Giving the Advent

“give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.””

(Luke 6:38 ESV)

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We have been talking about giving a lot this month as we are preparing our hearts this Advent Season for the Christ. Sometimes you run across stories that just tell a story from another point of view you never thought of before. I share it below, but it made me think:

• What was it like for the Father, when He prepared to give us Jesus?
• What did the Father “feel” looking down from heaven, seeing the baby Jesus?
• Is there anyway that I can picture for my benefit the radicalness of this gift?

I think the story below shares just a picture of this. May it make you think too.

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ‘If I could only see the world, I will marry you.’

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

He asked her, ‘Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?’ The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears. Days later he wrote a note to her saying: ‘Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.’

Much Love,

PR

(reprinted from http://frankviola.wordpress.com/)

Advent @ South Coast Church

Dear South Coast,

This year – in the a year themed “GRACE” – we are taking a journey through the ancient church calendar, beginning with Advent. It is my hope in the journal entry to answer a few questions for you. What is Advent? What is Advent Conspiracy?

The word ‘advent’ is Latin for ‘a coming or arrival’. The idea behind it is that God came to earthly life and lived among us, which is news to stop the presses for. It’s something to celebrate, rejoice, because just by being in it, God was giving the supreme blessing to the created world. But this birth led to an execution of this same God, by us on behalf of us, and then the greatest news that death will not end it all. So it’s not something you just go rushing into. We need to take stock of what that baby Jesus was here for. When we go all goo-goo over the baby and the birth, the adult Jesus and His execution are also in sight.

Advent is a season of preparation. In Advent, we thank God for Christ’s first coming, prepare for his final coming at the end of time, and celebrate Christ’s presence among us today through the Spirit. God loved us and wanted to share that love. But this existence isn’t well-suited for a god; it’s too broken, evil, painful, unjust. So, to rescue the created world from this evil, God chose to come here and walk the earth, to grow up, to live the truth, and to die. The only way to start such a thing is as a baby, and the only way to be a baby is to be born. Hence Christmas. Because Christmas is centered in the new hope brought by a baby, it’s a very child-oriented holiday. Because Advent leads us up to that baby, Advent is also child-oriented.

Advent has fallen on hard times. For most people, it’s become a time to get ready for whatever you’re doing with family and friends on Christmas, and not a time to get ready for the Christ child. The bigger Christmas became, the more it swallowed up Advent. In fact, whatever Christmas-y thing we think of as being done before Christmas Day is actually done in Advent. In the US, everything after Thanksgiving is now seen as a part of Christmas. The main problem is not that Christmas intrudes on Advent. The real problem is that people no longer keep their Christmas focus on Christ, and then the Christless Christmas saps Christ from Advent. Practicing Advent as a religious season may help recover Christmas, but it can’t do it by itself. It needs action. So to help us put feet to our words we have joined with many churches around the world in Advent Conspiracy!

Here are the 4 major parts of ADVENT CONSPIRACY: worship fully, spend less, give more and love all … GIVE PRESENCE

Worship Fully:
It starts with Jesus. It ends with Jesus. This is the holistic approach God had in mind for Christmas. It’s a season where we are called to put down our burdens and lift a song up to our God. It’s a season where love wins, peace reigns, and a king is celebrated with each breath. It’s the party of the year. Entering the story of advent means entering this season with an overwhelming passion to worship Jesus to the fullest.

Spend Less:
Before you think we’re getting all Scrooge on you, let us explain what we mean. We like gifts. Our kids really like gifts. But consider this: America spends an average of $450 billion a year every Christmas. How often have you spent money on Christmas presents for no other reason than obligation? How many times have you received a gift out of that same obligation? Thanks, but no thanks, right? We’re asking people to consider buying ONE LESS GIFT this Christmas. Just one. Sounds insignificant, yet many who have taken this small sacrifice have experienced something nothing less than a miracle: They have been more available to celebrate Christ during the advent season.

