Author: Alfred McGowen

Because God Wants To Be With You, Let Go & Let God. Be In Control! You Will Be Glad You Did.

SoJourner

Anyone, who is an observer of human relationships, doesn’t have to look very far to discover that we live in a society that is starving for authentic love. And even though the ancient wisdom of the Holy Bible is clear on what love does, and does not do, (See 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,) there is nothing in the Bible about what love IS. Let me correct this a bit: The Bible does say that “God IS Love;” however, does this mean we tell people, “Hey, I God you today?” I don’t think so. My point is that we would be wise to be able to grasp how to actually spell love practically, understand each letter, and then we would do well to assimilate love, while we discover that love can only come from God. In the process, we would actually grasp loves meaning. Then, we will have the ability to intentionally make it part of our lives, experience it, live it, and then give it away.

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, the people of God, light the candle of Love. As we set fire to candle, I am going to challenge you to spell love. I have done this since 1979, and I will tell you this has been my own personal guiding principle. Please know we will not be spelling love “L.O.V.E.” We will be spelling it C.A.R.E.

C: A Choice of Commitment

When God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to us to save us from bondage to sin and death, He made a choice to be committed to us. He didn’t fall in love with us, as if He didn’t have any control in the matter. Authentic love has nothing to do with falling into love. Why? This is so because, if you can fall in love, then you can fall out of love when the going get’s tough. Sadly, too many today live by this kind of principle, and so relationships do not hold up when life gets stormy. God chose to be committed to us. He Chose, even though many would reject Him. He chose to be committed, even though it meant He would be wounded, bruised, whipped, crucified, dead and buried. God exemplified love. There is not greater love than to lay down your life for those your love! God is love, and as love, God demonstrated this important truth: Love IS a choice, and it is a choice to be committed. If we love someone, and I mean we really love someone, It begins with us making a choice.

A PRINCIPLE POINT

Here is a salient point: If you want to love someone, and if you want to make this choice to be committed to that special person, it is vital you have a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. 1 John 4:7-8 makes is clear that love comes to us, and through us, singularly, from God. The Word of God explains this well: You receive the supernatural power to love solitarily by making Jesus the Lord of your life. That is, you can give away authentic agape, or heavenly love, by receiving it from God. Your first choice, therefore, is to commit your life to the true and living God, through faith in Jesus Christ, who has already chosen to be committed to you. Then, when you do so, the power to love will begin flowing through you, and you will be given the power to give that committed love away, by your own choice.

What About 50/50?

I have heard people say, “Love is a 50/50 proposition.” REALLY? Think about this: If you are going to take an exam, but you only get a 50, what do you have? You have failure! Therefore, if two people are in relationship, and they only have, as a target, 50% effort, the relationship breaks down. What if each is having a bad day? It’s clear there is zero connection; however, if each sets as a target to offer 100%, with God’s help, and by His grace, the outcome will be far better. If one has a 65% partially good day, and the other is having a 35% good day, then the miracle of God given love flows through the relationship.

I personally pray for my wife, and for myself, daily, to receive from God the ability to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength, and that we will love each other the way we love ourselves. I also pray we give this same love away to our children, grandchildren and neighbors. This has worked for a very long time, even if we are having a difficult time. I do this because I know that love is a choice of commitment, and the ability to truly love only comes from God and God alone. This is the 100% truth!

A: Acceptance

The Ancient Wisdom of the Bible teaches that acceptance is vital for demonstrated love: Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates His love for us in that, even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God takes us as we are. God accepts us! He takes us flaws and all. He doesn’t do, like a young lady I once heard say, and perhaps many have said. “When we get married, I will change them.” This is called, by some, the “Pygmalion project.” This is where one persons form of “love” is demonstrated by making their other important person into the image they want them to be. This stinking thinking is doomed to failure. If the two are not seemingly injured, extended family is injured. Ask anyone, whose child has abandoned them because of the influence of their adult child’s spouse, and they can tell you this is true. We call this “Grandparent Alienation Syndrome.” It is also called elder abuse.

Folks, we are all flawed, and the longer we are in relationship, the more we will see the other person differently. It is true. People don’t stay the same. Ten year old people, don’t think like twenty year old people. Thirty year old people don’t think like forty year old people. If you actually do marry someone, you will be right, when you say, “they are not the same person I married!” If we choose to follow the God example, we will take each other, flaws and all, and we will work together, with God’s love, mercy and grace flowing through our lives. We will become one with the Lord, and we will become one with each other. No, we do not accept abuse of any kind! Hopefully this includes the abuse of extended family. But we do accept one another, as we grow older together, and experience life together. Then we can truly be on track to love each other, and others as well.

