Loving Others With Agape

I have been stretched and pulled over the years to love my son who is a homosexual. At first this had been devastating to me. Now almost 7 years later God is still using this in my life to conform me to His image. More then a year ago God asked me if I was loving my son. Yes, I was. I love the sinner but not the sin was my mantra. I was content with that. I felt that I was making a choice to love that God would be pleased with. This sinner is my son after all. Then God asked if I loved his partner. No I did not. I never meet him nor spoke to him. God asked me if that was love. Here is where I found out where my love ended and God’s agape love needed to begin. A while after this I called my son repenting of how little I truly loved him and how I never loved his partner and I needed to love them better. I began to reach out, however awkwardly. This relationship ended and I felt relieved to not have to be stretched in this area.

Forward to Christmas. Michael wanted to come home for Christmas. Great! Then came the question, can I bring a friend? God apparently wanted me to love more-again! I was afraid and I was hesitant but within boundaries, yes, they could come home for Christmas. I prayed to have the love of Jesus for them. I prayed for that love because my flesh can’t manufacture the love I would need. To make a long story short I found myself loving my son and this other young man more then I thought I ever could. I delighted in seeing that my son has matured a bit. I delighted in the respect I was given. I delighted in their company! I delighted that God will give us this agape love when we allow Him to love through us.
Now as I am studying God’s love in a bible study I realize some of what God has done in and for me. As I look at God’s agape love I read: “Agape love is not fueled by the desire of its recipient; it is fueled by the need. For God so (agape) the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 Agape means God did what humanity most needed- He pursued in us that which was highest and best.” Pg 59- Living Beyond Yourself by Beth Moore Weren’t you and I in the same position as my son and his friend are now? Weren’t we desperately needy? Needy of the agape of God? God’s agape wasn’t given to me because I desired it. “But God demonstrates His own love (agape) toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 How and why could I demonstrate love to Michael and his friend? Because just like me I had a desperate need for a Savior and they need Jesus too.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO PLEASE GOD?

“Therefore we also have as our ambition [we make it our aim], whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:9; ” … trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-10

Last week we looked at the characteristics of a God-pleaser. Today I want to share with you what it takes to please God. I have really been challenged by the study I have been doing as I have read through the Scriptures and Lou Prilio’s book, PLEASING GOD… How Not to be An Approval Junkie. It has really stirred me on to learn what pleases God.

Here is what it takes to please God:

1. Pleasing God requires faith. “And without faith it is impossible
to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

2. Pleasing God requires walking with Him. “For this reason also,
since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God …” Colossians 1:9-10

3. Pleasing God requires sanctification. “Finally then, brethren, we
request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: …” I Thessalonians 4:1-3

4. Pleasing God requires YOUR cooperation. “So then, my beloved,
just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

5. Pleasing God requires doing good works. ” … so that you will
walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God …” Colossians 1:9-10

6. Pleasing God requires knowledge and wisdom. “For this reason
also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God …” Colossians 1:9-10

7. Pleasing God requires gratitude (worship). “Therefore, since we
have received a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe …” Hebrews 12:28

8. Pleasing God requires godly ambition. “Therefore we also have as
our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

That question this morning is this – Am I willing to do what it takes to please God today? Think about it. But do more than that – do it! — Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Great quote: He feared nothing for Himself; and never once employed His divine power to save Himself from His human fate. Let God do that for Him if He saw fit. He did not come into the world to take care of Himself…His life was of no value to Him but as His Father cared for it. God would mind all that was necessary for Him, and He would mind the work His Father had given Him to do. And, my friends, this is just the one secret of a blessed life, the one thing every man comes into this world to learn. George Macdonald

The Intensity of “IF” in the “If–Then Concept”

People who struggle with addictions discover the passion that a substance or attraction can create. People like us who know the power of addictions can get really passionate about then next hit, or the next drink, or the next chat session. I often wonder why men like us don’t seem to get so passionate about our walk with Jesus.