Give More:
God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible. Time is the real gift Christmas offers us, and no matter how hard we look, it can’t be found at the mall. Time to make a gift that turns into the next family heirloom. Time to write mom a letter. Time to take the kids sledding. Time to bake really good cookies and sing really bad Christmas carols. Time to make love visible through relational giving. Sounds a lot better than getting a sweater two sizes too big, right? Need a few ideas? (Email the church/pastor kenny?)

Love All:
When Jesus loved, He loved in ways never imagined. Though rich, he became poor to love the poor, the forgotten, the overlooked and the sick. He played to the margins. By spending less at Christmas we have the opportunity to join Him in giving resources to those who need help the most. When Advent Conspiracy first began four churches challenged this simple concept to its congregations. The result raised more than a half million dollars to aid those in need. One less gift. One unbelievable present in the name of Christ.

Join us as we move beyond ourselves and become the light of Christmas to those around us.

Much Love,

PR

(Thanks to spirithomc.com and AdventConspiracy.com for this valuable information)

So We Can Be Ready ….

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

(2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV)

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For those of you who know me, you know that I love to give. It wasn’t always that way, but the passage above was one that truly changed my heart in my giving – in fact – in all I do. God gave willingly and never asks of us anything that he did not do. So if you can imagine with me, He gave Jesus, cheerfully. (I believe we need to pause and let that one marinate a bit) ……. Not that it did not hurt – it did – but He gladly did it. Amazing!

Now, if you are at all like me, sometimes when you read the Bible you get stuck on one passage that speaks to you and all the other ones around it become a bit lost in the fog. It is like your focus and your heart is on that one passage. That is not right or wrong, just the fact of humanity. But this morning it was like the Holy Spirit blew a fog horn and I woke up to the context of the passage. Now I don’t want this to be a long lecture (because it could be), so let me just get to the main point – God never asks us to do anything for sheer blind obedience. There is always a reason!

In the text the Apostle Paul is talking about a gift of money that the Corinthian church promise to help the needy. Not their tithe but a gift. Then he begins to bring light on what their goodness will bring them …

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times,

you may abound in every good work.”

(2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV)

Do you see that? When we give it opens up a place in God’s heart and economy that enables Him to move through us, so that we can be sufficient in all things at all times. It says, “so God is able to”. Look at it in the Message translation …

So …..“God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything,

more than just ready to do what needs to be done.”

(2 Corinthians 9:8 MESSAGE)

Why do we live a life of giving? So we too can be ready to give in anything and everything. Not just in our finances, but in everything. Then the question much be ask, “why don’t we?” Well the bottom line reason is that we, in our humanity fight something that we have had to fight since we were all born, the “It’s Mine” mentality. So, Paul answers that one too … look …

“He (God) who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”

(2 Corinthians 9:10–11 ESV)

Get it? It is God who gave us what we have in the first place, so that we can give it way, so that we can have a harvest, so we can reap from that harvest, so that we can give it away. Make sense? It is never ours, it is and will always be His. If God did not bless us we would have nothing to give.

It is my desire that we are a people who are “ready for anything and everything” – and God tells us how here …. how about you?

Much Love,

PR

When There is Pain to Us Both – Bring Life

“But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow.”

(2 Corinthians 2:1 NKJV)

“That’s why I decided not to make another visit that could only be painful to both of us.”

(2 Corinthians 2:1 MESSAGE)

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Have you ever been told that something in the form of correction and it just hit you wrong?

Have you even know that you were wrong but if someone pointed it out to you – you felt rage?

There is something in our human nature that doesn’t like to be wrong – well I know that in mine there is. And when I know I am wrong, the last thing I really want is someone pointing out how wrong I am. But it is important for us to realize that this journey of dealing with our “wrongness” is what leads us to repentance.

