Who is Jesus? (part 5)

Jesus became like the average Joe to all of us. (Isaiah 53) God sent Him down with the purpose of demonstrating to us was sin does to the average Joe. It hurls insults at us, pierces us, makes us feel like nobodies, finally kills us (Ps 69:29; Isaiah 53:4,10, Exodus 1:10). Only in Christ is life worth living. Because where sin breaks down, love builds up. And God is love. (1 John 4:8) And through His death we are given life because we believe in God as the Creator and Jesus as Lord. And while we are still in human form and we still sin, Jesus intercedes for is and shines like a beacon so that we can follow the right path but also that we ourselves can be beacons. (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25) And the beauty of this is that Jesus, which by the way is an average name, was just an average person. He was not born into an earthly royal family, He was not beautiful, no one could pick Him out in a crowd. And all of that was to show us that we can indeed do it. That takes strength and faith and courage but we too can die to our sins and we can rise above our indiscretions and our sins and we can be like Him. God does say “My grace is sufficient” and that is to humble us, to make us realize that nothing we can do will get us to heaven. Only our belief that Jesus is the Savior.

Who is Jesus? (part 4)

Jesus was and is all about love. His explanation in John 14:21 foreshadows John's recognition of Him in John 21. Jesus said “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." And what was Jesus' command but to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and body and love each other as we love ourselves. And He was willing to call them to the carpet for wanting to keep Him from dying on the cross. Only when He died would He be able to go to His Father. (John 21:28)

Who is Jesus? (part 3)

Not only did He send His Son, but He also announced characteristics of His Son and what others' reactions would be to Him. Psalm 38:11 in particular talks about the rejection of the Savior. And people recognized Him as coming in God's Name, as when people laid palm leaves at his feet and shouted, “Hosannah!” (John 12:13). And He loved people or else He truly would not have died for them. And He loved His apostles always, and cared for them teaching them how to survive as one of His lambs in this world of wolves. (John 13:1) and those He loved and found favor with reclined beside Him at the last supper, which was an honorable place to be. (John 13:23) And there were those who loved Him but still didn't know exactly who He was. When He had risen they thought His physical body was stolen. (John 20:2) Finally His own apostles recognized Him after He had risen but it took remembrance of things He had previously done and recognition that He was repeating those acts. (John 21:7). Peter in particular was not afraid to ask and converse with Jesus about His plans. (John 21:20). 

Who is Jesus? (part 2)

Not only did He send His Son, but He also announced characteristics of His Son and what others' reactions would be to Him. Psalm 38:11 in particular talks about the rejection of the Savior. And people recognized Him as coming in God's Name, as when people laid palm leaves at his feet and shouted, “Hosannah!” (John 12:13). And He loved people or else He truly would not have died for them. And He loved His apostles always, and cared for them teaching them how to survive as one of His lambs in this world of wolves. (John 13:1) and those He loved and found favor with reclined beside Him at the last supper, which was an honorable place to be. (John 13:23) And there were those who loved Him but still didn't know exactly who He was. When He had risen they thought His physical body was stolen. (John 20:2) Finally His own apostles recognized Him after He had risen but it took remembrance of things He had previously done and recognition that He was repeating those acts. (John 21:7). Peter in particular was not afraid to ask and converse with Jesus about His plans. (John 21:20). 

Who is Jesus (part 1)

And God loved us so much that He sent His Son (John 3:16) to us. Not only that but He even told us where Jesus would be born. (Luke 7:42). He was in human form only a little while (John 16:17) but He is still with us, because His Spirit is with us, like a plant growing from a seed cannot stay in that seedpod for ever but to produce the flower it must fall out from the dead pod and assume it's shape of a plant. 

When I am out of synch (part 24)

When the Shepherd was stricken, do we flee like sheep? (Zechariah 13:7) We may like Peter say we will never leave but because of our free will and because we all think we know more than God we all leave. And He still forgives us.

