John 14:1-3, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you, so that you will always be with me where I am."
God commands us to be hospitable and I think He does this because He desires for our hearts to be engaged. Ever heard these quotes? -
"Wherever your treasure is there will your heart be also."
"Home is where the heart is."
"Your treasure is always connected to your time."
"A happy heart produces a happy home."
In the verses in John, Jesus is telling us where His heart is. He is concerned about us. He desires that we don't worry. He desires that our hearts not be troubled. He has this place and He is going there (and is there now!) to PREPARE a place for us. He cares for our needs and also gives us an example of how we should get our hearts in the right place as well.
Whatever people spend time on, is what is most important to them. As we think about hospitality and our conversation about getting our hearts involved, we see one of the keys to getting our hearts involved. It is simply preparation.
Think about the last time you opened your home to people for a meal or a game night. You probably did some sort of preparation didn't you. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Last Friday my wife and I decided to invite some people over for dinner and to play some games. In deciding to do this we were making a decision to get our heart involved because it was going to take time to prepare. Let's look at the list of things that needed to happen for this night to take place:
1. We had to have a discussion about who to invite. (if you are married discussion and communication is important)
2. We had to make phone calls, send texts, and even drive to a government housing project to get in touch with some people that didn't have a phone.
3. We had to plan the meal, and work out the details of what everyone was going to bring.
4. We had to take time to go to the store and buy supplies. (you can't grill without charcoal)
5. We had to clean the house and pick up the yard.
Each of these things needed to happen in order for the night to be a success. we had to be engaged with the process of hospitality way before the party actually happened and people showed up. This process is vital for getting our hearts prepared to connect and minister to those who came. The night turned out awesome by the way! We had so much fun and all the kids had a great time and we even put the smack down on some kids at the park. (we can't let strangers talk smack to us about our ball skills now can we?)
As I thought about the night and what made it so great...I decided that it really was a success and we had a great time becuase of the preparation. Even Jesus who is God, said He was going to prepare a place for each of us, it means that there is something to the preparation process. My opinion - it is important because true hospitality starts in the heart, and the only way your heart can get involved is if time and effort have taken place.
So the next time you are thinking of having someone over for dinner or throwing a party, take time to enjoy the preparation. It is part of the process, and if the process becomes fun for you, your heart will naturally become hospitable.
Preparation is Vital!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Positioning Yourself Correctly
John 20:24-28 - "One of the twelve disciples, Thomas, was not with the others when Jesus came. they told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in His side." Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. "Peace be with you," He said. Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" "My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed.
This is an amazing story Jesus tells us about here. I used to think it was all about the doubt part, but I think this story is another picture of how we are to position ourselves as followers of Jesus. We have been discussing Hospitality and how it is a lifestyle and not a meal. It is an attitude not and action. This portion today I want to take the approache that it is how you position yourself with those you come in contact with. I believe the attitude of hospitality towards the Holy Spirit and towards the world should be one of curiosity and a desire to know.
The culture we live among and with does no longer connect to some story or idea about what God has done or a story of who God is... they want to experience it. They want to feel it, they want to see it, they want it to be tangible. This is what this story is all about with Thomas.
It wasn't that he didn't distrust the other disciples and waht they saw or experienced, but he was tired of the stories about what Jesus hs done for others and he wanted to experience it for himself. This is a beautiful description of our culture today. They have heard the stories of Noah, or Jonah, and Gideon and David, and they have heard about this Jesus and yet they are unbelieving... why? Simple, because they have not experienced the cross and what it stands for and represents. Most non Christians experience distnace and judgment for not believing the stories we Christians tell. They feel likethey have to join some club and say they believe something they don't in order to belong and this is not what Jesus desires. Jesus wants us - "THE CHURCH" to position ourselves in such a way that non Christians can experience the grace and forgiveness and freedom and acceptance that the cross represents.
How do we do this? Let's look at this story of Thomas. Thomas hears the story and does not believe yet he is invited into the inner room, the locked room, the safe place where the other believers are. In this place Jesus shows up and allows Thomas to literally experience the cross. He has the chance to touch, and feel, and see the wounds that Jesus endured specifically for him. We as "THE CHURCH" must beginto position ourselves in close proximity with those who don't believe the way we believe so that in the living we can help them experience the grace and forgiveness the cross represents. In order for us to do this effectively we must create a peaceful enviornment for them that is not judgmental. When Jesus showed up in the locked room the disciples were in there in fear and very anxious about what was next. Many non Christians feel this way when they are put in a circle of Christians and we must not only position ourselves in close proximity, but we must do it in such a way that they feel at ease or at peace. Then as you live alongside them in proximity where peace exists, they then have the opportunity to experience the cross in it most tangible form. Through this you and them both get to experience the Holy Spirit working in your hearts.
