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Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

Funny how long it takes to serve God for an hour, but how quickly an hour of exercise goes by.

Funny how long time spent at church is, but how short it is when watching a movie.

Funny how you can’t think of anything to say when you pray, but you don’t have difficulty thinking of things (significant or otherwise) to talk about with a friend.

Funny how we get thrilled when a baseball game into extra innings, or an orchestra plays extra music, but we get fidgety and complain when the sermon is longer than usual.

Funny how hard it is to read a chapter of the Bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a best selling book.

Funny how people want to get the best seat at a show, but grab a back seat at church.

Funny how we need 2-3 weeks advance notice to fit a church event into our schedule, but can adjust our schedule for other events at the last moment.

Funny how hard it is for people to learn a simple gospel well enough to tell their friends, but how easy it is for the same people to understand and repeat gossip.

Funny how we believe what the media says, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do have to believe, think, say, obey, or do anything…it’s like they want it to be free, and not cost them anything.

Funny how you can send jokes and urban legends through email and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages about the Lord, people think twice.

Funny isn’t it? Or maybe not.

This is where many of us have been told to feel guilty, because faith is supposed to merely be a private matter, based on feeling, myth, and subjective reality, with no public expression or corroborative truth. If that was not so absurd, it would be funny.

I believe in God, His Son Jesus, and His cosmic action narrative described as creation-fall-redemption-consummation. Because I believe truth is a Person (and knowable), I want to pass on the message of Jesus to as many as possible, since we all have one life to live, death is coming, and heaven and hell await our choices. Think theologically.

It is sad how many on our lists may not be receiving anything with eternal significance from us because we are not sure they believe in anything. Feed your faith and share it.

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

P.S. It is time to let me know what difference the MM’s make in your life. Please take a moment and send me a note explaining how the MM’s have benefitted you.

Why do we spend so little time each week communicating with the closest and most important Person in our life? We never purposefully allocate a few minutes to our closest friends (unless we are mad at them) – quality time and intentional communication are what builds intimate and mutually supportive relationships. Allow me to suggest some efforts that can deepen our communication with our Savior:

First, there are many different ways to pray, and many purposes for varied expressions of prayer. The aim of prayer could be confession, repentance, intercession, thanksgiving and adoration, listening, or even solitude. The key is to remember that God hears us and desires to chat with us. Do not get caught up in “categories” of prayer and miss the chance of a simple conversation with God.

Second, Martin Luther, who helped launch the Protestant Reformation, used to structure a time of prayer in what he called a “garland of prayer.” The garland is made up of four strands that you pray through using texts such as the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), the Beatitudes (Mathew 5:3-12), and a Psalm (like 103). Read through a verse of the Lord’s Prayer, one commandment, one beatitude, and a line of a Psalm and ask: 1) What does this text require of me? 2) What does it tell me to be thankful for? 3) What does it tell me to confess, or what temptations does it make me aware of? 4) What does it cause me to pray about? How should I pray for others? Then pray through the verses, one strand at a time. The four questions comprise four strands that when prayed in concert with Scripture, contribute to a beautiful garland, full of significance and beauty.

Third, another approach to prayer is using the acronym ACTS: A = adoration; C = confession; T = thanksgiving; and S = supplication. Begin with praise to God for who he is, move to confession, then to thanksgiving, and finally pray for others and needs outside of yourself. A good source for local/global intercession could be the campus newspaper.

One final idea is to pray using the names of God. Take one day and simply honor the Lord for who He is, not asking for anything. Reflect on a name of God throughout the day, week, or month. Here are some names of God from the Old Testament: Jehovah Tsidkenu = the Lord our righteousness; Jehovah Shalom = the Lord our peace; Jehovah Rophe = the Lord who heals; Jehovah Shammah = the Lord who is present; Jehovah Nissi = the Lord our banner; Jehovah Jireh = the Lord our provider; Jehovah Rohi = the Lord our shepherd; and Jehovah Mekaddishkem = the Lord who sanctifies. Meditating on each of these can aid our understanding of who God is and deepen our appreciation of His character and actions.

Grow devotionally. Each of us can improve our two-way communication with God.