The Wisdom Writer tried to convey the importance of passion when talking to his son about walking on Wisdom Way instead of Foolishness Boulevard.
Take another look at Proverbs 2:1-9. Notice the progression of passion in the little “IF” word that shows up in verses one, three and four. “If you receive my words,” is not so intense. Then the father says, “if you cry out our understanding.” Crying involves passion. In the context of this chapter, the son needs to cry out for that which he doesn’t have but desperately needs. It requires passion.

Then, the father increases the level of passion. In verse four he encourages his son with these words: “If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures.” Something of great value awaits the son who searches. He is to pursue the components of wisdom as though he were looking for hidden treasure. That kind of search requires passion.

Most of us have walked down Foolish Boulevard for one reason or another.
We were passionate about the issue that put us on that road. For some who read Freedom Fighter, it took a major catastrophe to get you off the road to destruction. We remember the passion, though. We remember the attraction and the power it held in our lives.

God offers us that which is of far greater value. Nothing we’ve given our lives for has the same power God brings to us in the person of Jesus Christ. He offers forgiveness, healing, wholeness and transformation. He, and only He, can make us brand new creations. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The Ephesian church, according to John’s Revelation, lost its passion.
It lost that first love that came when they first knew Jesus. They became just “lukewarm.” I suggest that they became “passionless.” How passionate are you about living on Wisdom Way? How passionately do you pursue the “IF” of Proverbs 2? How intense is your commitment to the pursuit of Jesus and His plan for your life?

Consider these questions during the week ahead:

1. Do I receive God’s Word and welcome it into my life?

2. Do I cry out for God’s teaching and wisdom in my life?

3. Do I search for God’s work and will in my life as though it
were hidden treasure?

4. Do I want Jesus in my life more passionately than I want
anything else? If not, why not?

Pastor John Strain is our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor and is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

Great quote: Proud people are often so focused on the external sins in others that they can’t see the attitudes that generate the external sins that they hold in contempt. They spend most of their time trying to put out small fires of sin on the surface of their lives while being totally unaware that there are shrewd and significant arsonists in their hearts setting new fires faster than the existing ones can be extinguished. – Lou Priolio

“The If-Then Concept

We often think of consequences in negative terms. We think of consequences as the outcome of some wrong we’ve done. I want to take you back to Proverbs for a couple of weeks as we think about consequences in a different way. The book clearly teaches us that negative behaviors bring negative consequences. It also teaches what I call the “If-Then Concept” of positive choices and positive outcomes.

All of life is about choices. As Freedom Fighters, we understand the importance of wise, godly choices in our lives. We also understand that unwise and ungodly choices take us places we don’t want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay and cost more than we want to pay. Bill Welte had several goals when he started this email ministry. Helping men like you and me make wise, godly choices was high on the goal list.

So, let’s think about the “If-Then Concept” from the second chapter of Proverbs. Verse one begins with these words: “My son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you . . . .” Most of you know the importance of God’s Word. You’ve received instruction about the need for God’s Word to take root in your souls. You know about hiding God’s Word in your heart. This is not new news for most of us.

Solomon comes at it from a different angle. By using the “if” word, Solomon lets his son know that he has choices. He can choose not to receive his father’s words. He can choose not to treasure the commands.
Another road awaits him. Proverbs calls it the way of folly or foolishness. The son can choose that road. In other places in Proverbs, Solomon will let his son know the consequences of traveling down Foolishness Boulevard.

Solomon’s son needs to know about another way, however. His father wants him to know the positive consequences of walking down Wisdom Way.
Everything a father wants for his son rests on that one little word–IF.
IF he chooses Wisdom way, THEN really good things await him. Verses 1-4 continue the IF part of the instruction.

Drop down to verse 5 to get the THEN part of the instruction. “Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”
He concludes the THEN section in verse 9: “Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.” Those “consequences” of receiving words of wisdom protect us from everything that occurs on Foolishness Boulevard.