Through positioning ourselves correctly I believe we will see more and more people experience the Jesus the way He designed it and we will see more and more people speaking the words Thomas spoke.... "My Lord and My God!"
Go out today and begin positioning yourself correctly in this world.
This is an amazing story Jesus tells us about here. I used to think it was all about the doubt part, but I think this story is another picture of how we are to position ourselves as followers of Jesus. We have been discussing Hospitality and how it is a lifestyle and not a meal. It is an attitude not and action. This portion today I want to take the approache that it is how you position yourself with those you come in contact with. I believe the attitude of hospitality towards the Holy Spirit and towards the world should be one of curiosity and a desire to know.
The culture we live among and with does no longer connect to some story or idea about what God has done or a story of who God is... they want to experience it. They want to feel it, they want to see it, they want it to be tangible. This is what this story is all about with Thomas.
It wasn't that he didn't distrust the other disciples and waht they saw or experienced, but he was tired of the stories about what Jesus hs done for others and he wanted to experience it for himself. This is a beautiful description of our culture today. They have heard the stories of Noah, or Jonah, and Gideon and David, and they have heard about this Jesus and yet they are unbelieving... why? Simple, because they have not experienced the cross and what it stands for and represents. Most non Christians experience distnace and judgment for not believing the stories we Christians tell. They feel likethey have to join some club and say they believe something they don't in order to belong and this is not what Jesus desires. Jesus wants us - "THE CHURCH" to position ourselves in such a way that non Christians can experience the grace and forgiveness and freedom and acceptance that the cross represents.
How do we do this? Let's look at this story of Thomas. Thomas hears the story and does not believe yet he is invited into the inner room, the locked room, the safe place where the other believers are. In this place Jesus shows up and allows Thomas to literally experience the cross. He has the chance to touch, and feel, and see the wounds that Jesus endured specifically for him. We as "THE CHURCH" must beginto position ourselves in close proximity with those who don't believe the way we believe so that in the living we can help them experience the grace and forgiveness the cross represents. In order for us to do this effectively we must create a peaceful enviornment for them that is not judgmental. When Jesus showed up in the locked room the disciples were in there in fear and very anxious about what was next. Many non Christians feel this way when they are put in a circle of Christians and we must not only position ourselves in close proximity, but we must do it in such a way that they feel at ease or at peace. Then as you live alongside them in proximity where peace exists, they then have the opportunity to experience the cross in it most tangible form. Through this you and them both get to experience the Holy Spirit working in your hearts.
Through positioning ourselves correctly I believe we will see more and more people experience the Jesus the way He designed it and we will see more and more people speaking the words Thomas spoke.... "My Lord and My God!"
Go out today and begin positioning yourself correctly in this world.
Friday, February 12, 2010
It Means You May Die
1 Kings 17:8-16 -
"Then the word of the Lord came to him (Elijah) saying, "Arise, Go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold I have commanded a widow there to provide for you," So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, "Please get me a little water in a jar, so that I might drink." As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand." But she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in a bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold I am gathering sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die," Then Elijah said to her, "Do not fear, go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and your son. Thus says the Lord God of Israel. 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall your jar of oil be empty, until the day the Lord sends rain on the face of the Earth.' " So she went and did according to the word of elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bowl of flour was not exhausted, nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Elijah.
WOW!!! What a story of faith, hope, and provision! Like I have said before... Hospitality is not simply serving others... it is also the opening up your heart to what God has in stroe for you. The Scriptures here tell us that God commanded a widow to provide for him and when Elijah gets there it does not seem like she really has an open heart to the idea of giving up ALL she has to him. God may have commanded her, but she was still reluctant to give her ALL... HER EVERYTHING... HER LIFE. It is not until she decides to trust and give her ALL to this stranger that we see the miracle unfold of provision.
I truly believe God wants to give us all stories like this in our lives.... HE deeply longs for His glory and power to shine through to this world, but it will not happen until we as follwers of Jesus open up our ALL and give everything we are and all that we own over to His control. This means surendering everything even in the face of losing your life and the life of those you hold dear. Being a follower of Jesus is far more than just a prayer or an idea of trusting.... it is opening up your heart and giving EVERYTHING... I MEAN EVERYTHING OVER TO HIS CONTROL.
Luke 9:23-27 - "And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save His life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He come in all His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."
Let me encourage you to open up your life COMPLETELY to God's control and watch as HE begins to build an amazing palace out of your cottage!!
