1 John 3:11   KJV For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

John 13:35 (NLT) Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

John Starnes sings—I Saw Love

I saw the crowd laughing and mocking as he slowly walked down the street. I saw the man carrying the cross on His back as it fell many times at His feet . They beat Him and they pierced Him till the blood flowed from His side. As He slowly turned His face towards me for the first time I saw in His eyes.

I saw the nails tear His flesh as the hammer struck down. I saw the cross being lifted into the air. I saw it fall heavily into the ground, and the man in the middle, with tears in His eyes, was taking my place. As He slowly turned His face towards me, I forgive you, I heard Him say.

And I saw love like I’ve never seen love before from anyone and I saw love where hatred could have been for all things that were done and the people that stood round me Lord, oh, they were so blind and could not see the love that I saw in His eyes looking back at me.

And I saw love like I’ve never seen love before from anyone and I saw love where hatred could have been for all things that were done and the people that stood round me Lord, oh, they were so blind and would not see the love that I saw in His eyes looking back at me.

And I saw love

       I saw love

       I saw love

Lord Jesus, this is Dennis. Thanks for dying on the cross for my sins. Thanks for giving me a pastor and his wife (Connie and Glo Cariker) that modeled your love in front of me for my entire life!

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I John 3:11 KJV  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 

At the Hoyt Public School the students were challenged to stand and quote, from memory, a Bible verse. Janet B. would always jump to her feet and blurt out, JESUS WEPT!

I'm not sure exactly why Jesus wept (recorded in John 11:35) but I do know that it had something to do with his friend Lazarus and his sisters. The Bible records these words, "Lord the one you love is sick." John 11:3

I was privileged to go see my pastor and his wife Glo, yesterday. While several people came by and visited, one lady in particular just sat on her knees and held Brother Connie's hand (he was laying in a hospital bed in their living room).  I just sat there thinking how nice it was to have family and friends who love you, and because they love you they want to be there for you in your time of need.

I have to say that I'm no theologian but I wonder if the tears Jesus cried were because he saw the pain in the hearts of Mary and Martha and He knew they thought that because He wasn't physically present to prevent sickness and death, that He didn't love them, you know, enough.

Is it possible that you think that?

Anyway, back to Brother Connie's living room: I sat there thinking how pleased my Jesus was that His love was front and center, on display, right there in Jenks, Oklahoma. "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." I John 3:11 KJV

Jesus, this is Dennis, Your message came through---loud and clear! Thanks for using people to shout it out, by their actions!

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Colossians 3:12 NASB  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

While my husband and I do have a lot in common, our personalities are very different. He has strengths where I have weaknesses, and vice versa. I believe that’s part of God’s plan for me, to have my husband as an example in all the areas in which I struggle!

I see him living out the characteristics listed in Colossians 3:12 every day; especially when I see him interact with our son. He is gentle and kind and patient, just like our Heavenly Father is with me.

Happy Birthday Taylor, and thank you for living out your faith for our family to see.

-Kevi

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John 18:3-4 NKJV  Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”

I am a planner: I like to look up directions before I leave, plan out possible activities for vacations before I get there and make lists before I go to the store. So I always think, “If God would just let me know what His will for me is, then I would get to work accomplishing it!”

But the truth is, while Jesus was ready to accept God’s will, knowing full well that the outcome would be his death, the rest of us would be a little hesitant if we saw the torches coming for us. If God revealed His plan for the rest of my life right now, I would probably say “No way God! I can’t do that!

I’m grateful that God doesn’t need me to know it all, and that He doesn’t need me to plan it all: He just needs me to be ready to follow His lead.

-Kevi

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Mark 14:37-38 KJV  And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

This afternoon I watched an elementary school volleyball game. The group of approximately 5th graders really did great for their age. I noticed that the coaches continually told the kids to have their hands up and ready at all times. And those kids all had their hands up. But…some of them weren’t quite ready. A few times the ball went right past those “ready” hands without any attempt to hit the ball!

Jesus asked his disciples to sit and keep watch in the Garden of Gethsemane while He prayed. While the disciples had just said they would die with Christ before they would deny him (Mark 14:31) they all fell asleep when they were supposed to keep watch. They said they were ready to serve Him, but their actions showed they weren’t ready.

I want to do more than look ready to serve God, I want to actually be ready when He calls on me!

-Kevi

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Matthew 5:13 NASB “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

The other day I was craving some fast food french fries. We try not to eat fast food all the time, but sometimes french fries just sound so good to me! Of course the reason I really like them is because they are so salty. So imagine my disappointment when the first few I ate were not salty at all!

Jesus said we are the salt of the Earth, but if we aren’t “salting” the world around us with the love of Christ, what is the point? What a disappointment that must be to our Heavenly Father.

-Kevi

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Romans 8:26-27 NASB In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

My son is becoming more and more independent, which is the bittersweet part of becoming a toddler. When he wants something to eat, he wants to show me exactly what he wants to get out of the pantry. Of course I don’t always give him exactly what he asks for. If he points to the fruit snacks or the animal crackers but he hasn’t had any “real” food yet, I’ll pull out the jar of peanut butter or the applesauce and say, isn’t this what you wanted? It works most of the time, for now.

Sometimes when we pray, we don’t know quite what to ask for. Or sometimes what we are asking for isn’t really what’s best for us, and it isn’t God’s will. Because of our human limitations, we don’t always have the right words, but Paul says that the Holy Spirit will ask for us “according to the will of God.” It’s probably best that we don’t always get what we ask for; we get what the will of God is, which after all, is what we really wanted.

-Kevi

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1 Peter 5:7 NASB “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

I’ve read (and quoted) this verse about “casting my cares” on God many times, but I don’t think I’m doing the right kind of casting. According to the Thayer’s Greek Lexicon I referenced, this casting is “to throw upon, place upon.” But when I “cast my cares” it’s more of a fishing cast…I’ve got a string attached so I can reel them back in!

What are you worrying about? Go ahead, cut the string and let God take care of it, because he cares for you!

-Kevi

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1 Corinthians 13:1 NASB If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

I have a lovely wind chime that my dad gave me hanging on our back patio. I love the music of a wind chime, but apparently my husband does not share my appreciation. A few months after we got it, I was commenting on how much I liked it, and he informed me he put cotton balls inside the chimes, because it was too loud!

A gong or a cymbal can make beautiful music in the right context (with other instruments), but out of context they can be off-putting and annoying. Likewise “religion” can point to Jesus within the right context, but without the love of Christ, it can be off-putting to those around us.

Are we making music, or just producing noise?

-Kevi

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Matthew 8:24-27 NASB And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Now, my son has never been a great sleeper (he rolls around and wakes himself up); but his problem has never been noise. He can sleep through a stormy night, the vacuum, the TV, the doorbell, and recently he even napped away when I managed to set off both of our car alarms at the same time. Any loud noise will wake me up, but why should it bother my son?

The disciples were surprised that Jesus was sleeping while they were afraid for their lives. But Jesus wasn’t worried about the storm around them: He had faith in God’s plan and faith in the power God had given Him. If the disciples had the faith that Jesus had, could they have “rebuked the winds” themselves? If we had that same faith, maybe we could sleep through the storms, too.

-Kevi

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