Digging Deeper

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. -1John 4:11

I have seen so many examples of this love for others at The Ridge but one of the most memorable ones for me is the single parents car winterization that occurs each year. We just had one this past week and WOW! it was amazing. We had well over 100 volunteers helping at 7 garages and at the church to care for these people that, for the most part we don’t even know. After the day was done, we had serviced 86 cars, used 25 gallons of wiper fluid, 450 quarts of oil and gave 50 haircuts. Three Ridge people even gave up their own cars in order to allow time for some extra time and effort to be put into a few cars. All this for free just do we can show people the love of Jesus.

Over the years some of these single parents have come to call The Ridge their church home. One person in particular was an old friend of mine and a few years ago she came to have her car serviced. Her youngest daughter said she wanted to come back the next day for church. She reluctantly agreed and they returned. When she came in that day a person she did not know, working “First Impressions”, welcomed her with a hug and a smile. That love touched her so much it gave her the courage to stay and return the next week and the next. Not long after that she gave her to Christ, got baptized and has become a very active member at The Ridge. Some of you may know her. She is Sallie Moran.

I have watched, first hand, as Sallie has grown and strengthened her faith muscles. God has and continues to soften her heart and now she is one of those people serving at the annual single parents car winterization and greeting others with a hug and smile at “First Impressions”. She also serves on the communications team during the week helping to get the message handouts ready and the Powerpoint you see on the big screen. And she has committed to serving at the Greenville campus each week to help get it started. All this because of one simple act of love she received from another.

So, don’t ever think it’s not worth it. You never know when or where Gods love, through us, can touch another’s life.

Father God, we praise You for your love and we pray that You will use us to reflect that love on others. Lord, thank You for using us as a conduit for that love and for multiplying that love in others, like Sallie, to build Your kingdom and create new servants to continue that outpouring of love. Amen

by Rick Phillps

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; -1 Corinthians 13:4

We’ve all heard about God’s love and it is my hope and prayer that we all have experienced it at some level. But, what about the love that we show others? Do we return His love to those around us? Do we return it to Him too?

Here is a little test taken from the Crazy Love book that may help answer that for you. I must warn you it is a bit convicting. Most of us have heard the “love chapter” from 1 Corinthians 13.  Read it below but instead of the word love substitute your own name.

___________ is patient and kind; ___________ does not envy or boast; ___________ is not arrogant or rude. ___________ does not insist on ___________’s own way; ___________ is not irritable or resentful; ___________ does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ___________ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ___________ never ends.

How’d you do? Me? Not so good. I can make it through a lot of them but, honestly, I get stuck the most on the first three words. However, this is the model that has been given to us. Read it again and place God or Jesus in the blanks. Fits pretty well doesn’t it? Some might say it’s a little iffy on the “does not insist on His own way” but that would not be be true. He never insists. God has shown us His way through Jesus and we have the choice to accept or deny it.

Do you meet God’s standard? I don’t know about you but according to this test, I have some stuff to work on.

God, we praise You for Your amazing Love and for the example You have given us to model our own lives around. Lord, forgive us for failing at this. Father, use us to love and influence each other to build up Your kingdom and reach those around us with Your kind of love. Amen

by Rick Phillips

Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)

Over the past few weeks I have been taking a Life Group through a study of a book by Francis Chan called Crazy Love. Here’s a brief description of the book:

God is Love. Crazy, relentless, all-powerful love.

Have you ever wondered if we’re missing it?

It’s crazy if you think about. The God of the universe–the creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor–loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs and try not to cuss.

Whether you’ve verbalized it or not…we all know something’s wrong.

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts–it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, you will never be the same.

Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.

This study and this book have really made me to re-examine my relationship with God. There have been some very difficult and challenging things in these chapters. But through it I see and feel a closer, more passionate love with the Creator. I have also witnessed that growth in the others in our group.

If you feel that you are not madly, crazy, in love with God I challenge you to read this book. And strive for that love, and strive for that God.

God is love…

Please join me in this prayer:

Heavenly Father, I love You. I love that you have shown me what love really is and that even though I am who I am. Even though I fail to show love toward others and You at times, You continue to love me unconditionally with  that crazy, radical love. Lord help me to walk and talk in that love and to reflect that love on others each and every day. Amen

by Rick Phillips

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. -1 John 4:1 (NIV)

I have spoken to many people over the years that seem to have gathered their “Biblical knowledge” from things other than actually reading the Bible and seeking answers from God Himself.

