Love - 1 John 4:7-21

Love - 1 John 4:7-21 (ESV)

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

What kind of person sacrifices His only son out of Love? Abraham, maybe? God also? God did. Abraham did, but God stopped him and made a new way. Would you do what Abraham did?  Abraham did it out of obedience and trust in God.  I'm sorry but nothing is more important to me after God then my family. God first, Family Second, Others and myself last. I won't sacrifice my family or my only Son. He is that important to me. Same as my wife. But look at the fullness of Love that God the Father had for us in those verses. They are for the world and also individually. It's not because we loved God, on the contrary, it's because God loved us first and made the decision to love us so much that He sacrificed His only Son for us. Jesus said that no one has more love than this to lay down their life for another (I'm paraphrasing here). But is says in John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. That says the same thing that I said, so God is showing us the greatest of all of love in that He sent His Son to show us the greatest love by laying down His life for us all.

These verses really explain Love, especially God's love and how we can as Christians know love and how we should show love.  But is that enough?  No it's not.  The Holy Spirit directed the use of the word Agape for this section and many others.  Why, because the Spirit needed to redefine the word and make it even more powerful.  It took Agape to a whole new level.  Agape became a stronger word that also helps us understand our place within God.  God has preferential love towards us and towards His creation.  Remember when I said in a previous lesson that God is jealous over the spirit He put within us.  It bears repeating, even to me.  He is showing us preferential love not because of anything we did or our worth, but because He is Love.  It's based solely on the fact that God wants to show us His love.  These verse explains that and help us to recognize it so we can show it to others.

  God is Love and Love comes from God.  To understand Love you need to understand God, to understand God you need to understand Love.  Love is such an unusual concept that people sometimes can't comprehend it, is it chemical, emotional, or just something we came up with.  Well God the great creator is the one who created Love and is the perfection of Love.

Which leads us to the next verse in line about God's Love.  How much more can God love us or the world than to send His only Son as a sacrifice for us and for our very salvation.  John 3:16-18 is very clear on this.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  God sent Jesus to save, to rescue, to free the world from it's Sin and shame and corruption.  Jesus doesn't need to judge us, that's not his job as the Son of God, His job is to show us the Love of God.  He does that very clearly.  Jesus came to be Love for us not condemnation or judgment, but to help us experience and understand God's love better.  Without an example the Jews and Gentiles would have nothing to model after and would therefore continue to live by the Law and not by Love.  It's a new way of life based on Jesus living that example for us while He was here. 

You want to know Love look at Jesus example in the Gospel and how He treated individuals and communities.  Jesus was always caring, compassionate and never judgmental or demanding of people, it was always to show Love and Paul, who knew Jesus later on in life after Jesus was gone from the world understood and was able to describe Love in a way that everyone understands.  Paul was trying to help the Corinthians understand in his first letter to them what they needed to do in regards to a lot of things that were making their church have issues.  If you notice that is mainly what Paul was doing in his letters, instructing the intended audience on how to deal with the issues they were facing.  In 1 Corinthians 13 he was showing them Love and God simultaneously.  Lets look at an excerpt from 1 Corinthians 13, specifically verses 4-8 and 13  4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. 

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

  All that is defining love and it's importance.  Now back in 1 John 4:8 says 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  So now read over the verses in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 again.

4 God is patient and kind; God does not envy or boast; God is not arrogant 5 or rude. God does not insist on His own way; God is not irritable or resentful; 6 God does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 God bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 God never ends.  Just take a look at that.  And in regards to believes all things, it also translates to have faith in.  So God has trust or faith in all things, why not He created it all.  From every atom to every object God trusts his creation and all that is in it.

To further emphasize my previous point in 1 John, these verses looked at in conjunction to the earlier ones explain God's character since God is Love. God exudes all these attributes of Love and Himself simultaneously. God the creator of Love and the epitome of Love is more than we can handle. He does all things in Love, because He Himself is Love. He shows preferential Love.

