January, 2014 - hopebroker

January 26, 2014

3. Honor – one another

Reading Time: 2 minutes

(tee-may – time highly,to lead in preferring, worth, assessment, appraisal/outdo, esteem more)

Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Paul has a certain rhythm in the words he uses to instruct us to focus our behavior. Honor. We expect to hear this word in a wedding ceremony, in a life lesson to a child about respecting parents or to convince us to respect our elders. But this regal and top-shelf word should be used more often. And we should use it liberally on each other. Why save the china only for special occasions? Let’s figure out how to honor one another.

Would it hurt you to take the lead in preferring your brother or sister over yourself? Could you give them your cherished parking place, or relinquish your favorite pew from time to time? Could you clap a little louder for them, or truly celebrate when they have accomplished something? What about going all out and giving them credit for what they did? Remember the time you were in charge of the event, but they did all the work?

It is interesting that the Greek word for honor means “time” in English. Time is so valuable to us. For some, time may even be more valuable than money. It takes time to honor and time given to each other is truly a gift.

Let’s get to practicing this word more often by outdoing, esteeming more highly or taking the lead in honoring one another. You never know, it might just catch on!

Prayer: Lord, help me find time to give time. Show me ways to honor my brother. I will be willing and ready to act on opportunities you send my way.

If you have a story of honor about someone, share it in the comments area and help others be creative.

January 19, 2014

2. Devoted – to one another

Reading Time: 2 minutes

(philostorgos – affectioned, tenderly loving)

Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

This verse describes a kindred love or a cherishing of one’s kindred such as parents for children. Think of family as in a husband’s devotion to his wife or parents devotion totheir children.

“Devoted” is such an old word. Webster’s dictionary says that it showed up in 1586. You may have heard the word used in phrases like, “he is a devoted husband” or “she is a devoted wife.” It may be that someone is devoted to their work, job or cause. But none of those phrases helps or hints at how Paul was instructing the church to treat one another. Be devoted to one another. It can better be explained by two Greek words slammed together. Phileo (a friendly love) and Storgos (family or deep love for our children). Put them together and you have a word that describes a deep family love towards each other.

A few months back we had a horrible plumbing back up. I called a plumber to come out and clear the clog which I thought may be a “mainline” clog. Those are the worst. When the plumber arrived he proceeded to give me the bad news. Since we didn’t have a “cleanout,” they would have to remove a toilet ($$), run a mainline snake ($$$) and because it was a Sunday, charge extra $$. I was so frustrated. I wanted to just send him away, but he was going to charge a service fee just for coming out. I didn’t want to lose money for doing nothing so I agreed to most of the suggested charges.

Once he and his assistant got started we began to chat and I discovered that he was a believer and went to church a few miles from my house. My first thought was, “I better be careful how I treat this guy… he’s a brother.” My second thought was, “Hey! He better be careful how he treats ME — I’m his brother as well!” We ended up talking about our walk with God and actually knew a few friends we had in common. He knocked off some money from the bill and I was happy how it all turned out.

The point isn’t, “Hey, Christians better give me a discount!” The point is this; we need to treat our brother or our sister in Christ like we would our own flesh and blood family members. Because, the truth is, we have Christ’s blood in common and we ARE family.

Regardless of what church they go to, are you treating other believers like family?

“I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God eluded me. I sought my brother and I found all three …”
Martin Luther King Jr.

Prayer:
Lord, help filter my thoughts to allow tender, family type love to reach out to my brothers and sisters in Christ. May I treat them as I would my own flesh and blood.

If you have a story of delightful devotion from or towards someone, share it in the comments area and let others be inspired.

January 12, 2014

1. Love – one another

Reading Time: 2 minutes

(agapao – love)

(Jn 13:34,35;Rom 13:8;I Pet 1:22; I Jn 3:11;I Jn 3:23;I Jn 4:7;I Jn 4:11,12;2 Jn 1:5)

Love – the foundational word to the New Testament. The word is so simple, yet so profound.

Ask someone to define it and you’ll get a lot of different responses. Some say, “God is love …” That makes it more difficult to practice because only God can be God and love us perfectly. Some may say, “Love is a feeling”, or “Love is giving.”

The word, “love” is used often in the Bible as a noun. In my study I could locate only 9 instances (see verse references at top of page) where the word love is used as an action or verb directing us in how to behave toward one another.

You can see the dictionary meaning here: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love. However, this sterile definition cannot capture the depth and texture of such a word. Jesus brought it down to simple acts and metaphors like spitting and touching. Then He lifted it (almost beyond our comprehension) with imagery like the cross and grave.

Over these next several weeks perhaps you will find new expression in the combination of these words “one another”. You may discover that there are innumerable ways to be practical and intentional about loving. I just wanted you to know as a follower of Jesus that these 23 commands reveal what it looks like to love one another.

Don’t look for big things, just do small things with great love.
Mother Teresa

Prayer:
Lord help me see the simple needs and give me courage for the more sacrificial opportunities. Bring people across my path so that I can practice loving them.

If you have a story of extraordinary love from or towards someone, share it in the comments area and let others be inspired.

January 6, 2014

23 Ways to Behave Like A Believer

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Twenty years ago as I preached on a Sunday evening, I began a journey of biblical discovery that would profoundly impact my relationships with other believers.

I came to Christ at the age of fifteen and I was deeply influenced by church folks. It puzzled me that the Bible had very specific directives regarding our behavior towards each other as members of the “body of Christ.” The way I read the Bible, everything was done within community and because of community.

The Gospels were written to the Church (the community of God’s people), the Epistles were written to the Church. And both were written to provide instruction of how to do things together. No solos, no rugged individualism – together.

As a new believer, I was shocked when I discovered that church folks struggled to act out these Biblical behaviors.

First of all, one weekly morning together is not nearly enough time for believers to work out these behaviors – even with the second hour of Sunday School.

Second, I do not ever remember being taught how to treat each other. I thought we were just supposed to love and try not to gossip. Most of the teaching I heard was geared toward personal growth, holiness and finding your place to serve.

However, if the Biblical instructions were given in community and expected to be practiced in community then why weren’t we seeing more evidence or hearing more stories of these behaviors being successful in community?

So that Sunday night, twenty years ago, I spoke on the New Testament “One Another’s.” Originally I found twenty-one of them, but since then I found a couple more. My opening line that night was, “Tonight my message only has twenty-one points!” Though we flew through each point, I never forgot the impact of those words.

The apostle John mentions LOVE ONE ANOTHER more than any other author. Three times in two verses in the book of John and six times in six verses in his epistles.

Eight times he says “LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” You would think that John was trying to get a message across. Jesus said in John 13:35, people will be able to tell you are His disciples just because of your love for each another.

Of course, people never watch how you act. You live in a totally isolated world where no own notices you.

For sure they don’t watch how you treat your kids, your wife, your husband, your friends, your boss.

And people NEVER notice how you speak of other Christians.

[cough, cough]

I believe we all know better than that.

So, I have brought the “one another’s” back and written a little thought and a prayer with each one.

Now it’s a twenty-three week devotional. I would have made it twenty-three days, but a day is just not long enough to grasp the depth of each word and apply it in our lives.

So for the next twenty-three weeks, be open to hearing what God’s word has for you and for others around you! Even if the word of the week seems difficult, I encourage you to try it. God will give opportunities to practice. All you have to do is act on the opportunity and watch what happens.