Moving from Knowing into Accepting

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

According to the dictionary “to know is “to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.”

What do I know?

• I know that the universe moves in an orderly fashion.  I observe it each morning as darkness gives way to light.

• I know that God exists.  Though I have inquired, I can find no other explanation for the wonders of life that surround me.

• I know that Jesus loves me “for the Bible tells me so.”

In knowing, we can still walk in doubt, unbelief and fear.  Knowing can sometimes be superficial.  Simply knowing often does not bring peace to the disquietude of the soul.  To still the tumult, we must move from merely knowing into fully accepting.  Accepting brings the transformation that comes from the renewing of our minds.

• When I accept, in the inner most part of my being, that the universe moves in an orderly fashion, I no longer fear the comet that might take it out of existence.  I do not succumb to the terrors of alarmists.  I find peace in accepting “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17).

• When I accept that God is Who He says He is, I no longer search for explanations for the unexplainable.  I rest in His word, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,'' says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9.

• When I accept that Jesus loves me unconditionally, eternally and tenderly, rejection, fear, unforgiveness, anxiety, despair and anguish flee.  I then embrace His promise as Paul did, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

It is not enough just to know that we have been invited into His kingdom.  We must accept the invitation.

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light'' (Matthew 11:28-30.

 

Rise Up, Decently and in Order

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Micah 6:1: “Hear now what the Lord says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.”

The Lord is calling His people to rise up and speak truth into the councils of the worldly. However, believers must do more than simply speak against sin and oppression; we must coherently speak for truth, and we must speak for that truth decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40).

In order to plead our case, we must have a case.  It is time for Christians to offer solutions, to make solid, grounded suggestions in writing to influence public policies and to articulate exactly why we stand where we stand.  Every problem that exists is an opportunity to offer a godly solution. We must be proactive in offering solutions.

Our solutions must be presented decently and in order.  Decently and in order means that we must speak and write as the Holy Spirit directs.  (Luke 12:11-12:) "Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.''

The Holy Spirit will not lead us to speak out of fear and anger.  He will not suggest that we resort to vitriol, bigotry and name-calling. While the context of Psalm 45:1 is a song of praise to the King, the example is universal. “My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

We must have a good theme, a message that God wants people to hear and to understand.  Our theme must be well composed. A ready writer is one who has carefully chosen vocabulary and constructed sentences that will fully articulate the theme.

The biblical book of Romans is often considered one of the greatest legal briefs ever written.   Paul wasn’t just sitting at his desk spewing wrath.  He was listening intently to what the Holy Spirit wanted him to write. 

We must also present our solutions in an orderly manner.  Whether it is a board meeting, an open forum or friends meeting for coffee, we must understand protocol. We must follow the necessary procedure for placement on the agenda.  Then we must follow that agenda.  If we are given only 3 minutes to speak, we must organize our thoughts so that we present our arguments articulately within the allotted time frame.   Frankly, that takes thought and rehearsal.

We, like Esther, were born for such a time as this.  Like Esther, as well, we must prepare to meet those issues God has called us to confront.  Remember we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.  Paul wrote, “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us”  (2 Corinthians 5: 20).

In our zeal, may we truly represent our King and His Kingdom. When we do that, Isaiah 60:1-3 will unfold in our lives:  “Arise, shine; For your light has come! and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles (unbelievers) shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

1 Corinthians 14: 40.  Let all things be done decently and in order. 

 Advent Gems #11 

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe 

Isaiah :9: 6: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

He is Mighty God.  He is omnipotent.  No strength, power or valor is greater than His.  Sometimes we misunderstand the power of good over evil.  We often define evil as the opposite of good.  If they are opposites, then they are equal in strength.  However, evil is not the opposite of good.  Evil is the absence of good. 

Jesus not only is strong and powerful; He is the source of our strength and power. 

Isaiah 40: 28-40: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” 

In this weary world (The world has always been weary.), we must learn to be still and know that He is God, we must wait upon Him and we must live and move and have our being in Him. 

 

 Advent Gems #10 

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe 

Isaiah :9: 6: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

He is our Counselor. The Hebrew word translated as counselor means one who advises, one with whom we can consult and find purpose. In Him, we find our purpose. 

The first question asked in the Westminster Shorter Catechism is “What is the chief end (purpose) of man?” 

The answer is “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”   

We often speak of obeying God and loving God.  How often do we consider how or if our lives glorify God?  Also, too few of us realize that we are to enjoy God.   

Nehemiah 8:10: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come 
Let Earth receive her King 
Let every heart prepare Him room 
And Heaven and nature sing 
And Heaven and nature sing 
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing 

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns 
Let all their songs employ 
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains 
Repeat the sounding joy 
Repeat the sounding joy 
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy 

He rules the world with truth and grace 
And makes the nations prove 
The glories of His righteousness 
And wonders of His love 
And wonders of His love 
And wonders, wonders, of His love 

 

 Advent Gems #9 

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe 

Isaiah :9: 6: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

His name shall be called wonderful.  Even the mention of His name, Jesus, fills us with wonder and awe.  Jesus, our Savior.  Jesus our Redeemer.  In Him, we find salvation.  Salvation encompasses, not only, the removal of the eternal punishment for sin, but also, through the power of the Holy Spirit residing within believers, the strength and courage forego sin in our daily lives.  

Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Hallelujah, what a Savior. 

 

 

His Name Is Wonderful 

Song by Carman 

His name is wonderful 
His name is wonderful 
His name is wonderful 
Jesus my Lord. 
He is the mighty King 
Master of everything 
His name is wonderful 
Jesus my Lord. 
He's the Great Shepherd 
The Rock of all ages 
Almighty God is He 
Bow down before Him 
Love and adore Him 
His name is wonderful 
Jesus my Lord.