Each of us needs to think about the “If-Then Concept” and the choices it demands of us. The “If-Then” of Proverbs 2 protects us from danger and empowers us to live life without regret, shame or failure. That seems like a no-brainer kind of choice to me. What about you? – Pastor John Strain is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River and our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor

Great quote: The death of Christ on the cross was no imitation death or charade. It is presented to us by the Gospel writers because they want us to face death, to confront it – so that we will be prepared for real Life! The Hebrews when they were in Egypt were saved from the angel of death and destruction by marking the door-posts of their houses with the blood of a lamb, so we are marked with the life-giving sign of the cross, stained with the blood of the Lamb of God. The Cross then is the victory sign of every Christian. It is the powerful and defiant banner under which we journey to the safety of our proper homeland, for death has been conquered and Christ has destroyed its fear through the Cross. David Charlesworth

THE REAL DEAL

“I will walk within my own house in the integrity of my heart.” Psalm 101:2b

Yesterday we looked at 11 characteristics of a God-pleaser vs. being a people pleaser, and I told you I wanted to zero in today on No. #7 of the list (if you didn’t see yesterday’s, you can go to http://www.americaskeswick.org/freedom/

No. 7 – A God pleaser is so concerned about fulfilling not only his PUBLIC duties but also his private ones.

Did you ever hear this comment about someone? “He’s the real deal!” or “With him, what you see is what you get.”

During my 18 years in conference ministry, I have interacted with many Christian speakers and musicians. The ones that have impacted me the most are the ones that are off stage what they are on stage. In my estimation, they are the REAL DEAL.

One man in particular stands out in my mind. He is a very well known Bible teacher with many published books. On the platform, his “stage”
presence captivates his audience. But once off the platform, he is rude and obnoxious and very demanding. What he preaches on the stage doesn’t appear to line up with his behavior off the stage.

Lou Prilio in his book “PLEASING PEOPLE” has some interesting observations that are worth noting: “The person who love’s GOD’S approval does not put all of his spiritual energies into doing public duties (corporate worship, teaching, Sunday School, Bible studies, evangelistic outreach, showing hospitality, etc.). He budgets his time so as to discharge his PRIVATE obligations as well.

Behind closed doors, he worships God, thanking Him for who He is and all He has done. He confesses His sin to God, and repents of it. He agonizes in intercessory prayer. He gives of his money and material possessions in secret (if not anonymously). When he fasts, he does so in a way that no one will know what he’s up to.

He prepares his heart for worship BEFORE he goes to church. He reads and studies his Bible regularly. He meditates on Scripture. He cooperates with the Holy Spirit in the sanctification process. He cares for his soul and for the souls of those whom he is responsible. And if anyone tries to pressure him into additional public service, he will not accept it if, in his heart, he knows it will keep him from fulfilling his private obligations.

Moreover, he behaves in an upright way when he is in his own home. He flees temptation, resists the devil, and controls his temper and appetites when no one is around just as he does when people are looking.”

Wow! Is this the testimony of our live, brothers? May it ever be so. May we be men who “walk within our house in the integrity of our hearts!”
Psalm 101:2b. — Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America’s KESWICK and general editor and writer for Freedom Fighters.

Great Quote: “People-pleasers may become such slaves in at least two ways. First, the intense desire for man’s praise and approbation puts them in bondage to man by tempting them to make decisions based on what OTHERS will think rather than on what GOD will think of them.” – Lou Prilio

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOD-PLEASER

“Therefore we also have as our ambition [we make it our aim], whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:9

Several weeks ago we talked about the characteristics of a man who was a people-pleaser. In working through Lou Prilio’s book “Pleasing People – How Not to be an Approval Junkie,” he describes the opposite characteristics of a people-pleaser – a God pleaser. That should be our aim in life as men of God. We are not here to please man – we should make it our aim to please God.

So what are the characteristics of a God-pleaser? Lou suggests the
following:

1. A God pleaser realizes he cannot please God apart from being a
Christian.
“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” (Romans 8:8-9)

2. A God pleaser studies the Scriptures to understand exactly what
it takes to please God.

“…trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” – Ephesians 5:10 “The person who delights (seeks his happiness) in the Lord delights (seeks his happiness) in the Scriptures. He reads them, studies them, memorizes them, meditates on them, runs to them when he has questions to answer, decisions to make, passions to quell, and crisis to face. He loves them because they show him how to live a full, rewarding, exciting life that pleases God.”

