Love of Christ

The Candle – The Wick and the Flame

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5 KJV

Our Sunday night prayer meeting had been dismissed and we were beginning to greet one another, when our friend Judy hurried over to the pastor with a question, “Pastor Kevin, I’m not leaving here until you explain the Trinity to me!”

I groaned inwardly and whispered quietly to my wife, “Looks like we’re going to be here a while!”

But Pastor Kevin just smiled and said, “No one can explain it perfectly Judy, but think of a candle, a wick and the flame. The candle is the source of everything, the wick draws the wax up and the flame is what people see in a dark room.” I relate this story for those who like Judy, struggle to understand the Trinity. Entire denominations have separated themselves from the rest of the church over this issue, with some even going so far as to consign the rest of us to the dark side for our belief in a God who is three in one. But we may never sort it all out and demanding to do so is no more helpful than chopping up the candle, helps us understand the flame. Maybe the candle of God burns to draw us closer, so that our hearts will be set aflame with the love of Jesus Christ. When He becomes our candle our wick and flame, then God flow through us to others, so that He will shine in the darkness till day that Jesus returns!

No Fishing!

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Ephesians 3:19 KJV

“Private property”, read the sign by the edge of the pond. “No hunting fishing or trespassing. Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” But just feet away a stranger sat, fishing pole in hand on the little dock. As the farmer’s wife approached, she smiled and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Oh I always fish here.” The man responded with a shrug. “I have permission from, Rita Modei.”

“Really?” she responded with a quiet chuckle. “Well I’m Rita. I don’t know you – so get off my land!”

That true story happened just up the road from us, and it reminded me of today’s verse. Just like that guy, most of us start off explaining our faith by saying something about God’s love. “Jesus loves you.” Or “God is love.” These phrases roll easily off our lips, but in our daily lives sometimes we are a lot like the guy fishing in someone else’s pond. We know about it. We have heard there are some big fish in there, but we have never actually met the owner! Paul tells us that this love of Christ is something that is beyond our understanding. But the good news is that God wants us to know it. He has seen us fishing in His pond and has come to talk with us – but unlike our neighbor, He didn’t come to throw us off His land. He came to meet us. He came so that His love could be lived out in the ordinary circumstances of our lives. He is ready to give a fishing license to everyone who puts their faith in Him. We might be trespassing on His property, but He isn’t looking to prosecute us to the fullest extent of the law. His is a love that is fishing for our hearts, and He invites you to come fishing today!

A Superglue Love!

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? …Romans 8:35

I have always loved this verse, though holding on to it at times of trouble has seemed elusive at best. Usually when the going gets tough in relational conflict, under financial pressure or sickness I forget about God’s love and revert to anxiety or stressed out overreactions. But God’s love is supposed stick to us like superglue; so what are we missing?

Maybe our common weakness in situations needing God’s love is expecting to find the source in ourselves; and when that is failing we fall back into fear, stress or shame. But this morning I noticed how this superglue love that sticks through every possible circumstance has nothing to do with me or you. Its holding power is linked to who Jesus is and where He is in the previous verse.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:34 ESV

Yup…that superglue love is all about Jesus interceding for us with the Father right there in heaven. Remember He told us, “I and the Father are one.”? His love for us superglues Him to that place in Heaven. No situation of life or death, sickness or persecution can unstick His love or make Him give up on us. His love is superglued right to the throne of God and nothing in creation will ever separate us from the amazing….unbelievable…all powerful and wonderful, love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord! Now that gives me hope and puts a drop of God’s superglue love in me!