Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Do we believe this? Surely our unique suffering is worse than people imagine. Suffering is unique isn't it? Seriously. Not all pain is the same for everyone. A woman who gives birth and travails in that most horrible of pains doesn't do so the same as the next woman. Some tolerate pain more so than others. Pain is unique to us. we can sympathize with others in pain because we know what it is to have our own pain. Even the pain of a head ache gives us the experience of pain we need to understand. 'The suffering of this present time....are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' I ask again, do we believe this? The pain some feel is so great, the suffering so intense and yet they can't compare with the glory to come. What does that mean exactly? When you compare something you are weighing them against each other aren't you? The suffering and the glory. Does this statement indicate that the glory will far outweigh the suffering? Perhaps like it is for a lot of women who give birth the pain is horrific and then it's over and there is a new life to account for all the pain. Many women forget the pain easily enough as they adore the child in their arms. Many would say that it was all worth it and they go through it again, and again, and again.
'The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.'
The glory revealed in us. There will be glory, the glory of Christ revealed in us. We will suffer though. We will suffer through the pains of this life here on earth living in a world that is no longer meant for God's children. We can't fool ourselves into believing things are right on this world. We can't be lulled into believing life is what you make it because here on this earth corrupted by Satan, ruled by Satan- the Prince of this World, we only have so much control. We have the control to choose to live in Christ yet doing that won't take us out of the world.
Jesus even prayed that specifically- remember this...
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
We have to live in the world, this world that isn't right for us.
Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
The world hates us. Does the world hate you? I don't feel like it hates me, is this because I'm too much like the world and not enough like Christ? Satan has many devices he uses to snare us. I don't live in a country where believing in Jesus Christ means I risk my very life. I don't live among people who hate me because I believe in Jesus. There are a lot of people who do, more people than we realize. We can read about it now just by going to an internet search engine and putting in there Christian persecution. We can read about it in newspapers, magazines, it's out there for us to know about yet even knowing it doesn't seem really, real. Does the world hate you? Perhaps the hate comes in other ways. Perhaps your being hated isn't outright hatred for Christ but rather life giving you one hardship after another to deal with, wearing you down as dripping water can wear away a stone. One drop is okay but sometimes a torrent of water hits us threatening to drown us. The world hates us, the world hates us because we are not of the world and we need to remember that when the hatred comes at us in ways we wouldn't suspect. Even the hatred within. Satan will use outside influence and he will also try to whisper into our thoughts to discourage us as only he knows how.
We have hope though, Jesus has prayed to the Father for us. 'Keep them from evil.'
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
We must pray and trust the Holy Spirit to help our infirmities. We must hope. We are living in this world that is not ours and yet we are Christ's and we will be kept by Him. Some how all that happens, all the suffering, all the hatred, will work together for our good if we love God. God's purpose is that we love Jesus Christ whom He sent. Love and believe on the Lord our Savior.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus, through His righteousness and His righteousness alone, in His almighty love.
Amen.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Desperate for Love
Gen 29:17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
Gen 29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years
Gen 29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren
Gen 29:32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
Gen 29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
Gen 29:34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
Gen 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
Gen 30:15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
Gen 30:16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
Gen 30:17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
Gen 30:20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
Gen 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.
Gen 33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
Gen 49:29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Gen 49:30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.
Gen 49:31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
*******
To live and not be loved enough by the one you want to be loved by is painful. Leah spent years trying to gain favor of Jacob and never did, not over that of Rachel. Rachel even sold the favors of Jacob for a night for mandrakes from one of Leah's sons. Can you even imagine? Seriously. In the end, Jacob was buried next to Leah, not Rachel. Does that mean he did love her? I've no doubt he had affection for her, but the great love he had for Rachel far surpassed that he had for Leah. What lessons do we learn from this? What lessons should we learn from this? Are we Rachel's or Leah's? No, we're not usually in marriages with two women and one man, but the point of it all. How many people are in relationships with someone and that someone ends up wanting another? We live in a society that doesn't allow for more than one wife or husband so what happens is divorce. Divorce is very prevalent. No, it's not usually the same situation as Jacob's, Rachel's and Leah's. Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah, he never loved her to begin with. It was probably a good thing that he favored her as much as he did. Still, life often puts us into situations we don't enjoy but have to endure. Leah was never given a chance to find a man who loved her and had to live a life unloved by a counterpart. Yes, a lot of people go through life without finding a counterpart but it's not easy when we were made to have counterparts. The Lord said it's not good for man to be alone.
Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him
It's not good to be alone. Yet, Paul says this...
1Co 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
Which was alone, unmarried.
That wasn't a commandment, but a suggestion rather. It's easier to worship God with a whole heart if you're not worried by a loved one's walk with Christ.
No matter which situation we are called to, the bottom line is to live for God no matter what walk we are called to undertake. Are you caught up in a marriage where you are like Leah in some respects, left feeling unloved? Are you the one loved more than another? Are you alone? Have you been left? We can get caught up in the cares of this life and that's what Satan wants to happen. Satan would have us so caught up in our lives here and now that we lose sight of God and the hope of a new life in Christ at His return. We have to determine to set our treasures in heaven. If we keep our treasures here on earth that's where our hearts are going to be. Treasures come in many shapes and sizes. Treasures can be people, animals, objects, situations. Anything that would take our minds off Christ is a danger and we have to recognize that. We can live trying to have lives that make us happy in a worldly way, but that will only always give us temporary happiness, short-lived and wanting something better, something more. We have to live for Christ and the happiness we can find in that amazing love knowing that life here and now is not what it should be for us. We are strangers here, this is not our world anymore than it was Jesus' world.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ now and forever, in His love and in His righteousness.
Amen.
Gen 29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years
Gen 29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren
Gen 29:32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
Gen 29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
Gen 29:34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
Gen 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
Gen 30:15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
Gen 30:16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
Gen 30:17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
Gen 30:20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
Gen 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.
Gen 33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
Gen 49:29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Gen 49:30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.
Gen 49:31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
*******
To live and not be loved enough by the one you want to be loved by is painful. Leah spent years trying to gain favor of Jacob and never did, not over that of Rachel. Rachel even sold the favors of Jacob for a night for mandrakes from one of Leah's sons. Can you even imagine? Seriously. In the end, Jacob was buried next to Leah, not Rachel. Does that mean he did love her? I've no doubt he had affection for her, but the great love he had for Rachel far surpassed that he had for Leah. What lessons do we learn from this? What lessons should we learn from this? Are we Rachel's or Leah's? No, we're not usually in marriages with two women and one man, but the point of it all. How many people are in relationships with someone and that someone ends up wanting another? We live in a society that doesn't allow for more than one wife or husband so what happens is divorce. Divorce is very prevalent. No, it's not usually the same situation as Jacob's, Rachel's and Leah's. Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah, he never loved her to begin with. It was probably a good thing that he favored her as much as he did. Still, life often puts us into situations we don't enjoy but have to endure. Leah was never given a chance to find a man who loved her and had to live a life unloved by a counterpart. Yes, a lot of people go through life without finding a counterpart but it's not easy when we were made to have counterparts. The Lord said it's not good for man to be alone.
Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him
It's not good to be alone. Yet, Paul says this...
1Co 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
Which was alone, unmarried.
That wasn't a commandment, but a suggestion rather. It's easier to worship God with a whole heart if you're not worried by a loved one's walk with Christ.
No matter which situation we are called to, the bottom line is to live for God no matter what walk we are called to undertake. Are you caught up in a marriage where you are like Leah in some respects, left feeling unloved? Are you the one loved more than another? Are you alone? Have you been left? We can get caught up in the cares of this life and that's what Satan wants to happen. Satan would have us so caught up in our lives here and now that we lose sight of God and the hope of a new life in Christ at His return. We have to determine to set our treasures in heaven. If we keep our treasures here on earth that's where our hearts are going to be. Treasures come in many shapes and sizes. Treasures can be people, animals, objects, situations. Anything that would take our minds off Christ is a danger and we have to recognize that. We can live trying to have lives that make us happy in a worldly way, but that will only always give us temporary happiness, short-lived and wanting something better, something more. We have to live for Christ and the happiness we can find in that amazing love knowing that life here and now is not what it should be for us. We are strangers here, this is not our world anymore than it was Jesus' world.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ now and forever, in His love and in His righteousness.
Amen.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Throughout History
Mar 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
Throughout history nations have risen against nations.
Throughout history kingdoms have risen against kingdoms.
Throughout history earthquakes have occurred in different places.
Throughout history there have been famines.
Throughout history there have been troubles.
So how do we know?
