A-G-A-P-E Love

You may not know him by his name, but most likely you will recognize the slogan he originated, for it was Henry Penn, a Boston florist, who came up with the phrase, “Say it with flowers.” Penn recalls how one morning two boys and a girl came into his shop. The spokesman for this little group said, “We're a committee, and we want to buy some nice yellow flowers. He really liked yellow.”
Penn asked, “Is it for a funeral?”

The little boy nodded yes and pointed to the girl. “It's her brother,” he began. “There was a truck, we were playing – we saw it happen.”

The other boy spoke up, “Us kids took up a collection, we got 18 cents. Would roses cost a lot, mister? Yellow roses?”

Touched by the story, and the children's caring and concern, Henry Penn replied, “I have some nice yellow roses here that I am selling for 18 cents a dozen just this morning!” He accepted the 18 cents and the committee carried away the offering of love. Later Penn said, “I felt uplifted for days. I had been given the inexpressible privilege of sharing.” It is no surprise Penn felt the way he did, for the Apostle Paul quoted Jesus as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35 [ESV]). Jesus says the joy is in the giving. It is Satan who whispers in our ear, “the joy is in getting and receiving, in having and hoarding.” But do not believe it. That is all lies! And Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44).
Jesus also said in John 13:34-35 [ESV], “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” The love Jesus spoke of here was agape love, a type of love that is totally unselfish. It puts other people’s needs first ahead of one's own. Our Lord Jesus beautifully demonstrated this agape love earlier in John 13 when He stooped to wash His disciples' feet.
A is for altruistic. Agape love puts other people first.
G is for grounded. Agape love is foundational, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
A is for actions. Jesus tells us that others will see our love and know we are His disciples (John 13:34-35).
P is for perfect. Agape love is perfect and treats all people alike. It is impartial and unbiased.
E is for exceptional. “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14 [ESV]).
Love for one another is how people will know that we are truly the disciples of Jesus. It is the agape love that can be observed by those of the world and in the world. In some way, the world needs to have the opportunity to observe the disciples of Jesus in action, in which their love that is patterned after Jesus' love can be seen. As the Apostle John wrote, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11 [ESV]).

--The above was inspired by a sermon I heard as a child when I first heard the word agape used. I wish I could remember the man's name, but unfortunately, I do not.

Obedient Faith

What part does faith play in receiving salvation? A person must believe in Christ's sacrifice and in the availability of the gift of salvation. His faith must motivate him to obey the Scriptural command to repent and be baptized in Jesus' name and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). He must believe that if he will repent and ask in prayer then he will receive the gift of His Spirit when he obeys the Lord’s blest commands. His faith leads to obedience and thence to receiving the Spirit and the fullness of salvation.
There is no contradiction between Ephesians 2:8 [ESV], which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” and James 2:24 [ESV], which declares, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” The latter statement is certainly true when “works” means acts of obedience to the terms of the gospel. Only those who have “the obedience of faith” – those who obey the doctrine, obey the gospel, obey Christ – will be saved. Let us examine a few more passages of Scripture that bear this out.
"But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18 [ESV])
"How then will they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?'"
(Romans 10:14-16 [ESV])
"Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen." (Romans 16:25-27 [ESV])
"Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:8-10 [ESV])
Saving faith leads a person to obey the gospel, and such obedient faith brings salvation in Christ, which is a gift of God through His grace.

Our Object of Faith

I remember watching a film in school about the evolution of flight, featuring a number of contraptions that people invented while trying to fly. One was a made from bicycle with a set of bird-like wings attached to it. Pedaling the bike caused the tires to roll while a series of gears, chains and levers moved the wings in a flapping motion. The rider was shown heading full speed toward the edge of a cliff with his wings flapping. His momentum carried him off the edge and allowed him to "fly" about three feet through the air before he headed down to crash in a heap.

Now, it can be truly said that this man believed his machine would fly. His willingness to ride it off a cliff proves his faith in it and while we cannot doubt his sincerity, we must question, however, the object of his faith. No amount of faith in that silly flying machine would make it fly. It was simply the wrong object of faith for flying.

