12 ways to get serious about your faith

1.      Love God by obeying Him in all things.

2.      Love God by worshipping Him each week at church.

3.      Love others by serving them and meeting their needs.

4.      Love others by telling them about Jesus and inviting them to church.

5.      Read the Bible and pray for at least 15-20 minutes every day.

6.      Give regularly and sacrificially to the Lord’s work.

7.      Discover your spiritual gifts (http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1) and use those gifts by serving Christ at church and/or in another ministry.

8.      Memorize your favorite Bible verses.

9.      Attend a group Bible study on a regular basis.

10.  Listen to the Bible and/or sermons on your MP3 player or CD-ROM.

11.  Love God some more.

12.  Love others some more.

of charcoal and love

My brother put his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone, looked at me with panic in his eyes and said our neighbor, Mrs. So and So, wanted to talk to dad. She apparently just saw one of his sons (that would be me) steal a bag of charcoal briquettes from her garage.

I took a deep breath, mustered my best grown-up voice and took the call: “This is Jerry Little. Can I help you?”

After describing what she had just seen, I acted outraged. “He did what?! Chris!” I yelled, “you get your #%$* in here right now! I can promise you, Mrs. So and So, he’ll be punished most severely!”

Once the conversation was over the house exploded in laughter as my friends and I savored the excitement of such a close call and my hokey impersonation of my dad.

Though still shaking inside, I acted like it didn’t faze me a bit and promptly went out into the backyard, poured the charcoal into the BBQ pit and fired it up. Looking up at our neighbor’s kitchen window I waved, smiled and went back into the house, all the while secretly praying that my ridiculous “acting” job had really fooled her.

Would she call back later when my folks were around? Would she sic her husband on me? Would she call the police?

Fortunately, none of those things happened. We never heard another peep out of her. Ever. Why I don’t know. “He’ll be punished most severely”? Who talks like that?

As a godless teenager in the early 1970s, I had no idea what the second greatest commandment was, nor would I have cared if I had.

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'”1

As a follower of Jesus many years later I’m obviously aware of that commandment. Unfortunately, even though I’m aware of its importance I don’t do so hot in keeping it.

Oh, I don’t steal charcoal from my neighbors (or anything else for that matter), but it’s not like we’re really close. Truth be told, the less we see of each other the better. Just being honest.

But is that what Jesus had in mind? Just don’t steal from them? I’m guessing there’s a little more to it.

As always, I encourage you to join me in my new-found guilt. What kind of neighbor are you? And let’s not forget that Scripture makes it clear that the definition of “neighbor” is really everybody other than you. That’s right, everybody.

In other words, every single human being that we come in contact with Jesus wants us to love the same as we love ourselves.

Ugh.

So do you feel guilty yet? Good--glad to have the company!

But why stay here? What can we do to change how we treat our neighbors, both those who live next door and those we will see today, tomorrow and the next day?

Me? I’m going to start by not stealing any charcoal briquettes from them and then lying about it.

What about you?

Jesus: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

1  Matthew 22:36-39

reunited--at last

He was one of the funniest and most charming people I have ever met. And it wasn’t just me—everybody seemed to love him and thought of him as the life of the party.

Yet, being good friends, he confided in me several times how desperately unhappy he really was. More than once he said that was the reason he was always cracking jokes and being a clown of sorts: He was covering up how sad he felt inside.

Specifically, if he didn’t laugh, he’d cry. So he aggressively pursued the former so he wouldn’t experience the latter.

His sadness ended when he died some years ago, joining his beloved wife who had died many years prior. You see, the reason he was so unhappy all the time was because he missed the love of his life.

The woman who had captured his heart and soul and never let go. His best friend. His companion. His…everything. Once she was gone, he was never complete again. Not even close.

I’ve thought of my friend many times recently and what it must have been like for him all those years. Day after day, week after week, year after year, and decade after decade of unrelenting pain and sorrow.

The thought of his pain grieves me to the very bone. How did he make it all that time? What was it like to spend virtually every waking moment thinking of the woman of his dreams, the one—and only—person who could make him happy and fulfilled?