3. In everything he does, a God pleaser is conscious of pleasing
God.

4. When he pleases people, a God pleaser does so out of loving
motives, not selfish ones.

5. A God pleaser knows that “it is more blessed to give than to
receive.”

6. A God pleaser considers amending not only his actions, but also
his thoughts and motives.

7. A God pleaser is concerned about fulfilling not only his public
duties but his private ones.

8. A God pleaser is more concerned with what GOD sees in his heart
than what MAN sees in his appearance.

9. A God pleaser programs his conscience by the BIBLE rather than by
the culture!

10. A God pleaser does not shy away from
necessary conflict or confrontation.

11. A God pleaser does not worry or fret when he
displeases people if, by so doing, he pleases God.

Take some time to work through Lou’s list. Are you ready to make it YOUR aim to please God? It is good to think about this. Tomorrow I want to zero in on his comments about number 7.

Great Quote: If there be anything that can render the soul calm, dissipate its scruples and dispel its fears, sweeten its sufferings by the anointing of love, impart strength to all its actions, and spread abroad the joy of the Holy Spirit in its countenance and words, it is this simple and childlike repose in the arms of God. S. D. Gordon

TRUST HIS HEART

“Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, and do not lean on your OWN understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Someone once wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls …” and for so many people right now, that sure does seem to be the case. These past few months have been difficult for so many of our Keswick family and extended family as they have faced challenges and difficulties.

Some examples are:

* A wayward son or daughter who wants to go their own way even
though they have been raised in a Christian home

* A family that has hit with on-going health issues from heart
attacks, heart surgery and a daughter-in-law who had a serious miscarriage

* A Pastor who loves the Lord and is committed to serving God and
His people, seeing people grow and even getting saved, and finds out at a church business meeting that there are people calling for a vote of confidence

* A 2- year old granddaughter diagnosed with serious heart issue
that may require surgery

* A 12 year old child that is in serious condition because she
has just learned she has one kidney and her reproductive organs are all messed up

* A man who after many years of serving with a company loses his
job because of downsizing

* A Pastor who is watching several individuals in his church
bring division and strife

* A retired missionary who has served God so faithfully and his
wife and daughter are now both struggling with cancer

These are real like examples of people whose lives are being impacted by difficulties – real time stuff. But it is in these difficult moments of life, that we can TRUST HIS HEART.

Years ago Babbie Mason recorded a song called TRUST HIS HEART …

All things work for our good though sometimes we don’t see how they could. Struggles that break our hearts in two sometimes blinded to the truth. Our Father knows what best for us he ways are not our own. So when your pathway grows dim and you just don’t see him remember your never alone. Chorus

God is to wise to be mistaken God is too good to be unkind. So when you don’t understand when you don’t his plan when you can’t trace his hand trust his heart, trust his heart. (He alone is faithful and true he alone knows what is best for you).

Verse 2 He sees the master plan and he hold our future in his hand so don’t live as those who have no hope for our hope is found in him. We see the presently clearly but he see the 1st and the last and like a tapestry he’s weaving you and me to someday be just like Him.

My guess is that someone reading this today is going through something.
You may be at the place where you are feeling hopeless and filled with despair. TRUST HIS HEART! It really is worth it. HE IS FAITHFUL and HE WILL SEE YOU THROUGH WHATEVER THE DIFFICULTY or CHALLENGE MAY BE. You may not understand it, your heart may be a the breaking point – TRUST HIS HEART. – Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America’s KESWICK and the General Editor and writer for Freedom Fighters. His granddaughter, Lindsay Alice, is facing heart surgery for a severe mitral valve prolapsed. We covet your prayers and we are TRUSTING HIS HEART!

Great Quote: “The happiest people I know are the ones who have learned how to hold everything loosely and have given the worrisome, stress-filled, fearful details of their lives into God’s keeping.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll

ESTEEM OTHERS BETTER THAN YOURSELF

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” Philippians 2:3

I am not telling you anything new! You already know this first-hand. We live in a self-centered, ME world. And it starts at a very young age.
Back in January when we were watching our grandkids, there was a day that Tanner, Lindsay, Emma and Tanner were together. While they all got along together (for the most part) it was amazing how many times the word “Mine!” came out of their little mouths.

