"The Heart of God"

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear:" (1 Peter 3:15) As I was praying about this blog this morning, I could not help but think that our hope is in Jesus and not in ourselves. I am quite a piece of work sometimes, and that is not a positive statement, but one that describes something that is hard to figure out. However, my Father in heaven knows me inside and out; in fact, He knows me far better than I know myself: He even knows every hair that is one my head! Knowing how much He knows me, yet how He still loves me, I am amazed by His heart towards me. The word 'sanctify' that Peter is talking about in the verse above means to regard as Holy; to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, is to separate what is Holy from that which is filthy or common; which is not an easy task to do while looking into our filthy hearts. Needless to say, we must do what Peter is instructing here, if we are to prepare our hearts for the next portion of instruction, which is 'to give an answer'. The hope that is in us is not something which should be shut off and on, like a light switch; however, that is what we have a tendency to do, not purposely, but out of ignorance of what is going on within our own hearts. The point I believe that Peter is making, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, is that the finished work of Jesus Christ must be made the dominating force within our hearts. And not just the dominating force, but it must also stand out as the overriding source for the hope that is within us. I know what you are thinking, Duh again! Yes, but, our hearts are not that obedient to do that task without some help from the Holy Spirit. This word 'sanctify' is also the same word that is used for a wife to sanctify an unbelieving husband. The unbelieving partner is set apart on account of the believing partner. The unbeliever comes under a special and direct spiritual influence and benefits from divine favor in the life of the believer. As long as there is contact, there is hope that the unbeliever will turn to faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, in such a marriage the believer is not defiled by the unbeliever, but the unbeliever is sanctified by the believer.

"Knowing The Heart of God"

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18) If there is one thing that speaks plainer than anything else in our lives, it is the Love of God for His children. And yet, for those that do not know His heart, it can also be one of the hardest things to see. You hear it all the time: If God were so loving, then why is there so much suffering in the world? or, If there really is a God, then why did this have to happen? Do you think God does not care for those that must suffer death or disaster? One of the shortest verses in the Bible answers that question very strongly, and it is found in John 11:35: "Jesus Wept". This took place outside the tomb that Lazarus was in, being dead for four days; and while He watched those around the tomb weeping. Those that stood by, seeing Him weep, thought that He was weeping for Lazarus being dead; but we know that was not true, for in just a few moments He would be calling Lazarus forth from that tomb. But Jesus was weeping for the destruction that sin has brought into the world, and for the sorrow that is felt in the heart of the Father for all of us that have to live through it. To know the heart of God, we must be a child of His; and no one knew the heart of the Father better than the Son. And, although it was painful for the Father to give us His Son, the Bible also states that it pleased the Father to do so: Why? Because it was the only way to redeem man from his fallen condition. However, men scoff at the Gift that was given for them, as if they did not have a need for it at all. Those same people that think they do not need His Gift of redemption are the same ones that question His very existence in the first place. It is quite something that they can not put two and two together, and see the price that was paid for their sorrows to end; but like I said, in order to see the heart of God, you must be His child. God's heart is that none would be lost; but man, because of the hardness of his heart, cannot see his lost state. If man is so mindful of the sorrow around him, then why can't he see the One who can make the sorrow go away? "For He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of the dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not." (Isaiah 53:2 & 3)

"ALL or Nothing!"

