The Tie That Binds

(Jesus said) A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13: 34-35 (NIV Bible)


While I love contemporary music, there are some hymns that I fondly remember. For me the hymn, “Blest Be The Tie That Binds” is reflected in this drawing as the ties connect everything through the cross. The colors are bright and vibrant, illustrating the love of the Lord Jesus. The words in the hymn speak to: “the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; we share each other’s woes, our mutual burdens bear; before our Father’s throne we pour our ardent prayers; for each other flows the sympathizing tear.”

Jesus told us that the world would know us by our love for each other. And, yes, there is another song: “they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they will know we are Christians by our love.” People who know me well, have heard me say on more than one occasion, “Take care how you behave today. You might be the only Jesus someone sees!” Remember, we are saved by Grace, and then respond in love by being like Jesus. For example, James 2:17 in the Message: “Isn’t obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense.” We are to use our gifts to the very best of our ability, to live each day as an example for others until that day when the Lord returns. And, He will return, but we know not when.

I have always loved Isaiah 40:28-31: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” As you go out into the marketplace, walk and talk like Jesus showing that you are a Christian by your love. And keep a sharp eye looking for that person God has put on your radar screen today.

The Flood

So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth. Genesis 9:17 (NIV Bible)


This is my most recent completed design. I can remember as a small child hearing the story about Noah and the Ark in Sunday School. In this design I have used several shades of blue. Now, you might ask, “where is the ark?” Or you might ask, “where is the rainbow?” I’m not sure why they are not visible, but I think the Lord wanted us to sense how it was when the whole earth was totally covered with the waters. In the design are some waves, churning waters, still waters, and swells of water, all consuming. Such was the flood! In Genesis 9:11 it is written, “I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” God’s covenant made for and given to us.

In Genesis 6:11-12, it is written, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on the earth had corrupted their ways.” According to Scripture God intended to wipe all mankind from the earth, and then Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. The Lord then spoke to Noah and gave him very specific instructions. Noah was obedient to the Lord. Can you imagine what the people in the area thought about Noah as he build this ark on dry land? Do you think they made fun of Noah? Sure they did. But, Noah was obedient to the Lord. He did not let their comments detract him from his work.

What about the world today? Corrupt? Yes. Immoral? Yes. Are some Christian organizations responding to the criticisms of the world by changing doctrine? Yes. Are some individual Christians accepting the world’s ways? Yes. Well, it’s past time to stop following the crowd and to stand tall for Jesus. It’s past time to stop worrying about what someone thinks about you praying, reading your Bible, caring for others, worshipping in church, and being a disciple of Jesus. Did not the Lord himself tell us that we would suffer as his followers? Remember this: you are not of this world, but you are only in this world for a short time. Be obedient to and serve the Lord at all times! Share the good news with everyone! Time is short...

Good Fruit

“Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Matthew 7:17-18 (NIV Bible)


I had been reading in Matthew recently and was struck by the passage about good and bad fruit. I thought, you know, this really is addressing character and being genuine with others. In my design, the bright orange/red/yellow represents the light of God shining through the clouds giving nurture to the tree below. The bright colors beneath the tree represent good soil while the tree to the right has not produced fruit and the soil is not good. The contrast of bright and dark colors represents the struggle we face daily in our efforts to be like Jesus and not charlatans. It represents our daily struggle as we stand tall for Jesus and turn a deaf ear to the evil one.
One day while cruising through a furniture store with my wife, I marveled at the “plastic fruit” on various table tops. It looked real and in fact, edible. So, how do we know who is a false prophet and who is a Christian teacher? In Galatians 5:22-23 it is written, “But, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Wow! What wonderful guidelines for our behavior! Now, behavior and works do not give us a ticket to eternal life, but, and this is critical, our behavior and works are a result of our relationship to Jesus. A Christian who is good fruit is good because of what God has done for him/her, and he/she understands that eternal life is not something deserved, but rather that Jesus paid the cost and is the reason!
It is written in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” You can discern the false prophets by their self-centered focus and “look what I have done” attitude. As Christians in the marketplace it is imperative that we behave consistent with the fruit of the Spirit. Just imagine working in an organization in which everyone was patient, kind, demonstrated goodness, smiled with joy and peace, and exercised self-control! Now, that is what I call good marketplace fruit! How about you?