Create the Menu with Love

 

Create the Menu with Love

Romans 14: ¹³ So then, let us stop judging one another. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make others stumble or fall into sin. ¹⁴ My union with the Lord Jesus makes me certain that no food is of itself ritually unclean; but if you believe that some food is unclean, then it becomes unclean for you. ¹⁵ If you hurt others because of something you eat, then you are no longer acting from love. Do not let the food that you eat ruin the person for whom Christ died! ¹⁶ Do not let what you regard as good get a bad name. ¹⁷ For God's Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of the righteousness, peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives. ¹⁸ And when you serve Christ in this way, you please God and are approved by others.

 

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Putting together the lunch menu for the business meeting was supposed to be easy. I liked a certain type of food, but when I asked people what their choice was, I was shocked. “You mean you don’t like piles of deliciousness falling off of your plate?” I thought to myself. Several people wanted something different than what I would choose. I changed the menu.

 

• There have been times when I questioned what people ate.
• There have been times when I considered letting the ”picky” people, find their own meal.
• There have been times when I wanted to speak about CHRIST but my menu left people, who had different beliefs, out and I could not share the gospel with them.

 

Arguments over food needed to be addressed, so Paul wrote on this matter. He got to the heart of the matter, speaking to those who felt free to eat anything, telling them to curb their freedom for those who bound themselves to eat a certain way. It was not about the food, but the example.

 

• GOD wants me to think of others when I eat.
• GOD wants me to consider my freedom as offensive to those I may be trying to reach.
• GOD wants me to be flexible temporarily so I can serve those who HE wants to reach.

 

My freedom should not make someone fall. I mean, if I am alright with doing something, eating something or being somewhere that another person cannot handle, I should be flexible enough to pause my freedom for a moment. It’s not worth trying to convince “that” person to eat or drink a certain way.

 

GOD wants a good reputation and HE chooses sinners to provide it. HE wants me to be able to surrender my freedom temporarily, in order to reach the lost. It is not about me, it is about JESUS.

 

• Are you complaining about the way someone eats or does not eat?
• Do you think “that” person is weaker in faith?
• Will you “stop judging one another” and be a good example for CHRIST so you may be “approved by others” for HIM today?

Hope Face

Hope Face

Acts 14: ⁸ In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed ¹⁰ and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

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When the teacher wrote the problem on the board, I felt excited. For once, I knew the answer. I smiled. The teacher looked at my face and said, would you like to answer the problem. I jumped out of my seat and solved the problem. In another class, I forgot to do my homework. When the same scenario happened, I looked away in shame, hoping I wouldn’t be called on.

• When I am upset, it shows on my face.
• When I am excited, it shows on my face.
• When I am scared, happy, angry, inquisitive or calm, it shows on my face.

A lame man, who had never walked, heard Paul speak. How he got to where Paul was is not written, but somehow he was there. Paul saw the man’s face and determined he had faith to be healed. Paul commanded him to stand. The man was healed.

• GOD wants me to have faith that shows up on my face.
• GOD wants me to have peace that shows up on my face.
• GOD wants me to have hope that shows up on my face.

In spite of what is going on, GOD wants what is in my heart to show up on my face. Yes, I may be scared for a moment, BUT GOD fills my heart with peace which in turn, shows up on my face.

HE then helps me remember the many times HE has brought me through circumstances, filling me with hope. I am grateful GOD looks at what HE has already done for me so I can show hope on my face.

• Are you disillusioned?
• Do you think GOD has forgotten you?
• Will you remember the many times HE has brought you out of circumstances so that you can continue to share your hope with many?

Fame Name

Matthew 26: ⁶² Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

⁶⁴ “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him ⁶⁸ and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

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One “big boss” complimented me and gave me a little authority. I was excited and decided to use it to fight one of his peers who no one liked. “What are you doing?” he asked me. “I’m dealing with one of your problems you were concerned about” I naively replied. He distanced himself from me and I had to face the other “big boss” alone.

• There were times when I misused someone else’s name.
• There were times when I thought I was doing something right when I was using that person’s name.
• There were times when I coupled my bad actions to someone’s name without asking them “Is this what you mean.”

Misusing someone’s name could ruin their reputation and that is what I almost did. Unfortunately, the Pharisees and Sadducees were doing just that with GOD’s name. They took GOD, incarnated as a human, and slapped HIM in the face. They mocked HIM and spit on HIM and told HIM HE was not GOD, but they were mistaken.

• GOD wants me to hold HIS name high rather than blaming HIM for my power hungry ways.
• GOD wants me to follow HIS ways so I can keep HIS reputation unblemished.
• GOD wants me to be gentle and point my life to HIM rather than being arrogant, putting myself on HIS throne.

Doing the wrong things in GOD’s name is worse than not doing anything at all for GOD. Misusing GOD’s word or manipulating others to follow me in GOD’s name is far worse than people who habitually sin without knowing what they are doing. I hold GOD’s name high.

• Are you doing the wrong things and thinking you are doing it in GOD’s name?
• Have you asked GOD “Is ‘this’ what you want me to do?”
• Will you stop being led by your own lusts and ask GOD to lead you today?