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

Why have so many people from so many tribes, languages, socio-economic backgrounds, political persuasions, professions, people groups, continents, and periods of history put their faith in Jesus to save them from the penalty of breaking God’s commandments and gain assurance of life after death? What made these men and women swear allegiance to Jesus and pattern their lives after him? They met the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Lord Jesus, and they were convinced that He was who He said He was…people such as:

Johann Gutenberg, produced the first printed Bible in 1456; Martin Luther, posts 95 theses on the wall of the Church in Germany to bring reform in 1517; John Bunyan, published The Pilgrim’s Progress in 1678; Jonathan Edwards, led the Great Awakening in New England in 1735; George Fredric Handel, composed His Messiah in London in 1741; William Carey, sailed from England to India in 1793 to extend the gospel there and bring broad cultural improvement; The British Parliament, voted to abolish the slave trade in 1807 due to effort of William Wilberforce and a few colleagues; William and Catherine Booth, founded the Salvation Army in 1865; Billy Graham, held his first Crusade in Los Angeles in 1949; Mother Teresa, pioneered a Mission of Charity in Calcutta, India in 1950; Martin Luther King Jr., led the march for civil rights on Washington in 1965; The Chinese Church, grows despite cultural revolution and government pressure in 1966-1976.

Do you realize how much Jesus has affected world history? The value of human life? Caring for the poor? Education? Civil liberties? Science? Economics? Sexuality and the family? Health and medicine? Morality? The Arts and Music? Are you convinced Jesus is who he says he is?

Imagine the millions of lives that have been improved by Jesus while they were on earth, and yet were prepared for eternity: A first century prostitute named Mary Magdalene; A 4th century skeptic who lived according to the flesh named Augustine; A slave trader named John Newton in 1747; A 20th century atheist named C.S. Lewis; A ruthless politician who used dirty tricks to advance his career named Chuck Colson in 1970; Scientists, engineers, artists, educators, lawyers, athletes, actors,  and you, if you let him.

That’s why we have a Never Ending Passion - that the passion of the Christ on that day (resurrection) should fuel our compassion for people who do not know Jesus yet every day. Once we know Jesus, our thank you to Him for his gift of salvation should be to serve him in every area of our lives.  Will you make the never-ending passion “your passion?” Serve globally. Tell someone about Jesus today with your words and actions.

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

They combined their resources to upgrade the boat, pay all the license fees, and started advertising their new business. They had been at it a few months and were just starting to make some big money to pay off their initial investment when a man walked up one day at the dock. As they were washing the boat, the man looked the rig up and down, and then complimented them on their work ethic. He introduced himself and invited them to join him on a new and better fishing venture. He said they would become richer than they ever imagine. The man did not pressure them, hand out a business card, direct them to a web site, or leave a phone number. He started walking away, saying he was looking for a few good men and women to broaden his growing family business around the world.

Pete looked at Andy to see what he was thinking. Andy shrugged his shoulders as he looked back at Pete. “Okay,” said Pete, “We will join you.” Not wanting to waste any time (or even leave a “For Sale” sign), they turned their backs on their past and accepted the man’s challenge. There was just something about this guy that piqued their interest.

By now, you may recognize the call of Peter and Andrew placed in a more contemporary context. Imagine a modern day account of the Lord Jesus calling a few young people to become his followers. We know from history how dramatically their lives were changed, and that story has happened time and again to men and women down through the centuries. It is an event and process similar to how each of us responded to Jesus.

The first step we took was to respond to Jesus. John 1:12 says to all who believe and receive him, He gave the right to become children of God. We say yes to his offer of forgiveness and redemption through faith in Him. It is a decision rooted in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, cemented by an empty tomb. He died to save mankind and He rose from the dead as a demonstration that His sacrifice has been accepted by the Father.

The second step on the journey is to start the process of becoming more like Jesus. He sat down his followers (read Matthew 5-7) and described what people of His kingdom looked like and acted. He modeled the character of God, lived a life of love, walked in the power of the Spirit, and called his disciples to imitate Him. Train = become.

The third step is to start experiencing our faith. When you test your faith, it will grow. It may be in choosing to assert your faith in Jesus and defend it. It happens by identifying with those who suffer, are poor, widows, orphans, or hurting. It develops as you practice Jesus’ teachings and walk humbly, live frugally, give generously, and model purity.

Walk wisely. I hope you have taken the first step. How are you doing with step two – the training? How are you experiencing your faith day by day? Keep following Jesus because His promise in Matthew 4:19 still stands.

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

I met some kids selling lemonade while riding my bicycle and asked them why they were out there. They replied they were raising money for a friend who was injured playing soccer and his family needed some assistance. I had the chance to help an older lady across a busy intersection near our public library recently. You ever notice how you walk a bit taller after helping someone – not out of pride or self-promotion, but the sheer blessedness of doing the right thing when it is needed? I read about a TV talk show host who offered to pay $16,000 in legal bills for a family who won a court case, but the appeal court overturned the verdict and ordered the family to pay court costs for the opposition. Isn’t it gratifying to hear such stories of generosity? They happen more than we realize and it is still a mark of a great America. It has happened before too.