Think about it – much of the junk that we go through in conflict, whether it be at home with our spouse or kids, at work with a fellow employee, or unfortunately, even at church, really comes down to wanting my way. Our mantra in society has become “I want it MY way,” and yet that is exactly the opposite of how God wants us to live in relationship to others.

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi that they were to have a mind of humility and “esteem others them themselves.” Apart from Christ doing that through your life, which is why He wants to BE your life, it is impossible to do that. Author, speaker and Christian counselor, Lou Prilio, in his book PLEASING PEOPLE, suggests nine ways that you and I can esteem others better than yourself:

1. Don’t assume that others have EXACTLY the same evil motives as
you find in YOUR own heart, but rather put the best possible interpretation on their actions.

2. Look for those virtuous qualities in others that you know you are
in most need of yourself. Then seek their help in acquiring those qualities.

3. Don’t assume that YOUR time, money, energy, thoughts, and
opinions are more valuable than your neighbor’s.

4. When making a decision, consider not only how that decision will
affect your own interests, but also how it will affect the interests of others.

5. Be alert not only to your own needs, but also to the needs of
others.

6. Demonstrate your high estimation of others by commending them for
those qualities that are biblically worthy of praise.

7. Guard your heart from developing a pattern of critical,
condemnatory, accusatory, judgmental thoughts about others. Such thoughts make it very difficult, if not impossible, to esteem others better than yourself.

8. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

9. Remind yourself often that God has given to you everything you
need to be proud of and that He has often used others to get you where you are, Thank God and thank those whom He has used to bless you.

Good suggestions for us to consider. “Lord, help me today, to allow You through me, to esteem others better than myself.” – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK, and is the proud Pop-pop of five grandchildren.

Great quote: “God’s Word is the tiger that devours the heart set on the flesh. Unleash the that tiger on the reader’s hearts.” John Sowell

Cell Phones – Blessing or Curse

This is an interesting Freedom Fighter topic, but one that I would lovingly like to address. Can you remember what life was like BEFORE the cell phone?
Maybe I am getting old – but it seems to me that what is a great instrument to help us to be connected has become a tool to rob us of enjoying worship and the ministry of the Word.

At a recent Keswick conference I sat in the back and counted twenty people get up during the ministry of the Word to answer cell calls. At least a dozen folks were outside in the freezing cold weather talking on their cell phones when they could have been sitting in the meeting with their spouse – this was a couple’s weekend.

And yesterday was the icing on the cake. During the last session of our Hispanic Weekend, the service was built around the Lord’s Table. I was absolutely amazed at how many cell phones were going off. It just didn’t seem right.

I don’t want to by cynical or sarcastic – but I wonder what we’d do if we were invited by President Bush to visit the White House for a State dinner.
Would we keep our cell phone on? Would we leave to take a call? I don’t think so.

Take that a step further – what might it have looked when Jesus was giving the Sermon on the Mount with the disciples standing in the back yakking on their cell phones? Or maybe picture the night of the Last Supper. Jesus is sharing his most intimate thoughts with the Twelve and Peter gets a call on his cell. Being a sanguine, Peter gets up and goes out to talk to his friend and tells Jesus, “Hey, Lord, I need to take this call from one of my fishing buddies. Can you wait to finish this discussion till I’m done?”

Or put it another way – how would we feel if in the middle of our prayers, the Lord said, Can you hang on, I have a call coming in on my cell phone?
How would we feel?

We would most likely be quick to rebuke and criticize the disciples who fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane while Jesus was praying. How could those guys do that to our Lord during His last hours? Jesus was puzzled too because He asked them why they couldn’t have stayed awake for just that brief period of time. But do you think He might ask us the same question today? “Could you not spend time with me for one hour without worrying about your cell phone?”

I have a sneaky suspicion that we have become way too connected. Worship should require our undivided attention. It is the time that He has access to speak to our hearts and transforms our lives. Can I challenge you in love – make a date with the Lord this Sunday, and turn off your cell phone. Allow Him to speak to your heart. I think you will find that you made the right choice! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Great Quote: “The real test of a Christian is not one’s willingness to preach the gospel, but one’s willingness to do something like washing the disciple’s feet – that is being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God.” – Oswald Chambers