Mar 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Again history is filled with such delivering. Even today people are delivered before courts for their faith and sentenced to death. Perhaps not in the United States and other so call free countries, but in many countries around the world people are even now being delivered to their fates before the leadership.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
This has been done hasn't it? There isn't a remote area in our world that has been left untouched by missionaries bringing the gospel to people. No, not all will accept the gospel, the majority won't, but the gospel will be made known. Just because something is published doesn't mean it will be accepted.
We see signs as they have seen signs throughout history.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Undisputed fact- Jerusalem the Holy City didn't become the capital of Israel until 1980.
Israel enshrined the status of the "complete and united" Jerusalem—west and east—as its capital, in the 1980 Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel.
Source- "Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1980-07-30. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1980_1989/Basic%20Law-%20Jerusalem-%20Capital%20of%20Israel. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
Jerusalem was trodden down of the Gentiles, controlled by Gentiles for years and returned to Israel's control 'complete and united' in 1980.
1980
We were given a sign that people can't twist and in some cases rightly so by saying it's been this way throughout history. Throughout history Jerusalem wasn't in Israel's control, but rather in the Gentiles. What does this say to us all?
For the last 30 years we've been living closer to the time of Jesus' second coming than ever before.
So while the various natural disasters occur all around us and people continue to murmur about the signs of the times and others scoff, we have to remember one thing- no matter what happens that cause people to wake up to their mortality - whether it's a disaster, or just every day life- it will forever be just if we take from the tragedies of life a warning to open our eyes and hearts to the only truth in life which is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who became man and defeated sin and death, dying Himself to save us from our sins so that we might have life eternal in Him when He returns. We can find solace in Christ alone. No one welcomes tragedies, large or small, but life is filled with them. May our hearts and eyes be opened to the love of Christ, the love of God, the love of the Holy Spirit now and forever.
Amen.
Throughout history nations have risen against nations.
Throughout history kingdoms have risen against kingdoms.
Throughout history earthquakes have occurred in different places.
Throughout history there have been famines.
Throughout history there have been troubles.
So how do we know?
Mar 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Again history is filled with such delivering. Even today people are delivered before courts for their faith and sentenced to death. Perhaps not in the United States and other so call free countries, but in many countries around the world people are even now being delivered to their fates before the leadership.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
This has been done hasn't it? There isn't a remote area in our world that has been left untouched by missionaries bringing the gospel to people. No, not all will accept the gospel, the majority won't, but the gospel will be made known. Just because something is published doesn't mean it will be accepted.
We see signs as they have seen signs throughout history.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Undisputed fact- Jerusalem the Holy City didn't become the capital of Israel until 1980.
Israel enshrined the status of the "complete and united" Jerusalem—west and east—as its capital, in the 1980 Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel.
Source- "Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1980-07-30. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1980_1989/Basic%20Law-%20Jerusalem-%20Capital%20of%20Israel. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
Jerusalem was trodden down of the Gentiles, controlled by Gentiles for years and returned to Israel's control 'complete and united' in 1980.
1980
We were given a sign that people can't twist and in some cases rightly so by saying it's been this way throughout history. Throughout history Jerusalem wasn't in Israel's control, but rather in the Gentiles. What does this say to us all?
For the last 30 years we've been living closer to the time of Jesus' second coming than ever before.
So while the various natural disasters occur all around us and people continue to murmur about the signs of the times and others scoff, we have to remember one thing- no matter what happens that cause people to wake up to their mortality - whether it's a disaster, or just every day life- it will forever be just if we take from the tragedies of life a warning to open our eyes and hearts to the only truth in life which is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who became man and defeated sin and death, dying Himself to save us from our sins so that we might have life eternal in Him when He returns. We can find solace in Christ alone. No one welcomes tragedies, large or small, but life is filled with them. May our hearts and eyes be opened to the love of Christ, the love of God, the love of the Holy Spirit now and forever.
Amen.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
'He makes, we are made.'
'He makes, we are made.' The Problem of Pain - C.S. Lewis
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ('He makes')
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ('we are made.')
'He is original, we are derivative.' The Problem of Pain- C.S. Lewis
derivative (Copied or adapted from others)
Gen 1:27 '...in the image of God created he him...' Adapted from another- adapted from God's image.