I too have fallen into this trap at times. I love to read but sometimes I get caught up in what others are telling me about God’s word and I forget to go straight to the source. I’m certainly not saying reading things other than the Bible is a bad thing. I’m just saying when you are reading about scripture remember to compare what it is saying to actual scripture. Does it measure up?

The same should apply to what we hear on the radio, TV or even from the pulpit. We are all fallible people. Sometimes we get things wrong. Sometimes others, meaning well or not, misquote or misinterpret things. The Bible is the word of God. If what you are being told by a human being does not line up with it then there is something wrong. Even if that person is trusted and well educated they could be mistaken or misled.

I think sometimes we try to twist or warp the Word to fit our world so that it makes better sense or suits our needs and desires. I once had someone very close to me say “well, the Bible could be interpreted many different ways”. The Bible can only be interpreted one way. That would be Gods way. However, it can be misinterpreted many different ways. That would be mans way.

Through prayer, ask God to reveal to you what He means about certain things. Seek His guidance in sifting through what is right or wrong, good and bad.

Father, forgive us for just following along with others when Your word is right there for us to read for ourselves. Lord, guide us in Your word and how to apply it in our lives all for Your glory. We pray this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

by Rick Phillips

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.  1 John 3:18-20

“Talk is cheap.” We’ve all heard or used this phrase, and most of us have probably been on the receiving end of empty promises and idle vows.

I am reminded of the song “Mercy in Me” by Todd Agnew.  In it, the narrator encounters a homeless man.  He acknowledges that he could buy the man lunch, but doesn’t because he hasn’t got enough to buy lunch for them both.  So instead, he prays for more for himself.  He comes upon a young mother who needs clothes.  He keeps his old clothes and tells her he’ll pray for her.

While prayers are crucial, we are also directed to take action as much as we’re able.  This action typically involves sacrifice of some sort.  In the case of the song, it’s a missed lunch so someone else may eat, or a few less choices in the closet so someone else may be warm.

In our daily lives, the sacrifices we’re able to make are small when compared to the impact they can have on the lives of others and for the kingdom of God.

A great example of love in action is coming this weekend.  We have over 80 families that will be coming to the Ridge for the Car Winterization.  Each of us has some part to play, and when all of our small sacrifices of time, talent, and food come together, it results in a massive outpouring of love for our brothers and sisters.

Here is a link to the Todd Agnew song I mentioned, Mercy in Me.

Lord, thank you for the riches you have poured on me so that I may share with those in need.  Help me to remember to put the needs of others in front of my own as my actions speak louder than my words.

Read: Matthew 5:1-16

Jeanne Roberts

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers 1 John 3:16

I think it’s fairly easy to say that we would die for someone.  First of all, if we say it, it’s generally about someone we love: our spouse, our child, our parents.  I’m positive we really believe it too.  Secondly, the odds that we will ever actually be faced with the choice to die in order to save another are pretty slim indeed.

What’s really difficult is to say that we would live for someone.  Even to say it about the same people we’d “take a bullet for” it pretty tough.  To live for others is a choice that’s made every single day.  Usually, it’s nothing quite as heroic as jumping in front of a bullet, nothing that will make the 11:00 news.  Living for others means continually and mindfully  putting their needs, their comfort ahead of our own, with no thought of receiving something in return.  That’s what it means to “lay down our lives for our brothers”.

It’s taking out the trash on a cold morning.

It’s going outside at 2 a.m. to check out a noise.

It’s preparing someone’s favorite dinner that you might not like.

It’s letting someone go ahead of you in line at the grocery store.

Lord, thank you for the perfect example of brotherly love through your son Jesus Christ.  Help me remember it’s the seemingly small things that speak the loudest.

Read: John 15:12-19

Jeanne Roberts

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9

Seems like a pretty tall order, doesn’t it?  In the beginning of my walk with Christ, every time I’d stumble, I’d fall into a pit of despair because I’d sinned yet again.   I felt like such a failure.

I spent time in the Word, and I spent time with people who were mature in their faith.  I was reminded that though God hates sin, and cannot look upon it, that’s not the end of it.  I was reminded that Jesus was and is the bridge that covers the chasm between us and God.

