Loving Others (3)

A Prayer for Loving Others Our church was founded in 1989 by Pastor Nolan Akers, my father-in-law. After Cindy and I were married I served on his church staff for 2 years and got an opportunity to know him better. He was fun to be around and although he was a big strong man he was kind and loving. After enlistment into the Army, Cindy and I settled into a church in San Antonio, a church that was led by a friend of his. Pastor Akers had an opportunity to speak at the church while we were there, and I remember Bro. Smart (the local pastor) introducing him as a giant man who could be best described as a loving teddy bear. That was his reputation. He loved people- all of Texas and Louisiana knew him that way. He passed too early. Before he lost his ability to read, he had the foresight to write his story in a pamphlet that he called “50 Years of Ministry” and gave it to his friends and family. As the pamphlet began, he shared specific revelations and manifestations that enabled him to walk in love and forgiveness. The first that he shared was a prayer that he prayed during the 1st year of Bible school. “Father, I am nothing without you…Father, in Jesus lovely name forgive me of my daily sins and cleans[sic] me…and give me a Godly love for others. I want to walk in Your presence and enjoy your love, joy, and peace. In Jesus precious name, Amen!” He continued to pray this prayer throughout his life. Over the 24 years that I knew him, I learned that he could have been a rough character. As a son of a blacksmith, surrounded by 4 brothers, and raised in the Hufsmith dirt, he could have been mean and tough…but something else controlled his character. I know it was the Spirit of Christ. As we consider missions – what could possibly make us love our enemies, invest in our communities, and reach out to the nations? We Are Commanded to Love Elevation, Josiah Queen, and Forrest Franks are 3 of today’s top Christian music influencers for youth. For me, it was Leon Patillo and Keith Green but Keith Green really eclipsed them all. I remember Keith coming out with a song that challenged me. The song was titled, “Asleep in the Night” and the lyrics went like this:

Do you see? Do you see? All the people sinking down? Don't you care? Don't you care? Are you gonna let them drown? How can you be so numb? Not to care if they come You close your eyes and pretend the job's done "Oh, bless me, Lord, bless me, Lord" You know, it's all I ever hear No one aches, no one hurts No one even sheds one tear But, He cries, He weeps, He bleeds And He cares for your needs And you just lay back and keep soaking it in

Some suggest that young male brains don’t allow anything to sink it, but that song did with me. I think that the missionary Hudson Taylor expressed the same sentiment with this quote: Would that God would make hell so real to us that we cannot rest; heaven so real that we must have men there, Christ so real that our supreme motive and aim shall be to make the Man of Sorrows the Man of Joy by the conversion to him of many. — Hudson Taylor Like Pastor Akers, I don’t think this heart of love for others is native to us without our hearts being regenerated in Christ. It was well the disciple’s training when Jesus challenged them to love one another. John 15:9–17 (NIV) 9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other. The good news is, loving one another is possible if we look to God as our inspiration and our source. Loving Others Is Possible Through God Pray for the Holy Spirit’s Influence I was recently reading through Ezekiel in my devotions and the thing that stood out to me in the beginning was the influence of the Holy Spirit on Ezekiel. Chapter 1 begins with an introduction and the famous “wheel within a wheel” vision. But, it is in Chapter 2 that we see the influence of the Holy Spirit on the prophet: Ezekiel 2:2 (NIV) 2As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. As the book continues, we are told that the continuing operation of the Holy Spirit on Ezekiel effected his perception of others and even his own character: Ezekiel 3:7–9 (NCV) 7But the people of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me. Yes, all the people of Israel are stubborn and will not obey. 8See, I now make you as stubborn and as hard as they are. 9I am making you as hard as a diamond, harder than stone. Don’t be afraid of them or be frightened by them, though they are a people who turn against me.” It is way too easy to dismiss engaging people outside of our circles because our personalities aren’t compatible. And it may be a legitimate concern for you. Maybe you’ve tried to reach out, but you feel like you are a fish out of water. RELY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT! Can we change? C.S. Lewis wrote: If we let Him – for we can prevent Him, if we choose – He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a … dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright, stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. Can he be right? Romans 12:2 (NIV) 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Radical change moves us from the sins of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit. As individuals and as a church, the Spirit of God can do a work in us and through us that will help us be missional and fulfill the vision God has given me for our church: Growing families that will transform communities for Christ. Pray for Your Community to Prosper I had hoped to get a study of our area that businesses use to understand the area but wasn’t able to before this message. You probably already know that Houston is the largest medical center in the world. The Port of Houston has ranked #1 for 26 years of all US ports. Houstonians eat out almost 7 times per week – 2 times more than the national average. It is also the 2ndfastest growing metropolitan area in the nation.[1] Meanwhile, Houston is also the crossroads of human trafficking. Houston ISD has been the topic of national discussion because of problems in the schools. It is also an economically segregated city with pockets of wealth and pockets of poverty almost a stone’s throw away from one another. What can we do about our community? As the Israelites were heading into captivity, the prophet Jeremiah encouraged them to pray for their cities: Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV) 7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” This position of prayer clearly passes into the NT with Paul’s encouragement to Timothy: 1 Timothy 2:1–4 (NIV) 1I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. I believe we should be looking for opportunities to be salt and light in our communities. In 2023 I watched the July 4th parade in The Woodlands and was disappointed with the amount of organizations that participated to promote ungodly beliefs. This year I was pleased to see more Christ centered organizations participate. This is why a couple other guys and I participated in a local bbq cookoff – to be salt and light (and eat good food). I’ve sat with local HOA groups as they’ve conducted meetings and learned that they have committees without volunteers. Where is the church member who wants to reach their neighbor? I believe that we have many opportunities available in front of us to become more missional than ever before. Loving Others is Our Responsibility Missions month for Grace Chapel has always been an opportunity to celebrate amazing missionaries throughout the nation and the world that we have the privilege to support:

Akin, Rob Audorff, Roger and Debi Bell, Jason and Kim Bell, Josh and Jamie Burnett, Ted and Bethany Clark, Daniel Cuttino, Steve and Jennifer Elliff, Ryan and Jenny Fernando, Yohan Gautreaux, Eli and Mary Jones, Doyle Lester, Will and Angela Luke, Joshua and Stephanie Lungu, John Mangham, Austin and Amy McKinney, Everett and Evelyn Medina, Nestor and Yvette Miller, Cody and Moon, Sheree Moyer, Chris and Lori Mungia, Ellena Peacock, Ernie and Sandra Pleasant Hills Reavis, Kendall and Kristi Renfro, Josh and Mayra Robinson, Roever Foundation Sedillo, Joe Knapp, Tanya Jo Simmons, Taylor and Lauren Sims, John Society of Samaritans Men’s Teen Challenge TOMAGWA Vorster, Reinier and Kirsten Wommack, Craig and Joy

But, we can do more!

· We can and should continue to give to missions.

· We should look for opportunities (like Commander Harvey) to send teams.

· We should also look to our own communities to reach them for Jesus.

· What do we want to be known for in our community? If we ceased to exist as a church, would we be missed?

· What need is going unmet in our community?

These challenges don’t stir you but you know you should be? That’s okay there was a day that Pastor Akers knew he needed help…and he went to God.

“Father, I am nothing without you…Father, in Jesus lovely name forgive me of my daily sins and cleans[sic] me…and give me a Godly love for others. I want to walk in Your presence and enjoy your love, joy, and peace. In Jesus precious name, Amen!”

[1] https://www.ubahouston.org/blog/facts-every-minister-should-know-about-houston