He is jealous to be near us, yet we push Him away. We take the world and it's things, things He created, and choose them over Him. We who were made in Love, don't show our creator and His creation, including ourselves, the Love we should. We are blinded by the world. But the Bible opens our eyes to what we are missing. It makes us aware that there is more outside ourselves, our selfish selves. That there is a Love beyond all reasoning and that we can attain it, show it and be a part of it.  We can see the beauty of Love from these verses taken all together. We are not more aware of our worth in God and our privileges as His children. God shows us His Love daily through His creation and through His words.

In summary, let me make three points clear from all this.

1. God and Love are one and the same. They epitomize each other and compliment each other.  To truly know Love you need to know God, to fully know God you need to know Love.  Knowing one will assist you to and help you know the other.

2.  God’s Love is unconditional.  It’s not based on anything we do and it’s available to the whole world.  If they wish to know it.  It’s available, but they need to accept it to truly know it.  And I’m not saying there aren’t loving people out there, but they don’t fully know Love unless they know God.

3.  God’s Love is preferential, meaning it’s directed toward His creation, just because. Nothing we did can make God more jealous over our souls and knowing us and being near us.  He Loves and desires us jealously to be near Him.  Yet, we decide to chase after other things.

So God’s Love is directed toward us because He Loves us not because of anything we did and Love and God are one and the same.

References: 1 John 4:7-21, John 3:16, John 15:13, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13

Same Sex marriage

The title alone is enough to start people talking and thinking and wondering what do I have to say about something that the Supreme Court thinks they have the right to litigate over.  The laws of man don't amount to much when it comes to the laws of GOD, yet these elected officials are our law makers.

Where do I begin?  Well, my son and I always quote Lewis Carroll "Begin at the beginning, the King said, very gravely, and go on till you come to the end: then stop".  So I will do my best to start at the beginning and when I get to the end I will stop.

I read the Bible almost daily.  It is my devotional each day and I'm working through the book of Mark right now and I'm in chapter 10:1-12 right now.  Jesus talks about marriage and divorce.  Right there you probably know where I stand on Same Sex marriage.  It would be interesting to see your face right now as you read this, or if we were to talk face to face about this topic and you and I were to discuss this at length.  Would it take us minutes, hours or days of discussion?  Hmm...I wonder.  If you feel so inclined you can stop reading right after I state my position on this issue.  I leave that up to you and your curiosity or lack thereof.

My stance is that I'm Pro-Life on Abortion and I'm Pro-Marriage as a Man and Wife!  There you have it, that is my stance, but I'm not taking the time to write this just to state this position on this issue.  I want to offer some insight as to what GOD had in mind and what we as a world are putting aside.

First of all nowhere in the Bible does it advocate a Man and a Man being together.  It clearly states that this is against the normality of life and what GOD created.  No where in the Bible does it state that a Woman being with another Woman is acceptable either.  Neither is any type of sexual intimacy with Man and animal or Woman with animal.  All these are clearly stated in the Bible (GOD's Word) to be abominations against what GOD set forth for how people should live their lives.

Secondly, every mention of any of these acts is considered a Sin and is punishable by death.  In the Bible that death is immediate upon finding out that this is happening.  After Jesus came it meant that continuing in Sin will lead to eventual death since living in Sin, prevents one from going to heaven.

Seriously this is pretty straight forward.  Sin = Death.  The only real trouble we have these days is that people don't believe this anymore.  They think that everyone's way of thinking is right.  No one is wrong and we can all have a happily ever after.  That is the biggest lie that Satan has perpetrated on this generation.  Nothing that anyone says that contradicts the bible is acceptable.  The simplest truth is that what the Bible says is undisputed, accurate and correct and cannot be denied as being what we all should be following.  The Lie is that everyone is right and no one is wrong and the Bible is just an old out of date book that is too strict, too conservative, too restrictive and not liberal enough.