'But at the same time, and for the same reason, the intimacy between God and even the meanest creature is closer than any that creatures can attain with one another.' The Problem of Pain- C.S. Lewis
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Means to me:
The intimacy of Creator and creature will forever be more intimate than any intimacy between a creature and creature. No creature knows of themselves as the creator of the creature knows them. All creators know their creations so much more intimately than any other could. The process of the creation alone brings something no one can imitate. Another could take apart an original creation and know how to put it back together but it's not the same at all as the creator in making the creation, it can't be. So while we as creatures believe we know one another because we are a creature, we even say who better to understand than one of our own kind, but I say God better understands, the Creator better understands us than we can possibly imagine. As strange as it might seem, as often as we question God's judgment and ability to understand, as often as we rail against Him accusing Him of not being able to understand us, we are fools because the Creator understands us better than we can ever understand ourselves.
God is Spirit and He made us spirit bound by flesh. The flesh part of us we understand- the baser nature we mostly understand I should say. We can empathize with each others pleasures and pains if we've felt them ourselves even minutely. The spirit within us is God's connection to us. Our Creator created within us a part He alone can fully commune with. When we turn away from God we reject the spirit. When we turn to another creature hoping they can fill that spirit need in us, they fall far short...far, far short.
Forever, as C.S. Lewis writes- 'The intimacy between God and even the meanest creature is closer than any that creatures can attain with one another.' While we foolishly keep believing we will find a completeness in a relationship with another human being it will never attain the closeness we can attain in a relationship with God. We might think for a short period in time we have that perhaps in a marriage, but we don't, not really. No other person can fully understand us as God can, none no matter how hard they try and they have tried and keep on trying. We've thousands of books on the subject, we have a whole professional field all about trying to understand each other- psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, these fields delve into the human being in various ways and ultimately it is all about trying to understand what makes us tick emotionally, mentally, socially. The quest to understand each other is something that will never end and while there isn't anything wrong with trying, it's knowing that we can never understand the way God does that matters most. It's giving our Creator His due as our Creator. He wasn't a child playing with a lump of clay who holds up the squished ball of goo and says, 'Look what I made!', and that child has no more concept of what they've really made than the person looking at it. Oh they might say it's Daddy, and believe it is in their niavity but that child doesn't even know what makes up the clay they've used to squish into a vaguely human shape. God not only knows the composition of the clay, He created the clay to use to make man. That child playing with clay didn't create the clay, he didn't even create the dirt or the water used to make the clay. God is the Creator fully, in all ways.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
We are mere children toying with clay as we try to understand all there is to understand especially in the spiritual realm of our being. We can't create spirit, even if we can take clay and form an image and as some are trying to do- give it life artificial or not. We cannot create a spirit even if we can regrow animal parts in experiments and hope to regrow human parts from stem cells and such. We cannot create a spirit even if we put a sperm cell and an egg cell together and create a growing human baby. God alone, our Creator alone has the knowledge to create us as He does and to understand us as He alone can.
What God does is tells us to love one another as we love ourselves, meaning how we would be loved by others, only then do we really love someone- loving them as we would be loved, not as we are loved by others.
God is trying to teach us an important lesson here, very important. While we will never have the closeness with each other that He can have with us if we allow, we can love-- something that is unique from God-love. We can love each other and treat each other with love even when we don't understand or even like each other. Loving someone is a unique gift we have to offer. God allows us to love under the most horrific of circumstances. If you love someone who hates you they can't stop your love. They can never stop you from loving them. They can try even through torture, but they can't force you to ever stop loving them. Some might say they can't stop you from hating them either and that is true, but hating isn't of God. Hating hurts the hater even more than the one they hate. Love never hurts the one doing the loving- and I'm not saying love doesn't hurt, but if it's a love stemming from the love of God in us, it won't hurt us even if the one we love hurts us. The song, 'Love Hurts', is true to a point. Selfish love hurts. When we lose those we love we feel the pain of their loss, but most times people would never have traded the love they had with that person even knowing the pain it will ultimately bring. Yes, we hear people say as relationships end, 'I wish I never knew you!' And yet that sort of love isn't God's love. That love is wrapped up in a self-serving way. Yes, easy for me to say all this, but it's true. We are soooooo self-centered that all that matters to us is our own pain the heck with trying to understand anything beyond our own feelings. I hurt and that's that, nothing can change that so there. Pure selfishness. I know of where I speak, I've been caught up in that same hurt hundreds of times in my life. I know the pain in myself, I've seen it in others. It's a real pain, loving someone you open yourself up to being rejected by that person whether its a friendship relationship or more. Rejection hurts a lot and why, because who ever wants to be rejected? Even Christ felt the pain of rejection, though His was beyond ours so far that it's incomprehensible. He felt the rejection of the love He had to bring to people, He sorrowed over their loss because He didn't want to lose them eternally. He sorrowed with a Creator's sorrow. Our creature sorrow is just a tiny fraction of such love. We don't want to lose those we love by rejection or any other way, it pains us, the loss, the emptiness that loss results in, in our lives. Through it all we can continue to love, or we can choose to hate. Which would God have us do? Love. Loving someone and always wishing the best for them as you would wish for yourself is truly a gift from God. May God grant us the ability to truly love as He would have us love.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Love God
Love Man
Love.
