Friday, February 14, 2014
Valentines Day - Selfless Love
Since we do not have a lot of 1700 year old texts that provide a lot of detail for us about the "saint" that Valentines Day is named after, we use the best information we can find and the oldest to help us. What we learn is that St. Valentine was a leader in the early Church that still endured an amount of persecution from the political leaders of the day. Valentine was known to be martyred for dis-obeying the edict of the Emperor regarding marriage and soldiers. So that regular troops would not feel the urge to leave the battle to go to their families, they wife and children. The Emperor made it illegal for common soldiers to marry. This created a difficulty for any of these men who were drawn to Christianity and the Biblical teaching on marriage and relationships. So against the direct command of the Emperor, St. Valentine performed marriage ceremonies, bringing together these common soldiers and the love of their life to be a married couple. When he was found out and caught, he was tortured and eventually killed.
Valentines Day needs to be a day where we are reminded to express our love to those we care about. It is a day to celebrate the marriage that St. Valentine died to protect and teach. Biblical marriage should be a part of our remembering why this day is on the calendar. But also that as a leader, he would be willing to suffer and die to do what was right.
So even if you are single and have no "valentine" as our culture defines it, you can still live to celebrate the remembrance of Valentine. You can live to benefit others, you can live to stand for what is True and Biblical. You can seek to do what is right no matter what the cost and how others might respond to you. You can show selfless love and care for others.
I am often reminded of selfless love when my wonderful wife Brenda shows such great care for me, even when I am not deserving of her love. She will make me a card, give me a gift, a hug, encourage me in so many things she says. She will patiently wait for me to wake up and become bearable for the day. She will wait up with me and for me when there are things that keep me up late. She sticks with me through the hard times and the good. She does her best to share with me reminders from God's Word and the wisdom of life to help me stay on track. She really seeks to serve me sacrificially to help me be a better man. It challenges me and reminds me to look at how I am to love, care for and serve her.
So whether it is Brenda and I or any of you, may we be reminded today to express a Christ-centered "selfless" Love for others like Valentine did. Valentine is not our ultimate example of this, Jesus is. So may Valentine point you toward the True source of selfless Love, Jesus the Son of God our Savior and Lord.
Pastor Bruce
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Olympic Motivation?
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Optional Christian?
--
Bruce Taylor
Optional Christian?
--
Bruce Taylor
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Cessationist or charismatic .... Maybe there is a different answer?
With so much being discussed on the gifts of the Holy Spirit lately I have thought about what position I find myself in. Many scholars that I enjoy and tend to agree with are sitting on either side of the discussion. But like so many of these theological discourses it can become quickly a forming of camps and a piling of Bible verses. I cannot in good conscience jump into either side. So where does this leave me?
Well I think the answer is that I will remain committed to teach the whole Bible and sick to what it says as the foundation for my belief in these matters. This means that until I can receive a clear piece of the Scripture the speaks of the gifts ceasing then I will seriously consider that position. It also means that when I encounter those who talk of the miraculous gifts and works of the Spirit of God I will make sure it is fitting with the Bible before I accept it as being true.
We are not to base our belief on experience or feeling but on the Word and its Truth.
So whether you have seen and experience the abuse of what some call gifts or if you have felt that people have tried to quench the Spirit, neither is to be how we find the Truth.
So I encourage you to stick with the Bible and what it clearly teaches.
Amen
Pastor
Bruce
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Why We Love the Church
Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion By Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck Whether you're committed, disgruntled, hesitant, or disconnected from the body of Christ, this passionate resource will help you renew your love for the church in all its real-life guts, gaffes, and glory. DeYoung and Kluck's valuable resource provides a solid reminder of the biblical mandate to participate in our local congregations. Relevant and encouraging! 224 pages, softcover from Moody. |
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Sunday a new day
Today as I ponder and prepare to teach, peach and encourage the people of God, I am reminded that no matter how prepared I feel I am still at the mercy of the Lord. Though I study and train and pray yet I find myself often nervous with the weight of sharing God's Word. But what ever yesterday was it is gone and today is here.
God has given us this day for His purposes and glory. No matter if you feel prepared for it or not the day is here and it is His. So we serve Him fully and without restraint.
Once again I proclaim "not me, but the Love of Christ control me". I pray that today He will be greater and I will be less.
Let us walk together today in the Love of Jesus Christ and in so doing live in humility giving glory to God.
Pastor Bruce
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
What compels you? What controls you?
Not me, but the Love of Jesus Christ control me!
We are called to walk together in this mission we are on under our Lord Jesus. Let us walk on with the courage to submit to Him fully daily.
Amen
Friday, January 3, 2014
Wisdom more than a nice idea
In order for us to embrace true Wisdom we need to surrender ourselves in all humility to God. We must learn to properly "fear" God in a healthy way. We must gather understanding, knowledge and insight, then view them through the lens of the fear of God and put into practice what God shows us in His Word.
What I am saying is we need to be reminded to have a healthy fear of God, respect yes but not in some purely "formal" manner but something deeper that represents our understanding of who God is and who we are now in Him. Without this we will fail to grow in true Wisdom.
The result of a wisdom based approach to discipleship, which is our calling as the Church that Jesus is the head of, is for our live then to reflect Him. The wisdom that is gained should result in transformation in us. So we do not teach a legalism or rules based program in order to make life different. Instead through the seeking of Godly Biblical Wisdom our lives will be changed.
This is what the work of the Holy Spirit is to do in us as we walk, learn and grow together.
Join me this year in the desire to submit to God daily and seek to grow in His Wisdom.
Pastor Bruce