There is the famous old story of a woman who let her wallet do the talking once – and Jesus happened to be watching that day. Read Mark 12:41-44. There were a lot of rich people around, who seemed to throwing large amounts of money into the temple treasury, much of it to keep or maintain their standing in the community. But in the midst of typically busy day, Jesus observed a poor widow dropping two small coins into the collection basket that weren’t even worth a penny. A skeptic or cynic might ask what difference her two coins could make. Financially not much. But why did Jesus say in 12:43 that, “This poor widow put more into the treasury than all the others?”

The rich folks who made big donations did not really sacrifice much, in light of their overall standard of living. Sure, they made time in their busy schedules to get to the temple and deposit their gift. I bet they didn’t have to think too hard about what they were putting in. They seem to be thinking more about what they could get out of the action – attention, recognition, reputation, and even thanks from the religious leaders.

But the widow gave money that might have affected her ability to eat that day. She was poor and alone, but did not feel sorry for herself. She chose to give. Jesus noted that her giving and caring attitude and spirit counted a lot more than the amount that was dropped into the offering plate. Her example resonated in heaven.

The widow was not looking for attention, community recognition, improved stock portfolios, a pat on the back, or her fifteen minutes of fame. The irony is that no one but Jesus even noticed what she did. But isn’t that what really matters?

Most college students will graduate and get a well paying job, in contrast to most of the people on the planet who exist on less than a few dollars a day. Refuse to listen to the propaganda of our modern culture that says you have a right to enjoy material success. Buy things for their usefulness, not their status. Do not buy clothes or gadgets to impress people, but impress people with your life. Learn to enjoy things without owning them. Live simple.

In what ways other than financial can you display an attitude and act of giving? What can you give to someone today that would be a sacrifice? Live communally. You are not living if you are not giving. Cultivate a generous spirit because it registers with God.

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

The grisly event was however, just a rehearsal, for the day when sacrifices will once again be part of Israel’s national worship (read chapters 39-48 of Ezekiel). The tour guide tried to explain this bloody “practice” ritual to those who believed that the sacrifice of animals represented religion at one of its worst moments.

The Levitical sacrifices for sin that took place first in the Tabernacle and second in the Jewish Temple were always done in the daylight, not in the dark. They were performed only at the Temple altar, not in the shadows of a dark, meeting place. The goal was to express responsibility and repentance in light of personal and corporate wrongdoing (read Leviticus 6:1-7). Every part of the sacrificial system was designed with purpose.

Ultimately, the system was a picture of God’s redemptive love. Generations of Jewish sacrifices led a first century messenger to say and write, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. “ (John 1:29)

Jesus’ death was the ultimate and once-for-all atonement for sin. He did what no animal sacrifice could ever do. With his crucifixion, Jesus paid the penalty for the sinful words, thoughts, actions, and attitudes of every man and woman. He made forgiveness and freedom from sin available and accessible to all who believe in Him (John 3:16). Up to that time in history, every animal sacrifice was a pre-emptive type of ceremony that anticipated Christ’s death. His death then, was a once-for-all substitution for sin.

Ezekiel’s prediction that God will someday sanction the use of animal sacrifices may indeed be baffling then. Did or didn’t Jesus die for sins once for all? Yes.

For centuries, followers of Jesus use the symbols of His broken body and blood to remember and proclaim, “his death until He comes.” It is a regular opportunity for believers to reflect on (and honor) the Lord who died for them. But Ezekiel prophesied that God will also use the temple sacrificial system in the last days to help the Jews realize and remember how and when their Messiah suffered on their behalf.

I am sure not everyone can handle seeing animals put down. My friend said the “lamb rehearsal” in Jerusalem even made some people feel nauseas and a few even physically sick. That was part of the role of the sin offerings described in Leviticus. Christ’s suffering on our behalf was immeasurable and incomprehensible. He stood in our place. There is no way to know the depth of the agony he felt and experienced when he cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Are you troubled by your casual attitude at times toward sin? Are you a bit numb to the suffering Jesus endured on your behalf? Think theologically. Jesus’ death was THE ATONEMENT for sin…once for all – to bring you and me to God (1 Peter 3:18).

