Posts Tagged ‘Love’
Peaceful – A Christians Lifestyle
The Christians who took part in the rebellious actions on January 6, 2021 against Congress did so thinking they were doing the will of President Trump, when actually they were acting in disobedience to the will of God.
I can only imagine that they were:
1. Not real Christians but Christians in name only.
2. Have never read the New Testament for themselves on living the Christian life.
3. Were never taught from the pulpit how a disciple of Jesus is supposed to live their life after having been born again by the Spirit of God.
If any of these had happened, they would have known a very simple verse on how to live the Christian life. It is found in Romans 12…
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live “peaceably” with all men.
Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
As followers of Jesus, we are to live peaceably with all men.
What they did that day was anything but peaceful. They should have known that as disciples of Jesus they are also soldiers of Jesus in the spreading of the Gospel of salvation found only in Jesus and, as soldiers, they should have been obeying this command from 2 Timothy 2…
2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4 No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
The only way a Christian would not want to become involved with the affairs of this life would be if they were following the commands found in 1 John 2…
1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
If anyone loves the things of this world, they would have found it easy to take part in the rebellion on that January day and, in doing so, showing themselves that they may not be a Christian at all. That is why it would have been so easy to take part in that violent and disastrous action.
Christians are to be different. We are to be peaceful and loving people showing forth the love of God to others. There are many verses in the Scriptures that speak of how a Christian is to be, and here are a few of them:
2Co 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
On that day in January, there is one thing they who called themselves Christians should have been doing:
1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
They who said they were Christians on that infamous day need to ask themselves, “Are they really disciples of Jesus?”
Maybe another question they should ask is this, are they attending a “Real” Christian church or just one that plays at being Christian. They certainly need to start reading the New Testament Scriptures for themselves and asking God to give them understanding into His Word. They should also be looking at their church leadership to see if they are qualified to be pastors, elders, deacons, etc.
The bottom line is this. Christians are to live peacefully with all men. For that is their lifestyle according to the Word of God. On January 6, 2021, many people showed by their actions that they are Christians in name only; their church leadership has failed them, or both.
Being In The Presence Of Jesus
Did you ever wonder what it must have been like in the time of Jesus, being in His presence and listening to His every word? I have, and no matter how hard I try, nothing comes close to knowing what those encounters were like.
However, I do know a way that I can come into the presence of Jesus and listen to His every word whenever I want; even when I have the need to be with Him and to hear what He has to say to me.
Now you might think that I am talking about prayer, and it could be part of it but no it is not about prayer. Here is a hint.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
Need another hint? Try this.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
So, what is the Word of God? Yes, it is the Scriptures. However, Who is the Word of God? See John 1:1 above. Jesus is the Word of God and the Scriptures are the Word of God written by God. Did you catch that?
Every time you pick up the Bible to read it, you are reading the Word of God; the very words of Jesus just as if He were sitting with you and talking to you. Every time you read the Scriptures, you are actually in the presence of Jesus listening to everything He has to say to you.
Now the Bible itself is not Jesus but the Words that are in the Scriptures are the very Words of Jesus and by reading them, you are in His presence, and He is talking to you personally. Think of that for a moment. By reading the Scriptures, you are with Jesus listening to His every word.
Just like two of His disciples after the resurrection. They were heading to another town when they met up with Jesus and, in the process, He told them all things that must happen.
Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
When you read the Scriptures Jesus will do the same for you, for you are in His presence. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. When you read the Scriptures, your faith will become stronger because you are hearing directly from the Word of God, His name is Jesus, and you are in His presence.
How Is Your Salvation Working Out?
How long has it been since God forgave you for your sins and you were born again into the family of God? So, how has your salvation been working out? Everything going OK, or are you having problems doing the things that you were told you should do now that you are saved?
You know, maybe just maybe you have been going about it all wrong.
Many churches will tell newborn Christians, “this is what is expected of you, and you should now follow this or that in order to keep your salvation.” After all, you do not want to lose what God gave you, do you?
Some churches might say this to you what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians:
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Sounds scary, does it not? After having lived in sin for many years, doing what you wanted, you are now expected to be perfect and do what the church tells you to do. Yeah, I know, it made me worry also when I was first saved.