That knowledge, that reminder changes everything.  I’m not sinless, and I never will be as long as I draw breath.  However, because I’ve been born of God, I recognize my sins, and I strive to sin less.

In my old life, I didn’t recognize my sins.  The word wasn’t even in my vocabulary.  In thought, in deed, in word, I behaved as I wished.  Sometimes I was “good”, sometimes I was not.  Either way, it didn’t matter much to me.

“He cannot go on sinning” does not mean that when we accept Christ we become perfect.  It doesn’t mean that if we screw up, we’ve lost our salvation.  What it means is we cannot go on as we did before we knew God.  We don’t want to.

I know personally, I can feel defeated in the face of my sin.  Keeping in fellowship with other believers and regular time spent in the Word helps to keep me from ‘beating myself up’.

Lord, thank You for the gift of salvation, for the gift of Your Son. Help me to remember to look to the Word for strength in the presence of sin.

Read: Psalm 51:7-17

Jeanne Roberts

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10

One morning in February 2006, something changed.

I came to church on Sunday, like I’d been doing every Sunday for the past six-ish months.  I’d been feeling something tugging on my heart for a year before that, but I wouldn’t acknowledge it.  I was sure that I was mistaken.  I was sure that the people around me had a relationship with God, but I really wasn’t good enough to ever have something like that.

God made it clear to me, on that cold morning that He wanted to call me His child.

Finally, I stopped ignoring Him.  Finally, I trusted that I wasn’t being tricked.  Finally, I opened my heart and let Him in.

“How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.”

I was a different person.  I felt like Dorothy when she went from black-and-white Kansas to the colorful world of Oz!

Since then, I’ve often wondered if the changes are as apparent to others as they are to me.

Remember those spot-the-difference puzzles from kids’ magazines?  There are two images, side by side, and you have to… um, spot the difference.

If I could take a picture of me before I knew Christ, and a picture of me since, and I laid them side by side, could anyone spot the difference?

I wonder if at first glance, people could say, “Well, here’s the difference, she’s alone in this picture, in the other one, she has Jesus with her.”

Or are the changes less visible?  Would someone say, “Well, it looks like she doesn’t curse in this picture… give me a minute, I’ll find something else… there isn’t a time limit on this, is there?”

Thinking of all the ways my life has changed, I want this for everyone.  I want every person I see to have this grace, this salvation, this love.  My part in that is to make sure that even those who don’t know God can see Him in the picture of me.

Lord, I can never give enough thanks for the love You have given me.  Help me to make the changes in me as visible as clothing.

Read: Isaiah 61:10

Jeanne Roberts

Remain Faithful

“And now, dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ…”

1 John 2:28

I planted a zucchini plant in my garden.  I made sure there were no weeds and it had the best possible soil.  I watered it frequently and told it how beautiful it was becoming.  I watched as its leaves grew large and its vines grew many.  Then one morning I noticed a yellow bloom!  I knew it wouldn’t be long before I would be enjoying fresh, homegrown zucchini from my very own garden.  June, July, and August past with a few zucchini blooms, but alas, there were no vegetables.  My mom felt sorry for me and gave me some of her zucchini.  She could hardly keep up with the abundance of zucchini in her garden.  Finally my mom asked me how many zucchini plants I had planted.  I had bought one little start and absolutely spoiled it with daily care.  Could it be that I needed more than one plant so the bees could pollinate the blooms, my mom questioned?  I had no idea a plant needed company to bear vegetables!  Next year I will make sure my zucchini plant is not lonely.  I’ll plant a whole zucchini choir!

I learned two things from my zucchini fiasco. 1) It is not good for one to fellowship alone, and 2) Some plants (and people) don’t bear vegetables (or fruit).  The visible proof of being a good zucchini plant is to grow at least one big, fat zucchini.  The visible proof of being a Christian is true faith which results in good “fruit” (good deeds, good behavior, doing what is right, loving others, putting others first, etc.) Our good fruits cannot produce salvation, but they are necessary proof that true faith is actually present.  I think I should start interviewing now some good zucchini candidates for my Spring garden!

Bible Reading: 1 John 2:24-29

Dear Heavenly Father, may the abundance of my good deeds spill over into every aspect of my life’s garden.

Dianna L. Brisco