Look at what the ESV Study Bible notes say about this portion of text:

Second Corinthians is a response to a complicated history between Paul and the Corinthian church, which must be reconstructed from the evidence available today (see note on Acts 20:1). Originally, Paul had planned to travel from Ephesus through Macedonia to Corinth (see map, p. 2221) on his way back to Jerusalem to deliver the money he had collected for the believers in Judea (1 Cor. 16:5–9). In the meantime, he sent Timothy to visit the Corinthians on his behalf (Acts 19:22; 1 Cor. 16:10–11). When Timothy arrived in Corinth, he found that the church was in turmoil, most likely in response to the arrival of Paul’s opponents from the east. When Paul learned of this he decided to proceed immediately to Corinth to resolve the issues first, then travel on to Macedonia before returning to Corinth for a second visit on his way to Jerusalem (the proposed “second experience of grace” of 2 Cor. 1:15).
        
Paul’s visit, however, turned out to be very “painful” as a result of the church’s open rebellion against him (2:1, 5–8; 7:8–13; 11:4). At that time, Paul decided it was best to suffer humiliation and leave, without retaliating, in order to extend mercy to the Corinthians (1:23–24). Once back in Ephesus, Paul sent Titus back to Corinth with a tearful and severe letter (now lost), warning the church of God’s judgment if they did not repent (2:3–4; 7:8–16).

To Paul’s great joy, the majority of the Corinthians did repent, which Paul discovered when he met Titus in Macedonia (7:5–16). But there was still a rebellious minority who, under the influence of Paul’s opponents (11:12–21), continued to reject Paul and his gospel. In response, and as yet another act of mercy, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia in anticipation of his third, impending visit to Corinth before going on to Jerusalem (12:14; 13:1).

This is why I love the Message translation here … Paul knew that they were in pain, as he was in pain over their sin – but he did not want to come and bring fuel to their “wrongness”, he wanted to bring love and hope. What a great thought. I wonder if that is why Paul penned:

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”(emphasis mine)
(Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

May we bring people life when we speak and may we understand that we can be life or death in a persons life, whether they are right or wrong. Most people know their “wrongness” – and even if they don’t, there is a way of love to help them …. Jesus proved that.

Much Love,

PR

Been Away from the Blogshere

I am really sorry that I have been so weak at posting in months, but I will be back. There are a lot of amazing things that God is doing!

Be fed on His Word – don’t let days go without being in it.

Much Love,

Rino

Time and Time

Inconvenienced for the Gospel

Dear South Coast,

Sunday’s message (Acts 3:1-11) was a real challenge to me personally. I just want to encourage you on a couple of points today:

1. What do you have to give: I was challenged by the words of Peter to the cripple at Gate Beautiful, “silver and gold I do not have, but that which I have I give to you, rise up and walk”. Peter sees this man, cripple from birth and knows that he has something to give this man to meet his human need. He doesn’t give him money, he had none to give, but he gave the cripple what the Holy Spirit gave to him, life. 

I know that we may say to ourselves that we have never seen someone healed from our touch, but that is not true. Do you know that your love to a person, young or old that you see, may bring healing to them from the pain that they may be living at home?  There were many days when I was a cripple and did not know it. Then the Holy Spirit sent  someone, they came and touched me in Jesus name. From that touch I was able to run and leap and praise God, just like this man. You see – the Holy Spirt is in all of those who say yes to Jesus, and He is in our life as an active powerful agent, if you allow Him to be. 

….. and as we saw how Peter had something to give… he then…. 

2. Moved on it. The text says that Peter and John stopped. They were on their way to go the temple to worship and they were interrupted by this man, begging. Maybe they saw him before, maybe not – but this situation was not a planned meeting, but it was a long needed need. And when they saw him, they stopped. Would they have before? Well the gospels show us many instances that say no. Jesus did, but the disciples always had other plans. But this day, their heart changed by the Holy Spirit, they stopped and gave. They were willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Gospel and this one man’s life was eternally changed. 

Personally,  I can see many times that I am not willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Gospel. I am asking the Holy Spirit to change my heart and yours, that it will beat not with our needs but with the needs of those around us. Sometimes we don’t have to look far either – not any further than the walls of our own home. We all have something to give. We have the same Holy Spirit as the disciples had, if we chose to allow Him to move – through us.

Let us be willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Good News!