Why do I bring all of this up? Because I’m in awe of my friend’s perseverance. And while I miss him dearly, I’m so glad he was finally reunited with the woman who had so captured his heart.

While I certainly don’t want to diminish the excitement and joy of seeing his Lord and Savior in person, I can’t help wondering what their reunion was like.

Did she run and jump into his arms? Have they ever stopped hugging? Have they ever stopped smiling? Have they ever stopped praising God?

What was it like to finally—finally—be reunited with the love of his life?

I wonder.

“May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.”1

1  2 Thessalonians 3:5

worth fighting for

I had to right a wrong today on my part, so I called someone and asked a very pertinent question: “Do you still care for so and so?

"Yes.”

Then I asked a follow-up question: “And does so and so still care for you?”

"Yes.”

Then I stopped asking questions and said this: “Then I suggest you fight to keep the relationship going—it’s too valuable to give up on it.”

Why did I do that? Because my previous advice had danced around the topic of whether there were still any feelings for the other person. As a result, the dissolution of their relationship (not a marriage) seemed to be a foregone conclusion and we focused primarily on how to move on.

Today, however, I’ve done a 180. Relationships are too valuable to give up on them. If we care about someone else—I mean, really care—then we have to keep trying to maintain it.

We have to.

Am I naïve? Maybe. But life’s too short to just walk away from someone you care about without giving the thing one last try.

Are there problems and challenges in the situation above? Yes. Are they insurmountable? Maybe. But I believe they need to keep trying, at least one more time. So I made the call and cleared my conscience.

In fact, I feel so strongly about this I truly wish we were in the same room right now so you could see and hear the urgency in my face and voice. As it is, I’ll have to shout it from the rooftops.

Do you care for someone? Really care for someone? Then why in the world would you want to give that up? Why in the world would you not do everything in your power to keep it going?

Will your efforts succeed? Maybe. Maybe not. But at least you tried. At least you tried to salvage one of life’s most precious gifts: A special bond between two people.

Trust me, that kind of bond doesn’t come along very often. At least it doesn't for me.

So, how does all of this apply to you? Frankly, there may be no application for you whatsoever. But hey, I just couldn’t wait to share this new insight with someone, one that's changed how I look at things.

That said, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing before I got on my soapbox. Besides, I’ve got some more phone calls to make—have to ask some people a few questions…

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”1

1  1 Corinthians 13:4

the love that got away

Looking into his eyes she says, “I love you. You’re the love of my life.”

“I love you too, Kelly," he manages to reply. "More than you’ll ever know."

They kiss a final time, never to speak or see one another again.

If there’s a sadder moment in movie history I don’t know what it would be. The movie is “Cast Away.” After four years stranded on a desert island, Tom Hanks’ character is rescued and discovers that his fiancé, played by Helen Hunt, is married to another man.

How agonizing it must be to know they were meant to be with each other, but it would never happen. Ever.

How can somebody possibly get over something like that? Wouldn’t it haunt you all the days of your life? I’m thinking it would.

Yet imagine how God must feel since the majority of the people made in His image reject Him. More than that, many of them actually use His name as a curse word and live in out-and-out rebellion.

Despite giving them the gift of life1, despite forming them in their mothers’ wombs2, and

despite providing them with essentials such as sunlight and rain3, they reject their Creator and engage in idolatry4.

While I’m not comfortable saying their rejection “haunts” God in any way, I do believe that in some way it breaks His heart. I know that from Jesus’ reaction to the unbelieving Jews shortly before He’s crucified.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”5

Can’t you just hear the disappointment in His voice? He wants so much to gather them to His side, but they’re not willing. This is unquestionably one of the most dramatic moments in the entire New Testament.

Can you imagine how excruciating it would be to know you will never—ever—be with the love of your life?

Painful, painful, painful.

Now imagine how God must feel.

1  Acts 17:28

2  Psalm 139:13

3  Matthew 5:45

4  Romans 1:22-23

5  Matthew 23:37

of pets and people

My friend was dying right before my eyes and I couldn’t control myself anymore. I started to cry and he did too, perhaps sensing that the end was near. Now unable to stand, I helped him lie down for the last time.