Likewise, many people who think they have saving faith really have faith in the wrong object. They are sincerely convinced that they are good enough to earn Heaven, or that they will gain entrance because they took certain sacraments, they "prayed for Jesus to come into their heart," or they believe they spoke in tongues or joined the right church. Just as the man on the flying machine, these folks very sincerely believe. The problem is not their faith as much as it is the object of their faith.

The Bible tells us in Galatians 3 that the works of the law are worthless objects of saving faith and Isaiah 64:6 says all of our righteousness is as filthy rags being waved before the Lord. The only true object of saving faith is Jesus Christ. Therefore, Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the Father, but by Me.”

Everything God did and accomplished through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is available to us through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, should be the object of our faith.

The faith in Jesus Christ is available because we have been justified, which means we have been legally acquitted of all sin, without any cost to us because of God's grace. The faith in Jesus Christ is only available through the redemption that is found in Christ Jesus. Our legal justification was accomplished through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. That justification is then made available to us through God's grace free of charge. Are you ready to accept this free gift?

The Greatest of These Is Love

At the conclusion of 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul’s great dissertation on love, he writes, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13 [ESV]) The value of faith in the life of the believer is undeniable. There is no disputing the fact that every heroic biblical character was an individual who exhibited great faith, whether it was Enoch, Noah or Abraham. As the Hebrews writer tells us while referencing the Old Testament great figures of faith, "Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword." (Hebrews 11:36-37 [ESV]) Throughout the harshest of treatment, they and others, such as Paul, all fought the good fight, they finished the race, and they kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). Without faith, there would be no salvation. Without faith, we would remain forever lost. Without faith, we could never be pleasing to God. The Hebrews writer tells us in Hebrews 11:6 [ESV], “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Many times we hear of individuals coming to faith in Christ and living a life of faith. Hebrews 11 is dedicated to lauding those who displayed great faith in God. Without faith, we would remain lost in our sins because we would never come to Christ, and without faith, we would remain living our lives in disobedience to Him. Faith often motivates us to move forward even when the odds are against us. In a sense, then, we can see how faith is closely related to hope, and this connection is particularly brought our in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5 [ESV])

It is hope that keeps us going when the situation we face seems impossible. It is hope that brings the expectation that we will obtain something specific we desire. Think of how life would be without hope. Hope is a gift from God that can bring joy in the midst of very difficult circumstances. Hope is what encourages us that victory is not only possible, it is imminent, and it is the hope that God will keep His promises that brings about “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7 [ESV]) during our most difficult of times and trials. The reason, though, that love is "the greatest of these" is that it was love that motivated the Father to send His only Son to die for us (John 3:16). Without God and His love, there would have been no redemption for mankind. Not only would we be without love, but without the redemption that was precipitated by love, there would also be no faith and no hope. Nothing else matters without love. It is at the core of every other good thing in our lives, and that is the point Paul brings out so elegantly and magnificently in his great chapter of love.

Hard Work and Total Team Effort Pay Off in 24-20 Comeback Victory for Gardner-Whitworth

The Gardner-Whitworth 5th grade boys basketball team's hard work and dedication finally paid off and brought forth a stunning victory as they came from behind to defeat Blue Cross/Blue Shield 24-20 on Saturday, February 20, 2010. The win gives Gardner a 1-3 record with one game left on the schedule to be played two weeks from today at noon on Saturday, March 6, 2010.

Each week Gardner-Whitworth has shown steady improvement on both ends of the court, and today was no exception. Damien Ferguson scored the first basket of the contest midway through the opening period to give Gardner a 2-0 lead, but 2 baskets by Davis Johnson and 1 by Bryce Hampton put Blue Cross up 6-2 as the quarter ended.

The Gardner boys did much better in the second period as Damien Ferguson, Brock Rawlings and Sawyer Overton each scored 1 field goal, while Cole Diepholz had his first basket of the game for Blue Cross. Dylan Miner chipped in 2 free throws and Blue Cross led 10-8 at intermission.

Gardner had a lot of scoring opportunities in the third period, but only Cameron Brewer was able to connect from the field, and Blue Cross built up a 15-10 lead as the period came to a close. Cole Diepholz and Davis Johnson each had a basket for Blue Cross, and Diepholz also connected on his first of 5 made free throws.