Much Love,

PR

Prove it By Your Actions

““‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.
’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” (Deuteronomy 27:26 ESV)
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I used to be a talker – and I know a lot of people that are talkers – I have some in my own family. The problem with talkers, and I know of what I speak, is proving it by your actions. All of us can say something, even anything, but can we prove it by our actions.

When I was young I played golf and I was very consumed by the sport. But I was not just consumed with playing the sport, but I was consumed by also by “having the look”.

Get “IN” to it

“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24 NKJV)

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I have been meditating on this passage for an entire week now. It is a passage that many people know and can quote, but isn’t that where most humans miss things – the ones we should know the most. There was a dear saint of God that was part of South Coast Church for my first years, Ruby, and she would always say, “Pastor, it has to get into your knower”.

Think about it for a moment, we know the phrase, “stop and smell the roses” but who of us does it?

This psalmist tells us, “this is the day the Lord has made” and they are all days that He made. There is no junk with God. We call some bad days, but in God’s perfect eternal plan, there are no bad days. But it is the next line that gets me, “We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Now that is the part that hits me all week. We will! We will rejoice! We will be glad! IN IT!

As I meditated on this passage, I was wondering, how do we get in it? Then I remembered the words of a dear friend at her mother’s funeral. She said that her and her mother loved to swim in pools. It wasn’t that they just liked water, the ocean wouldn’t be the same. They just loved to be in a pool. There had to be no house, not buildings around, just let there be a pool and they were happy in it – and they could be in there all day. That made sense to me. That is being in it.

So today I leave us (I need this just as bad as you) with this powerful truth. This is the day the Lord has made. Everyday is. He makes nothing bad. So, jump into the day as if it were a pool and rejoice and be glad in it. Be a kid again – go running into it yelling “canon ball”. Our Father in heaven has our hand and our destiny, and it won’t let us drown.

Take the plunge! Get In to it!

Canon Ball!!!!

PR

Withholdings

“And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”” (Genesis 22:12 NKJV)

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I love the reading we do in our devotions the first of the year! I love the stories of Genesis and I love how God reveals Himself to man.

As I was reading the text this morning (or having it read to me online!), my attention was caught on the word “withheld”. This of course is the story of Abraham following God’s command to offer his son, the one he waited for, the fulfillment of a God promise, something dear to him as life itself. The text above is right at the crucial part of the story – right as Abraham is about the thrust his knife into his son and offer him to God. At that very moment – out of, what seemed to be nowhere, and angel of the Lord stops him and says these words. WOW, what a movie that would make – but it wasn’t a movie – it was real life.

So, let me take you back to the word that got my attention – withheld. I never really liked that word. You see, like most of us the first time I really understood that word was when I started my first job. I was getting $4.10 an hour at Vons and I had tabulated how much money my check was going to be. I had worked 22 hours that first week. 22 x $4.10 = $90.20. That was amazing money for a sixteen year old in nineteen – cough, cough, cough, seventy-nine. So Friday came, I run to the store because I am going to get some really cool stuff for my car, I already had the auto part guy holding it for me, and I get my check, and I open it up ….. and ……. $57.50! WHAT!!!!! I slowly walk to my car and study the check stub and under the category they called “withholdings” I learned of the ugliness of that word. It meant to me, stealing.

It was hard for a sixteen year old to fully understand taxes, but eventually I learned the necessity of it all, but it did not mean that I liked it.

In life I have learned that there are many things that we can withhold. We withhold truth, we withhold love, we withhold our best, and the list can go on. Here, in this text, Abraham is not withholding anything from God, he is giving all to him. Is it any wonder that God called him righteous!

So today, I just have one question, a question the Holy Spirit placed on my heart for me and I in love share it with you:

What are you withholding from God?

You see, many of us withhold from the One who never withholds from us. We withhold our worship, we withhold our love, we withhold our giving – and again the list could go on. You see, that word can still be ugly, if you are withholding from God the Bible calls it stealing.

Let us all give God our best and trust him with our lives.

Much Love,

PR