The Greatest Love Of All

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish,but have everlasting life".

Here we have the most popular, the most quoted and no doubt the most misunderstood scriptures in the bible. It is misunderstood because of man inability to grasp the love of God. We tend to love base on how we feel about the person or the situation. We love with expectations, we love with our eyes, see we love what we see, taste, and can feel. But here Jesus reveals the greatest love of all.

"God so loved the world", He loved the whole world. The ideal that God loves the world is a new idea. The Jews believed God loved the religious and hated the nonreligious. These same thoughts are held by many in every generation, especially by the religious community. The Fact that God so loves is shocking. He loves the saint and the sinner, God loves everyman, not just those who love Him but also those who reject Him. He loves the unlovable, unloving, the unbelieving, the obstinate, the selfish, the greedy, the spiteful, and the vengeful. The basic of God Love is his nature, for God is love. He didn't just love, He so loved. He loved so much that he gave his only begotten Son. He gave not only all he had but the best that he had, like Abel offering the best of his fruits, like the woman with the two mites, giving all that she had. He gave His only Son to suffer judgment for my sins and yours. He gave His only son to be punished for our sins." God commended His love toward us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us". He gave His only son to die for sinners. He did this so that we who rebelled against Him, we who cried with one voice "crucify Him and give us Barabbas",  so that we the sinner might have eternal life with Him in heaven. He gave so that we might have, His Son died so that we might live.

 

When the world said we were not fit to live, God felt we were to precious to die, and he gave His only begotten Son, not based on out love for Him, but because of His love for us. Let us now take this love we have been blessed to experience and share it with another, that all may come to know the goodness of the Lord. Let us love in spite of, and share with a lost world the greatest love of all..

What Will You Do With Jesus

Luke 22:63 " And the men that held Jesus mocked Him, and smote Him".

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Jesus was given to each of us, offered as a free gift, the gift of God unto salvation. His word says He is as near as to our hearts, so I ask what will you do with Jesus?

It is said that you can share anything that you have, are you sharing Jesus with a lost and dying world?  Now I am not asking if you are talking about Him with others, I am asking are you walking about Him in front of others. Are you letting your light so shine before men that they glorify the God in you they see? Do you share Gods love with those in need, not telling them God loves them but showing them God loves them by your actions. Do you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and shut in, or do you in prayers, send God to do those things. Jesus said He choose you that you might bear fruit and fruit that will last, are you bearing lasting fruit? If Jesus came today and graded your life with Him what grade would you get?

In our text we see that the men that held Jesus mocked and made fun of Him and hit him, slapped Him and spit on Him. They held Him but they didn't behold Him. What will you do with Jesus in your heart, what will you do with Christ in your life?  Let us be sure that we don't disgrace our Lord and savior, with the action we are committing while we profess to have Him in our live. Let our life be one of sharing and spreading and building up of the kingdom. Ask yourself daily " what will I do with Jesus today"....

As I Have Loved You!

Luke 6:27-28 "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you".

What would happen if, as Christians, we started actually living out what Jesus taught us? Jesus teachings on love attacks several traditions and misinterpretations of scripture that we sometimes use to justify our sinful and unloving nature.While we have learned to love thy neighbor, we sometime seem to exclude our enemies. But Jesus shatters this line of thinking by instructing us to love and do good to our enemies. The love Jesus instructs us to love with, does not result from any merit or attractiveness in the other person, but comes solely from the heart of the one loving, and we are to seek the best interest of that person, despite their behavior toward us. Now this love does not result from a weakness or failure to stand up for truth or justice, it is a purposeful love that flows from a strong heart that seeks the eternal salvation of others. This sacrificial love demonstrates that our purpose for living is larger than ourselves.

Jesus commands us to pray for and bless those that offend us. Our natural response is to strike back when mistreated, but Jesus teaches us to do the opposite. Jesus gave two illustrations to show the extent of how far our love for others should go, there is a blow to the face and stolen clothes, in such cases we are not retaliate. The purpose is to reach out in love instead of satisfying ourselves through revenge. Our love must be strong and purposeful in accepting mistreatment, as it shows our trust in the Lord and his ability to use the situation for his Glory. Jesus not only taught us our love must be strong and purposeful when mistreated, but we must also be merciful to others in our daily lives, as the Father daily pours out new mercy on us.

The standard of sacrificial love goes beyond what others might do or what we might feel we should, but it is what Jesus teaches us to do, it is what he did. The prime example of selfless giving is our heavenly Father himself, who showed kindness to all humanity regardless of how they treated him, as he gave his only begotten son that we might have everlasting life. When we love others the way Jesus instructed us to, we show the world we are his. We often ask WWJD, well now you know. Let us have love one for another as Christ has loved us.

Something To Shout About

Isaiah 48:20 "go ye forth of Babylon, Flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, the Lord hath redeemed His servant Jacob".


We are not of this world, yet many still try to fit in where we don't belong. We are instructed not to conform to this world. We are now part of a heavenly body passing through on a earthly mission. God has delievered us from the things of this world. We are no longer governed by it's rules, guided by it's philosophies, moved by her motives, living by her laws or surrendering to her spirits. We don't have to chase her trinity, power, prestige, and prosperity. No we have been separated from this confusion as God has redeemed His servant Jacob.