I knew it was close when the whimpering stopped. Now the only sound was my own whimpering, as I cried uncontrollably. His eyes rolled up, his tongue fell out of his mouth, and he was dead.

I knew at that moment that I could never, ever, be a veterinarian. My dream as a 15-year-old boy was now shattered, having witnessed the death of a dog that wasn’t even mine. Volunteering at a medical research facility was fun until I had to help put down my favorite playmate, an unnamed dog I had been caring for.

From that moment on I became guarded when dealing with the animals, especially the dogs. I was determined not to allow myself to become too close to them, knowing that sooner or later they’d perish for the sake of science. And, worse of all, I might have to help again.

Unfortunately, over the years I’ve experienced the death of many pets. And, without exception, it hurts. A lot.

That’s because if you’re like me, pets become part of the family, especially dogs and cats. And, if we’re honest, isn’t it true that sometimes, well, they’re better companions than humans? Come on, you can admit it—I’ll keep your secret.

But why is that? Why is that our dog or cat can sometimes be just as good—perhaps even better—than human companionship? Not all the times, of course, but why is that sometimes Rover or Kitty is all we need?

Yes, they’re usually soft to the touch, and yes, they don’t talk back. And it’s true they typically don’t disappoint us as much as humans do, and sure, they’re less expensive to house and feed.

But I think the real reason they capture our hearts so much is they love us, accept us as we are (warts and all), and like to be with us. I mean, let’s be honest, how many humans love you, accept you (warts and all), and like to be with you?

Maybe it’s just me, but there aren’t too many humans who would pass that test. On the other hand I’ll bet I could walk into any animal shelter, randomly adopt a dog and, in time, it would eventually turn into my faithful companion.

If my theory is right, then what does that say about us people? Why don’t we love one another, accept one another (warts and all), and want to hang out with each other? Why are dogs sometimes better companions than humans?

For what it’s worth, I think it’s because we’re flawed. Specifically, we—okay, me—don’t love others like I should.

Because of that, we—okay, me—needs to work on treating people better. And I know just the place to go for biblical guidance: The so-called “love chapter” in the New Testament.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”1

Are you following the thought? Do you want to be a better companion? Do you want to compete with Rover?

Then be patient, kind, don’t envy, don’t boast, don’t be  proud, don’t be rude, don’t be self-seeking, don’t be easily angered, don’t keep a record of wrongs, don’t delight in evil, rejoice in the truth, and protect, trust, hope in and persevere with the other person.

I don’t know about you, but that list overwhelms me—there’s just too much to work on. I’ll never be able to compete with the family dog. For what it’s worth, I’m going to pick just one thing to work on. And when I get a better handle on it, then I’ll choose another, and then another.

Is this a lot of work? Absolutely. But if we want to be better companions to our family and friends, we have to roll up our sleeves and go to work.

Are you really going to let the family pet get the best of you? Me neither.

“Love never fails.”2

1  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

2  1 Corinthians 13:8

make me laugh

“Don’t forget: ‘I’m gonna git you sucka’ is on tonight.”

The note from my wife Paula still tickles me to no end. You see, she knew I’d find a reminder to watch that movie funny. For the record, I did and still do.

I love to laugh, and as often as possible. Maybe you do, too. I suspect there are a lot of us out there.

Because of that I have an assignment for you today: Make someone laugh. At the very least, make them smile. Why? Well, to be blunt life stinks sometimes. Who would dare argue with that conclusion?

So why not take a minute and brighten someone’s day by making them laugh? How you do it is entirely up to you. It could be a phone call, an email, a Facebook page post, the sky’s the limit.

And the strategy is also up to you: Will it be a joke, a funny anecdote or a silly photo? Again, whatever you think will make the person laugh, go for it.

For instance, a friend called earlier today to say he had called the city to complain about a neighbor's dog. Apparently it was really wreaking havoc in the area. The city acted promptly and sent someone from animal control to check things out. When my friend returned from running an errand, he found a note inside his screen door. It seems animal control ticketed him as well, for not having licenses and collars for his cats.

