Tag: love

Apr92018 by Dale HeinoldNo Comments

Our Call of Duty

Sometimes I’m surprised by the meaning of words. Even common everyday words can mean something different than our typical usage of them. I’m not talking about slang terms although there’s always a few surprises there as well. Who would have thought that chill means something other than chill? Take the everyday word “ought.” Most of the time we use it as a kind of suggestion. “You ought to change your oil.” I was surprised to discover that “ought” is more powerful than a simple suggestion. Consider this verse. John said, “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16, NASB95) In my normal everyday usage, “ought” sounds like a pleasant suggestion. “Yep, we ought to love each other. It would be a really nice

Mar72018 by Dale HeinoldNo Comments

Walking Through 2nd Peter – Peter’s list for Fruitfulness

Encouragment

The world is filled with lists. Collections of words to remind us what we need to pick up on our next shopping trip. Bullet points of an agenda or presentation. Bucket lists of things we want to do before we die. The Bible has its share of lists as well. The Beatitudes are a kind of list. So is Paul's description of the nine fruit of the Spirit. Lists help us break down the complex into easier to remember bite-sized chunks or remind us of the details contained in a whole. Our next step in our walk through 2nd Peter also presents a list. Peter's List Peter encouraged, "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your...

Sep272017 by Dale HeinoldNo Comments

ABCs of Faith – Loving Faith

Encouragment

Have you ever rode a unicycle? How about a pogo stick? Or perhaps you have tried hopping around on one leg. All are doable but not the most stable things in the world. It takes great effort and concentration to maintain balance when there is only one point of contact. Faith works like that too. Focusing only on faith is like trying to ride a unicycle. The hard truth is that faith never stands alone. It is one leg of a comfortable and inviting chair. In a chapter that is often reserved for weddings, Paul describes love in 1 Corinthians 13. In those poetic words there is also a warning about faith. “If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2, NASB9

Jul272017 by Dale Heinold1 Comment

reThinking48 – Whatever is Lovely

Encouragment

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But is beauty only determined by the one observing or is there more to the story? This is not some strange philosophical pondering. We need to explore this to understand and rethink what Paul meant by dwell on whatever is lovely. Unlike truth, honor, and justice which are highly objective, lovely appears to be in the eye of the beholder. Or is it? Welcome to our reThink48 series as we consider Paul’s instruction to the Philippians. “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:8, NASB95) As you’ve seen from above, this entry explores “wh

Jun192017 by Dale Heinold2 Comments

Like a Goldfish in Water

Encouragment

They say that a goldfish doesn’t notice the water around it. That living in water is so natural and common that they take no thought of it. I wonder sometimes if the same isn’t true for us. Could there be something about our lives that is so common that we don’t take thought of it very often? The direct metaphor between fish and us would be the air around us or the earth beneath our feet. But I think that there is something even more pervasive or even prevalent than those examples. To perceive this “thing” we must for a moment shut off the busyness of life, push aside our preconceptions of the world around us, and lay down our previous experiences. In short, we must look past all the distractions of what we regularly see for just a moment. So often we see the Bible, (no that’s not

Jun142017 by Dale Heinold1 Comment

Walking Through 1st Peter: Peace to All in Christ

Encouragment

Twenty-four weeks ago we began a journey. We opened Peter’s first letter to the persecuted believers of Asia Minor and chose to walk through it instead of rushing through it. Along the way, we noticed familiar verses and discovered new vistas. We watched as Peter returned several times to his main themes of suffering, triumph, and encouragement. Even in these last few closing verses, those same themes reverberate. Peter closed his letter in this way. “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that

May92017 by Dale HeinoldNo Comments

Walking Through 1st Peter – Good Stewards of God’s Grace

Encouragment

One way or another we all care about something or someone. A child cares for their toys. A student stewards their time and focus. A factory worker sees to their machine. A husband and wife manage the home. Your pastor shepherds souls. A farmer husbands his field, flock, and harvest. We are all stewards of something. Peter reminds us that those who have chosen Jesus and walk with him are called to steward the gifts of God. Welcome to our 19th edition of our Walk Through 1st Peter. Feel free to join in even if this is the first article of this series you’ve seen. Previous articles are on our website – lambchow.com. Peter wrote, “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another

