I listen and hear alot of conversation about love. Sometimes I am not certain how the word love is being defined or used. However, I know one thing and that is Love is the most important thing.
The love that Christ and his disciples speak about is agape love. Agape love is an unconditional love that God has for us and we have for Him.
We sometimes think of love as emotional or physical, more of an erotic love, butg the love that God has for his children is more of a love that a father has for his child.
I don't know the exact number of times Christ or his disciples used the word love but I can say that you might be able to find it in most of the 66 books of the Bible.
Biblical love has God as its object, true motivator, and source. Love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and is not directed toward the world or the things of the world (the lust of the eyes or flesh or the pride of life).
The ultimate example of God's love is the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, "I give you a new commandment: that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another." (John 13:34)
One of the things that becomes clearer to me as I study the word of God is that if we were able to save ourselves from sin and obey the 10 commandments, God wouldn't have had to send his son, Jesus, to die for our sins.
The Bible tells us in Romans 12:9 that "Love must be sincere. We must hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."
It goes on to say,"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves h is fellowman has fulfilled the law." (romans 13:8)
Verse 9 in the same chapter states that all the commandments are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Most of us have learned how to pretend to love others, but sincere loves requires concentration and effort, it means helping others become better people. It demands our time, money, and personal involvement. So we should look for people who need our love, and look for ways we and other fellow believers can love the body or community of Christ.
Why is love for others called a debt? We are permanently indebted to Christ for the love he poured out on us when He died on the cross for our sins. The only way we can even begin tor epay this debt is by loving others in turn. Christ's love will always be infinitely greater than ours; we will always have the obligation to love our neighbors.
When we love our neighbor as ourselves, we make sure that others are fed, clothed, and housed as well as we are. Loving others as ourselves means to be actively working to see that their needs are met. The reason the Apostle Paul said that all the commandments could be summed up into one is because when you love, you don't want to hurt others or see others suffer.
You won't turn your head and pretend that the people around you and your neighborhoods don't exist. You will want for others the same as you have for yourselves.
Thought for Today: Love is the most important thing. If you love God than you will love your neighbor.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Love, The Most Important Thing
I listen and hear alot of conversation about love. Sometimes I am not certain
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Why Should You Go to Church?
I don't think anything is more important to me than "going to church." Many people give excuses why they don't go to church or don't want to go to church.
You certainly can't force anyone to attend church. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Why should you "go to church?" Why can't you just do devotions on your own?
Good questions. It is true God values personal devotions. In fact, He even commands us to "pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
"Going to church" is more than personal devotions. For Christians, "going to church" is the gathering together of a family, your spiritual family. It is as the Apostle Paul described it, uniting the members of one body, the body of Christ. (Romans 12:4:5)
God is more concern that those who are a part of His body be united as one. It is very similar to a marriage. Our marriage to the one, true God. It shows our connection to Him. We belong to Him. He created us to be with Him.
Every Christian is a member of the body of Christ, and every member has unique talents and insights. Sharing these gifts with each other as a unified body strengthens us in our common task of glorying God. You will experience four areas:
1. Fellowship. Regular attendance allows a Christian to become part of a church family---a community of brothers and sisters who share true concern for one another. "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." (1 Corinthians 12:26)
2. Corporate Worship. Jesus promised that "where there are two or three gathered together in His name, there He would be also. (Matthew 18:20) God is gloried when Christians speak of His greatness with each other, and He is pleased to be in our midst.
3. Personal Growth. Meeting regularly with other Christians is an opportunity to be encouraged in your daily walk with Christ, to receive godly advice in areas of difficulty in your life, and to be challenged by the example of more mature Christians. God commands us to "consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together..." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
4. Ministry. The Apostle Paul tells us that God gave "pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-12) Attending church allows us to receive the instruction of trained pastors and teachers, helping us to minister both to the world and within the Church.
Church is not just a building where you go to worship God. We, the people of God, are the Church. Since we each have unique gifts that God gave us and we all make up the body of Christ, it is essential that we share our gifts with one another in order to build up the body of Christ, and His Church.
I am very privilege to attend a loving and caring Church, where my Pastor and the leaders, are very devoted to building up the body of Christ and teaching us the Word of God. It makes my week complete, knowing that I will see my spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ each Sunday. They have been a blessing to me and my family. I thank God for them daily. It is my prayer that everyone should be blessed with a Church family and study the Word of God.
Thought for Today: "Going to Church" is God's personal desire for every person He has created in order to connect with Him and the body of Christ.
You certainly can't force anyone to attend church. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Why should you "go to church?" Why can't you just do devotions on your own?
Good questions. It is true God values personal devotions. In fact, He even commands us to "pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
"Going to church" is more than personal devotions. For Christians, "going to church" is the gathering together of a family, your spiritual family. It is as the Apostle Paul described it, uniting the members of one body, the body of Christ. (Romans 12:4:5)
God is more concern that those who are a part of His body be united as one. It is very similar to a marriage. Our marriage to the one, true God. It shows our connection to Him. We belong to Him. He created us to be with Him.