When I am out of Synch (part 23)

 When I am chopped down because of my sin and stubbornness, God will form new shoots within me.(Job 14L7). I am given rest because of His tender shoot, the root of Jesse. (Isaiah11:10) And I will eventually be raised to glory by being pruned and by believing in Him. (Isaiah 4:2)

When I am out of synch (Part 23)

Since not everyone listens to what God says, (Romans 10:16) it is hard for teachers and leaders to train me properly if I am not receptive and hence I am out of synch in learning. In fact I mar the greatest teacher of all. (Isaiah52:14).

When I am out of synch (part 22)

The absence of good is not evil, but sin. The absence of righteousness, that is evil. When we sin or rather when we choose to live in sin and become evil, we choose to make ourselves enemies of God. We have chosen alienation from Him (Colossians 1:20) When we look at the mess we've made of what God gave us, no matter big or small, and admit what we've done and say we are sorry, that's when Christ offers us the opportunity to come to Him. Only in Him is their reconciliation. (Romans 5:11) And it doesn't matter what or who we are, If we accept that He is our Lord, then we can have that life in Him (Romans 11:15) And once we accept Him, we are reconciled to Him and He no longer counts our sins against us. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) We are brought to Him, because we have made peace. God nailed our transgressions to the Cross. (Colossians 1:20) And by His death, burial and resurrection we become unified once again with God. (Colossians 1:22, 1 Corinthians 5:10)

When I am out of synch (Part 21)

• When I forget God, and good things happen, God tells me don't be a happy camper because I rejected Him. (Hosea 9:1) It's not about prosperity. It's not about success. It's all about my love for God because He first loved me and whether or not I recognize that. You see, I was loved by Him and He chose me. And it was as in Hosea 9:10, “like grapes in the wilderness”. He saw fruit growing in me. But then I hurt Him by making other things my idol. I am amazed because on so many levels He called His son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1). He called the Isrealites during the Exodus out of Egypt. He brought Jesus out of Egypt. And when I am in a land that doesn't respect me but wants to us me then He calls me. He always initiates, He gives me the chance. But so often I still forget I have His love because I have chosen Him. (Malachi 1:2).I forget Him and hence become detestable to Him. (Malachi 2:11). Never as harmful as when I forget His forgiveness. When I don't forgive, I won't be forgiven. (Luke 7:47)

When I am out of synch (part 20)

• Is it a sin to complain?Is it a sin to discourage or to look into the dark cloud rather than to see the silver lining? What happens when I complain about not being able to handle something? Like time management? Like task management? I;m not talking about the occasional gripe, I'm talking about an attitude that nothing is right with what the world does because they are not doing it my way. I am talking about the selfishness of doing things my way and only my way. The blessing indeed gets removed from me and given to someone who is ok with multitasking, or having time crammed where one feels as though there is indeed no rest.. (Ps 109:17) As I feel walls closing in they actually do. As I complain about a situation it becomes worse. Rather than giving it all to God, rather than relying on Him to show me the way I would rather mope and say I can't find my way. Isn't that the same as saying God is not all powerful after all? What if I choose to follow an idol such as food or time or anything that I say is more important than God? What if I choose to say God didn't create the rain or God didn't make the sun? Science did it, or the sun god did it... What then? Jeremiah 8:2 speaks of just those people who worshipped nature and who never praised God as not being buried but being left to be fed off of. Jeremiah 14:10 says that God will not look with favor on those who stray from Him when they do stray. Indeed God will show us who we really are, lover of false securities, lover of false beauty, rather than His true love. (Ezekiel 16:37)

When I am out of synch (part 19)