Jesus said that "What therefore GOD has joined together, let not man separate." Do you realize that only what GOD sanctions is going to last or stand the test of time.  It is GOD's foundation that shapes this world, shapes our lives and gives us the Freedom to be Free under his Will.  No Same Sex marriage will ever stand the test of time, because GOD does not stand for it or support it.  The Bible is very clear on this and no amount of Laws or decisions by people can change GOD.  The only thing that can stand the test of time is that which GOD supports.  All others will just fade away.  GOD does allow us to make our own mistakes.  This is one of many in our long line of mistakes, including the 1973 Abortion decision.

Someday the Judgement from GOD will be dealt on this people.  In the mean time we must live with our mistakes and this one will scar our generations for many years.

Jesus vs. Christ

This might seem odd, but I feel that society/satan/the world are trying to minimize Jesus.  If you really think about it we know for a fact that his name is Jesus.  J-E-S-U-S!  It's not Christ, which is his title, and His last name is not Christ.  We honor Jesus at this time of the year by taking an old pagan holiday and Christianizing it and calling it Christmas.  Mass for the Christ.  It's a mass for the only Savior (Christ), Messiah of the world.  It's His title, not a part of His name.  It would be like calling me Marc Network Administrator.  Or calling me Network Administrator.  We do give people honorary titles, do show respect sometimes, like boss, chief, chef, mother, father, pastor, brother, sister, friend, but why do we not call them by their title all the time.  We have names and sometimes we take the time to not use people's names so much to the point that we forget their real name.

We are slowly replacing Jesus with Christ in a lot of our speech.  We say "come to know Christ", "Christ came to set us free", "the only way to heaven is through Christ", and many other ways.  It just feels like we are trying to cover up Jesus with a title so we don't say His name any more.  The only way it's said no a ways is with irreverence or as a curse or in a derogatory way.  We can't seem to keep Jesus in Christmas, because we are to busy trying to keep "Christ" in Christmas.  Jesus is the reason for the season, not Christ.  We took Jesus out of Christmas before we got into trying to take "Christ" out of Christmas and wishing everyone a Happy Holiday.  You can keep Christ out of Christmas for all I care.  I want to keep Jesus in Christmas and keep it that way.  I will continue to say Merry Christmas, because this is the reason we have Dec. 25th.   It's not about Boxing day or Kwanzaa, both are not as old as Christmas which dates back to 336AD.  We are talking about the opportunity to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the World and we bicker about His title more than what the day is about.  Atheists want to remove it from the calendar along with Easter.  What are they so afraid of?  That's it right and they are wrong?  You can't remove the celebrations to fix your feelings.  It will always be there no matter what and it will always be the only way to be free and live.  Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life.  There is no other way.  The sooner you learn that and live by it the better.

My point is just this.  Jesus is the person to worship.  The one who is part of the great Three In One of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Not His title of Savior, Messiah or Christ.  We are here to show the Love of Jesus, not Christ.  We are Brothers and Sisters of Jesus, Children of the Living God.  Why can't we use his name with respect instead of degradation?  It's with respect that we call others by their name.  We need to do the same with Jesus and not keep using His title.

Healing Our Image of God and Ourselves

This is from Chapter 1 of "The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus", by Brennan Manning.

"Religion is a matter not of learning how to think about God, but of actually encountering Him."

"Don't Put God in a Box"

To encounter God we must strip off all allusions of God that have been purported onto us.  We can't grasp the infinite that is God with our human finite minds.  God is the one and only God.  He is Love and so much more.  When we think about God we need to think outside our boxes.  Outside the box we try to put Him in.  We need to think big.  We need to know that our ideas aren't anything that God is, but He is so much more and bigger.

Look at the parable of the farmer and the workers.  It's in Matthew chapter 20.  Their is a crazy farmer hiring workers and it doesn't matter what time of day they start working for him, they all got the same wage.  All got a full days pay, it was "divine generosity".  Do we grumble when others get a break?  Why do we say "it's not fair" or someone "got a lucky break" when something good happens?

What about the parable of the prodigal son?  It's about a reckless, spendthrift who is a wasteful person.  Those are definitions of the word prodigal.  Yet the Father is also a prodigal.  Instead of treating the returning son the way we expect him to be treated, the father acts as a prodigal and is wasteful, reckless and a spendthrift in welcoming a disgraceful son back.  I think a more appropriate title would be "The Wayward Son and the Prodigal Father".

