its boiled down to that it becomes so simple, and yet so motivating.

So, I apologize for the bathroom humor today, I think I am still stuck on Man Day! However,  I hope you can look past that, and find motivation to tackle the day from the awareness of the victory that lies before you!  Also take a look at the whole of 1 John 4 and 5 and see where the leads you today!

⁵⁷But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:57

Butcher, Jason T [11:46 AM]:I’m Immutable

But then, I started thinking about that word and what it means.

not subject or susceptible to change or variation in form or quality or nature

For lots of things in life immutability is a great thing, but for a follower of Christ this good be a bad thing. Do I really want to be immutable?  Do I want to not be subject to change in nature?  Do I want to be unalterable?  This is an interesting thought, because for many things in life, yes you do want to be constant, fixed and enduring.  Like this:

²⁴See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. (1 John 2:24-25)

But in other situations being immovable, unalterable, unchangeable and changeless is a terrible place to be.   I think as followers of the Christ, we also need to be looking for places that we are not immutable, because God’s promise is immutable.  I want to be able to say I “used to walk in these ways, in the life I once lived”, but I have changed because of the unchanging, unwavering, immutable love of God!

^3-4Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

^5-8And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.

^9-11Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Colossians 3:3-10 (The Message)

I think today I will tell him

Butcher, Jason T [11:46 AM]:I’m Immutable because I have changed

No matter how you look at this, America as a country will never be the same.  I have really not spent much time reading the details of the bill, and really who knows since it was passed in such an seemingly unconventional way last night.  I really don’t know whats in or out, and so its hard for me to judge the impact at this point.  I am sure some will be helped, and other will be harmed with the passing of this bill.  Time will tell us the real impact to America.  Some will offer praise today, some will ask for guidance and express concern.  Personally,  I am not overly excited about the deal.

If you are expressing joy today for this change in America – do so with a kind spirit.  If this bill was not to your liking, educate yourself, protest peacefully and lovingly and work for change.  But either way, the thing we can point to today, is something that is bigger than this bill.  Something that I hope will keep you striving today to impact the world immediately around you and to make a impact in peoples lives.

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^{[a] 37}No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39 (New International Version)

¹⁷The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17 (New International Version))

Whether your team lost this weekend, or you think the country is going down the tubes, keep striving to impact your neighbor, and keeping doing the will of God – which is to love your neighbor!

That’s the part of Joseph we can relate to.  I don’t tell dreams, I don’t have twelve brothers and I dont have a multicolor coat ( oh, well, yes I do…)  .. but really, I can relate to feeling at rock bottom, to feeling that you are alone, or that you have no hope.  And I caught myself rejoicing in my mind when I heard her singing”  We’ve read the book and you come out on top!”  It reminded me of my of my favorite Chris Tomlin songs - I Will Rise

There’s a peace I come to know, though my heart and flesh my fail, there’s an anchor for my soul ,I can say it is well, Jesus has overcome and the grave is overwhelmed, the victory is won, he is risen from the dead, and I will rise!

Yes!

We have read the book, we come out on top.

 ²⁴See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. 1 John 2:24-25 

 ²⁶You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  Galatians 3:26-29

And if you are not sure what happens to Joseph or if just you want to see a great show, my son and nephews will be in a rendition of “Joseph” along with the high schoolers at Boyd Buchanan this weekend.  Three shows – 7 on Friday night, 2 and 7 on Saturday.  Come out there and enjoy a great show and rejoice that we come out on top!

Enjoy the day you have been given – its a day closer to the promise.

Anyway, although the ads pull me in with the little storylines, I can’t figure out what this has to do with a phone.   But it has always interested me that John Lennon was able to capture the essence of Christian thinking in this song, and popularize it in a way that Christians never have been able to!  All we need is Love.

Paul tells us its the greatest thing in 1 Corinthians 13

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

and John reminds us about the greatness of Love in 1 John 4

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Sometimes its a hard thing – especially for the men among us, but Love is all you need, it should be the backbone of the way we treat each other.  So today go ahead and sing this song.  Love is all we need.  And then – apply it to you life.  Will you live that way as well?

Its a great story of a family doing something that requires faith – reaching out of their comfort zone to impact a person.  What a chance they seem to have taken to open up their home to a complete stranger from a really really difficult background.  Its a great movie that, for me at least, challenged me to continue to move my faith out of the “church building” and into the streets.  If you have not seen this movie, I would recommend that you head over to your favorite theater, get the number one special ( a large refillable popcorn and two 73,434,384,379 ounce refillable drinks) and watch this one, and then contemplate what you are doing in your life that requires you to live out your faith.

Then as this week heads right into its grand crescendo ( did I mention that there are only 3 more days until Christmas), consider this:  God loved you so much that he sent his son to this nasty sin-filled Earth.  He sent him from Heaven to become a man.

1 John 3:16-20 (New International Version)

¹⁶This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. ¹⁷If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? ¹⁸Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. ¹⁹This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence ²⁰whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

God loved you, he sent his Son, who then died on the cross, because he loved you.  How can these things move us to put our faith into action – to put love into action.

Let us love, let us find a way to live out our faith.  Take a step today towards  action.   I think God will be protecting your Blindside.