• What happens when I look into the eyes of someone who has not yet put Christ on? What happens when I fall in love with someone who has not accepted Christ or even repented of ways that Christ would not approve of. We all do it. We all sin and His blood covers us always but He expects repentance, not deceit and not vain speech. He desires obedience not sacrifice, because obedience is repentance, sacrifice is merely doing correction out of obligation. (Judges 16:4) Unless I repent, I will be caught up in the same sin over and over and over. And unless I repent I won;t know that what I am feeling is sinful rather than Ok, or I will justify feelings I have, like Ammon for his very own sister. (2 Samuel 13:1) Of course this only results in further sin. (2 Samuel 13:14-15),

When I am out of synch (part 18)

• A very manipulative way I see many people talk to loved ones is to say, “I don;t love you” or “you don't love me”. And I must be careful of that because God doesn't look favorably when I say that. I do think He knows when I am just trying to manipulate Him and when I really mean it. Neither situation is good. But worse than this is to act in a manner that demonstrates that I don't love Him, that is to be unkind to brethren, to lie and cheat, and to rage at them. (I Corinthians 16:22) It is the way of the world to manipulate. It is also the way of the world to be hypocritical. And this is particularly what 1 John 2:15 says to me, that I am not to love the world but to love the ways of God. Otherwise I cannot claim Him as my Father. I also see favoritism in many people, the way that Isaac and Rebekah played favorites with their children. (Gen 25:3) I don't think God approves of this either but praise God He can use this tendency in all of us to strengthen and build up His body into what truly matters, unity in the Spirit. He teaches me in His word the best way to love, and it's not manipulative and it's not playing favorites to the point of dissension in families, especially the family of God.

When I am out of synch (part 17)

• How seriously do I take God? Do I think life will be rosy in Him or do I have the realistic view enough to realize there are thorns on the rose bushes? Do I expect everyone just to accept the message, fall to their knees and worship? Or more importantly, am I willing to hear and accept God's message through His word and His people, or do I reject the Son's words? (John 15:21) How well do I know the Son and how far am I willing to go? Do I reject Him in my actions and tell Him I love Him. Or are my feelings hurt when others reject Him?

When I am out of Synch... (part 17)

• How can I get back into synch? By following God's word in Deuteronomy and in Mark 12:30 to love Him with everything I've got and to love others as we love ourselves. (Mark 12:31). And to not be like the Pharisees in their love of carnal items. (Mark 12:38), I will get back into synch by following His commands and then I will feel His love. (John 14:21,23) And His command is to love Him and one another. (John 15:12,19) But I would rather love all the harmful words and believe the negativity in others.(Psalm 52:4). And He is so willing to reinstate me into His heart. And does so gently, much as Jesus did with Peter in John 21:15 when all He was to direct one question to Peter, “Do You love me?” And He asks me that same question. Oh how I love Him!And He warns me as He does Proverbs 7:18 of those who would try to entice us to do the wrong thing. But He loves me enough to put Himself in front of my eyes if I am unwilling to open my eyes. And He tells me to shout it out, what I have done, shout it and repent for what I thought was good for me and who I thought liked me God has taken to task. (Jeremiah 22:20)

When I am out of synch (part 16)

• And God knows my hypocrisy. As many times as there have been people that make fun of me because I have always loved learning and as many times as people make fun of me for me, I have done that as well and pray God forgives me. (Proverba 1:22) And worse still I may not even acknowledge what I am doing is so bad or I may say “Yeah I know it's a sin, so what?” And that displeases God, (Micah 3:2) I have done that before and even gone so far as to say God wouldn't mind or care. What a lie? What hypocrasy? And He reigns me in by reminding me he loves me enough to show me what being good is: walking humbly, acting mercifully, and loving justice. (Micah 6:8) And He also reigns me in by reminding me that there are many idols in my life and that I have to make a choice whether to put HIM first or TV, food, drugs,sex, or money first. (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13). And He also warns me as Jesus warned the Pharisees. (Luke 11:43) He even asks me to think what I am doing by sinning and then coming back expecting not to have to repent or say I sinned. (Jeremiah 3:1) He even tells me that whatever or whoever I keep company with truly despises me. (Jeremiah 4:30) And although this is not always the case, when I am out of synch I am alone to deal with issues, as my allies leave me and God spanks me. (Jeremiah 30:14; lamentations 1:19) And then I weep. (Lamentations 1:2). And so I start looking for love in all the wrong places. (Ezekiel 16:33). And the LORD will not let this go unpunished. (Ezekiel 16:36). Not because He is mean but because He is What Father wouldn't want His children to be like Him!And He promises everything we want will be dried up because of our refusal to repent and stop following idols. (Hosea 2:12) And why? Because when we have gone so deep not to even see the God we once saw or maybe thought we saw, we have left Him and decided that's what we want for our life not living for Him. (Hosea 8:9) He knows at that point we would rather be in the midst of our idols, calling them our lovers, calling us their lovers (2 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 3:4)