My friend laughed at the irony of being punished for trying to do a good deed, but the story was also funny because the animals weren't even his. He was merely feeding feral cats.

Why did he call and tell me that? Because he knew I’d get a kick out of it. We shared a laugh and went back to our days, but I’m still smiling even though the call was hours ago. That’s the power of a good laugh.

But if you need another reason for going out of your way to brighten someone else’s day, how about this? Doing so is a way to express your love for the other person.

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”1

My wife and friend did what they did because they knew I’d find it funny and they care about me.

Take it from me: It felt good to laugh and even better to know they cared enough to try and brighten my day. When somebody makes me laugh it’s a wonderful gift, a gift that I treasure.

So who are you going to make laugh today? And how are you going to do it?

“I’m gonna git you sucka.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12

doing life together

I just realized something yesterday. I mean really realized it.

I love the people at my church.

Oh, I’ve felt that right from the beginning and it’s grown over time, but it washed over me like a tidal wave yesterday. Despite being totally exhausted last night, I was smiling like a toddler on Christmas Day the whole car ride home.

They’re not just people in the pews and not just members of the congregation, they’re friends. More than that, they’re family. I like them, love them and enjoy being around them. And I’m so blessed that they seem to feel the same way about me.

I can’t help thinking about something the Apostle Paul wrote to a group of believers he used to pastor:

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”1

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at this revelation—I had actually learned something similar many years earlier. Prior to going into full-time ministry I had a part-time ministry in the St. Louis area. After a couple of years of preaching and pastoring, I was burned out. Working full-time in the business world and preaching regularly on the weekends was just too much, so I resigned.

The first couple of weeks were wonderful, as I enjoyed my new-found downtime. But that changed dramatically as the weeks went by. I was totally unprepared for how much I missed everyone. My heart ached so bad I returned a few months later. I loved them, worried about them and wanted to be with them again.

What about you? Are you an active member of a local group of believers? If not, I encourage you to find a Bible-believing church and worship and socialize with them as much as you can.

My hunch is you’ll find a pastor who loves his people as much as I love the people here.

So would you like to feel loved and appreciated? Would you like to be among like-minded people? Then find a church and get involved.

The truth is, we pastors need you as much as you need us.

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

1  1 Thessalonians 2:8

love

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”1

It was the best Christmas ever—my family was amazed and felt loved as never before due to my lavish gift-giving. It was also the worst Christmas ever—they discovered I had stolen money from them in order to afford such nice things.

Yeah, that’s right, I stole money from family members so I could buy them some really cool stuff. Made sense to me at the time. Was I generous? Kind of depends on how you look at it. 

One thing seems certain, however: As a teenager I was a lowlife and a thief.

That memory still makes me cringe. I mean, not only is stealing wrong, but stealing from family? I’d be willing to bet that most thieves wouldn’t think about robbing those they love. Others, sure. But family, no way.

Common sense tells us we shouldn’t steal, and especially from family. Not surprisingly, Scripture also tells us we shouldn’t steal from each other. We are, of course, called to love one another, family and non-family.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”2

The Greek word translated as “love” has nothing to do with emotions or feelings. Instead, the word is a verb. That is, we are to consciously and deliberately love one another. We are to consciously and deliberately express our love for others in practical and concrete ways.

For example, it’s not good enough not to steal from them. We’re called, as children of God, to meet the needs of others and consider them more important than us.3 And that includes both family and total strangers. That’s biblical love.

So, does that describe you? Would family describe you as loving? More than that, would total strangers describe you as loving? Remember, the kind of love we’re talking about has nothing to do with emotions or feelings. This kind of love is consciously and deliberately expressing our love for others in practical and concrete ways.

Again, does this describe you? Me neither.

Let’s agree—just between the two of us—that we don’t pull this off, at least as consistently as we should. I have some ideas on what I’m going to do, but how about you?

And remember, it’s not good enough not to steal from them. We’re called, as children of God, to meet the needs of others and consider them more important than us. And that includes both family and total strangers. That’s biblical love.

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”4

1  Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

2  1 John 4:7-8

3  Matthew 22:39 & Philippians 2:3

4  1 John 4:20-21