"Then the word of the Lord came to him (Elijah) saying, "Arise, Go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold I have commanded a widow there to provide for you," So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, "Please get me a little water in a jar, so that I might drink." As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand." But she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in a bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold I am gathering sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die," Then Elijah said to her, "Do not fear, go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and your son. Thus says the Lord God of Israel. 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall your jar of oil be empty, until the day the Lord sends rain on the face of the Earth.' " So she went and did according to the word of elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bowl of flour was not exhausted, nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Elijah.
WOW!!! What a story of faith, hope, and provision! Like I have said before... Hospitality is not simply serving others... it is also the opening up your heart to what God has in stroe for you. The Scriptures here tell us that God commanded a widow to provide for him and when Elijah gets there it does not seem like she really has an open heart to the idea of giving up ALL she has to him. God may have commanded her, but she was still reluctant to give her ALL... HER EVERYTHING... HER LIFE. It is not until she decides to trust and give her ALL to this stranger that we see the miracle unfold of provision.
I truly believe God wants to give us all stories like this in our lives.... HE deeply longs for His glory and power to shine through to this world, but it will not happen until we as follwers of Jesus open up our ALL and give everything we are and all that we own over to His control. This means surendering everything even in the face of losing your life and the life of those you hold dear. Being a follower of Jesus is far more than just a prayer or an idea of trusting.... it is opening up your heart and giving EVERYTHING... I MEAN EVERYTHING OVER TO HIS CONTROL.
Luke 9:23-27 - "And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save His life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He come in all His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."
Let me encourage you to open up your life COMPLETELY to God's control and watch as HE begins to build an amazing palace out of your cottage!!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Hospitality is in the Heart Not the Home
When I was growing up and heard the word Hospitality, I immediately thoguht... Someone must be coming over... Time to clean the house... again. I thought it meant that you should clean up the house, make it presentable, cook a nice meal, put out the nice plates and napkins and make whoever comes through the door feel important and cared for.
I must say that is a very naroow minded view of a very broad truth. I think we as Christians like putting broad truth into narrow pathways because it is easier to feel like we are doing what Christ commanded us to do... and therefore feel beeter about how we are living as Christians.
The idea behind hospitality is directly related to the heart and not directly to an action. Hospitality is an attitude of the heart. It is a lifestyle that Christ desires us to have towards each other as followers of Jesus and not simply an ction we display once a month to a stranger or friend over dinner.
1 Peter 4:7-11
7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
This entire passage teaches us about hospitality as an attitude.
1. It starts out by protraying the urgency of the attitude by saying there is not much time left so get your heart involved.
2. The passage then describes how to initially get your heart ivolved and prepared. Hospitality can only truly be lived out through the power of Christ living through you, therefore one must first take time to align themself with the creator and beg for His mercy and grace and direction on how to live this out.
3. Hopsitality can never be fostered in one's heart until love has been allowed to conquer bitterness and to forgive other people's wrongs that they have done towards u. Love covers all the wrongs against you and allows you to think about and pursue the right things.
4. Then the passage begs us to begin desiring hospitality. See up to this point it was all about aligning yourself with God in your heart. Please note: Hospitality will always come after opening your heart to the creator first. Then it opens the door for you to begin learning and seeking to be hospitable gladly and freely.
5. See the heart of Hospitality is about serving others with who we are not about the fancy napkins but with the grime and gunk of our lives. See none of us are perfect and yet many of us live our lives so noone sees the real us. We have the great meal... that you eat only when guests are ove... you put out the nice napkins that you use only when guests are there. Think about your life... if you are anything like me... you do this with your life as well. You have this perfect happy face around people at church and yet your kids and friends know that it is not the real you. The person your kids see at home should be the person other Christians should see as well. Otherwise you are being hypocritical and not hospitable. Hispitality calls us as followers to be real. When this happens then all of a sudden the non Chrisitians you come in contact with don't feel judged, but loved because they find a person that has real issues like them and they will begin seeing that Grace is something worth looking into.
6. Hospitality is about opening your heart up and living for God in all you are and in all you do. Nothing more... nothing less. If you are jsut putting out the nice napkins in order to impress and entertain... you are not being hopsitiable but selfish. There is nothing technically wrong with the napkins and the delicious food... just beware of the attitude behind it. Is it for Christ's glory... or your own?
Go and be hospitable today in the name and power of Jesus!
I must say that is a very naroow minded view of a very broad truth. I think we as Christians like putting broad truth into narrow pathways because it is easier to feel like we are doing what Christ commanded us to do... and therefore feel beeter about how we are living as Christians.
The idea behind hospitality is directly related to the heart and not directly to an action. Hospitality is an attitude of the heart. It is a lifestyle that Christ desires us to have towards each other as followers of Jesus and not simply an ction we display once a month to a stranger or friend over dinner.
1 Peter 4:7-11
7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
This entire passage teaches us about hospitality as an attitude.
1. It starts out by protraying the urgency of the attitude by saying there is not much time left so get your heart involved.