When I am out of synch (part 15)

God knows when I am gone far or even just a little away from His heart. He warns me that I am at that juncture torn from Him (like the cloth on a Jewish Rabbi's clothing) (1Kings 11:8). He tells me in Isaiah 38:17 that I like Isreal have cast Him away from me, that even though He proclaims His love for me, I have chosen not to return it. And that happens whether I am directly in the darkness of sin or feeling my self-righteous oats on those who are struggling with whatever sins they have. (1 Cor 4:21) And in His mercy He warns me that I have left Him, my first love, and that in His eyes is wrong. (Rev 2:4) And what I do is to repay Him with thinking and saying he doesn't really love me, as Samson's wife scolded Samson in Judges 14:16. And then I love the wrong people. (2 Samuel 19:6, Psalm 52:3) And He knows I will run after the wrong things. (Hosea 2:7)

When I am out of Synch (part 14)

• But it is not just when I sin that I am humiliated, but when I am actually doing the right thing for the wrong reason. Which some may say that this is still sinning, even though it's not overtly so. So many times I go through the motions of church, of hugs to my brethren, of doing my job, but then in traffic I am rude, my attitude is a turned-on-turned-off attitude and I do the multiple personality number that I so very often accuse my mother of doing. And the problem with that is, mom doesn't really know any better and I do. When I do what I know in my deepest soul that I shouldn't do but am just going through the motions and become hypocritical, I have lost my first love. (Rev 2:21) I see the Pharisees and how Jesus told them they were doing the right things for the wrong reasons, for example in Luke 11:42. And in that statement I see me being called out by Jesus as being the same way. Hypocritical, judgmental, and self-seeking, I see Jesus saying “ButI know you and the love of God, that you have not the love of God in you” (John 5:2). Again hypocrisy in my life. And it makes me finally fall on my knees head bowed so that the love of God will endow me with His Spirit once again. Because it is at that moment I realize I have lost my first love. And I want it back.

When I am out of synch (part 13)

Ah I do love God, and the lessons he brings and the heart He has for all of us. When I am aching and humbled from sinning and being humiliated in that sin, and decide that God is truly the wisest being anywhere, I love Him so much because He gives me chances, such as in 1 John 2:15, God through John telling me not to be so caught up in the spectacle of human existence nor wealth nor power or else God's love cannot be in us. I have filled my heart with the love of things and not the love of God. And I praise Him He gives me the opportunity to make that choice. And to make repentance from that choice and accept the consequences.