To love you must believe. You must have someone or something to believe in to love that someone or something. Does anyone love nothing? Isn't that impossible? Loving means having something to love. If you have something to love you believe that something exists. No wonder we are told this--
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Once we believe, we can love.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, all glory and honor, all praise to our Creator the maker of heaven and earth and all that is in them. Thank you Lord for Your love. Help us to love as You would have us love. Help our unbelief, increase our faith all through the Comforter You've sent to dwell with us, in us. Through Your righteousness and none of our own, now and forever in Christ Jesus.
Amen
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ('He makes')
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ('we are made.')
'He is original, we are derivative.' The Problem of Pain- C.S. Lewis
derivative (Copied or adapted from others)
Gen 1:27 '...in the image of God created he him...' Adapted from another- adapted from God's image.
'But at the same time, and for the same reason, the intimacy between God and even the meanest creature is closer than any that creatures can attain with one another.' The Problem of Pain- C.S. Lewis
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Means to me:
The intimacy of Creator and creature will forever be more intimate than any intimacy between a creature and creature. No creature knows of themselves as the creator of the creature knows them. All creators know their creations so much more intimately than any other could. The process of the creation alone brings something no one can imitate. Another could take apart an original creation and know how to put it back together but it's not the same at all as the creator in making the creation, it can't be. So while we as creatures believe we know one another because we are a creature, we even say who better to understand than one of our own kind, but I say God better understands, the Creator better understands us than we can possibly imagine. As strange as it might seem, as often as we question God's judgment and ability to understand, as often as we rail against Him accusing Him of not being able to understand us, we are fools because the Creator understands us better than we can ever understand ourselves.
God is Spirit and He made us spirit bound by flesh. The flesh part of us we understand- the baser nature we mostly understand I should say. We can empathize with each others pleasures and pains if we've felt them ourselves even minutely. The spirit within us is God's connection to us. Our Creator created within us a part He alone can fully commune with. When we turn away from God we reject the spirit. When we turn to another creature hoping they can fill that spirit need in us, they fall far short...far, far short.
Forever, as C.S. Lewis writes- 'The intimacy between God and even the meanest creature is closer than any that creatures can attain with one another.' While we foolishly keep believing we will find a completeness in a relationship with another human being it will never attain the closeness we can attain in a relationship with God. We might think for a short period in time we have that perhaps in a marriage, but we don't, not really. No other person can fully understand us as God can, none no matter how hard they try and they have tried and keep on trying. We've thousands of books on the subject, we have a whole professional field all about trying to understand each other- psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, these fields delve into the human being in various ways and ultimately it is all about trying to understand what makes us tick emotionally, mentally, socially. The quest to understand each other is something that will never end and while there isn't anything wrong with trying, it's knowing that we can never understand the way God does that matters most. It's giving our Creator His due as our Creator. He wasn't a child playing with a lump of clay who holds up the squished ball of goo and says, 'Look what I made!', and that child has no more concept of what they've really made than the person looking at it. Oh they might say it's Daddy, and believe it is in their niavity but that child doesn't even know what makes up the clay they've used to squish into a vaguely human shape. God not only knows the composition of the clay, He created the clay to use to make man. That child playing with clay didn't create the clay, he didn't even create the dirt or the water used to make the clay. God is the Creator fully, in all ways.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
We are mere children toying with clay as we try to understand all there is to understand especially in the spiritual realm of our being. We can't create spirit, even if we can take clay and form an image and as some are trying to do- give it life artificial or not. We cannot create a spirit even if we can regrow animal parts in experiments and hope to regrow human parts from stem cells and such. We cannot create a spirit even if we put a sperm cell and an egg cell together and create a growing human baby. God alone, our Creator alone has the knowledge to create us as He does and to understand us as He alone can.