However, God had mercy on me and, by His grace, He put me into a position to read the read the rest of the verses that followed. Here they are.
Php 2:13 For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God…
Look at verse 13 and read, read and read it over several times until it sinks in. It is God which works in you both to will and to do of HIS good pleasure. I kept reading this verse over and over and over until suddenly in the thick skull of mine I realized what it was that God was telling me. He is working in me both to will and to do what HE wants me to do, because it pleases Him.
You see, I did not make a bunch of changes right away, but I did begin to notice how my actions were starting to be different. Here is but one example, I was really good in being quite selfish. Hardly a day would go by without insisting, “has to be this way,” without considering what my family wanted, and I was married with two kids. Good example, huh?
Then it started. One day, after proclaiming loudly on doing it my way, I saw a look in the eyes of my two kids that I had never before noticed. It bothered me to no end. Over a period of a week, I started feeling the same way with anything that I wanted, without asking what others would like. Then it dawned on me. God was working in me to change my very selfish attitude.
At first that sacred me as I realized that I was being so selfish, not taking into consideration what others of my family would like, and doing so in the presence of God. The thought of that un-nerved me to no end. Then I realized that God, in His mercy, was working His will in me to start thinking of the needs and wants of my family, in putting them first before me.
God just opened my eyes for me to see my selfish attitude, and how it was hurting other members of my family. In His way, He was letting me know that this needed to stop. God was giving me the will and desire to do as He wants. God changed me because it pleased Him.
Since then, in every part of my life, I have seen God work in me to see those things that needs to be changed, working in me to show me those wrongs and to give me the will and desire to stop; to do those things He wants of me.
When God saves someone, He does not let them go on their own to become a good Christian by themselves. God knows what we need, what He wants us to do, and He works in us His will to become willing, not only to change, but also to actually make the change as He wants.
As we work out our salvation on a daily basis, living each day doing our normal activities, God will show us those things in our life that He wants to change. We may go for days or weeks before God steps in and, in some way, puts the breaks on our activity, and then the change begins. We will never know when that will happen, but it will happen.
After God’s Grace has saved us, He does not leave us by ourselves to grow on our own, to change on our own. For by His Holy Spirit God works in each and every one of us, for whom Jesus died to secure our salvation, to show us our sins, to see how bad they really are and then to work in us His will to change us so that we become willing and do those things that He wants.
Yes, as disciples, God works in us – some like me more than others – through our whole time here on earth both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Soon the fear and trembling that we experience will become a sign to us that God is working in us once again because it pleases Him. Even discipline can be involved, as I have discovered, and we will praise Him for what He is doing.
So, as you walk with Jesus on a daily basis, if someone asks the question, “How is your salvation working out?” You can joyfully answer, “Wonderful! Just wonderful!”
Can Salvation Be Lost?
Is it true that once saved you can still lose your salvation and go to hell? Some people will say that this true, and it depends on the one given salvation.
However, numerous Scripture verses teach otherwise, and we are going to look at just a few of them; especially ones that Jesus stated. Read them for yourself and then decide if Jesus is right or if man’s religion is right. Then we will finish with a quote by Charles H. Spurgeon from his book, “All of Grace.”
All of the following verses are taken from the Gospel of John.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 1:12, 13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
John 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
We see in these verses that they lay out God’s plan for salvation and why once someone is forgiven for their sins, because of the sacrifice of Jesus on their behalf, they can never die spiritually and be sent to hell.
Jesus tells us that one must be born again not only to be able to see Heaven but also to enter into Heaven. This act of being born again, as seen in John 1:13 is not done by being born into a Christian family (not of blood), nor of being born by our good works (of the will of the flesh) or of our own free will (of the will of man), but of God.
The act of being “born again”, which provides our salvation, is “All” of God and man adds nothing to his salvation.
As for whom will receive this gift of salvation it is explained quite clearly by Jesus in saying that “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:” Not only does God draws whom He wills but Jesus also said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me”.