When I am out of Synch (part 12)

When I become entrenched in money woes which is easy to do in our present economy, I am divided in faith as Paul speaks of in 1 Timothy 6:10,11.. I have essentially chosen to love something above God. And once again my choices are not fruitful nor are they spiritually based. And I learn what fear is, separation from God. I find I have to reign myself in, look to Jesus and pray. Because as Paul again writes to Timothy, fear was not given to us by God, but a sound mind, power, and love are. (2 Timothy 1:7)

When I am out of synch (part 11)

I am amazed how there are times in my life even now that I limit my love. Not just in the community but in the church as well. And when that happens, when I limit who I love, instead of shining God's love to everyone, God is extremely displeased with me.And I am living a falsehood rather than loving His truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:10) Rather than living in His grace, that His love would abound I choose to love the way I want to love. (1 Tim 1:14). So many people in the world are like that, so many people who have been hurt, who don't know where to turn, choose the easiest way to shut out loving everyone and just cafeteria-style pick who they want to love. This is not God's way. This is the way of the world. But His church is told to live differently. Father forgive me for I know not what I do!!!!When

When I am am out of synch (Part 10)

Love gone awry is one of the saddest, most horrible ways of going out of synch. When someone tells you that he or she stopped loving you. It is the most agonizing of times and poignant of times. It was that way when Ammon told his sister to go away because he hated her for not committing incest with him. (2 Sam 13:15) It's that way when we want to sin and tell God to leave because He won't abide with our sin. How sad!And when sin overtakes me, there is no room for love in my heart. And I feel out of sorts with everything. (Matthew 24:12) But love came to show us the way, the ultimate expression of love. (John 15:13) and it is the true way and the only way the world knows us by relationship in love and with love for one another. (John 13:35) It is Jesus' hope and prayer in John 17:26 that we become like God, we become like Jesus and we become the incarnation of love. And with that, nothing can separate us from His love, because it would be separating ourselves from ourselves. (Romans 8:35)

When I am out of synch (part 9)

We have been given the opportunity to know God and His Son and believe that He is in complete control and to live accordingly. And the sad thing is that many don't accept Him, and walk to His light. (John 3:19) Many would rather fret in darkness. Many would rather see the negative side of things. In Jesus we have the opportunity and choice to see the hope that is in Him rather than grumble as many Christians do about something so silly as the outcome of ball games or even political events, Whether or not we chose to live in His hope is dependent upon our reliance on Him.

When I am out of synch (part 8)

 When I do things out of fear of what someone may do to me, when I fear someone more than I do God then I have gone completely out of synch and have made that person an idol. (2 Kings 12:17-18)

When I am out of synch (part 7)

 I can be doing what is right and good and still be out of synch. Year after year the Jews went to Jerusalem to the festivals of dedication and yet they still didn’t understand Jesus. (John 10:22) They were solemn, said the right words, (Numbers 7:1-89, 1 Samuel 8:65, II Chronicles 7:5-10) giving the right promises and even made the second dedication in Ezra 6:16-17. And yet they didn’t realize that Jesus was dedicated by God Himself when He was baptized. (Matthew 3:13-17)

When I am out of Synch (part 7)

God doesn’t want me to go to church to be going to church. He doesn’t want my checklist of good deeds. He wants me to be humble and contrite to recognize that I would be walking down the wrong road without Him and to praise Him for that. God doesn’t want us to not chase after the vanity of immediate gratification, regardless of whether it is outright sin and going against His will or whether it is indirectly related to sin even though in and of itself is not bad. (Romans 6:13) Because whatever we pursue we are always its slave. And if we do what is outside of God’s will we will be on the path to death. If on the other hand we pursue God we are servants to His holiness. (Romans 6:16) And He calls us to return and return and return so that He can provide for us. (R0mans 6:19)

When I am out of synch (part 6)

I am exhorted by the prophet Joel, as were the whole of Israel and as the entire church is, in Joel 1:14-15 and Joel 2:16-17 to bow before Him and sanctify and purify myself in Him because He is coming and His judgment is near. I am exhorted to plead for mercy and forgiveness and to humble myself before them. And not to follow anyone else. He is King. When I choose as His daughter to place anything above Him, it saddens Him. And although He still loves me, the choice has consequences. As all our choices do.