This is how our image of ourselves and of God need to change.  God is that farmer giving everyone the same pay and He is the father of the prodigal, welcoming home the wayward son.  We are that wayward child and we are the workers for the farmer.  We are getting what God wants us to have regardless of our lives or our actions as long as we come to God, He will take care of the rest.

Our images of God and ourselves change when we see Him as merciful, caring and more importantly loving.  Then we can we see ourselves as worth God's time and in need of His Salvation.  Try to look at things a little different.  You might surprise yourself.

God's Call

God has sent out a Broadcast to the world.  He is calling out to everyone.  Rich or Poor, Young or Old, Big or Small, Short or Tall, Good or Bad, Every Race, Creed, Color or Gender.  

Will you Answer the Call?

Church vs. State

Just before I left High School I found a need for a Bible Study.  But since you can't cross Church and State, I had to find a legal way to have one.  I enlisted the help of the Bill Graham Society and there views on the matter and after reading over some legal papers on what was allowed and what wasn't allowed I approached a Teacher with the proposition. He suggested I have a talk with the principal and I did.  After some discussion in which I agreed that I would be the one holding the meeting and not a teacher, it was agreed that as long as it was not run by a teacher it was okay.

I had to jump through hoops to make a Bible Study during lunch hour a reality.  Just because Church and State regulations.  I didn't see the reason behind it then and I still don't see the reason behind it now.  I am a professing Christian, a Follower of Jesus, a Disciple, and an Apostle.  I am currently being mentored to be a Pastor.  I don't see why there needs to be such a divide between what can and can not be done in Schools when it comes to religious freedom.  Nowadays it is only right and acceptable for teachers to discuss all different forms of religion in public schools when those topics arise.  If the teacher is even allowed to discuss the topic of religion.

It isn't that we have taken God out of the Schools or that we have prevented Him from being involved in the Public school system, it's that we mentally block all that God is from being present.  God is not someone you can keep out of a location.  You can ignore God, but He is still there.  God was there in China and in Connecticut and He felt the pain, He felt the agony of what the victims and the attackers.  He witnessed it and was hurt by the outcome.  Someone may ask, "Why didn't God stop it?"  I would ask "Do you stop everything little thing from happening to your child each and every day?"  No of course not.

God has given us free will.  We make choices each and every day.  Some of them bad and some of them good.  I don't claim to know the mind of God, but as a parent I know what I can and can't do for my child.  I can't shield him from everything.  I can't stop him from being hurt or from hurting others.  It happens and I can't protect him from every little thing.  What I can do it try to train him for what is right and wrong and direct his way so that when he grows up it he will continue to do what is right.

I believe God has given us that same option and responsibility.  We are allowed to make mistakes and we for the most part know what is right and wrong.  We also know what is the way to live that is right and we know where to find the instruction manual, (The Bible).  God is right there beside us each and every day, whether we like it or not and whether we believe in Him or not.  You can refuse to believe in God and you can believe in something like evolution, which takes more faith than believing in a God who created everything and loves us and wants the best for us.

We never kicked God out of schools, we just started ignoring Him.

Every Act Is Significant

I want to share something with you.  The few that read my blog.  And any others that happen by.  I get a newsletter about once a week from My Jewish Learning and sometimes it is very deep and interesting.  This was one of those times.  Here is a link to the actual newsletter.  It is called the weekly Torah and they talk about different things in regards to what Judaism and Christianity are like different and what people should do according to GOD's word.

This weeks' title was "Every Act Is Significant" and when I read it I thought that really is something that people should know about.  You can read the article yourself it is not very long, but I am going to tell you what I got out of it.

The littlest act that we do all the way up to the greatest acts we can do all count.  It does not matter if you are giving someone a hand up that has fallen or giving a million dollars to help the Red Cross.  It does not matter if you keep a bird safe or help someone with a flat tire or stop to help at an accident or grab someone from falling onto the tracks.  It all matters.  It all is important.  For the last year my wife and I have been learning something about that in a different area.  We have been learning that everything that happens from getting hurt physically to getting hurt emotionally, from having a good day to having a stinky day, it all matters and it all has equal importance.