In addition, all whom the Father draws to Jesus not only will come and be saved but, be kept saved as Jesus says, “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”
As we have seen, God saves whom He wills, draws whom He wills to Jesus, makes them alive in their spirit and guarantees their salvation will never be lost and will keep them unto the end. Not because of anything that man has done or deserves, but because of what Jesus has done for them on their behalf.
The great British Preacher, C. H. Spurgeon, says this about salvation in his book, “All of Grace”…
“If you will have Jesus, He has you already, If you believe on Him, I tell you that you cannot go to hell, for that would make the sacrifice of Christ of none effect. It cannot be that a sacrifice would be accepted and yet the soul should die for whom that sacrifice has been received. If the believing soul could be condemned, then why a sacrifice? If Jesus died in my stead, why should I die also? Every believer can claim that the sacrifice was actually made for him. The Lord would not receive this offering on our behalf and then condemn us to die.”
Many other scripture verses will back up this statement that once a person is given salvation by Jesus Himself he is saved for all eternity. The true “born again” disciple of Jesus will never lose their salvation.
Salvation is provided by God, given by God as He wills, and saves for all eternity everyone for whom Jesus was sacrificed. Salvation, true God given salvation, can never be lost.
I pray that God will open your heart and your spiritual eyes to see this marvelous promise of God and receive it as your own, and have true peace in the security of your salvation. For it truly is all of God.
So, Who “IS” Jesus?
When I was young, Christmas was a wonderful time, the decorations, the tree and the gifts of course.
At church, I knew there was talk about a baby in something called a “manger” and being told about some shepherds and Wiseman coming to visit him with gifts, ah yes – a gift, that was the best part. Little did I know or realize what the real gift was and from where it came.
As I grew older, I still enjoyed Christmas but sort of drifted away from church and Christmas slowly became more commercial than anything else. However, a time came when something happened to me that I later found out that it was what the Bible calls “being born again”. I had heard about it but evidently never experienced it. That is, until the Word of God came to me and revealed Himself to me in reading the Scriptures.
It was then that I learned about the truth about Christmas. It begins like this.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
So, what does this mean? How does the Word become flesh? It began like this.
Luk 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luk 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Luk 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Luk 1:29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Luk 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luk 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Luk 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
Luk 2:2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
Luk 2:3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Luk 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
Luk 2:5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Luk 2:6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
Luk 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luk 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luk 2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luk 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luk 2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Luk 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Luk 2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Luk 2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Luk 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Luk 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
We do not know exactly when Jesus was born, and it is not important when that we do. All we need to know is that God did come down to us, to mankind, to reveal Himself in human form. He did so to let us know that in our human, and sinful, nature we cannot do anything in order to be worthy of going to Heaven when we die and to spend eternal life with Him.
We need for someone else to stand in our place, to suffer the consequences of our sins for us, so that we could be forgiven and be given a new life in Him to know Him, to love Him and to be obedient to Him; now and forever.
You see, the true gift of Christmas is God’s gift to us of forgiveness, love and eternal life, found only in Jesus, and for all who will believe in Jesus, the only true Savior of mankind. To all who call upon Jesus as Lord, and believe that He has been raised from the dead, will be saved from paying the penalty for our sins and having to face the wrath of God on judgement day.
Yes, the true gift given that we should be celebrating at Christmas is the gift of God given to us, and that gift is Jesus.
In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh, became human, like one of us, and we call Him – Jesus. In addition, it is only through Jesus that we can receive forgiveness, eternal life and knowing the true love of God.
There is no other name, given among man, by which we can be saved. Thank God for giving us the true Gift of Christmas…
Does Jesus Love Everybody?
If someone were to ask you, “Does Jesus love everybody?” Most likely, you would say, “Yes.” Then if I were to ask you, “On what verse do you base that?” I know that you would say, “On John 3: 16.”
Now we have gone over this verse in other posts to show that this verse is not talking about people everywhere specifically, but in people everywhere in general. In addition, the sentence in this verse that qualifies about whom Jesus was talking is the one that says, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Salvation is not just for the Jews but for Gentiles believers also.