What God does is tells us to love one another as we love ourselves, meaning how we would be loved by others, only then do we really love someone- loving them as we would be loved, not as we are loved by others.
God is trying to teach us an important lesson here, very important. While we will never have the closeness with each other that He can have with us if we allow, we can love-- something that is unique from God-love. We can love each other and treat each other with love even when we don't understand or even like each other. Loving someone is a unique gift we have to offer. God allows us to love under the most horrific of circumstances. If you love someone who hates you they can't stop your love. They can never stop you from loving them. They can try even through torture, but they can't force you to ever stop loving them. Some might say they can't stop you from hating them either and that is true, but hating isn't of God. Hating hurts the hater even more than the one they hate. Love never hurts the one doing the loving- and I'm not saying love doesn't hurt, but if it's a love stemming from the love of God in us, it won't hurt us even if the one we love hurts us. The song, 'Love Hurts', is true to a point. Selfish love hurts. When we lose those we love we feel the pain of their loss, but most times people would never have traded the love they had with that person even knowing the pain it will ultimately bring. Yes, we hear people say as relationships end, 'I wish I never knew you!' And yet that sort of love isn't God's love. That love is wrapped up in a self-serving way. Yes, easy for me to say all this, but it's true. We are soooooo self-centered that all that matters to us is our own pain the heck with trying to understand anything beyond our own feelings. I hurt and that's that, nothing can change that so there. Pure selfishness. I know of where I speak, I've been caught up in that same hurt hundreds of times in my life. I know the pain in myself, I've seen it in others. It's a real pain, loving someone you open yourself up to being rejected by that person whether its a friendship relationship or more. Rejection hurts a lot and why, because who ever wants to be rejected? Even Christ felt the pain of rejection, though His was beyond ours so far that it's incomprehensible. He felt the rejection of the love He had to bring to people, He sorrowed over their loss because He didn't want to lose them eternally. He sorrowed with a Creator's sorrow. Our creature sorrow is just a tiny fraction of such love. We don't want to lose those we love by rejection or any other way, it pains us, the loss, the emptiness that loss results in, in our lives. Through it all we can continue to love, or we can choose to hate. Which would God have us do? Love. Loving someone and always wishing the best for them as you would wish for yourself is truly a gift from God. May God grant us the ability to truly love as He would have us love.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Love God
Love Man
Love.
To love you must believe. You must have someone or something to believe in to love that someone or something. Does anyone love nothing? Isn't that impossible? Loving means having something to love. If you have something to love you believe that something exists. No wonder we are told this--
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Once we believe, we can love.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, all glory and honor, all praise to our Creator the maker of heaven and earth and all that is in them. Thank you Lord for Your love. Help us to love as You would have us love. Help our unbelief, increase our faith all through the Comforter You've sent to dwell with us, in us. Through Your righteousness and none of our own, now and forever in Christ Jesus.
Amen
Friday, February 26, 2010
Light of Life
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
In Jesus was life.
The life was the light of men.
The light shines in darkness.
Jesus shines in darkness.
The life shines in darkness.
Darkness comprehended it not.
Darkness doesn't comprehend Jesus.
If Jesus is light, what is dark?
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil- evil = darkness.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus is the light of life, evil is the darkness of death. Right? It stands to reason doesn't it? Jesus represents all that is pure and good and He is the light of life. Evil represents all that is bad and is the darkness of death. But hold on... I'm talking of the second death, not the first. The first death is the result of the first sin when God told Adam and Eve if they ate of the Tree of Life they would surely die. The second death is the permanent death without hope of a resurrection in Jesus. The first death is a sleep until Christ returns and the dead in Christ shall rise to life eternal in Him. Those that aren't among the dead in Christ or those alive in Christ when He returns will face the second death- death eternal and that is the evil, the darkness of death whereas Jesus is the Light of Life. All evil will be punished and the ultimate punishment is death eternal.
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Darkness brings with it the loss of sight- figuratively and spiritually. Walking in Christ we walk in the light, spiritually illuminated. We aren't spiritually blind.
Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Abiding in darkness, being blinded by the dark without any illumination, without any hope, unless we believe on Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we will abide in darkness and that path leads to eternal death.
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Having spiritual light we are turned from spiritual darkness, with light we are turned from the power of Satan and turned to the power of God. The light brings with it Jesus and forgiveness from our sins. By faith we believe we will inherit eternal life along with all those made holy by faith in Jesus Christ to forgive.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Cast off the works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, chambering, wantoness, strife, envying.
