Speaking the Truth in Love

Can't even remember where I read it now. Oh, yeah, it was a William Barklay Bible study on the Letters of John and Jude. Paraphrased, he said, "The eagerness with which men (people) seek pleasure is evidence that there is something missing in their life."

I am just so committed to sharing that having a relationship with God is simply the sole purpose of life. That explains its brevity. I can hardly even remember what it was like not to feel His presence in my life, not to know his peace and love at all times. Nor can I imagine what purpose there would be for living without that constant sense of his presence. What is the purpose of life then? Just to enjoy earth and then die? And be no more? And that is enough for people?

Receiving the gift of salvation offered freely to anyone who will simply admit they are a sinner and need God -- what could possibly prevent someone from admitting they are a sinner and that they need God? Whenever I hear of someone committing suicide, for example, it just breaks my heart because it might actually make sense to want to kill yourself if you believed that this life was all there is.

Jesus created fishermen whom He then calls to follow Him and make disciples. He tells them, "I will make you to become fishers of men." This is what I want to be. I may not be a very good one, but that's what I want to do. I want to do NOTHING that labels me as a fanatic, a kook, a Bible-thumper, or simply an arrogant, obnoxious person. But I do want to speak the truth in love. May the Lord teach me and may I be teachable.

"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:11-15 (NIV)