You might be surprised to know there are no verses in the Bible that says Jesus loves everyone. However, many verses specifically say whom Jesus does love. We are going to look at a few of these verses, and I will let you read them, study them, and let the Holy Spirit speak to you, and pray that He will open your heart to understand about what they are saying.
Here is the first verse for you to read:
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
Now here is the second of the verses that you should read and study, just like the first verse:
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? (Note: Jesus is only showing Himself to those whom He loves.)
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
These are the last of the scripture verses that you should look at, study and pray for insight into what they are saying:
John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; (Note: Jesus prays for future believers.)
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
In these few Scripture verses, you can see that Jesus loves those who will be believers, believers chosen by the Father for salvation. Nothing can be clearer than what you have just read. Even in all of the Letters written by Paul, John, and Peter etc. that when they speak of God loving them they are talking about they who have become believers, true disciples of Jesus.
Please read these Scripture verses over several times and let them sink into your heart, and I pray that the Holy Spirit will give you understanding in these verses to God’s glory and for your own good; that you may know the truth about the love of Jesus.
Apostle Describes Meeting With Jesus
Back in the 70’s I had started a newsletter called “The Christian Layman”(Insights from a Layman’s Journal). The following was the first article in that newsletter.
_____________
Apostle Describes Meeting With Jesus
I was soaking wet, having waded ashore from the boat. The others, I had left on board, were guiding its rough underbelly onto the cool sand that had been chilled by the night air.
As I sat down, the damp sand crumpled under my weight, and I became conscious of how cold were my clothes, but I did not care. For there, sitting beside the warm fire that He had just made, was my Master – Jesus.
It had been a few days since we last met, and now we were sharing a breakfast of bread and fish. Where the food had come from I did not know and I did not care. Nothing mattered except that Jesus was alive and He was with us once again. I felt great.
We finished off the last of the fish and I turned toward Jesus; He was looking at me. It was as if He was looking into my very soul, the very heart of my existence.
“….. Do you love me?”
The words stung.
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Two more times he asked me the same question; three times in all. Twice I said “yes.” The third time…
“Lord, You know all things; You know that I love you.”
Feed my sheep.”
I had denied Him three times on the night before He was crucified.
Now, three times He made me tell Him that I loved Him, even though He knew I did before saying so. But, more important, He had said,
“Feed my sheep.”
For three years, He had fed us, not just food but something more. He had told us that man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
We are not to worry about what we are going to eat and drink. We are not to worry about whether or not everyone has physical or material comfort.
No, we are to provide His sheep with the bread that gives eternal life – Jesus.
He knows His sheep we do not. So in order for us to follow His command, we must bring the bread of life to everyone we meet. We must present Jesus to everyone, every time, all of the time. Anything else and we fail.
How about you? Have you been placed in the position of feeding His sheep? When you see Him face to face will He be able to say…
“Well done thou good and faithful servant.”
What Is The Primary Purpose Of Prayer?
Everyone prays at some time or another, but not all prayers receive answers or results in the way that the person who prayed wanted.
Let us get this out of the way before we go one-step further. Unless you are a Christian, a true disciple of Jesus, God does not hear your prayer and it will not receive an answer. The bible teaches that God does not hear the prayers of a sinner. That is a topic for another post.
Now, since that is out of the way we can proceed.
Most Christians, who repent of their sins and receive forgiveness, in one way or another, will always worry when they pray. Maybe it is about how they prayed, was it good enough. On the other hand, it could be they will worry that their prayer will not receive an answer or, if it is, the answer is not what they want.
Do you have peace when you pray? If not, why not? It is because you are not sure if the answer to your prayer will be what you are wanting it to be, even if you receive an answer at all.
The secret to having peace when you pray is simple. Read the following verses:
Eph_1:5 (KJV) according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph_1:9 (KJV) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
Eph_1:11 (KJV) according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
1Jn_5:14 (KJV) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
God is in charge. There is nothing done outside His will. We have an imperfect will. God has a perfect will. Unless we realize that “God’s will” will always be done we will always pray for what we want expecting to get our own way, and be upset if we do not. However, in God’s perfect will, what He wants He will always accomplish.