The armour of Light- the Lord Jesus Christ!
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Light shines out of darkness. Our dark hearts can be lightened with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!
2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Light and darkness do not commune together. Light overcomes darkness. Righteousness and unrighteousness do not commune together.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light
To be illuminated is to admit being unilluminated at one time. We come out of darkness and into the light and we must walk at those in the light, not as those in the dark.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Unfruitful works of darkness. All too often we believe that the dark ways are the only ways to get much in life. It's been revealed time and time again the evil corruption among the wealthy. Jesus even said it would be easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get to heaven and why is that... because oftentimes the riches are so overpowering that obtaining the riches by any means is all that matters more. Treasures on earth are all that matter to a lot of people and as long as treasures on earth mean more than treasures in heaven people will covet wealth and not care what unfruitful works of darkness they must do to get that wealth. If we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness that ultimately yield eternal death and no eternal treasure at all, we must reprove them, be against them. The light of Christ shines down upon the darkness reproving the darkness, the works of the darkness. May God help us seek fellowship in the Light of Christ and not in the works of darkness.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Not flesh and blood. Not human.
Principalities (positions of authority)
Powers (exercising authority, control)
Rulers of darkness (rules, governs)
-- of this world.
Spiritual wickedness in high places.
Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence
There is a prince of this world and it's not Jesus. The prince of this world is evil and a ruler of darkness. And truly we wrestle with the prince of this world who would have us with him in eternal death and not with Jesus and eternal life. By whatever means he can use he will use to snare us. We wrestle. It's a fight and We have to cling to all that is Christ because He has defeated the prince of this world and he only has the power to save us from the prince of this world the ruler of darkness.
*
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
Thank you Father!!! Thank you for delivering us from the power of darkness by the grace and mercy, the forgiveness in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! Thank you for giving us an inheritance with the saints in light!
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Please God, let us watch and be sober, children of the Light.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
All praise to God, all praise to Jesus Christ! Praise God! Help us abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our souls. Keep us out of the darkness and keep us in Your marvelous light!
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
God is light. In God there is no darkness at all!
1Jn 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1Jn 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Please God keep us in the light, keep us loving our brothers so we can abide in the light forever! We don't want to stumble in the darkness, we don't want to be blinded so that we don't even know we are walking in the dark. Please Lord, the Light of Life, be with us always! By Your amazing mercy, by your amazing grace, in Your love, Your righteousness, keep us in You light always!
Amen.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
In Jesus was life.
The life was the light of men.
The light shines in darkness.
Jesus shines in darkness.
The life shines in darkness.
Darkness comprehended it not.
Darkness doesn't comprehend Jesus.
If Jesus is light, what is dark?
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil- evil = darkness.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus is the light of life, evil is the darkness of death. Right? It stands to reason doesn't it? Jesus represents all that is pure and good and He is the light of life. Evil represents all that is bad and is the darkness of death. But hold on... I'm talking of the second death, not the first. The first death is the result of the first sin when God told Adam and Eve if they ate of the Tree of Life they would surely die. The second death is the permanent death without hope of a resurrection in Jesus. The first death is a sleep until Christ returns and the dead in Christ shall rise to life eternal in Him. Those that aren't among the dead in Christ or those alive in Christ when He returns will face the second death- death eternal and that is the evil, the darkness of death whereas Jesus is the Light of Life. All evil will be punished and the ultimate punishment is death eternal.
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Darkness brings with it the loss of sight- figuratively and spiritually. Walking in Christ we walk in the light, spiritually illuminated. We aren't spiritually blind.
Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Abiding in darkness, being blinded by the dark without any illumination, without any hope, unless we believe on Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we will abide in darkness and that path leads to eternal death.
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Having spiritual light we are turned from spiritual darkness, with light we are turned from the power of Satan and turned to the power of God. The light brings with it Jesus and forgiveness from our sins. By faith we believe we will inherit eternal life along with all those made holy by faith in Jesus Christ to forgive.
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Cast off the works of darkness- rioting, drunkeness, chambering, wantoness, strife, envying.
The armour of Light- the Lord Jesus Christ!
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Light shines out of darkness. Our dark hearts can be lightened with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!