"He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My Righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:11) One more thing, and then I will move on from this subject; not because I am done with it, but primarily because it is to hard to bear! (If you don't think it is, then you are not seeing what I see; maybe because you have not sinned as much as I have.) The point that Jesus was making by His foot washing demonstration was twofold: the heart of a servant that cares and the need to care for one another. Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12 is the greatest illustration of 'God's Suffering Servant' that I believe is found in the Bible; yet, the one point in this illustration which is not made strong, is the fact that this Servant was God. This very important fact has a great deal to do with the knowledge Jesus had that would justify many, and required the greatest humility that has been demonstrated to man: that the Maker of our souls would offer His own soul for our sins. Did He hold back anything? Did He? I don't think so! And yet, we have not yet seen the fullness of His Grace, nor the mighty work that He had completed through His obedient heart; but He did! When it comes to the act of Love, there is no halfway point by which we can meet the Lord in a form of compromise; it is ALL or nothing. The same goes for our Love one towards another; there is no halfway point to loving our brothers and sisters; as if we go so far, and then the rest is up to them. Which, for the sake of argument, is the same in marriage; where there is no halfway point to me loving my wife! Thinking back to the things which I have lacked in doing, and the things which I have put before my 'devoted love' for my wife, I hurt inside; and when I say that I hurt inside, I mean that my soul groans in anguish from my actions, or lack of a love committed to completion. If you again do not see what my point is, then I am sorry for wasting your time; however, if you know what I am talking about, then listen to what I am about to say. When it comes to a husband loving his wife as Christ loved the church, look at the Suffering Servant, and see if there is anything that could stop His love from giving His ALL. When it comes to loving our brothers and sisters, look at the Suffering Servant, and see if His love had any form of compromise. I think you will see that the old saying, 'Love is a two way street', has no bearing in this matter at ALL... "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13:16 & 17)

"In The Name of Love" - 3

Without warning, the simplest message can get really complex! Wow, I had no idea that this could be so hard. The reason that caring for one another in the way that I was trying to explain is so very important, is because of the strength gained in unity; not just unity of numbers, but the unity of the Holy Spirit. To understand the point that I am trying to make, we must go back to one of my previous statements: sin will hinder our ability to hear God's voice. What happens to our hearts when we are governed by God, is the strength to push forward, even though the way may seem difficult, or maybe even impossible. Okay, maybe I need to explain that in more practical terms. If we are able to hear God's voice clearly, and without doubting that it is His voice that we are hearing, then the path that we are on is made sure; regardless of the obstacles or mountains which we must climb along the way. However, if we are not hearing God's voice clearing, or even at all, then the path which we are on is unsure and full of doubt; which means that the peace that we should be enjoying in our lives is missing, or lacking the knowledge of God being in control. The unity of the Holy Spirit that I mentioned above, is the unity that comes to our spirit when we are actually loving our brothers and sisters with the heart of God. Yes, I do believe that we have the ability to love with the heart of God; which is the gifting of the Holy Spirit. Yet, that ability is not readily available unless we are yielded as in the example given by Jesus in the foot washing illustration. It really comes down to our ability to be humble enough to care for our brothers and sisters as much as is required to put their needs before those of our own; which might sometimes be harder than we might think... "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4 & 5)

"In The Name of Love" - 2

Now, if you thought I was going to start and compare Judas Iscariot with the wicked heart, well let's just say that I don't need to, because Jesus clarified that after, while they broke bread together. But what I believe Jesus is demonstrating in the foot washing example, is an act of compassion towards one another. It really comes down to caring for the burdens of one another; which are not necessarily the physical ones, but more the spiritual ones; the burdens that are carried due to sin. One of the problems that we are facing in our churches today has to do with caring for one another in a way that shows compassion. I know that some of you may wonder what I am talking about, but after you have been in leadership for ten or more years, you see things which go unnoticed in the general congregation. The reality is, that we spend more time talking about the sins of others, than praying for others that are dealing with sin. It is just that way because we are so sinful ourselves, that we get almost gleeful when others can be made to look worst. However, as I have said before, we are One in Christ Jesus, which means that when we hurt our brother or sister by our actions, which are mostly set against their good, then we are actually hurting ourselves in the process. If Jesus was actually demonstrating what I think that He was, then the act of caring for one another involves humility; which means to become lower in stature for the sake of another. In the culture of that time, those that would wash the feet of another, did it as an act of showing respect to the position which that person held over them. For example: if a nobleman came to your home for a visit, then out of respect for that position which they had over you, you would wash their feet as a sign of humility and servitude. This was the reason for Peter to have such a sharp rebuke for Jesus to wash his feet. We that are the Body of Christ have all been justified by the blood of Christ, which has washed our bodies in whole, including our very souls; however, the need to wash parts of the body will be a constant issue, and involves sanctification. Now then, the point of betrayal begins when a brother or sister confines in us a need for prayer or cleansing, and then we share that need with others. Maybe you don't quite see the connection between the betrayal of Jesus and the betrayal of a brothers trust. I think the reason that so many in leadership positions have such a battle with sin, is that they do not feel that they can share their burdens with others in confidence, because they know how things work in the 'network of the church'. Please don't get mad when I say this, but sharing a brother's burden with your wife is not keeping it to yourself!!! "Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for I Am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (John 13:13-15)

