The Greatest Love Of All

John 15:13 " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

What manner of love is this that one should die for the same ones who seek to put Him to death, yet that is what Jesus did. He died that we might live, yet there are many who still refuse to surrender their lives to Him.

Jesus died on a cross for the sin of the world, rose the third day morning with all power in His hands that we might love others the way He has loved us. Now remember He loved us while we were yet sinners, ungodly, enemies of God, for Christ died for the ungodly. Like Hosea, God redeemed us back after sin had destroyed the once good thing created in the image and likeness of God. He laid down His life that all who believe could have an abundant life in paradise with Him and the Father. 

Jesus proved His love for us, now we must prove our love for Him. Is He your friend? Have you laid down your life that you might live in His life? Have you laid down your life, have you put to death the lust and desires of the old man that your new man might lead a lost soul to the salvation of the Lord. Share the good news of Christ with someone today, be blessed, and a blessing .

Love Is A Two Way Street

John 14:15 " If  you love me, keep my commandments".

"Yes Jesus loves me cause the bible tells me so". Yes we all know that God loves us, "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". But I ask the question do you truly love Him? With our lips we do honor Him, but it seems that our hearts sometimes are far from Him. We tend to live our lives based on His love for us, more than our love for Him.

If we love Jesus,we will keep His commandments. Obedience is not optional for believers. Jesus stated a simple fact that must be clearly understood. He said "If  you love me you will keep my commandments . Jesus is not giving an optional commandment,"If you love me then (optional)keep my commandments. He is saying that the man who truly loves Him will keep His commandments. So for the born again believer there is no option. He loves Jesus; so he keeps His commandments. In this the believer is not claiming perfection, but he/she is claiming to love Jesus and to believe with all their heart that Jesus is the Son of God. Therefore we must diligently seek Jesus, and seek to please Him in all that we do. Now we might disobey His commandments at times, but it will be a choice we make and not a shortcoming in His commands, for He said His burdens are light.

 

To Love Jesus is not an emotional thing. It involves emotions but it is not based on emotions. It doesn't change according to the situation. It is not a rational or mental commitment. It involves the mind but it is more than deciding and following some rules. To love Jesus is a matter of the heart and the spirit. It is a heart thing, from the innermost being of man.

In Jesus Alone

1 Thessalonians 5:9 "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ".

We should take a examination of ourselves and our walk with Jesus Christ. Has Christ's love made any difference in our lives? Does being in a community led by the Holy spirit mean anything to you? Do you really have a caring heart? Let us agree with each other, love each other, be one in spirit, and focus on the same goals. Christ is a model in living an obedient life, a life that puts others needs ahead of our own.

A Christian is someone who professes a belief that Jesus is the Son of God. In addition, he or she has made a commitment to be like Christ. To be united with Christ means to be one with Jesus, and is a statement of a Christian's partnership with Jesus in communicating to others, what Jesus is like. The hearts and action of Christians are to be the same as that of Jesus Christ. Included in the attitude that should characterize the lives of Christians, are tenderness, compassion, unity of spirit, love and a desire to serve others. What should be absent are selfish ambitions and vain conceit. God understands that doing these things will not be easy. But neither was Jesus' journey to the cross. Jesus was obedient to death knowing that his sacrifice would ultimately result in restoring man's broken relationship with God. God wants Christians to be obedient to the same degree, knowing that this will fulfill His purpose for our lives and work out or finish what was started when we first put our faith in Jesus.

Being one with Christ should result in a desire to be like Christ. This in turn should lead to a commitment to be obedient. The result should be a life that reflects Christ character, one where our attitude and actions are a good reflection on God. Like Noah's ark, there is only one  door into salvation, and that door is Jesus, and only those inside Christ spiritual body, His Church, will be saved when the flood of judgment comes. For Salvation is in Jesus and Jesus alone.

 

 

Pay Day Is Coming

1 Corinthians 15:58 " Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, un-moveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord".

Sometime as we walk this lonely uphill road, we often ask ourselves what is the use. But let us not be discouraged, serving the Lord will pay off after while.

Here Paul tells us to be stead fast and un moveable in the work of the Lord. We must trust that God will do all He promises to do. It is not our job to convert, or even save, we are just laborers in the harvest field planting and watering, it is God who will give the increase. We must trust we are not working in vain.

Jesus is coming back and the word says He will have His reward in His hand, so stay faithful to your calling and true to His word and let God be God. 

Always and Forever

Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever".

There is not much we can depend on in this me myself and I world of today. Everybody makes promises but when it come time to deliver you are often left in the cold. But the word of God tells us Jesus Christ , the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus never changes and He never fails.

If there is nothing else to believe in , you can believe in and trust the word of God. His promises will be fulfilled. He is not a man that He should lie. If you want something firm to hold to that will be there through thick or thin, not only there but will go out front and stand before you, hold to the word of God. It is bread when you are hungry, water when you thirst, and a shelter in a storm. No matter what the circumstances, God's word will do just what it says. It will heal, aid, comfort, convict, convert, tear down, build up, it will even save and deliver all who calls upon it. Stand strong on His word, enter His rest and rest in His peace, knowing His word will stand forever.

No matter what it is that you might be going through seek comfort in God's word. It says to cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Having done all you can to stand, now stand on the word of God, it will carry you through...

The Blessings Of Obedience

 Deuteronomy 30:16 "For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands,  decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess".
Would you like to be in a position to prosper? Well the best position to prosper, is in the obedience to God. The word of God tells us you will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water and in everything you shall prosper.
Many tend to think that a blessing is a material gift or some kind of worldly gain. But the truth is the blessings of God can come in a variety of ways. A peaceful day is a blessing. Waking up in the morning is a blessing, Your family being well is a blessing and even bad news can be a blessing if it leads you to call upon the name of the Lord. Anything which makes you call upon the name of the Lord is a blessing. If you truly want to be in a position to prosper make sure you are in obedience to God.
Here in our text  the man of God is telling the children of Israel to love the Lord, to walk in accordance to His word, and keep His commandment, and they will have life, and they will have increase and they will be blessed of the Lord in the land they enter to possess. As you can see our blessings lie in our obedience to God and His word.

A Covenant Of Love

1Samuel 18:3 "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul"
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Jonathan and David made a covenant, because Jonathan loved him. The covenant was made, not so much because of their mutual love, but because Jonathan loved David. Jesus also made a covenant with us, not so much because of our love for him, but because of His love for us." For while we were yet sinners Christ died for us". Jesus was loving toward us. He entered our nature to represent us, and he pledged Himself to redeem us by becoming a sacrifice for us.
 

Christ and the believer that love Him live as if they have but one soul between them. This is the love we must have one towards another.The Lord will not share us with rival" I am a jealous God". If we accept the salvation of the Lord,all others must go. We belong to Him, giving up all authority to Him, as self has become a dethroned tyrant. Our soul becomes His soul and His spirit becomes our spirit. Our Soul until it comes into the covenant with the Lord, is in a restless state. It is like a bee going from flower to flower or a bird from bush to bush; but when it is married to Christ, it is settled with Him and it rest in perfect peace.

 

The covenant we have entered into is a offensive and defensive league. We are to have common friends and common enemies with the Lord. His people must be our people, and His enemies our enemies. We have opened our mouth to the Lord and we can't go back. We must be His without end or interruption. There will be stumbling among the best of us, but a renewal of the covenant is the antidote to the poison of backsliding. He who has truly made this covenant with the Lord, has given himself entirely to Christ without reservation, and like Paul has asked, "Lord what will thou have me to do".