R: Respect

Jesus once, while with His disciples, did an uncanny thing: He took off His Rabbinical Robe, and He put on a slaves garment. He stooped down, and even though He is the Son of God, and He is one with God the Father, He washed His disciples stinking and dirty feet. Folks this is respect., and it involves demonstrating a servants heart, from God. It is also an example of how God demonstrates His love, and He expects us to love others similarly. Showing the world you respect your beloved is a precious thing. Showing them that you are there for them, when they are hurting and need you, is vital. Being there for them respects them.

Sadly, and all to often, we see so called lovers, putting their mates down, even in public. Look a little deeper, and you see that it’s difficult so see the supposed special other being “there” for the other, when the going gets tough. Aretha Franklin was correct, as she sang about the perfect, God demonstrated philosophy. Are you old enough to remember “R.E.S.P.E.C.T. You don’t know how much that means to me … Give me a little respect when you come home.” Without this important part of God’s love flowing through us, there is little love at all.

E: Empathy

Jesus, who came, also wants to come to us today, and He is available as the ONE the Bible calls “The Wonderful Counselor.” In Hebrews 4:15-16, we hear how this Wonderful Counselor makes Himself available to us empathically, and helps up to live a better quality of life. Check this out:

“We have a High Priest that empathizes with our feelings and infirmities, and He can do so because He was tempted like we have been tempted; yet, He never sinned. Therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy, and that you may find grace to help you in your time of need.”

This is a classic description of showing love via Empathy: The ONE who loves us hears us, actually listens, understands how we feel, and He does so because He walked among us as, “God with us.” He comes along side of us. He can do so because He went through everything we go through in the human body, and He overcame in all things; therefore He, with experience and the wisdom of Almighty God, knows how to help us overcome. He helps us live a full life.

When we demonstrate love we demonstrate God’s grace to Empathize. I can tell you doing so definitely takes having a relationship with God. Then, we listen. We seek to understand. When we get to a place of understanding, as we journey along side of the one we love, we help the person come to a place of making decisions for a better quality of life. It’s like the song which says, “Walk a mile in my shoes.” All to often we want to fix a persons problem, and we want have a quick answer, but the loving experience is truly felt and experienced when the ones in love seek first empathy with one another.

Those Warm Fuzzy Feelings

There is one important issue that we have to examine. Most people think of love as those warm fuzzy feelings you get when you “fall in love.” Feelings come and go through life. Some days we feel really blessed, sensual, beloved, loved, happy, calm, and just really good, when we are around the one who “makes” us feel so good; however, life can happen in ways where there is pain, sorrow, anger, fear and feelings of being overwhelmed. Sometimes anger will take over. Guess whom we displace those painful feelings on when we are having a horrible, terrible, very bad and no good day. It’s usually the one we are suppose be loving.

Listen, if your definition of love is based on how you think the other person is going to make you feel, or vice versa, then you are setting yourself, and the other one, up with the potential for a lot of pain. Contrary to what a lot of modernist thinking says, love IS NOT an emotion. Love may involve emotions, but love cannot be only based on you just feelings.

How God Spells Love: C.A.R.E

When a person perceives that a person has, with God’s help, Chosen to demonstrate God given commitment to them, accepts them, respects them and empathizes with them, then those warm fuzzy feelings we associate with love will likely well up within their being. To the degree that both parties do the same for each other, it is amazing how the storms of life don’t tear them apart, but make them stronger together, as they become one.

How do you spell love? You spell it Commitment, Acceptance, Respect and Empathy. This is how God spells His love for us, and He really can give us grace to demonstrate is similarly. Therefore, love is NOT merely something based on feeling. Love is not just and emotional trip, but it can involve feelings. Authentic love actually produces loving feelings. However, never forget. Love IS A Choice.

God Bless You

SoJourner

He has come! He comes into our lives! One day He will come to get us to take us to the custom made dwelling He has built for us in Heaven! But before that, He just might be coming again sooner than many realize! For some, these 2020 times, are scary times, but for the Christ-Follower, these can be times of J.O.Y, which we will explore this third Sunday of Advent.

The first two weeks of Advent the colors of our candle are purple representing repentance. And as we turn from our sin, brokenness in pain, we find H.O.P.E! We indeed discover God’s beautiful life giving grace, as we Hold On Promises Eternal, even if things seem hopeless; meanwhile, Advent also gives us the privilege to turn our anxiety over to Christ Jesus, who has come, as we discover our P.E.A.C.E! Yes! We actually can overcome finding that we can Pray Expecting Almighty Controls Everything!

J.O.Y.

