Today I finished reading “Crazy Love”by Francis Chan. If you want to stay comfortable just maintaining the status quo of your relationship to God I don’t recommend you read Crazy Love. If you are up for a challenge then by all means dive in.
How many times have you read the passage where Jesus instructed that if you “have done it to the least of these you have done it unto me”? And how many sermons and lessons have you heard and read on the same text? How many times have you considered that if you are not loving the unfortunate in tangible ways that you aren’t really loving God?
Is it possible that we have equated faithful attendence for worship and Sunday school, daily Bible reading, and giving with loving God? We can’t really pick and choose which of Christ’s commands we obey and still claim the religeous high ground, can we?
I warn you, Chan gets up front and personal in the bold way he presents the truth of what the Bible says about how we are to love God and others. It is a great book and will impact many hearts for the good of the cause of Christ.
Carol and I are at beautiful Lake DeGray in Arkansas, not far from Hot Springs with 49 other couple for a marriage retreat. This is our third time to attend a retreat in this location. The lakeside lodge is beautiful and the mood is positive and hopeful. Many couples have been challenged and blessed to have stronger, Christ centered marriages after having attended one of these weekends.
Our Dr. Joneal Kirby and her husband, elder Randy Kirby, one of our preachers and elder, Alan Robertson and wife Lisa, and elder Mac Owen and his wife Mary are wonderful teachers and role models for great marriages. We are so very blessed at White’s Ferry Rd Church with such a depth of talent and a host of great disciples who are sold out to Jesus. We are building families for time and eternity. Carol and I are blessed to call these great folks family.
His peace,
Royce
A man who is surrounded by family sold out to Jesus is blessed beyond measure. We should all find ourselves in a like situation. May God bless your work.
Royce, this sounds kinda strange coming from one who believes, works don’t matter.
if you “have done it to the least of these you have done it unto me”
peace brother
Laymond, You are a bit confused. I have never said works don’t matter. One place you and I disagree is that you believe we are saved, at least in part, by them and I believe we are saved wholly upon the merit and work of Jesus.
Royce
Royce, you are inching closer to NW AR, my friend! Marriage retreat is a super idea. A group from Rogers is headed to Joplin this weekend for one. By the way, I lived in Hot Springs for one year when I was 6 years old. My lifetime memory was being bitten by a dog after Sunday night services and going back to Pine Bluff to begin rabies shots. Some folks where I preach don’t think they took!
God bless and enjoy the retreat!