When I am out of Synch (part 5)

On the flip side, I cannot tell you what heartache my choices cause God. Heart felt pain, since He wants to be in charge and He wants me to come to Him when I make any decision big or small. (Isaiah 43:22-24) When do I most disappoint God? When do I show Him the most disrespect? When I follow the rules, whether unwritten or written during worship time, but don’t act that way every minute of every day. When my worship may be admirable but my heart remains my own. (Ezekiel 22:8) God doesn’t want me to offer the best sacrifice in the Temple, or say the most prayers, or lead the most spiritual songs, or preach the most “repent” sermons. He wants my mercy. Actually He wants me to display His mercy in addition to show I know Him. (Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24). He wants me, my heart, my mercy, and that comes from my faith, not my works. And my faith comes from my reaching for God.

When I am out of synch (part 4)

God made me to acknowledge Him. God made me as a potter makes a pot from clay. And when I during worship look to God and say “Look at me, aren’t I talented?” or “See what I can do?” yet I have nothing really to show for it, no surrender to God, no real admitting to God that He is really the author of everything I have and can do, it’s for naught. If I show no love for others, no love for the down-trodden, no kindness to strangers…if all I have to show is external works and lip service and no internally felt love for God then I am only giving God my dross and not my repentance and honesty. And God then tells me, “Woe to you!” (Isa 29:13-16).

When I am out of Synch (part 3)

My idols really can expand into my worship. I can give up much of my time being involved in various mission work or visiting the sick or teaching classes or filling the pantry for the poor. But if I decide or give into temptation to being mean or hurling curses at drivers while I drive God looks at that as hypocrisy and sin as much as if I had robbed or murdered or committed adultery. (Isaiah 1:11-15)

When I am out of Synch (part 2)

And then again, nowhere in scripture can I see how mistreatment of people is as mistreatment of Christ than in John 8:1-11, the story of the woman caught in adultery.

The woman was obviously set up, the Pharisees knew where to find her, and where was the man. Scripture says nothing of the man that was with the woman, only that the Pharisees dragged her out and presented her to Christ. The words Christ then said are so familiar to all, “Those without sin, cast the first stone”. The Pharisees were using that woman to get to Christ, and so their sin was doubled. They wanted to hurt Christ’s reputation and popularity and they cared nothing for what happened to the woman and so they hurt her both physically and emotionally. And that happens every time I lie, cheat, or use other deceitful means for personal gain. And when I am as deceitful as Jezebel in 2 Kings 9:30-37, how Jesus and God weep! How I truly hurt them because I hurt others.

When I am out of Synch

Nothing is more evident about how I can get out of synch than the story of the Adam, Eve and the serpent. In Genesis 3:1-18, are several things in which the deceiver does to Eve and in fact that he also does to me and all other humans. First he deceives me with pleasure, of the taste of the apple, and with power, that the apple from the Tree gave the Knowledge of Good and Evil and, so Adam and Eve thought, knowledge of everything. That is in fact how he deceives me that I will be and know everything to the entire universe. But what this should show me is that while I may know, I cannot always act on that knowledge and do as I want. The knowledge has to be tempered with wisdom. Which is the second thing I am deceived in. Satan convinces me that because I know things I am wise in all things. And this simply is not so. Not if I truly compare myself to God’s wisdom and power. I don’t realize God’s strength, until I am in the midst of storms and turmoils and cannot get myself out. I don’t realize His wisdom until I admit I am a fool, as it says in I Corinthians 4:10, and become one for His sake. God has the power to through me out of paradise, give satan the boot, and lock the gate at the same time teaching me how I can get the key to open the gate at some later date. He renders me the ultimate tough love, and shows me how to grow in Him that I not do what I have done repetitively. He also brings me to a point where I have to make a decision to follow Him or know I am doing what displeases Him and do it anyway. God demonstrates what it is to be a good parent. And He puts me back in synch.  