Guess what? I have another acrostic: This word tells us the real source of a powerful way to live: I am talking about J.O.Y, which begins with Jesus Occupying You! The candle color, on this third Sunday, is pink which represents the J.O.Y. of the coming Christ child. Babies do tend to bring a sense of joy; however, this baby is like no other. For this one actually is the Savior of the world! He makes possible the forgiveness of everything we have done wrong! This one, when we make Him our own Lord and Savior, brings healing to the broken heart and healing to the wounded soul! This happens when Jesus Occupies You. I know that there is nothing more real, or life giving, than for Jesus to sincerely be allowed to come into the human heart, make that person a new creation and replace the broken stuff with that which is entirely new! (See 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Try A Little Rejoicing!

Now, if you wish to really enhance your J.O.Y. quotient, do something intentional, as Jesus Occupies You. I am talking about, since you have this relationship with Jesus, intentionally express, out loud, things over which you can praise God or rejoice. This word “rejoice” is an action verb, and it takes the relationship of the J.O.Y. we have to a new level! Try this on for size: Deliberately, consciously and precisely, calculate ways you can praise God for things closely related to the fact you know Jesus Occupies You!

For example, you can rejoice in the fact, that knowing Jesus, validates that everyone of one your sins are forgiven! He has removed the sin virus from the hard drive of your spirit and soul! (Hebrews 9:12.) You can celebrate that you are no longer condemned! (John 3:16-18!) Sing praises because He, as your Savior, transforms your life, while holding you blameless! (Hebrews 10:15-17) Think this wonder filled thought: You actually have a Wonderful Empathic Counselor ready to listen to everything that is going on in your life, and He can help you have an excellent outcome! (Hebrews 4:15-16) And this Savior takes away your guilty conscience, as you actually bring, the dirt and grime, that slimes your spirit and soul, to Jesus in prayer. (Hebrews 10:19-22), and there is much more simply because Jesus Occupies You!

Refocus

Therefore, rather that keeping your focus on all the bad stuff of 2020, and how bad it has been for you, why not consider a new mind set? Why not let go of yesterday, as well as tomorrow, and live fully today, through faith in Jesus, by the power of The Holy Spirit? Why not refocus on who your are, and what you have, because Jesus Occupies You! Celebrate each day, as do I, that “This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24) I can tell you, from personal experience, that if you determine to view each day as a gift, you can say “Thank God for today!” Then you don’t need to wait for Friday to come, in order for the positive emotions, that accompany a grateful heart, to bless your today, and make you more joy filled! If you refocus on all the Jesus Occupies You promises, J.O.Y. will actually fill your heart.

Celebrate Jesus Today!
Make Jesus Lord of your life!
Celebrate the wonder of the Son of God IN your life!
Celebrate You Are IN Jesus Christ!
Rejoice!

Jesus Occupies You!

SoJourner

Not Necessarily The Season To Be Jolly Nor Peaceful

Peace I leave with you.
My peace I give to you,
and it is not the kind of peace the world gives.
It is the kind that will not let you hearts be troubled or afraid.
Jesus
(A Paraphrase)
John 14:27

I have heard a song playing, this time of the year, that may not be exactly what numerous people are experiencing; for example, this is not the “Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” for people who have experienced a beloved family member dying. Nor is it a time people are filled with peace, if they have lost a job or if there life is filled with anxiety over this Covid -19. Or it could be a difficult time if your health is failing or an adult child, at the prodding of his spouse, has abandoned you and taken away your grandchildren. Indeed, many things can keep this from being the most wonderful time of the year, if you let it.

Consequently, I like to allow my thoughts to drift toward Advent, which is focusing on the coming of the Lord. And the Lord coming to you, as you experience your own Advent, not only offers us H.O.P.E., as we discussed last week, but it also offers us what we see in this second candle of Advent: We see P.E.A.C.E. being offered to us: The Peace of God, because of the Peace we can have with the God of Peace via the one whom we call “The Prince of Peace,” opens the door wide for us to live in peace. He really does offer us a way to overcome every challenge. Again, I like to use an acrostic to help get things in focus.

P.E.A.C.E.

Praying Expecting Almighty Controls Everything, is a powerful spiritual practice which can empower us to walk in peace, as we open our hearts to Jesus P.E.A.C.E., which He promises in the promise at the beginning of this blog. This promise is for His Covenant People, and so the P.E.A.C.E. begins with walking with the Lord Jesus, as both Savior and Lord of our lives. Read through John 14:1-6, as well as the John 14:27 P.E.A.C.E. promise. This blessing of peace is not about being religious. It is about walking in a relationship with God the Father, through Jesus the Son of God, by the power of The Holy Spirit.

Question: What do we Pray, as we Expect Almighty to Control Everything? Let me answer this as simply as possible from Philippians 4:6-7. Here we read:

Don’t be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayers and petitions,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds
IN Christ Jesus!

