“Love & Kindness”

11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Romans 12:11–13 NIV84).

As the cold of Winter turns to cool of Spring, it foreshadows the warm and hot of Summer. Spiritually, as we move from the cold and cool of our spiritual walk with Jesus to warm and hot, let us be ignited on by the above passage. Let our spiritual fervor be ignited as we serve the Lord, especially through hospitality. By Initiating, but not Imposing, our service to others, it will make us a warmly welcoming and winsome community, a family.

Hospitality first starts with each other and then extends to those the Lord allows visit. We lend first a listening ear to clearly hear their needs and the reasons for visiting. Then we offer any assistance to meet the expressed needs, even directing them to someone who can, while ultimately directing them to Jesus.

Let us keep our spiritual passion by serving the Lord through serving each other, and those whom the Lord brings across our path.

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them.  (Acts 4:32–34 NIV94).

Peace,

Pastor Mike

PS–Perhaps my Book, A Call to Repentance & Restoration, will help you ignite your passion for Jesus. Get your copy at the follow sites:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-call-to-repentance-restoration-michael-l-rossmann/1140372126?ean=9781662831676

“Get a Bit Mixed Up?”

Have you noticed that some of Jesus’ followers get the Pharisees mixed up with the Woman at the well (see John 4)? They call the Woman at the well an adultery, a snake and yell at her that she must be born again; and the Pharisee? Well, they try to reason with him, giving a little latitude for his blindness in his religion.

But, I am so glad our Master did not mixed us up. He gently offered Living Water (obviously His very Person) to the Woman who knew no better, even though she engaged Him in a mild theological discussion. Her questions were sincere & genuine and not a barbed  trap. Oh, He still addressed her sin (as He did with the woman caught in adultery; see John 8:10f), but He did so with the gentle kindness of the Loving Messiah.

Contrariwise, He sharply rebuked the Pharisees, crescendoing on the last week of His earthly ministry with the Matthew 23 “The Seven Woes”  confrontation. Here, the Loving Messiah, filled with deep sorrow for ones so close but so far, used the double-edged scalpel of a skilled surgeon, Who truly cares for His cancer-ridden patient. …

In our main text, we find that the Apostle Paul used the “Woman at the Well” approach: He gentle moved through his gospel presentation, starting out with a kind observation of their “religious” behavior. Oh, he could have used the “Pharisee Approach,” screaming, “You brood of idolatrous vipers. How can you bow down to wood and stone? Can they save you?” But they had no idea of this true, Living God, Who does not live in a temple man by human hands. They, like the Woman at the well, though able to discourse in some form a theological (albeit philosophical) dialogue, truly had no idea what Life was all about. …

Do you get mixed up, too? Do you judge with critical screams those who are ignorant of the LORD’s Word and Ways and yet gently dialogue with those who actually know better? (Now, I’m not advocating screaming at those who do know better, for our Master did not scream at them either. I hear a different voice of Jesus in Matthew 23 than most movies have portrayed. I hear a voice full of compassion and deep sorrow—expressed in the woes and noted in Luke 19:41.) I find it best to fight in my own spirit a critical and a judgmental attitude. Note: I said, “I fight it.” 

Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to chat with someone who was the type of person I would normal go after in private conversation with others of “my” persuasion. But, the LORD afforded me a Gush of Grace, and I was able to peacefully sit and converse with them. At one point in our conversation, I had doubted the veracity of some of their statements; so I asked a few questions that only someone schooled in this particular area would know the answers to (since I myself have been trained in this particular area), and voila! I just caught them in a lie. And better yet, I did not call them out. Why? Because they truly didn’t know any better. So, I prayed the Lord to use my listening to them and following their agenda as a more powerful witness than winning any argument.

I, too, rely heavily on His Gushes of Grace not to get mixed up. How about you? Your thoughts….

Main Text— Acts 17:22-23 (NIV84) 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.Colossians 4:5–6 (NIV84)

And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.2 Timothy 2:24–26 (NIV84 emphasis added)

So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?Romans 2:3–4 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, be the Sword of the Spirit wielder in my Life so that I might demonstrate Your Love and Kindness to both those who do not know any better and to those who do. In Your Name, Amen!

Pastor Mike

“Betwixt the Two?”

Date: 04-12-15

The Big IdeaBurn in my soul a passion to please You in and through what I say and do.

My Thoughts: Lifestyle worshiper, are you betwixt the two? Are you torn between being with Jesus or remaining here (v. 23)? Or is there no struggle at all? In the main text noted below, the Apostle Paul expresses a deep passion to be with the Lord Jesus; but he has an equally deep passion for continuing his ministry of sharing the Good News. For him this is a great struggle. But have you noticed that for some there is no struggle at all, yet for different reasons.

What do you feel are some reasons that some do not have this struggle? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one struggle.

Main Text: — Philippians 1:21-23 — 21  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. — 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 (NIV84)

  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.   —Romans 12:2 (NIV84)

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.   — 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV84)

 Lord Jesus Christ, as You burn in my soul a passion to please You in and through what I say and do, may my yearning to be with You make me more faithful until I am. In Your Name, Amen. 

Pastor Mike