We cannot change God’s will, never could and we will never be able to do so. Imagine an imperfect, sin infested human, telling God what He should do because it was you who asked Him.
You see, the secret to prayer is just telling God about why you are praying and what it is that you would like to see because of your prayer; there is nothing wrong with that, as long as we trust in Him no matter how He responds to your prayers, and accept His will.
God may not answer right away because it is not time to answer. He already knows what the proper time will be to respond. In addition, the answer may not be what you want, but it will be what God wants, and God only wants you to trust in Him for the response that He gives.
We must realize that God’s timing is always the right time. In addition, the answer that He gives is always the right answer. God always knows what is best as He always does according to His will.
When we finally realize that God always works all things according to His will is when we can start having peace in our prayers. God knows why we pray and what we would like, but our will is not always the best response. God wants us to trust in Him fully, completely and lovingly in His answer to our prayer.
No matter what we pray or what we would like for the answer to be, when we trust in the Lord for His response, no matter what it is, then we can have true peace in our prayers for we know that they will “always” be answered according to God’s will.
Just pray and then trust in the Lord for the right answer. For the primary purpose of prayer is just learning to know God’s will in all things and then trusting in Him for the answer that He gives.
Have You Heard The Gospel Call of Your Salvation
Into the woods though dark & deep, I look for a place where I might sleep.
Through fog & wind amongst the trees, I find myself upon my knees.
A sword swings high above my head, but I awake peacefully and in my bed.
Then out of the shadows Lord Jesus came.
Your salvations’ secured for I have called you by name.
Dead in your sins you could not answer the call, so I made you alive to hear it all.
Not of your own will have you behaved, for by My Grace have you been saved.
Because of My choice do you I forgive, and with me will you eternally live.
1. Romans 8: 30
2. Ephesians 2: 1
3. Ephesians 2: 5
4. Ephesians 2: 8 – 10
5. Ephesians 1: 4, 5
5. John 10; 28, 29
February – The Month of Love
February has the biggest love holiday of the year. Of course, it is Valentine’s Day, the day of love.
What, however, does love do? What does love not do? Good questions and we can find the best answer lies in the bible. If you look at these verses from 1st Corinthians 13 you will see the answers that you seek.
1Co 13:4 Love is patient, and is kind; love is not jealous; love does not boast, does not brag,
1Co 13:5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
In short, the person whom you love should come first in your life. You should put their needs and desires before your own. You should look out for their interest and give of yourself to please them. If you cannot do this with the one whom you say that you love then you really are not in love with them. You may like them, and you may like them a lot but, if you cannot put them first in your life, no matter how they are with you, then you honestly do not love them.
The thing is that with sin in your life you always want for yourself first. Everyone must come after, and should do as you want and put your needs first.
The only way that you can love as God intends for us to love is to come to God on His terms and love Him with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your strength and with all of your mind. If you cannot do this, you will never be able to love as we have seen in the above verses that we should.
To love, as God intends, is to sacrifice yourself in order to please another. Jesus sacrificed Himself to save others, from facing the wrath of God, because of His love for them. He put their needs first and, by His love for them, provided forgiveness for their sins.
True love is to love as Jesus did. If you cannot do so, then how can you say you love someone if you will not put them first? It is said that love is blind. You may be so blind that what you think is love may not be love at all. It may just be infatuation.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things, but only when that love is coupled with the love of God that comes to those who loves Jesus. Would you not like to love as Jesus loves? You can.
If you will repent of your sinfulness in offending a Holy God, and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will find that you have been forgiven and are being loved by God as His own. With that kind of love, flowing from Him to you, you will find that you will soon be able to love others as God loves you.
Only then will you be able to love as God intends and that will fill you in return with a love that you have never before felt in this lifetime. It is a love that is everlasting, comforting and sacrificial, because it is love that God, in Christ Jesus, first gave to you. You see, we can only love God and love others as God intended because it is a love that He first gave to us. God is love.
Make this a wonderful Valentine’s day by loving as only God can love and truly put that loved one first in your life. Love them with God’s love.
Riff's Christian Journal 