Before the Altar

 God has always loved me and blessed me even though I was not brought up in the church because of His love for me, maybe not more than others He loves but certainly as much. He showed me tremendous love before I became a Christian, molding and making me believe that He and He alone was my guide, and after becoming and accepting Jesus, as Esther 2:17 says He calls me His princess as Esther was called queen because of tremendous favor that had come upon her with the King. I like to think of that as in the hymn, “...and exchange it some day for a crown” because I cherish Him so much. How much do I love God? Do I love Him enough to give up all my idols? (Mark 10:21) He is willing to take that chance.

THEY ALSO SERVE (when strangers knock)

I like to think of God as loving me and blessing me even though I was not brought up in the church because of His love for me, maybe not more than others He loves but certainly as much. He showed me tremendous love before I became a Christian, molding and making me believe that He and He alone was my guide, and after becoming and accepting Jesus, as Esther 2:17 says He calls me His princess as Esther was called queen because of tremendous favor that had come upon her with the King. I like to think of that as in the hymn, “...and exchange it some day for a crown” because I cherish Him so much. 

I HAVE A DREAM (blessed are the believers part 6)

It is such a wonderful and encouraging thing when one of the brethren lends a hand to another of the brethren becauce of illness or financial difficulties. I have been helped in both regards and I have helped others in similar circumstances. (1 Samuel 1:5) God bless the believers that follow in Christ's footsteps to give to believers. I also love when one of the brethren help out those who have talents by recommending their services. (1 Samuel 16:21).Then there are those of kindred spirit, who love us like we are family because we are family. (1 Samuel 18:1, 3). He gives us commandments not to despise and not that are hard but so that we love doing them. (Psalm 119:47) and look forward to serving Him. Remember John wrote in 1 John 5:3 that God's commandments are not burdensome. They are not hard or harsh. His commandments make me want to meditate on Him and His word and Spirit. (Psalm 119:48).

I HAVE A DREAM (blessed are the believers....part 5)

The description in Ecclesiastes 9:9 is so wonderful because it brings in what is ours on this earth and that it is meaningless in reality and we'd better enjoy what we have. The only meaning ful thing seems to be relationships.And the most meaningful one is ours with God. In fact, Jesus' friendship with Lazarus is described as “love” (John 11:3) and what a beautiful example of brotherly love does He give us and how we feel toward not just family, not just wives and husbands but everyone, even those not in His body. And

I HAVE A DREAM .... blessed be the believers (part 4)

How much do we love the Lord? Are we willing to separate ourselves from those that hate him? Are we willing to be a light to those who do not know Him but really would love Him more if given the chance. (2 Chronicles 19:2). Are we willing to let everyone know that if they truly love Him He will protect them? (Judges 5:31; Nehemiah 1:5) Or do we want to treat everyone not like us as enemies of God, even though the only enemies of God are those that scoff Him and don't believe He can do all things? Are we willing to accept those in a station below us into our families (1 Sam 18:22)? On the other hand, do we play with fire? Do we accept and tolerate what God does not? (2 Chronicles 19:2). Do we truly trust He will do all He can? (Psalm 5:11) Do we heed the Psalmist and Jesus to love the Lord with all our hearts? (Psalm 3:23) Ah with wonderful words the Psalmist speaks and tells the children of God to rejoice in the Lord and be grateful and joyous in their salvation. (Psalm 40:16; 70:4) And His children will be blessed because of their belief in Him. (Psalm 69:36). And it is because those that love Him hate what is evil and God will bless and deliver them. (Psalm 97:10)

I have a dream (blessed are the believers, part 3)

It's not always easy being His child. We often have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and because of Christ grin and bear it because quite frankly nothing is that worth fighting for except if it endangers our lives. (1 Sam 18:22) But God is always with us and He loves us enough to bring us through if we go to Him. (Psalm 109:14,15) And if we truly love Him He blesses us with rest. (Judges 5:31)

I HAVE A DREAM (blessed be the believers, part 2)