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

The idea of being plugged in made sense to me a long time ago when I first learned about being filled with the Holy Spirit. My pastor taught a series on the Second Person of the Trinity and described how the apostle Paul commanded believers in Ephesus (modern day Turkey) – and every follower of Jesus – “to be filled with the Spirit” (see Ephesians 5:18). Paul’s words emphasized on ongoing process of walking in cooperation with the Holy Spirit so as to become more and more like God. Being plugged in meant access to power to live by. My pastor taught that God does His part by filling us. God wants us to be “filled” constantly so our thoughts and actions are influenced by Him. My pastor added that being filled by the Spirit involves four actions on our part:

1. Be in Scripture – Every follower of Jesus who wants to Spirit filled needs to be spending time in the Bible. Jesus modeled a life well lived that was based on Scripture. The Bible should have importance in your life as you read it, study it, memorize it, meditate and reflect on it, and live according to it. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that the Scriptures were given to make each of us a complete, well-equipped Christian.

2. Be Christ-centered – Another requirement for being Spirit filled is to center on Jesus. He is to be the focal point of our thoughts, aspirations, and actions. Paul told the Romans that the will of God is to be conformed to the image of His Son (8:29). The writer to the Hebrews said “to run your race with perseverance…fixing your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). The Holy Spirit wants you to be like Jesus.

3. Be Submissive – Paul indicated the third essential for a Spirit filled life is to be submissive to God and His Word. Paul modeled this kind of life and instructed others to follow his example by the words he used in 5:18. Translated literally, the latter part of the verse actually reads, “Keep on being filled with the Spirit,” or “Keep letting the Holy Spirit fill you.” We must not stop the work of the Spirit by living a half-hearted, or disingenuous type of Christianity. We must continuously allow the Spirit to fill us and we do that by cooperating with Him as we live according to Scripture, not our old way of thinking. What is the point of reading Scripture and ignoring the commands of God? You waste your time and God’s by your double-minded ways. Submit and live right.

4. Be Confident – When you base your life on Scripture, center your focus on Jesus, and submit to the Lord’s leading/direction (from Scripture and the Spirit’s promptings), you can be confident you are doing your part. God is committed to and able to do His part. That combination leads to an assurance that can aid you day-by-day that you are being filled with the Spirit. God set it up so that we could actually experience victorious living.

Grow devotionally. Stay plugged into God and take advantage of His Spirit and His resources. For additional training, go to www.yougottheholyspirit.com, a Chi Alpha sponsored site. You can learn about more Holy Spirit apps like tongues, gifts, and fruit.

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz

She was born in New York City in 1918. She struggled to find any success as a writer with novels about ordinary families and ordinary situations, but after reading about the ideas of Albert Einstein, she wrote a science fiction novel called A Wrinkle in Time (1962), about a group of children who have to rescue their father from a planet where individuality has been outlawed. The book was rejected by 26 different publishers, who all felt that it was too difficult for children but too fantastic for adults. But when it came out in 1962, the novel won the Newbery Medal, and it sells about 15,000 copies a year. Her name? Madeleine L’Engle.

He was in Belfast in 1898. He is probably best known for The Chronicles of Narnia, a seven-volume series of children’s books. He is well known also for his essays on Christianity. He’d been baptized and raised Anglican (in the Church of Ireland), became atheist as a teenager, then a theist in his 20s, and then, in his early 30s, he converted wholeheartedly to Christianity.

His writings include Mere Christianity (1952), based on theological talks he gave on the BBC during World War II; The Screwtape Letters, a novel of letters from a demon to his nephew (1942); and the allegorical novel The Great Divorce (1945), in which dwellers of hell ride a bus up to heaven. In an essay called “Is Theology Poetry?” he wrote: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen. Not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” His name? Clive Staples (or C.S.) Lewis. Lewis taught English and medieval literature for three decades at Oxford University, where he was good friends with The Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien.

Alcott, L’Engle, and Lewis share a love for writing (as well as the same birthday). You may aspire to a career in literature, poetry, music, or writing. Take courage from their example and persevere in your dream. God has gifted some of you with a love for words and the ability to communicate on the written page. Do not hide your gift under a bucket.

The world is a better place because of the writing of Louisa May Alcott, Madeleine L’Engle, and C.S. Lewis. But there is always room for another voice, another poet or writer. Do not hesitate to cultivate your gift(s). Write for your school paper. Share your material. Publish your work. Whether your audience is small, large, local, global, or your work is even recognized, your love for writing can make a difference. Serve globally.

Love is a verb,

Mike Olejarz