Where Do You Get Love?

We all have need for love. The Beatles said it well: "All you need is love..." Where do we get our love needs met? That is the deepest question we can ask ourselves. Often we look to another human being to fufill our love needs. The problem is that other human beings often run empty on love too. This is where many serious issues arise in relationships. We begin to run empty on love so we look to someone else to fill up the love that is missing from our lives. They, in turn discover a love void in their own heart... A vicious cycle ensues. We were not designed to have our deepest love needs fulfilled by another. We were designed by our creator with an emptiness that can only be filled with His love. Look at the first verses of Genesis. There was a void and God filled it with His light. It is His nature to fill the void.

What is your "first love?" I do not mean that high school crush that you thought would be the "one." I mean, what is the source of your love? Jesus told the church of Ephesus in Rev. 2 that they had left their "first love." In other words, they left the source of their love. What is the true source of our love? Where does real love come from? John, in his first letter says that "God is love." Think about it, God doesn't just love us, He is the very initiation of love. He IS love.

When we get our first love, our initial love fulfilled in God, we have our deepest need for love met. Then we are capable of giving love to others, but we are not giving them our own fleshly, idealistic, love. The love we then give has its source in Love itself: God. Jesus said it best: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." How can we give what we do not have? How long can we live our lives expecting to receive the love of another to meet our needs? The best relationships are the one's where both partners are giving.

To expect to have our deepest love need met in someone other than God, is not only frustrating and painful, it is sinful idolatry.

What do you live for?

Some of us live for the things we do. Some live for the things we own. And still others live for the things people say about us. We can see where this kind of living leads. When we live for what we do, the stuff we own or want to own; the things others say about us we end up with a life that is up and down. Sometimes when we are doing well or people are saying nice things about us we feel pretty good and we are up. Other times when we aren't doing so well; when others are saying bad things about us we are down. There must be a constant unchangable thing for which we live. Check out this video of Henri Nouwen as he speaks about recognizing the fact that we are the "beloved" of God. Knowing that we are the beloved of God is the constant; this is a central guiding principle from which we can live our lives no matter what we do or what we own or what people say about us.

I Believe...

We make our choices and those choices dictate where we end up... we cannot blame anyone for the results of our choices

We are continuously learning. Our minds are like sponges soaking up whatever information comes our way.

We have to be intentional about what we learn by choosing the books we read, the teachers we listen to, the shows we watch the internet sites we visit.

It is our choice as to how the things we learn transform us. Information has consequences that lead to transformation. We can be transformed for good or bad depending on the information we take in and what we choose to do with that information.

There are some choices we do not or did not make. Sometimes others make choices that affect our lives in adverse ways. However, we can choose how we will respond to their choice. We are not victims, we can still choose our response and become victors.

We can choose to go God's way... or not. God has a plan, we can get into it and be a part of it... or not. His ultimate plan will still take place weather we get involved... or not.

Are we looking through the wrong end of the binoculars?

Ever look at something through the wrong end of a set of binoculars? Everything looks smaller, more narrow. I think this is how we sometimes view the Bible. We try to narrow down the voice of God; we try to make it small so we can somehow contain it. I don't think this is how God intends his word to be read. I kind of see the Bible like a pair of binoculars, only I think we should look in the right lense. The bible can be a way to magnify God, magnify His creation. Mostly I think we end up only looking at the word through the word (yeah, you read that correctly I did repeat "word" twice). I beleive God designed the Bible to help us look at the world. Next time you become engaged in reading scripture try using it as a lense through which to view the world and people and God Himself. And, if you are really brave, try viewing yourself through the lense of God's word.

Spiritual Goal Setting

This was an older post... in fact it is one of my first posts. I decided to re-post it because it is in line with things I am still considering: namely, how can I be more intentional about growing and maturing in Christ? Sometimes I feel like I would like to change the whole world and everyone in it. However, there is only one person I can sufficiently change: me... Setting good, godly goals is one way to do that.

I was just looking through an old journal today and found an entry that talked about setting goals. I thought it was interesting for where I am in life now.

Here is the list of ways to set spiritual goals:
1. Spiritual Journey
Cultivate your inner life by practicing the spiritual disciplines.
2. Kingdom Vocation
How am I intentionally ordering my life for the purpose of advancing God's Kingdom?
3. Intellectual Disciplines
Read a book a month, at least
4. Relationships
Jesus' life revolved more around relationships rather than organizations; he simply enjoyed time with His Father and others
5. Creative Disciplines
Celebrate life creatively through the arts, hospitality, gardening
6. Physical disciplines
Illness is often the consequence of lifestyle choices: food choices, exercise or lack thereof
7. Use of time and money
Get out of debt
How can I free up more time and money for Kingdom work?