The 4th quarter for the Gardner-Whitworth club was pure magic, as everything seemed to gel and come together for the boys on both ends of the court. Gardner went on a 14-5 run, leaving Blue Cross/Blue Shield and their fans in the dust in stunned amazement, bewildered as to just what hit them so fast and furiously. The smothering defense of Gardner so stymied the Blue Cross players that they were unable to make a single basket in the period, and they had to settle for 5 free throws.

Neither team gave up, which is highly commendable, but Gardner was able to rally by taking their game to a higher level. Everyone on Gardner who played was instrumental in the team's victory. Corey Van Houtin had a key block on Davis Johnson in the third period as Corey dropped down from the wing defensively when Johnson went to the corner to take his shot. Had Corey not blocked the shot, the team might not have won the game.

Joshua Lunsford, who had to come in to play in the 4th period to replace Hunter Miller who had fouled out, had a big defensive rebound, keeping Cole Diepholz off the offensive glass. Gardner was down 5 points at the time, and had Joshua not grabbed the board, Gardner might not have won.

Hunter Miller did an extremely excellent job defensively playing at the top of the 1-3-1 trapping zone defense, causing many turnovers. This also took considerable pressure off of some of his own teammates, too, which was incalculably beneficial and crucial for the victory. What made this even more amazing was that Hunter had only one and a half practices to learn this position as he normally plays on the wing. Had Hunter not stepped up defensively and caused all the turnovers he did while playing this new position, Gardner-Whitworth may have lost the game.

Brock Rawlings was great on both sides of the ball, too. He really mixed it up well, grabbing 3 offensive rebounds and pulling down 1 defensive board. Brock also had a field goal in the second period, but what turned out to be his most crucial play of the game was when Brock connected on both ends of a 1 and 1 opportunity in the 4th quarter. His free throws pulled Gardner to within 3 points of Blue Cross when he calmly sank his free throws. Had Brock missed either of these free throw attempts, particularly the first one, Gardner most likely loses the game.

Sawyer Overton did not let a slow start keep him from playing another excellent game. Sawyer missed his first 4 attempts from the field, but he ended up with 6 points on two baskets and 2 made free throws. None were more important than when he connected on a field goal with just 28 seconds remaining in the game and Gardner trailing by 3 points. Damien Ferguson hit Sawyer down low under the basket with a pass just as Sawyer had freed himself from his defender. Sawyer went up for the shot, making the basket as he was fouled, sending himself to the charity stripe with his team down by 1 point and the game on the line. Cool as a cucumber on crushed ice, Sawyer calmly put the shot up, hitting nothing but net as the string music rang beautifully throughout Riddle Gymnasium. The score was now netted at 20 points each. Had Sawyer not made these shots under pressure, Gardner most likely loses the game.

Cameron Brewer continues to grow as a player and as a team leader with each passing game. Cameron was given the task of keeping Cole Diepholz from the offensive glass, and he did just that, pulling down an amazing 10 defensive boards. Cameron is also coming into his own defensively, really beginning to understand the 1-3-1 defense, and he turned that understanding into 5 steals. Cameron also hit 2 free throws to go along with 2 baskets from the field to finish with 6 points, but his last basket was the most important of them all. After Blue Cross called time out with 15 seconds remaining, the Gardner-Whitworth coach implored his team to make the defensive stance of their lives, get the ball and put it into the basket at the offensive end of the floor. And that is exactly what they did. Blue Cross tried hard to get the ball into the hands of Cole Diepholz, but a swarm of yellow-shirted Gardner-Whitworth players encircled him, including Sawyer Overton and Damien Ferguson, both of whom were playing with 4 fouls. Damien stole the ball from Diepholz, spotted his point guard, Cameron Brewer, racing ahead down the floor and all alone, and Damien hit him with a perfect pass. Cameron caught it in stride for a lay-up and 2 points, putting Gardner up 22-20 with 4.3 seconds remaining. Had Cameron not made that basket, Gardner-Whitworth may have lost the game.