Apr192017 by Dale HeinoldNo Comments

Walking Through 1st Peter – 16, A Call to Action

Encouragment

Inherent in just about everything we read, see, or hear is a call to action. Sometimes it’s just a subtle suggestion. An unspoken hint that life would be better or more fun if we owned, say, a particular car. Often the call to action is brash and bold. “But wait there’s more, call now and get two miracle magic whatchamadings for only 19.95 (plus shipping, handling, and whatever else we can tack on).” The call to action may be the adoption of a way of thinking or feeling that is being played out in the novel we’re reading or the show we’re watching. Our next step through 1 Peter also contains a powerful and challenging call to action. Welcome to our sixteenth step of our Walk Through 1st Peter. In the past few articles, Peter has laid out some challenges for his readers regarding the rel

Apr122017 by Dale HeinoldNo Comments

Walk Through 1st Peter – Wives and Husbands

Encouragment

The next step in our walk through 1st Peter is like a walking a high tension wire over a deep canyon. Peter bravely steps into our closest relationship, drops words that are challenging for some and troubling to others. We can think of a thousand exceptions and nearly as many objections. We can either skip over this part and declare it to be a cultural abnormality. Or we can take it hyper-literally and change our most intimate of relationship into something akin to slavery. I will endeavor to do neither. I trust God’s word, and so we will wrestle to find the balance inherent in Peter’s words to walk the wire. Welcome to our 15th installment in our Walk Through 1st Peter. Previous articles can be found on our website – Lambchow.com. Peter wrote, “In the same way, you wives, be submissive

Feb162017 by Dale Heinold1 Comment

Walking Through 1st Peter #7 – Love One Another

Encouragment

No one likes to eat from a dirty plate or drink from a soiled cup. It’s about as simple as that. Granted, there is a large variation in tolerances between folks. Some are turned away by a speck of dried broccoli on a fork, while others put up with much more before a meal is ruined. This week’s lesson from 1 Peter forces us to consider the cleanliness of our own souls and how that affects what we offer to others. Welcome to the seventh installment in our walk through 1st Peter. If you're just joining us or would like to share previous lessons, they can be found on our website – lambchow.com. Peter has just called his readers to “be holy” and to conduct themselves while keeping the salvation and redemption of Christ always in view. Peter continues, “Since you have in obedience to the tr

Oct272016 by Dale Heinold1 Comment

Jesus Said That?! Radical Love

Encouragment

Every year folks flock to the beach. They enjoy the warmth of the sun, play in the sand and surf, some may do a bit of surfing or snorkeling. A few will just sit and ponder the vastness of the open water before them and the rhythm of the waves. Even fewer will consider the complexity of life just below the surface, the dangers and treasures that are hidden from view. Our next Jesus Said That?! statement is a lot like that ocean scene. This is our final article in this series of sometimes hard, sometimes startling, sometimes radical statements of Jesus. Our last Jesus Said That statement doesn’t seem all that radical, that is until we dive beneath the surface and try to fathom the depths of all that it means. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even

Oct142016 by Dale Heinold2 Comments

Send Out Your Light and Love

Encouragment

This past weekend, while Betty and I were wandering around a Wisconsin antique and craft mall, I saw this sign – The Journey is the Destination. While that sounds good, there is a problem. Sure, Lambchow focuses a lot on the journey and adventure of following Jesus. But we are not wandering without purpose. We are not seeking adventure for the sake of the thrill. We do have a destination, a purpose and reward for this adventure of following Jesus. The Psalmist wrote, “Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!” (Psalm 43:3–4, NLT) These few lines are packed with truth. There is a way, a progr