Do you see where we as a culture and as a world are missing the boat.  We think that the person who gave away a million dollars is more important or what they did was more important than those saving sea lions.  We take the person or the act and we label them important more so than the every day people who are driving safe and preparing vitamins or medicine for others.

We need to know that every little thing we do is equally important and everything that happens to us is equally important.  I think we can live better lives if we move in that direction.

Truths and Change

I had some interesting truths splash my way yesterday.  Try these on for size:

GOD wants us to want things!

GOD wants us to be happy!

Now in the case of the first one.  It is not like wanting a new car or a new hair style or a trophy or an apple fritter.  It is in wanting things for ourselves.  Like a career we have been interested in.  Or getting a place of your own.  Wanting the best for your child, your spouse or yourself.  And like eating right, brushing your teeth and taking your vitamins.  You know what I mean.  Not the wants in life that everyone strives for mindlessly because we think that it is what we are supposed to want, like more money, a new computer, or to be famous.  But wanting things for yourself that would bring a sense of accomplishment to your life.  Like wanting a child, a dog, a place of your own, or a job helping others or that dream job.

Many people go through life doing what others want them to do or what they think others expect from them.  Like being perfect and not wanting anything.  We need to encourage others to grab life and their dreams and not let go until all their avenues of trying are used up.  We need to encourage others to want to change and grow and be come their own person.  No one should be living life like others want them to live it, they should be living their own life.  They need to find their "one thing" in life that makes them happy.  If it means flying an airplane, fixing computers, helping others, learning about GOD, being a friend, encouraging others, being a secretary, police person, firefighter, nurse, teacher, driver, etc.  What is it that makes you Happy?

That brings me to the second truth, which has an joint statement:  Not only does GOD want us to be content, but he also wants us to be happy.  You can not stress it enough and some people have stressed it too much.  At least the part about being content.  But that only means to be content in situations that you can not change.  It does not mean being content to be a door mat or to be something or someone that has no aspirations.  I never really got it like I did yesterday.  GOD wants us to be happy, not just content.  We can be content with out meal sometimes, we can be content with the weather or the time of day or sometimes the situations we are in, like waiting in line or following a slow driver down a narrow road.  Look at the Serenity Prayer in its fullness:


God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.


Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Look at just a few of the main points, "courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference."  Also this section at the end, "That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next."  Change things that we can and the courage that we need to accomplish that task.  Why not change what we can?  Why do we have to accept everything that happens and just let it be?  Why not change the things we can and know the difference between those things that we can change and those things we need to be content with.  So many people think that just because things are the way they are that they need to accept it and just stuff it down and be content with it.  Instead of changing the things that they can change.  I know because I have been there myself.  There were things in my life that I allowed to be just the way they were for too long and some of those things I am changing.

So can you grasp these two truths: GOD wants us to be Happy and to Want things for our lives.

So what are you holding back on because you think you can't have it?  What can you aspire to that would make you happy?  What can you change in life that you just need a little more courage to change?  What do you want to become?  What area of your life have you thought that you needed to leave alone because it would "rock the boat" or be different and others might not have thought you capable of doing?  Remember this "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."  - Dr. Seuss

Strolling on the Water

I went strolling on water recently.  Actually I am trying to walk on water every day.  I relate water to the Word of God, the Bible.  Each and every day I am trying to read the Bible.  I feel that doing that is like taking a walk on water.

Have you ever noticed how everyone likes water.  I mean we use it for so many things.  We cook with it.  Everyone of our drinks has water in it.  We swim in it, sail and boat on it.  We drink it and play with it.  We enjoy looking at it.  It waters our gardens and it is the key source of life for just about everything on this planet.  Without water we would be a desert like mars or mercury.  Although we can not completely rule out the lack of water on those two planets or anywhere else.  Which is why we are constantly searching for more water, for more signs of life.