"In The Name of Love"

If not for them, then do it for Jesus! Let's get one thing perfectly clear: What Jesus did on that cross was all about God's Love for us; therefore, it is on the basis of God's Love by which we are able to be made perfect. I know what you are thinking, 'Duh!' But the thing which we have a tendency to forget, is that our hearts are very deceitful and will live more towards the flesh side of a personal issue, in more times than not. Again, if we look at the example of Peter's reaction to Jesus in John 13, we can see that Peter's heart was more turned towards the physical side of the situation than towards the spiritual. Jesus on the other hand was trying to make another point which requires us to look beyond the physical, and even the emotional side of things, and to look towards the spiritual side of every issue. After Jesus had washed their feet, He asked them, "Know ye what I have done to you?" (John 13:12) Needless to say, they really did not understand what it was that He did; at least not then. But they would come to understand later, that the reason behind the Master and Lord of the universe humbling Himself on the floor to wash their feet, was in the name of Love. This is not an easy issue to put into a physical illustration, because it really involves spiritual principles; but the simplest term of what is being portrayed is 'others first'. And in the area of what Jesus came to portray, which was the Love of God towards men, we are to walk in that same example; which at times may be humbling and even feel a bit awkward; but if not for them, then we must do it for Jesus. If you think that this is not that big of an issue, then think again; because woven into this example of humility, is also the harsh reality of betrayal...

"Giving Up To God" - 2

Why would I have concern about hearing God's voice? Okay, let me phrase that a little different, like, why would I not be able to discern His voice? There is something which can come between me and my God, and it is called sin. But, you might ask, didn't Jesus die on the cross for all of our sins? To which, I would answer, most definitely!!! However, there must be a washing away of all that sin; and sometimes it might require a foot washing somewhere down the road. No, scratch that; it will require a foot washing down the road! We have to realize more than anything else, that we will get dirty, and when we do, we are going to require a washing; not another rebirth, but a time of surrender, where we give whatever it is up to God. This is so very important, because that sin which we have picked up and that we are clinging to (or clinging to us), will disrupt our ability to hear God's voice. In fact; I will go as far as to say, that if left alone for too long, the ability to hear from God will be greatly hindered. Does that mean beyond repair? No, not at all; because our God is in the business of restoration; but you sure could find yourself stuck out in the wilderness for a while. This example that Jesus gives in John 13 about the washing of His disciple's feet has a couple different meanings; but the most important one is about the need to be cleansed of the traveling sins; which are the sins we pick up as we walk with the Lord. I know that might sound a little contradicting; and how can we walk with the Lord yet still pick up sins? Because we can, and we do! Remember that sin is more than the actual act of sinning, but can also include the things we hold in our hearts; things which we might hold against our brothers and sisters in Christ. Am I saying that the things we hold in hearts against our brother or sister will hinder our hearing from the Lord? Wow, you are a genius!!! "I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is Love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it." (2 John 4-6)

"Giving Up To God"

The key to a heart of surrender is to give up to God; for my life to be God's way and not my way. My way is based on the physical surroundings of my world, and how I might change them. God's way is based of the spiritual and how His Spirit might change me, no matter what my physical surroundings are, or might become. Why is this so? Because in the spiritual world the physical really does not matter all that much! Having thought about that for a little while, I can only wonder how many times I have made a choice by what I see instead of by faith. I know that my first intuition in most matters is to go for the way that looks most pleasing to the eyes, or to step in the direction which looks least intimidating. But with God, that is not always the best path to take, and more times than not, will take me down a path where my flesh gets feed more than my spirit. Now, the reason I feel that this subject is even worth talking about, is that I have been torn lately between several different directions, in almost every area of my life. I think this is a good thing, at least I hope it is; I am defiantly seeking the Lord more for the way He is leading me; which at times is hard to determine. And it is for that reason that I know I must take care to listen to the voice of God and not the voice inside my head! How do I know when the voice I hear is the voice of God? That is not a rhetorical question; but is one that must be answered. You would think that after almost thirty years of walking with the Lord, that I would be able to discern His voice; but I can say with a very honest heart that I have trouble sometimes listening. So my next question that I need to ask, is that if there is a difference between hearing and listening? Well, the first 'know' which Jesus uses as He tells Peter, "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter", is a word that describes an ability to see, or to perceive and understand: As I have listened to my own question, I have perceived that I really do not understand; therefore, I knowest not the answer! This 'know' is also the very same know in the following statement, which Jesus made to the five foolish virgins: "Verily I say to you, I know you not (you are not related to me)." (Matthew 25:12)

