WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SINCERITY - Sadell Bradley- 2/24/2021

WEDNESDAY'S WORD SINCERITY 2/24/2021 "Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite." -Charles Spurgeon SINCERITY is the quality of being free from pretense, deceit, or hypocrisy. Let's unpack those three descriptive terms. Pretense is an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true. Deceit is the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth. Hypocrisy is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform. It is rare to find someone who lives a life free from these three—it is even harder to be a person who is really sincere. Many systems and structures, even in the Church, make it difficult to live a sincere life. It seems at times that our entire culture is built on lies and shifting shadows. Two thousand years ago Jesus, choosing His disciples, said about Nathanial, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." The NLT says, "Now here is a genuine son of Israel - a man of complete integrity." (John 1:47) The child's picture to the left says it all. Sincerity means to accept the truth and try to be better and to tell the truth and be honest. IS SINCERITY THE KEY TO SUCCESS? The image to the right would make one think that sincerity is a magnet for success. I wonder how true that is. The church at Galatia received the Apostle Paul well when he preached the Gospel to them—but when he told them the truth about the false teachers who were attempting to win their favor and prevent them from listening to him, they scoffed. He asked, "Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?" (Gal. 4:16) Sincerity now and then is sometimes met with resistance and even opposition. Paul instructed his protege, Timothy, "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear." (2 Tim. 4:3) It is hard to argue against that Paul was not successful, but his success did not mean popularity. Sincerely, yours... Remember the classes where we learned to close our letters with the word 'sincerely?' Letter writing seems to be a thing of the past...and so does sincerity. We struggle to know whether or not folks are being real with us— are they telling the truth? It's even more difficult to have personally succumbed to this illusory culture to the point where you lose your sincerity. That is a miserable existence...always looking over your shoulder, waiting for the next shoe to fall, or the next lie to be revealed. Maybe it's time to return to an honest and sincere life. John wrote, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." (3 John 1:4)

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - SECOND-GUESS - Sadell Bradley- 2/17/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD SECOND-GUESS 2/17/2021 "Something I learned as an actor was which scenes needed to be rehearsed and which actors are good with rehearsal, which actors learn from it, and which grow stale because they start to second-guess themselves." -Angelina Jolie Actress Kate Walsh is quoted as saying, "I second-guess myself all the time. I make a decision and then wonder if I made the wrong choice." Second-guessing is certainly not relegated to those in artistic professions. Most of us have been prone at one time or another to SECOND-GUESS, which Webster defines as criticizing or questioning the actions or decisions of someone (or ourselves) often after the results of those decisions are known. Second-guessing can also take on a prophetic quality: to anticipate or predict someone's actions by guesswork. Important choices are very hard for most of us to make. It is easy to judge them after the fact; hindsight is 20/20, especially when evaluating ourselves. Jesus had a simpler term for second-guessing— DOUBT—a feeling of uncertainty or a lack of conviction. WHY DID YOU DOUBT? In Matthew 14, Jesus had just performed the miracle of feeding 15-20 thousand people with a child's lunch. Witnessing that would be enough to make anyone's faith rise. Maybe that's why Peter had the gumption to walk out on the water when Jesus beckoned him, Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” "Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” (vs.28-31) Peter was already out in the deep actively trusting in Christ. He was already in that miraculous territory, doing what he'd never thought was possible. I wonder if the storm was what really terrified him, or if it was the supernatural water-walking. Sometimes when Jesus is present with us, doing what He does best, pulling faith out of us that we never knew we could possess, and taking us into the extraordinary—it makes us nervous—sometimes petrified. Peter was already inside of the wonder of his life before he started looking around at distractions. We do that too, and then we lose our already miraculous momentum. So...why do YOU doubt? DON'T MISS OUT! Ever wonder what would have happened if Peter had just kept focusing on walking with Jesus? Ever wonder what would happen if you did the same? Despite what's occurred in all of our rear-view mirrors, God is moving in our present. It is important that we not only realize that but embrace it. I don't know whether the decisions I've made in the past were always the right ones, but I do know that second-guessing them is not the right decision today. That will only cause me to sink. The statement bears repeating, "When we second-guess the past, we often miss what God is doing in the present."

