God’s Favorite Pie

“Suppose you were to spend your entire life trying to make the best apple pie to give to God (only to find that) God does not like apple pie.” – Peter Lord

Matthew 9:13 (Jesus speaking)
“Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

When you think of a fruit bearing Christian, what comes to mind? Maybe there is a mental picture of a person who loves God and as a result they read the Bible daily, go to church regularly, don’t use vulgar language, aren’t caught up in pornography, the lust of money, or anything else worldly. If life were a pie, this person would be filling it with choicest apples in the fruit of his or her salvation.

But what if God preferred coconut? (I choose coconut because people either love it or hate it). Unlike Peter Lord, in this scenario I’m not suggesting that God hates apple pie, but just that He prefers coconut. Wouldn’t it be disappointing to find out when you or I got to heaven that we had never used God’s favorite ingredient while baking this pie called life?

Several times God is quoted in the Bible as saying, “I prefer mercy. Not sacrifice.”

The Christian life isn’t all about us. It isn’t just a bunch of dos and don’ts. In fact, if it were than we are no better than the religious people Jesus condemned in His day. They had no love for others.

Now some of us would consider ourselves others focused because we share the Gospel (and for that I applaud), but is that all that Jesus meant when He said to love others? What about that zealous Christian who is willing to share boldly the Gospel message to the homosexual, but is not willing to have dinner in the homosexual’s home? What about the one who loves enough to proclaim the Kingdom of God, but does not love enough to drive 10 minutes and pick a neighbor up for church. What about the zealous evangelist who is willing to make a convert but has not the love enough to follow through and make them a disciple of Christ. After all, that is the great commission right; for every Christian to make disciples and not just converts. Making disciples may take more time than some are willing to give. It requires real relationships. It requires us to have mercy and overlook the flaws of an individual in order to love them and point them to God’s mercy and Grace.

Love isn’t just a gentleness of speech in sharing the Gospel. People can see right through a sales pitch. Now, I understand that we can’t build a long term relationship with everybody we share with, but it only takes a few minutes for a person to tell whether or not the Christian is genuine in his or her love.

If we are to be true lights of Christ, it must be with our love, life and lips. Love is listed first for a reason.

Question: If Jesus were here today, who would he be condemning? Would it be those that we are attempting to reach or would it be those who claim to be the church?

Let me know what you think.

Perseverance of Faith

Hebrews 10:23-31

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.