"To Know God's Rich Mercy"

'You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?' Basically there are a few different meanings to the word know, and some actually are the result of knowing, while others are more of the practice of knowing of. I know that you have heard the talk and walk statement before, but have you ever wondered how it could relate to knowing Jesus? There is a reason for the 'Rich' in the way I have been expressing God's Mercy, and it has to do with what you know; because when we do know His Mercy, not just knowing of it, but knowing it because we live it, then we also realize that it far out ways everything else. No fear of man or praise of man can stand up against the Mercy of our God, and what His mercy brings. With that in mind, let me refresh your memory to the meaning of 'Agape' and how God's Love meets our individual lives; because the meaning involves God's willful direction toward man, and Him doing what He knows is best for us and not necessarily what we desire. Can we say that about any other? No, I don't think that we can; because those that we would try and please here on this earth, would be more incline to want what is best for them, above what is best for us. Besides, they do not know all that God knows, so why should we put any stock in their praises. Yet, this is the direction that many of our brothers and sisters go; where the praises of men are more valuable than the praise of God; and for what? a few moments of fellowship; shallow fellowship that does not provide a lick of redeeming value. A good example of what I am talking about could be found in John 13, where we find Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. In verse 6 we see Jesus come to Peter, and Peter say, "Lord, dost thou wash my feet?"; and Jesus answered in verses 7, "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter". The 'knowest' and the 'know' are two very different words, with two very different meanings; both are the result of knowing, yet are the result of two separate ways to gain that knowledge. While we are His children we will gain knowledge of Him and His love for us; when we became His child we were brought to the knowledge of Him and how much He loves us. One way is the result of living in Him, and the other is the result of Him living in us; both are the result of a heart that surrenders!!!

"Knowing of His Rich Mercy" - 2

As I was saying, it is really quite a shame that a man would forfeit all that God's Rich Mercy brings for the safety of his environment or stature. But what is even worst than that, is when someone would put the fear of being called out in church, or even thrown out of church, ahead of the chance to be made right with God! Churches are a place where people are to come together to fellowship not only with each other, but to fellowship in the act of corporate praise and worship to the very God who made them; yet when we do not believe in the saving power of the One who redeemed us, then to whom are we worshipping? Okay; let me put it another way; something a little less wordy: the church is not what saves you, Jesus is; and until you accept that, then you really are not worshipping God! "Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a Light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:44-46) It is one thing to deny that you are in darkness, which many people do; but it is all together something else to deny the One who can pull you out of the darkness that you do not think you are in. Until we can see Jesus for the mighty work that He has done, then we are not able to comprehend the richness of God's Mercy; and until we accept that His work was meant for us, personally, then we are blind to the Love of God...

"Knowing of His Rich Mercy"

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed." (Isaiah 53:1) Part of the power to save is in the Knowledge of His Salvation; the other part comes by applying it to yourself! I can tell you about Jesus and what He did on that cross till I am blue in the face, but until you accept it, and believe that it was for you that He died, you will not Know of His power to save. There is a burden that we bare, unlike anything else which is known to this world; a burden of sin that separates us from the One who created our very soul. This type of burden, although masked by the burdens and cares of this life, is only noticed by the one who can see the power to be saved from it. In other words; we can not believe how separated we are until we can see what was required to make us whole. This was a major problem for the Jew in the time of Jesus, and is still a problem today; that people would forfeit the power of His Rich Mercy in an effort to appear as though they did not need it. What a shame!!! "But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed Him not: that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Isaiah, when he saw His glory, and spake of Him. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praises of men more than the praise of God." (John 12:37-43)