2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Light and darkness do not commune together. Light overcomes darkness. Righteousness and unrighteousness do not commune together.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light
To be illuminated is to admit being unilluminated at one time. We come out of darkness and into the light and we must walk at those in the light, not as those in the dark.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Unfruitful works of darkness. All too often we believe that the dark ways are the only ways to get much in life. It's been revealed time and time again the evil corruption among the wealthy. Jesus even said it would be easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to get to heaven and why is that... because oftentimes the riches are so overpowering that obtaining the riches by any means is all that matters more. Treasures on earth are all that matter to a lot of people and as long as treasures on earth mean more than treasures in heaven people will covet wealth and not care what unfruitful works of darkness they must do to get that wealth. If we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness that ultimately yield eternal death and no eternal treasure at all, we must reprove them, be against them. The light of Christ shines down upon the darkness reproving the darkness, the works of the darkness. May God help us seek fellowship in the Light of Christ and not in the works of darkness.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Not flesh and blood. Not human.
Principalities (positions of authority)
Powers (exercising authority, control)
Rulers of darkness (rules, governs)
-- of this world.
Spiritual wickedness in high places.
Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence
There is a prince of this world and it's not Jesus. The prince of this world is evil and a ruler of darkness. And truly we wrestle with the prince of this world who would have us with him in eternal death and not with Jesus and eternal life. By whatever means he can use he will use to snare us. We wrestle. It's a fight and We have to cling to all that is Christ because He has defeated the prince of this world and he only has the power to save us from the prince of this world the ruler of darkness.
*
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
Thank you Father!!! Thank you for delivering us from the power of darkness by the grace and mercy, the forgiveness in Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! Thank you for giving us an inheritance with the saints in light!
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Please God, let us watch and be sober, children of the Light.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
All praise to God, all praise to Jesus Christ! Praise God! Help us abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our souls. Keep us out of the darkness and keep us in Your marvelous light!
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
God is light. In God there is no darkness at all!
1Jn 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1Jn 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Please God keep us in the light, keep us loving our brothers so we can abide in the light forever! We don't want to stumble in the darkness, we don't want to be blinded so that we don't even know we are walking in the dark. Please Lord, the Light of Life, be with us always! By Your amazing mercy, by your amazing grace, in Your love, Your righteousness, keep us in You light always!
Amen.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The World Hates You
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
The World Hates You
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause
Do you ever feel like the whole world hates you? Or do you blame your life and the way it is and the things that happen, on God? Satan is thrilled when we do that. He loves to hear us even think the words, 'Why, God, why!' He revels in our anger towards God. He adores our emnity with God because He is the author of that emnity and it is his life's mission to get as many human beings on board with that emnity as He can. And you know, He doesn't care if the emnity we feel is so minute that we don't even recognize it for what it is. There are many who are comfortable in their lives without any thought of God and when we have no thought for God, we are blind and comfortable in that blindness. Back to the the world hating us. Satan hates us, there is no love in Him whatsoever. Satan is the prince of THIS world and He would have the world hate any that are with God. He will not leave any trick unturned to get us to hate God and that includes using the world's hate to turn us against God by misplacing the blame. We are chosen OUT of the world. We are NOT of this world and yet we think we need to fit into the world and when we don't, when our lives don't fit in place in the world we get dismayed. We don't want to be one of those *crazies*, and sometimes we do want that but on our own terms. We'll be considered a *crazie* for God as long as He keeps our lives uncomplicated. It doesn't work that way. The world will hate those that love God, Satan will hate those who love God. The world hated Jesus without cause. Will we deserve any less? There won't be a reason for the bad things that happen to us in life. There won't be something we can look at and go, 'Oh...that's why.' Without any cause we too will be hated and while our sin filled lives are cause enough, we have to trust God, trust God fully and not look at ourselves for answers. We have to expect a life of being hated and living a life that is unfair in so many ways. We can't get caught up in believing our life is right with God only if things are going good with us. Our lives are right with God when we have faith in Him no matter what life brings us. The next time life turns on you and throws you for a huge loop try placing the blame where it belongs- on Satan, the prince of this world we live in. Cling to Christ's love and Christ's righteousness when it seems as if we are no where near the life God would have us be.
By the grace and mercy of God may we live our lives in Him fully. Protect us Lord, protect us and keep us no matter what befalls us or in what way, Keep us from the enemy within us that would bring us to despair. Create in us a clean heart Lord, renew a right spirit within. Please Lord.
Amen.
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