The Word of God is like water.  We need it so survive.  Other people think they don't, but they are dying of thirst and wonder why they don't live a life that they can fully enjoy.  One where they are not feeling like they are missing something.  I know what that feels like sometimes.  Sometimes even when I spend time in God's Word, I feel like I am missing something.  That there is more than what I am doing, but I don't know how to get there.  I don't even know exactly what it is.

And still I try to walk on water when I can.  Read the Bible that is.  Some days I stroll on the water and some days I sit.  Some days I watch the water and some days I just walk away.  I am a work in progress and am never perfect.  I criticize too much and do not give enough humility, grace or mercy.  I can grumble about traffic in a heart beat and about the weather or working situations or you name it.  I am my own worst enemy.  Now if I can Stroll in the Word of God more often and get the 2x4 out of my eye with out criticizing others maybe I can show more humility, grace and mercy and stop grumbling about whatever.  I need to show more compassion to those around me, even those in the vehicle in front of me and work on my lack of patience.

Try walking on water.  It is not as easy as it sounds.  Sometimes you just get stuck in the mud and sometimes you are just floating.  No matter what, it is always a challenge.

Time With God

How I feel on a Day
 without the Word of God.

I have learned that the more time I spend with God the more I want it when I don't spend time with Him.  I have also found out that when I spend time with God two things happen.  One is life seems so much more peaceful and smooth and comfortable to work through.  The other thing is that Satan tries to wreck life more and get things to be more a chore than they could be, adds stress and worry and tries to generally be a real pain in life.

So I know things are going well when he rears his evil head and tries to mess things up and add stress and worry.  I also know that I enjoy reading the Bible on a daily basis and listening to what God has to say through His Word.  I try to read the Bible each day and if it speaks to me, great.  When I just read it I am blessed not matter what the Word says.  Time with God is the most important thing to living life.

Strong Foundations

Foundations are very important.  They are important in relationships and in buildings and in everything we do.  In life and in work, in learning and in growing, in striving and in changing, in loving and in teaching, if we do not have a firm foundation to work with then we have an unsure place to put our feet.  It makes for a very unstable place to work from.  The bible speaks on this very topic.  Think about what Jesus had to say on the theme.  He talked about just following His teachings and being set on a firm foundation.

Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)
²⁴ “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
²⁵ Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.
²⁶ But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.
²⁷ When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

How easy it is for many people in this world to tout that the thing to do is this, or the thing to do is that, or something else entirely.  We are constantly bombarded by all the things we should or should not do according to one person or another.  Why do people have to come up with the newest and greatest way to live and act?  Why not just follow and live by what Jesus taught, by what the Bible teaches all through out its writings.  Think about what it means to be built or to build on a solid foundation.  It means that we, in the Christian sense, are hearers, doers and followers of the Word.  The inspired creation of God.  All we are asked to to is hear, do and follow or act.  Be obedient to the Word and be a practicing follower of the Word.  The Bible sums up everything we need to know, everything we need to live and yet we try so hard to dissect it and rehash it into something else and to make up our own ideas about what we should be doing.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (NLT)
¹⁰ Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
 
Our business is not to build quickly, but to build upon a right foundation, and in a right spirit. Life is more than a mere competition as between man and man; it is not who can be done first, but who can work best; it is not who can rise highest in the shortest time, but who is working most patiently and lovingly in accordance with the designs of God.

—Joseph Parker

Not only do I not want to build on sinking sand, but I want a strong foundation to grow from.  I am starting to study the Bible more and to implant its words in my heart and mind.  So I can carry them with me.  I am going to try and listen to what the Bible has to say and apply it to my life.  We are put on this earth for a short time.  Maximum life span around 120 years, if you are blessed to live so long.  We are put here to learn how to live with each other and to grow in such a way as to be an example to those around us and our children.  I want to grow slowly and deliberately.  I want to build my foundation slowly and carefully.  I have started with Psalm 119 and have memorized the first stanza (8 verses).  I am taking a stand in my life and striving to grow and change and be what God wants me to be.  And that means listening, learning, following and doing.  So each day is a new start for me.  Each day is a new step for me.  Each day brings me one day closer to God and one day closer to being what God wants me to be.