Every Christian is a member of the body of Christ, and every member has unique talents and insights. Sharing these gifts with each other as a unified body strengthens us in our common task of glorying God. You will experience four areas:
1. Fellowship. Regular attendance allows a Christian to become part of a church family---a community of brothers and sisters who share true concern for one another. "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." (1 Corinthians 12:26)
2. Corporate Worship. Jesus promised that "where there are two or three gathered together in His name, there He would be also. (Matthew 18:20) God is gloried when Christians speak of His greatness with each other, and He is pleased to be in our midst.
3. Personal Growth. Meeting regularly with other Christians is an opportunity to be encouraged in your daily walk with Christ, to receive godly advice in areas of difficulty in your life, and to be challenged by the example of more mature Christians. God commands us to "consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together..." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
4. Ministry. The Apostle Paul tells us that God gave "pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-12) Attending church allows us to receive the instruction of trained pastors and teachers, helping us to minister both to the world and within the Church.
Church is not just a building where you go to worship God. We, the people of God, are the Church. Since we each have unique gifts that God gave us and we all make up the body of Christ, it is essential that we share our gifts with one another in order to build up the body of Christ, and His Church.
I am very privilege to attend a loving and caring Church, where my Pastor and the leaders, are very devoted to building up the body of Christ and teaching us the Word of God. It makes my week complete, knowing that I will see my spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ each Sunday. They have been a blessing to me and my family. I thank God for them daily. It is my prayer that everyone should be blessed with a Church family and study the Word of God.
Thought for Today: "Going to Church" is God's personal desire for every person He has created in order to connect with Him and the body of Christ.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Rivers of Life
Interesting reading which I am taking from a devotional entitled, "My Utmost for His Highest." This is not an easy book to digest, but one that has great significance in our spiritual growth. The author, Oswald Chambers, writings have been compiled in this devotional. A book to keep close by for daily reading.
In the book of John 7:38, it reads, "He who believes in Me...out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
A river reaches places which its source never knows. And Jesus said that, if we have received His fullness, "rivers of living water," will flow out of us, reaching in blessing even "to the end of the earth" regardless of how small the visible effects of our lives may appear to be.
We have nothing to do with the outflow, as this is the work of God, that you believe.
A river is victoriously persistent, overcoming all barriers. For a while it goes steadily on its course, but then comes to an obstacle. And for a while it is blocked, yet it soon makes a pathway around the obstacle.
Do you ever see God using the lives of others, but an obstacle has come into your life and you do not seem to be of any use to God?
Then keep paying attention to the Source, and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it.
The river of the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles. Never focus your eyes on the obstacle or the difficulty.
The obstacle will be a matter of total indifference to the river that will flow steadily through you if you will simply remember to stay focused on the Source.
Never allow anything to come between you and Jesus Christ, not emotion nor experience, nothing must keep you from the one great sovereign Source.
God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds, and every point He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of the river that He will flow through us.
We are to be fountains through which Jesus can flow as "rivers of living water" in blessing to everyone. Yet some of us are like the Dead Sea, always receiving but never giving, because our relationship is not right with the Lord Jesus.
As surely as we receive blessings from Him, He will pour out blessings through us. We are blessed to be a blessing. God looks at our heart.
Thought for Today: If you believe in Jesus, you will find that God has developed and nourished in you mighty, rushing rivers of blessing for others.
In the book of John 7:38, it reads, "He who believes in Me...out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
A river reaches places which its source never knows. And Jesus said that, if we have received His fullness, "rivers of living water," will flow out of us, reaching in blessing even "to the end of the earth" regardless of how small the visible effects of our lives may appear to be.
We have nothing to do with the outflow, as this is the work of God, that you believe.
A river is victoriously persistent, overcoming all barriers. For a while it goes steadily on its course, but then comes to an obstacle. And for a while it is blocked, yet it soon makes a pathway around the obstacle.
Do you ever see God using the lives of others, but an obstacle has come into your life and you do not seem to be of any use to God?
Then keep paying attention to the Source, and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it.
The river of the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles. Never focus your eyes on the obstacle or the difficulty.
The obstacle will be a matter of total indifference to the river that will flow steadily through you if you will simply remember to stay focused on the Source.
Never allow anything to come between you and Jesus Christ, not emotion nor experience, nothing must keep you from the one great sovereign Source.
God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds, and every point He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of the river that He will flow through us.
We are to be fountains through which Jesus can flow as "rivers of living water" in blessing to everyone. Yet some of us are like the Dead Sea, always receiving but never giving, because our relationship is not right with the Lord Jesus.
As surely as we receive blessings from Him, He will pour out blessings through us. We are blessed to be a blessing. God looks at our heart.
Thought for Today: If you believe in Jesus, you will find that God has developed and nourished in you mighty, rushing rivers of blessing for others.
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