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - OBSCURE - Sadell Bradley - 2/10/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD OBSCURE 2/10/2021 "The genius of any slave system is found in the dynamics which isolate slaves from each other, obscure the reality of a common condition, and make united rebellion against the common oppressor inconceivable." -Andrea Dworkin Join us Wednesday at 7pm for Part 2 I was reading about Church History prior to The Reformation and its obscurantism— the practice of deliberately preventing facts or full details of something from becoming known. I couldn't help but reflect upon how eerily similar the times are now. We seem to be in a never-ending quest to discern whether the information that meets our eyes and ears is true or 'fake news.' OBSCURE means not discovered or known about; uncertain; not clearly expressed or easily understood; hard to make out or define; vague; dim. As children, we are generally taught to trust: our parents and family, authorities, police, coaches, clergy, doctors, teachers, etc. Sadly, we've found many of those sources to have proven themselves unworthy of our confidence. To obscure as a verb means to keep from being seen; to conceal; to make unclear and difficult to understand. It is sometimes hard to conceptualize that leaders and agencies all around us might intentionally hide things, deliberately confuse us, or over-complicate issues to throw us off track...but obscurantism, even Christian obscurantism, is as real now as it was in then. CLARIFY & ILLUMINATE Clarify and illuminate are antonyms to the word obscure. Clarify means to make a statement or situation less confused and more clearly comprehensible; to make pure and clean. To illuminate is to make something visible by shining light on it. Ephesians 5 states that though we were once in darkness, we are now the light in the world. (vs. 8) Paul goes on to instruct us, "Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible." (vs. 11-14) Jesus reminded His disciples in Matthew 5:13-16, you are the salt (the preservative and flavoring) of the earth and the light of the world. Shine your light! John 1:4 says, that light of Christ— that the darkness cannot comprehend, nor overcome, nor extinguish, is meant to dispel the shadiness and clarify the murk we see in this world. BLOWING SMOKE Obscurants in military terms are devices used to hinder visibility. It is a warfare tactic, not unlike the ones that Satan employs on the people of God. One of the names for Satan is diabolos—one who separates people for no reason. If we know we have a common enemy, why are we always fighting each other? Certainly, the devil's obscurantism has divided our internal relationships in the Body of Christ, but he has a more stealthy purpose, "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Cor. 4:4) Jesus taught us that in order to shine, we have to keep our eyes pure, and our bodies full of light so that the light that is in us is not darkness. (Luke 11:34-35) Let's be on guard against any obscurantism in His Church.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - DIALOGUE - Sadell Bradley - 2/3/2021

WEDNESDAY'S WORD DIALOGUE 2/3/2021 "Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right." -Jane Goodall Yesterday, I was preparing for tonight's Bible Study series: A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. It's Black History month in the US. The things that have transpired this past year will be chronicled not just as Black History, but as American History. I posed a question on Facebook for my African-American brothers and sisters, "Black Christians, how have you felt about the various responses of White Christians to the US racial climate over the past year?" This question opened up a beautifully transparent and vulnerable DIALOGUE - a discussion between two or more people or groups, especially one directed toward exploration of a particular subject or resolution of a problem. I was impressed by the thoughtfulness, self-awareness, and introspection of friends across the Country as they shared their feelings of disappointment, concern, anger, and weariness. Over 100 comments ensued delving into their experiences in personal, professional, and church relationships. Some statements were a clarion call to action. Others, were a resignation to having to live in a difficult reality they feared would never end. African-American Christians from their 20's-70's responded with thoughts, feelings, and potential solutions to the racial issue that plagues us. It was moving and refreshing. Several expressed a sincere desire to see healing and reconciliation take place, despite their frustrations. I was also impressed by the fact that many of my Caucasian brothers and sisters honored the question's target and politely read the comments, not interjecting, but learning. Some even waited until after they'd read 100 comments to write—not to offer a rebuttal to what was shared, but expressions of love, concern, and a commitment to be a part of healing solutions. DIALOGUE IS A DOORWAY TO HEALING It is sad that these days we're using words as weapons and not as keys to open the doors of our hearts. Jesus rebuked the prideful, lukewarm, Church of Laodicea, "You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.18So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.19I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference." It's not just our connection with one another that requires a vulnerable, genuine, unobstructed gateway; our relationship with Christ does too. Jesus invites His broken and undeserving church back into fellowship with Him. In much the same way, some of us will be called on to re-engage those who've done or said injurious things when they come to a place of contrition (sorrow), confession, and repentance. I wonder if we, like Christ, will say, I'm right here waiting for you, 20“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." COME, LET US REASON TOGETHER! To engage in real dialogue, we must take risks. I did not know what posing that question would do, but one powerful statement came from a friend from South Carolina, Pastor Carl Bright. He said, "I’ve personally come to the reality of understanding those who’ve tolerated us (Black people) versus those who have a Godly Love for us. Just been praying and asking God to let me see what He sees, and know what He knows...then move out the way He would have me to move. They don’t have to love me for me to love them. They don’t have to be my best friend, nor do I have to agree with them for me to show love to them." Wise words straight from the heart of Matthew 5:43-48 for all of us to live out. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT! CLICK HERE FOR MAKE ROOM - NIGHT OF WORSHIP at The Warehouse Church, OTR @warehouseOTR