2. The passage then describes how to initially get your heart ivolved and prepared. Hospitality can only truly be lived out through the power of Christ living through you, therefore one must first take time to align themself with the creator and beg for His mercy and grace and direction on how to live this out.
3. Hopsitality can never be fostered in one's heart until love has been allowed to conquer bitterness and to forgive other people's wrongs that they have done towards u. Love covers all the wrongs against you and allows you to think about and pursue the right things.
4. Then the passage begs us to begin desiring hospitality. See up to this point it was all about aligning yourself with God in your heart. Please note: Hospitality will always come after opening your heart to the creator first. Then it opens the door for you to begin learning and seeking to be hospitable gladly and freely.
5. See the heart of Hospitality is about serving others with who we are not about the fancy napkins but with the grime and gunk of our lives. See none of us are perfect and yet many of us live our lives so noone sees the real us. We have the great meal... that you eat only when guests are ove... you put out the nice napkins that you use only when guests are there. Think about your life... if you are anything like me... you do this with your life as well. You have this perfect happy face around people at church and yet your kids and friends know that it is not the real you. The person your kids see at home should be the person other Christians should see as well. Otherwise you are being hypocritical and not hospitable. Hispitality calls us as followers to be real. When this happens then all of a sudden the non Chrisitians you come in contact with don't feel judged, but loved because they find a person that has real issues like them and they will begin seeing that Grace is something worth looking into.
6. Hospitality is about opening your heart up and living for God in all you are and in all you do. Nothing more... nothing less. If you are jsut putting out the nice napkins in order to impress and entertain... you are not being hopsitiable but selfish. There is nothing technically wrong with the napkins and the delicious food... just beware of the attitude behind it. Is it for Christ's glory... or your own?
Go and be hospitable today in the name and power of Jesus!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Open Heart = Open Lives
2 Corinthians 6:3-13 -"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also."
This scripture speaks of giving up everything you are to follow Christ, to be part of His family.
You can not give up everything if your heart is not involved.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to invade your entire heart is the key. The Holy Spirit never forces His way into the parts of your heart that you do not what to open up. He never picks a lock or kicks down the door... He simply waits for you to open it freely. He may stand and knock, plead or beg you to open it, but it is never forced.
The essence of Hospitality is rooted in this principle of opening up your heart to the Holy Spirit to come in. The previous verses paint the picture, rather graphically, on how to open up and what must be given up. When we as followers of Christ do what Paul and others do here.... "Opened wide our hearts, not with holding any affection"... then we are able to express this openness to others. This openness is the essence and key principle in hospitality.
I believe Hospitality is not something you do... it is an attitude we have. It is an attitude that does not come naturally and that is why Paul commands the leaders of the church and overseers to "practice" hospitality. Over seers and leaders of the church are to be given to the practice of hospitality according to the New testament. When the leaders practice this heart wrenching attitude, it can't help but effect, encourage, and glorify the body of Christ.
Where is your heart today?
Is it open?
Are you wanting to open the door of your heart fully to the Spirit of God yet are scared of what He will see?
Until you open your heart to God, you will never open it to others. I believe it is a ratio thing. The amount your heart is open to the Holy Spirit is directly proportional to the amount your heart, your home, your lives are open to others. Is the ratio pleaseing to the Lord?
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also."
This scripture speaks of giving up everything you are to follow Christ, to be part of His family.
You can not give up everything if your heart is not involved.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to invade your entire heart is the key. The Holy Spirit never forces His way into the parts of your heart that you do not what to open up. He never picks a lock or kicks down the door... He simply waits for you to open it freely. He may stand and knock, plead or beg you to open it, but it is never forced.
The essence of Hospitality is rooted in this principle of opening up your heart to the Holy Spirit to come in. The previous verses paint the picture, rather graphically, on how to open up and what must be given up. When we as followers of Christ do what Paul and others do here.... "Opened wide our hearts, not with holding any affection"... then we are able to express this openness to others. This openness is the essence and key principle in hospitality.
I believe Hospitality is not something you do... it is an attitude we have. It is an attitude that does not come naturally and that is why Paul commands the leaders of the church and overseers to "practice" hospitality. Over seers and leaders of the church are to be given to the practice of hospitality according to the New testament. When the leaders practice this heart wrenching attitude, it can't help but effect, encourage, and glorify the body of Christ.
Where is your heart today?
Is it open?
Are you wanting to open the door of your heart fully to the Spirit of God yet are scared of what He will see?
Until you open your heart to God, you will never open it to others. I believe it is a ratio thing. The amount your heart is open to the Holy Spirit is directly proportional to the amount your heart, your home, your lives are open to others. Is the ratio pleaseing to the Lord?
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