God tells us to go forth, not backwards but forth out of Babylon, a place of confusion.Flee from the Chaldeans, a people of confusion. He wants us to rid ourselves of those things and the people that do nothing but bring confusion in our lives. God is not the author of confusion. He is the prince of peace, our promised rest, so if there is confusion in your life, get rid of it, for it is not of God. Now He dosn't just want us to flee, but to rejoice while we flee, don't sneek away in the middle of the night, no he wants us singing, rejoicing with a loud voice. Jesus said to "be of good cheer for I have overcome the world". Tell everybody with a loud voice that God is a savior. Let them know that God brought you out, of the darkness, out of the bondage of sin, out of the land of confusion. Tell every creature, that Jesus Christ is the way.

Salvation is good news, but unfortunately it is also one of a Christians best kept secrets. We tend to show the world everything but the savior. We spend more time spreading gossip than we do sharing the gospel. God want us to come from among the world of confusion, and let it be known that He is still God, still good, and He still saves. Let us rejoice in our salvation and introduce the world to our savior, as we come out shouting the good news..

Redemption! God At Work

Isaiah 44:22 "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins return unto me; for I have redeemed thee."

The nation of Israel transgressed and worshiped idols, so God brought Israel judgment through the nation of Babylon. But at the appointed time, God blotted out their transgressions. He forgave, so that his servants could fulfill the duties of a relationship with him. There is so much to be thankful for. God created us for his purpose. He created each person to serve him, but at some point everyone turns from God. However, the invitation to return and do God's will is always open. Jesus stands at the door and knocks. We have a clean slate, he has blotted out all our transgressions through the blood of the lamb, a new start is available each day.

Each of us can trust God's redemptive power because of what Christ did at Calvary. Each time we take communion, we remember Christ as our redeemer. Isaiah prophesied that Israel's God would lead his people back from Babylon. The process of redemption continues throughout each redeemed person's life. When we pray in Jesus' name, he intercedes on our behalf. Every time God steps in to help us, we see His hand at work as He further purifies us to be His chosen people. The answers to our prayers come as "God Sightings ", specific times when we see God at work to meet our needs or those of others. As you think back over your life, what specific "God Sightings" do you remember? Each of these deliverances was our God at work in our life. Has God healed you or someone you know physically or emotionally? Has a way been made for you, when you seen no possible way? Have you sensed God's direction in your life. We see now so many times when there was a God Sighting in our life and the lives of others.

We can believe in God's continuing redemptive work by recognizing what He has already done in each of our lives. Because our redeemer is continually at work in us and on us. We can be assured that more God sightings lie ahead. So let us continually thank God for providing Christ, our redeemer, and praise him for your personal God sightings.

Life In The Word

Ezk.37:7 "So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone".

Sometime when part of a great worship service, it can be easy to  get so caught up in the moment, that you might forget the whole world is not saved. We can get so exited with what's going on inside the church, that we can forget there is a lost and dying world outside the walls. With all the shouting, hand clapping, singing, dancing and, praising going on inside, it can drown out the cry's for help taking place outside. We might overlook the fact that just outside the walls, there are many wondering in a world of darkness, lost in sin. Just out side the walls there is a valley full of death, souls hindered with the sickness, hopelessness and despair brought on by sin and its guilt.

But in our story today, the man of God was asked ,"can these bones live?". The good news is all that is in darkness can come to the marvelous light. All who are dead in sin can find life in the Word of God. There is  life in His word. The prophet was comanded to speak the Word of God to the dead bones and they would receive life. Jesus told us to speak the word of God to all that are spiritually dead and watch them come to life. Like Lazarus when he was called from the dead, let us speak God's word and watch the dead bones come together with life, and be a part of the body of Christ. God's spirit will begin to flow through their hearts and through the power of  regeneration, they become anew, they are born another, different from the first. Because there is life in the Word, that which was dead, can now have life.

God's will is that none shall parish. Let the people of God obey the Word of God and once again proclaim the truth of God, that a dead world might live. The bible says "faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God": Let us be obedient and proclaim the good news of Salvation, that the dead might live in Christ. 

Ride On King Jesus

Mark 13:26 "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."

The daily headlines are never very hopeful, they are filled with stories of hopelessness. We are to be of good cheer, none of what this world has to offer has any bearing on what God has in store for His children. His word says be of good cheer for He has overcome the world and the evil within. What the world is selling is not His plan for us, let us not be blinded by the gods of this world, or tempted by it's false treasures and sinful pleasure, and miss out on the good things which God has for those who love Him.

Upon completion of each intricate part of his creation, God said, " it is good! " Each element of creation was brilliant! Today's headlines are but a representation of how the evil designs of Satan, and our own sin have taken the beauty of God's creation, and changed it into a distorted world of chaos and despair. Hatred, plagues, murder, and hunger are not God's will for His creation. Jesus the Christ, our blessed hope, will come and set things right. Jesus is coming back, and when Jesus returns to earth, He will return as our triumphant King, and all eyes will see him. Every knee will bow to him, and every tongue will confess of him, that he is Lord. He is greater than anything on earth and anything occurring in the earth, so be not discouraged. Jesus the Christ, is our reigning Lord, Savior and conquering King. When Christ returns, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, as the true light will take center stage, Jesus the light of the world. And then they shall see the Son of man, in the clouds with great power and glory.(ride on king Jesus) Then he shall gather His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

But until he returns, we have his Holy Spirit to comfort us, and his word to assure us and to hold on to. His word tells us " we wait in hope on the Lord, he is our help and our shield" :"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you":" Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long ". So hold on for "we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Ride on King Jesus no man cannot hinder you!