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Years ago, a deacon in a previous church told me, “You can preach more in 30 minutes than we can do in 30 days.” I guess I’m in good company; the Scripture writers often hit us in just a few verses with commands that would take us a lifetime to master, if we ever do! In my Bible reading recently, I ran across this passage in Romans 12:9-19:

Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be  proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.

It’s a series of short, pithy commands, all of which seem initially to be independent of the others. What they all have in common is the fact that all of them cut cross-grain to our human nature, and represent a call not to be natural, but counter-natural. It is the way of the world and the normal human sin nature to be hypocritical in love (how many times have the words “I love you” been used with ulterior motives?); to detest the good and embrace evil; to use people rather than serve them; to seek honor rather than give it; to rebel against the Lord rather than serve Him zealously; to whine; to be impatient in afflictions; to be self-sufficient; to be greedy; to curse those who displease us; to envy those who rejoice; to ignore those who weep; to live in disharmony with others; to be proud, thinking oneself better than “those people”; to think oneself wise; to seek revenge against those who’ve hurt/offended/mistreated us. The Christian is not to live according to normal (sinful/unredeemed) human nature, but according to the divine nature of the Holy Spirit who indwells us: loving without hypocrisy; detesting evil and embracing good; serving others out of deep family affection; seeking others’ honor rather than our own; serving the Lord with zeal; rejoicing in the hope we have in Christ, which teaches us that this world is not all there is; enduring affliction patiently; persisting in prayer; blessing our persecutors; rejoicing with the joyful; mourning with the hurting; living in harmony and humility with others; and never, ever seeking revenge, trusting God to bring about justice in His time and in His perfect way.

As you look over the list of “counter-naturals” in this passage, is there one or more that more so than the others tends to be an issue with you? Do you struggle to get along with others? Do you struggle with thoughts or plans or acts of vengeance? Do you whine over inconveniences and grow impatient with afflictions? Do you walk in pride? As we move into the Summer season (the season of growth), why not ask the Lord to help you grow in that area, to walk in a counter- natural way, following the Holy Spirit rather than the natural human spirit?

SPEAKING OF SUMMER...

...it is upon us. As I am writing this, Memorial Day is in five days, and the summer vacation for the schools starts in a week-and-a-half. The days are growing longer, and the temperatures are edging higher. Several summer events are upcoming at CBC:

  • GRADUATE SUNDAY: We will honor our graduates on June 7 during our worship service. If you or your child is graduating from high school or college please call the church office ASAP.
  • VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL will be Monday-Friday, June 8 through 12, from 5:30 - 8:00 P.M. The theme for this year’s VBS is “Illumination Station: Shining A Light On Who Jesus Really Is.” Pray for all of the adults and youth who will be working at VBS, and pray for all of the children who will be students. Pray especially for those who don’t yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. A special evangelistic emphasis will happen on Thursday night.
  • FATHER’S DAY is June 21.
  • VILLAGE FEST will be July 11.

For plants, summer can be a time of growth, or a time of withering away (see Matthew 13:6). The same can be true for God’s people. Summer can be dangerous to our spiritual lives if we let it. Outdoor activities can tempt us to skip church “just this once,” which then becomes more than once. A much-needed and well-deserved two-week vacation can represent three weekends away. If it is true that new habits can be established in 21 days, 3 weeks is certainly enough to damage or diminish the habit of church attendance! So, I’ll leave you with the words of advice that I normally do at this time of the year.

1) Enjoy! Rejoice in the wonderful world the Lord created. Even marred by sin, it is still spectacular, particularly this time of the year. But don’t let appreciation for the creation take your eyes off of the Creator.

2) Unless providentially hindered, be in your place on the Lord’s Day for Sunday School and Worship. If you can’t get here, or if you’re traveling, tune in to the service via the internet either at church time or thereafter as it’s posted on our YouTube and Facebook pages. With all the negatives that attend the internet, what a marvelous resource it is to keep up with what’s happening at your church home.

3) Get here for prayer meeting and Bible study on Wednesday for a Mid-Week Recharge.

4) Remember that the expenses of the church go on, even if you’re not here. Be faithful in giving through your tithes and offerings. 5) Invite someone who doesn’t know the Lord or who doesn’t have a church home to come with you to church. Offer to go to lunch with them afterwards. And pick up the check.

Hoping to see you this Sunday as we come together to worship the Lord, and as we seek His voice through His Word. If you’ve gotten out of the habit, it’s time to come back home. I promise you’ll receive a warm welcome.
Numbers 6:24-26,
Bro. Donnie