Our love command for this week is Love is Selfless. But as always, let’s
do a quick review of the first seven commandments and Love commands. Again, if you are just joining us, I direct you back to the beginning of the series on
March 22, 2012 (http://purejoyinternational.blogspot.com/2012/03/love-is-loyal.html).
Here
are the previous commandments we have covered. Remember the first four commandments
are about how we should love God (and our spouse if married). The last six are
about how we are to love our neighbors and ourselves.
1st
Commandment “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1-3).
Love Command: Love is Loyal
Love Command: Love is Loyal
2nd Commandment “You shall not worship idols” (Exodus 20:4).
Love Command: Love is Faithful
3rd
Commandment “You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
Love Command: Love is Reverent
Love Command: Love is Reverent
4th Commandment “Keep the Sabbath holy” (Exodus 20:8).
Love Command: Love is Intimate
5th Commandment “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12).
Love Command: Love is Respectful
6th Commandment “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).
Love Command: Love is Harmless
7th Commandment is “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).
Love Command: Love is Pure
8th Commandment “You shall not steal” (Exodus
20:15).
Love Command: Love is Selfless
Love is selfless. Wow! If we ever lived in a world where we
needed to walk out this love command, it is today! God warns us in His Word in 2 Timothy 3:2 “…and men will be lovers of self.” Folks,
we are there…and then some.
Walking out the Love Command of “love is selfless” simply
means putting others first, dying to self, doing it someone else’s way instead
of your way. In other words, be a giver instead of a taker. Takers are like
thieves. They don’t ask; they take. In fact, I believe with all my heart the
reason so many marriages get in trouble is there are two thieves living in the
house. Let me ask you a question. If every time I came to your home, I left
with something of value, taking it without asking, eventually you would say, “This
woman is a thief. We don’t want her in our home anymore.” Well, husbands and
wives, when you always put your needs above your spouse, you become a taker (a
thief) and eventually no one wants to live with a thief. This is the same for
parent-child relationships, friendships, etc.
This week I challenge you to put others first, to be a giver
instead of a taker. (And while I’m here let me make you aware of something if
you give to get instead of give to give. You are a thief as well. Giving to get
is just a subtle type of taking!) Intentionally, put others first this week and
see what happens when your spouse, kids, parents, and/or friends hear you say,
“Whatever you want is fine with me.” Hmmmmm…What was that loud crash? Who
passed out?
Dominican Republic News…
We are in the home stretch of preparations!! The teams will
be packing next week as we get things in order to leave the county. Can’t
believe it is finally coming down to it!
Please continue to pray for the missionary women, the team,
all the details, our flights, our families there and here that will be left
behind during the retreat and travels to and from.
Today, I have included another ‘cool’ story from a team
member to me:
Vickie – Just had to share this story about listening to God. I’ve been ‘trying’ to do the listening time with God that you suggested in your blog a few weeks ago. You know me; sitting still and listening are not two natural traits for me, so when it happens, I know it’s God J. So, Thursday I had a crazy day planned with too many “to-do’s” on the list and lots of loose ends. I stopped early in the morning and did my ‘listening time’ with God. I didn’t really hear much more than, “I’m with you today; just walk through it.” So, okay, that was good. The day just went bonkers with appointments that ran behind, a meeting with old friends that I thought was on Friday but was really on Thursday – that I managed to get to, an evening picnic with some of Carl’s pilot buddies at the airport that got changed to our hangar at the last minute because the weather was so windy and goofy, getting caught in terrible rush hour traffic while needing to get to the hangar with food for the picnic, etc. etc. etc. So, when I finally made it to the picnic…late…Carl was excited to tell me about a young pilot he met and a cool God story. It wasn’t until late that evening when we had time to talk. Because of the change in the plans, he had stopped at the FBO that services our plane to pick up something he needed for the picnic and right as he was going in the door he saw a young man he didn’t recognize. The man was telling the office manager that he had just moved to Tulsa to go to airplane mechanic school because he wanted to be a pilot for MAF. The other person had no idea what MAF was, but Carl did! He waited until the two guys ended their conversation, then introduced himself, and told the young man, Doug, that we are advocates for MAF, and that started a whole new kind of conversation. Doug told Carl that he really had intended to go to another place at the airport but ended up at Riverside Jet Center – where our plane is taken care of – and Carl wasn’t really sure why he ended up there except that the picnic got changed and he needed to pick up some supplies. Doug and Carl are now doing some flying together so Doug can get his necessary pilot hours in, and Carl will be his instrument flight instructor for the remainder of the required flight training. Doug went to church with our family today (this past Sunday) and he and our son Paul hit it off big time. Carl said to me after we got home that now he knows that the airport ministry that God put on our hearts a few years ago is taking root. And, it all started with my first trip with Pure Joy when we met the Dicksons with MAF! God is just so cool! The “listening to God” so helps me see His hand in my life and Carl’s.
Thought you’d like this little story about our big God!
Love ya!
Deb
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