All I am doing is living and learning and doing.  I am doing the best I can with what I have.  I am learning each day how to be and live and do.  I am living each day as it comes.  Just doing what I can with what I have.  Not anything more than that.  Taking the Bible with me and doing what I can to make the most of what it has to offer.  I am far from perfect, but I am just doing what I can with what I have and being who I am and allowing God to work in me.  That is all we are expected to do, follow God and allow Him to work in our lives.  So that is what I am doing.  That is all I need to do.  Stay uncomplicated and build on the strongest foundation in the world - Jesus Christ.

My Salvation . . . The Eyes of Jesus

Salvation in the Christian Faith is based upon the trust in the truth of the Cross and the Resurrection. I trust that what the Bible says about the Cross and the Resurrection, coupled with my faith is the truth about my salvation. Jesus sacrificed Himself for me and for everyone in an act that is once for all time.

We have that truth. I trust that truth. Jesus is my cornerstone, my rock, my firm foundation. Upon which I will build my house. My house being my life, my journey through life, my understanding of things around me and of things visible and invisible.

I want to share that first.  So that you may understand where I am coming from a little better.  Jesus ate with sinners and talked with everyone.

We as Christians have been developing an attitude toward others. We figure that if you call yourself a Christian and you swear, drink, smoke, than you are not really a Christian. But Jesus taught us that Christians come in all shapes, sizes and attitudes. We are really using our gift/curse of judging others, based on what we see and not on what God sees.

I am guilty of that and am trying to change that attitude in me. I am trying to be less judgmental and more understanding. I want there to be less of me and more of Jesus.

I want the Eyes and Mind of Jesus, so that I can see what GOD sees, not what I see.

Living By The Spirit's Power or Doing What's Right

The Lent Reading for today came from Galatians 5:16-26.  It talked about how we can let the Holy Spirit guide our actions and how we can learn to listen to GOD and HIS voice.  That way we can do the right things the things of GOD instead of the things of the world.  Everyone wants to follow their own way and do what they want to do.  It is none other than what we call human nature.  But do you know what GOD's nature is? HIS nature is written there clear as day in verses 22-23.
Let me quote: "  ²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) "  That is pretty clear to me.  If we listen to GOD and follow HIS word and obey what HE directs us to instead of listening to our selves and take the time to distinguish the two voices and follow after GOD's then we are Alive in the Spirit of GOD.

Being in the Spirit means doing what is right and that has many implications.  I know that there are times in my life alone that I don't always want to do what is right.  I can fall down and not want to get up.  Or choose to do what I want despite knowing that what I want to do is wrong.  I am far from prefect, yet I keep trying to do what is right each and every day.  I go to work, I try to be polite and patient with people.  I try to get my work done and do the best I can.  But I do not always feel like doing that.  Sometimes it is a bit of struggle.  Sometimes I have to take a walk just to keep my patience.  We should all try to do what is right for GOD, for ourselves and for others.

It's a basic principal that goes back to Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, being your Brother's Keeper.  And Rich Mullins put it well in his song with the same title.  To do what is right is to look after your brother and your sister, your neighbors.  Jesus said it well when he requoted the first two of the Ten Commandments.  Love the LORD your GOD and Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.

I understand that some people have a hard time loving themselves, let alone others.  And still others can love their neighbor and not love themselves.  The world is made up of all types of people and it is not and easy job to love others and sometimes it is not an easy job to love yourself.  GOD's Holy Spirit is there to help us listen to HIS voice so we can do what is right.  So we can love ourselves and our neighbors.  We have the gift of HIS Spirit to do what is right if we can only find time to listen.

So here I am still trying to listen and do the right things.  Even if I sometimes fall down and have to pick myself up and try again.  I am a Work In Progress and GOD is still working on me.  Try to do what is right and listen to GOD.  GOD has all the answers.