Here the P.E.A.C.E. plan is spelled out clearly, from the only ONE who can actually provide us with peace, during challenging times: Don’t be anxious, but if you are feeling anxious, God has something you can be and do. Even Jesus got anxious in the Garden of Gethsemane! So, it’s no sin to be anxious. Check this out: First, Pray to God. Talk to Him, as if He were a wonderful empathetic Counselor who loves you! After all He is the “Wonderful Counselor!” And He is the one who pays your counseling bills. So, you don’t have to worry about any indebtedness. Second, don’t limit what you share with Him: Cast ALL your concerns on God, who cares about you, and He cares about what is happening to you. Talk to Him about everything that is making you anxious. Petition God about what you are anxious. Third, mix in a bit of gratitude: Thank God for whatever you can think about being thankful about. You might begin with thanking Him for loving you, listening to you, and caring for you, and for being in control. Don’t be timid about your prayers, petitions nor your thanksgiving. Effectively, fervently, thankfully, and with all your heart open up you life to God! After all, He already knows everything. So, get honest with God. Let go of all of it, and Let God handle it! I promise you that God is much stronger than you. Pray Expecting Almighty Controls Everything! You see, He actually does control everything. Finally, let the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Yes, you would do yourself a favor simply letting peace happen. I think you will be glad you did.

This works for me. I know it will work for you.

God Bless You,
SoJourner

2020 is one year that is for the memory books: It might could be described as “Murphy’s Law” on steroids. Y’all remember Murphy and his law don’t you? If he were here today, old Murphy would espouse that “Anything that could go wrong, at a particular point in time, would absolutely go wrong at the worst possible time that it could go wrong.” For example, he would say, “If you have an open face peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and if you dropped it, that sandwich would invariably fall face down.” I suspect that, if I took a poll, many would indeed say 2020 is a “Murphy’s Law” kind of year. Still, this does not apply to the season when we think about the coming of The Savior to Planet Earth.

Consider this: During this first Sunday of Advent, we are celebrating the “Hope” that only God can give during times that are, for many people, hopeless. Some time ago, I received from the Lord an acrostic that clearly describes what having a relationship with Jesus accomplishes in our lives. For me, H.O.P.E. is Holding On Promises Eternal. And this first Advent candle, that celebrates Jesus, who is the Messiah’s, coming is the candle that gives us that which we desperately need during 2020. It shouts to us, “There Is HOPE!”

For example, first, the H.O.P.E. of His coming is the hope of being forgiven of every sin and it is the hope of being transformed. It is the hope that He will come into a person’s heart, and He will reside there in relationship with that person who yields to Him. But there is more! One of my favorite, hope filled promises, to which I hold, and that is eternal, is Colossians 1:21-23. Hear what the Apostle Paul said:

Once you were alienated from God, and were enemies in your own mind,
because of your evil behavior.
But now God has reconciled us, by Christ’s physical body, through death,
and He did this to present us Holy in His sight, without blemish and free from ALL accusation, if you continue in the faith, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

I don’t know about you, but in a year like 2020, this promise really is what I previously described: This really is something I want to grab on to, and I want to Hold On to this Promise Eternal! It encourages me, and it empowers me, to know that, not only has God brought us into a relationship with Him, but that, in doing so, when He looks at you and me, God sees us as Holy, with no blemishes, and we are completely free from all accusation! He sees us as His perfect children! All we have to do is keep on holding on to this “Hope” held out in the gospel! All we have to do is embrace the wonderful thought that God sees you and me, His children, as holy! When He looks at us, He sees NO blemishes, and He even tells us that there is nothing of which we can be accused! WOW! I am going to Hold On this Promise Eternal Y’all! Such a grace grant, like this, from God, does my heart a whole lot of good!

The Challenge

What about you? Do you want to Hold On Promises Eternal? Do you have any God promises, that are in God’s eternal Word, that mean something special to you? Rather than holding on to the “Murphy’s Law” doldrums mentality of 2020, can you bring yourself to a place where God can encourage you? Can you choose to let God build you up in the faith? Can you pick out some of your own favorite promises, where you Hold On these Promises Eternal? Come on! Give it a shot! Take up my challenge, as I challenge you to do what I do: Go ahead and focus the locus of your focus on the spiritual exercise of Holding On Promises Eternal! There are thousands of promises God offers in His word, and these promises are doubly validated, now that the Savior has come!

So, go through your Bible, or any Bible, and then highlight a number of these sacred texts! Once you have a few of these underlined, read them out loud many times. And as you do so, watch what happens to your heart, your soul and your mind! I believe, if you sincerely take up this challenge, it will amaze you how you feel, even though 2020 is still around. Don’t let 2020 bring you down any longer. Let God lift you up! Hold On Promises Eternal today, and everyday, that God gives you life.

God Bless You. May your reflection, on this hope filled part of Jesus coming, bring you peace.

SoJourner