Damien Ferguson had 5 steals for Gardner, and none were as important as his last 2. The second to the last steal came with under 15 seconds remaining in which he had the assist to Cameron Brewer, and then his last steal occurred as Blue Cross threw the ball in after Cameron's basket put Gardner up by 2. Damien pilfered the inbounds pass and drove to the hoop, knocking in the last basket of the game and sealing the victory for Gardner-Whitworth 24-20. If Damien did not make that steal and basket, it would have been possible for Blue Cross to have won the game on a last second basket and foul. And the way Cole Diepholz was stroking his free throws, that was very much a distinct and strong possibility.

Although Griffin Luce was out of town and unavailable to play in the game, I believe he, too, contributed greatly to today's victory. All this past week Griffin was at the team's practices, and he always hustles and works very hard, making his teammates better players in the process. Had Griffin not given his all at the team's practices, chances are his teammates would not have been as prepared as they were for today's contest, and they may have lost the game.

One of the things of which I am most proud of is also something that shows the character of this squad, and it is this. Hunter Miller and Corey Van Houtin were screaming their heads off and encouraging and cheering their teammates on from the bench all throughout the comeback. If that does not show someone just how much they pull for each other, and the type of character this team has, then I do not know what would.

Gardner-Whitworth would not have won today's contest without the help and encouragement of Assistant Coach Leah Rawlings. Leah has been an outstanding assistant coach all season long, and she has really helped the kids learn how to play and love the game of basketball. She has offered keen insights that have helped and benefited the team immensely, and all of the kids have responded very favorably to her. If it was not for all of the hard work and dedication that Leah has put in as assistant baskletball coach, we may not have won this game.

Lastly, the game may not have been won without the support of the boys' families and friends. I was told today after our game by one of the league officials that the game before ours, in which an undefeated team was playing, there were maybe 10 people who showed up to watch it. But every week when we play the gym always fills up to capacity, and that is for a team that had not yet won a game. But these kids have worked so hard, and they have always pulled for each other from the very beginning, and their familes know this and they appreciate the effort shown by the boys. As a coach I can honestly say that I am very proud of these boys and what they have accomplished together as a team. They have never had any disciplinary problems, and the parents have been fantastic and extremely supportive getting them to practices and games. If it was not for the support of their families, friends and fans, they may have not won today's ball game.

Gardner never gave up, but when they fell behind 15-8 late in the 3rd quarter, their coach called for a time-out at the 2:43 mark. He felt that his team had not yet given up on themselves, but that they were dangerously close to doing so. So he told them they were too good to let that happen, and they had worked too hard and come too far just to let it slip away from their grasp. He got the boys to yell for the whole crowd to hear three times in succession, "WE ARE!" when he asked the boys three times, "Who's going to win?" He saw the look in their eyes as they said it, and he heard the conviction in their voices as their boisterous and exuberant cries rattled across the court, and he knew at that moment that some way, somehow, they would manage to pull out this remarkable and stunning victory.

With the team trailing 19-13 with 47.2 seconds showing on the clock and Cole Diepholz going to the line to shoot 2 free throws, the Gardner coach called timeout to ice Diepholz. The strategy worked partially as Cole missed the front end. He connected on the back end to put Blue Cross up 20-13, and from that point on Garder-Whitworth went on an 11-0 run to gain the victory. And the last 7 unanswered points came with less than 30 seconds remaining to tick off the game clock. It was truly a remarkable and memorable performance, and one for the ages. I hope all of these boys will cherish this memory for the rest of their lives.

Not Posting Much Lately . . .

I have not been posting much here lately for one simple reason: The paste function for the last couple months has stopped working. I have no idea why it stopped working, but that was how I posted most of my articles previously. I would write them in a Word document, copy them, and then paste them here. But apparently that is not allowed by Google anymore, and it has been very frustrating for me, and for my lone reader.

It is funny how dependent we get about things that we take for granted, such as a copy and paste function for a blog, and when it gets taken away it can really mess things up for you. I prefer to copy and paste Bible passages, too, so I will not make any mistakes when quoting God's word. But since I cannot paste anything here anymore, I cannot copy and paste from my Bible programs, either.

So if my lone reader has any suggestions as to how I can get the paste function to work in this blog operated by Google, I would really appreciate the help.