And with mercy He warns all the believers that we approach Him in meekness and love, even if we excell in speech and eloquence. (2 Corinthians 8:7) After all, knowledge, physique, beauty doesn't really amount to a hill of beans without love. And after love follows meekness and mercy. And hope. And faith. So that we can learn and walk by being humble, gentle, and loving. (Ephesians 4:2). And then we can speak the truth in love to one another and to those in the world and truly be blameless. (Ephesians 4:15)

Only then can we be united in one faith, one hope. Only then are we a body joined together like the physical body. (Ephesians 4:16). And only then can we walk in His love. (Ephesians 5:2)

I HAVE A DREAM....blessed are the believers

It is such a wonderful and encouraging thing when one of the brethren lends a hand to another of the brethren because of illness or financial difficulties. I have been helped in both regards and I have helped others in similar circumstances. (1 Samuel 1:5) God bless the believers that follow in Christ's footsteps to give to believers. I also love when one of the brethren help out those who have talents by recommending their services. (1 Samuel 16:21).Then there are those of kindred spirit, who love us like we are family because we are family. (1 Samuel 18:1, 3)if we do this. (Jude 2:1). Not only this but we can be an encouragement to one another by our faith and love, walking and living in Christ. (Philemon 5,7).

Teach me that I may teach

God-led leadership demonstrates to each of us what protectiveness means and what it is to have compassion one for another. This is why we love and respect good leaders. (1 Samuel 18:16)

There are no Jews, Greeks, Women... (God.s children)

And in God is the love of a man for a woman and a woman for a man, which pleases those who see this and pleases God. (1 Samuel 18:20; 2 Samuel 12:24) But there is also another love, that of a friend for a friend, in which both love each other as they love themselves. (1 Samuel 20:17) 

Who am I? My relationship with God through prayer (part 5)

I am 5 feet and some days feel smaller than that. My hands are so tiny they can barely reach 5 noted chords on the piano, much less play them. When I had open heart surgery the surgeons had to use a 10 year old's valve to replace mine. I am small. Wide but small. God doesn't love me because of it, anymore than He loves my sweet friend at church for being 5 ft 9 because of her height. He loves me because He loves me and that alone has taught me to extend my love all around, not just to those who are kind or sweet or gentle but also those who are caustic, complaining and cantankerous. He loves us all. Every moment of every day. He sent His son to prove He loved me so that I could finally be with Him sitting on His lap, running and playing some day. He protects me always because He loves me, and so proves His love for me over and over and over and will not listen to those who would want my head on a platter. ( Deuteronomy 23:5) When I follow Him, and when I see the many blessings He has bestowed on all His children, He is pleased and shines forth on me, in me and through me. (Deuteronomy 33:3) Just like Solomon in 1 Kings 3:3 following David's example of obedience and love for the Lord and offering sacrifices to God. He is worthy of praising and glorifying and He calls us princes and princesses because we have chosen to follow Him through His paths of righteousness. (1 Kings 10:9)

Who am I? My relationship with God through prayer (part 4)

God expects us to work, for what we need to prosper and grow. (Prov 20:13) Sloth is often quoted as one of the 7 deadly sins. And the principle is truly biblical in nature. God will not help a consistently lazy person. Does that mean we cannot relax? No, God gave us rest times to recharge and regroup. This earth is made of friction and when it's time to rest we must, whether it's for 6 hours, 8 hours or a whole day. But consistently and with continuity we should not stay on the couch and become couch potatoes.

Who am I? My relationship with God through prayer. (part 3)

Further, do I belong to God? Do I even belong to Him? Well John 8:42 gives the key to find out if I do. Am I hearing what He says? This is more that with the ears. This is actually hearing with my heart and soul. Am I willing to listen to His commands and walk where he wants me to walk even if it's over glass? If I do not pay attention to God, I cannot claim Him. Am I willing to lay down my life, knowing the outcome? Knowing that I can like Jesus take it back up because the Father loves me? (John 10:17) In other words, do I believe His promises?