Love without fear

                Wouldn't it be nice if everyone loved like we want to be loved, or better yet like God loves us, and not just the way we think He loves?  In No Fear in Love: Loving Others the Way God Loves Us (Baker Books, 2015) Andy Braner points out several ways that we can learn to do just that, along with some of the obstacles that we so frequently encounter or create.  Braner's book is a lesson in loving others even when there is significant disagreement.

                Braner writes in the introduction that his hope is that the reader will learn to become a gentler, more caring and more compassionate follower of Jesus; that fear and hate would be replaced with a willingness to love others generously.  That sounds good on paper, but unless everyone in the world reads the book and agrees to follow the recommendations, it seems that generous love remains a lofty goal

                Our world is rapidly shrinking thanks to technology and as you'll read in the 2^nd section of this book one of the side effects of that shrinking world is that worldviews collide. Non-Christians from around the world come to what have long been seen as traditionally Christian countries; they come to study, to work, or as refugees. And with them they bring their world views founded in Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, animism and other belief systems.

                Christians have their own language and belief system, which work just fine when you're interacting with other Christians, but sometimes that language doesn't translate well when dealing with people from other cultures.   Although a goal of everyone loving fearlessly is admirable, my fear is that Braner does not go far enough in reminding the reader that Christianity involves following Christ exclusively.  Loving others is the Christian thing to do, but it's all too easy to cross the line into pluralism or inclusivism.

                But fear, one of the most prevalent emotions known to man can be replaced by love. We need to learn to love our enemies, to love those who think differently than we do, and be willing to share the gospel with them.

                I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

                4/5

live life as it was meant to be lived

God gives us all certain abilities, certain desires, certain dreams, but all too often we play it safe, refuse to take risks, and miss out on some of the exciting things that God has in store for us if we are only willing to take a few risks along the way. At some point most of us ask ourselves what we would do different if we had it to do over.  Mark Batterson and Richard Foth encourage us to ask that question while there is still time to do something about some of the things we wish we had done differently. A Trip around the Sun: Turning Your Everyday Life into the Adventure of a Lifetime (Baker Books, 2015) is their response to a challenge to choose adventure. 

                Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor of National Community Church, is one of my favorite authors. Dick Foth is his mentor, and in this book they tell their adventure stories.  One of the things that Batterson has mentioned in other books is that Christ followers need to quit living in a way that suggests that the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.  It’s obvious that neither of these men is in any danger of that.

                A trip around the sun sounds like it might be dangerous, or something that only happens in science fiction movies, but the truth is that each of us does it on a regular basis/ In fact you count the times you've made the journey as you count the candles on your birthday cake. Each trip is a year of your life. Some of us live dangerously, some play it safe, and some look back and wish that they could do it all over again.

                Everybody counts their trips around the sun, some count more than others, but what’s important is not the number of trips, but what is done with them; and Batterson and Foth take turns sharing their experiences, lessons and adventures during their respective trips around the sun.

                One thing that hit home for me was that Christians are just as guilty of living safely as are others. Christians, that group of people that have signed up to follow Jesus.  One chapter, “The Preposition That Will Change Your Life” makes it clear.  In Mark 3, we read that Jesus prayed and then chose the men that he wanted to be with Him. We not just called to follow Jesus, we’re called to be with Him, to with all that involves. It’s not just on Sunday morning, it’s not just when we’re doing Christian things, it’s at work, at school, at play, with family and friends, co-workers and class-mates, and yes with fellow church goers. Being with Jesus isn't always easy, but at the same time, it’s not one of the things that we’re going to one day look back at and regret.

                This is an easy book to read, but the message is much harder to digest. It calls us to step up our game, to dare to live the life that God has in store for us, not just the one that we can slide by with, and then live to regret.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for the review. I was not required to write a positive review.

5/5

Prayers for Nepal

          You've probably heard someone  say that their world has been rocked.  They meant it as an AHA moment, but last weekend tens of thousands of people had their world rocked - literally. People in 5 or 6 countries felt the tremors and thousands are dead, with the count rising.

                An earthquake. People left without houses, or f they do have a house still standing, they don't dare to sleep in it because of after shocks. A lady I work with has family in Nepal; she reports that they are sleeping in tents, and that it's cold, raining, and hail at times. There is no power, and food and water are limited.

                They're there, we are here, and for most of us the2  best things  we can do are pray and write checks. It's great that people want to go help, but unless you're specifically trained in a field that is needed immediately, what are you going to do when you get there? Supplies and housing are limited. The airport is only partially operational.  Please leave seats available on flights for medical personnel and specially trained emergency response teams.  There will come a time in the next few weeks when "I'm here, what can I do to help?"  may be appropriate, but now the greater need is probably for specific items - items that can be distributed to those in need.

                And how can we pray? Pray for peace in the hearts of those who have lost loved ones.  Pray for healing for those who were injured. Pray for generous, even sacrificial giving from people around the world so that cities can be rebuilt. Pray that much needed supplies will arrive in a timely manner and be distributed throughout the area where there is such need.  Pray for all those involved in search and rescue and recovery efforts. And pray that God will use this horrific event to draw people to Him. Amen

           Even when we don't have words, the Holy Spirit does, our heart's cry becomes the groans of the Holy Spirit.