"Singing of God's Rich Mercy"

"Behold My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonished at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men: so shall He sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at Him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider." (Isaiah 52:13-15) Back in the days, before Jesus died on the cross, this passage of Scripture might not have made much sense; but that all changed on the very special day. There is something else which we must consider about that verse 54:1, and the aspect of not being able to bear; because, as Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7:13 & 14, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it". The reason that we must take this into consideration is because of our inability to get it right; which means that we are not able to get pure enough to please God; nor are we able to become Holy enough to enter into His presence. Yet, there are many who will pursue that road, and will, if I may, try to 'travail with child' in the pursuit of godliness. As we look at the Servant mentioned in Isaiah 52:13, we can realize now that He is Jesus Christ; and as the Scripture says, He "shall deal prudently". At the risk of seeming wise or prudent myself (which I am not), let me say that 'perfect love' plays perfectly into this passage of Scripture; and as I said yesterday, to understand the concept of having joy though a trial we must have a clue of the outcome. The word 'prudently' comes from the Hebrew word "sakhal' which for the purpose of this particular verse, it means knowing the reason for something; which is the thing that drove Jesus to the cross, because He knew what the outcome would be, and why He was here: that God's Rich Mercy could do for us what we could never do on our own...

"Take Care To Listen"

To those of you who wondered about the choice of Isaiah 54:1 to close out yesterday's post, let me assure you that I wondered myself, for a moment. But the more I looked into the several different declarations which God is making, the more fitting I feel that this verse comes into play. This verse sets up a beautiful transformation which God declares to the people that He loves, and in doing so, it begins with the instruction to sing; to actually "break forth into singing, and cry aloud", which is to praise and rejoice. To understand the concept of having joy through a trial or giving God praise through adversity, we must have a clue of the outcome; because it is then that we can begin to see the connection between joy and pain. And yes, I did say pain; pain which causes those that it inflicts to tremble and be still, both at the same time. "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child". The basic idea that the Lord is making here is that of celebration, but in the body of the reason to celebrate is also the reason that others would despair. In light of who is speaking, we should take care to listen, because the point that God is making has to do with not only the children of Israel, but He is also making reference to the Church (you and me). The term "travail with child" is taken from the Hebrew word 'Chul' or Chil', and has so many different meanings that they almost seem to contradict themselves; like: to turn in a circle, whirl, twist, revolve; to writhe; to be in labor; to bear a child, be born; to be afraid, tremble; to reel; to wait; to hope; to rage; to assault; to be strong, pithy; to produce; to cause to bring forth; to hope, to wait; to cause to tremble; to shake; to wait anxiously; to be grieved. As you can see, that is quite a list of a whole lot of different ways to react or bring forth expression; which, if you really think about it, and if you have been with a woman who is giving birth, this pretty much expresses the vast differences that are lived out during the labor process. But this point the Lord is making has got more to do with what is to come, than what has been; because the next portion of this verse says the real message being delivered: "for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord". In this portion of the verse, I believe that God is declaring Himself as the husband to the wife who is married, and the desolate are those that are not His. That being said; the reason that this passage of Scripture spoke so profoundly to me, is the fact that I have not seen yet the fulfillment of my desire, which I will relate to the barren, or 'thou that that didst not bear'; and in the wake of hope is the assurance that God knows best, even though what is best might seem bad; because the fate of the desolate is for more devastating than the shaping of His wife...

"Perfect Love Never Quits"

There is something we must keep in mind when we are talking about 'perfect love' verses being made perfect in love; perfect love is a destination, while being made perfect is a process towards a destination. The reason again that this is important has to do with where 'perfect love' comes from; it comes from God! And because it comes from God, that means that it is, was, and always will be, because He never changes. That my dear brothers and sisters is what makes what we have in Jesus Christ so amazing; that in the blink of an eye we are restored into His perfect Love; just like that, we can go from destruction to restoration. However, as we move forward in our state of being restored, that is when the act of 'being made perfect' begins, or begins again, depending on where we have come from. Now let me share something from my heart, and it will hurt, that much I am sure. But this perfect love that I have for my wife is not always perfect; because, there are times when I doubt; times when I feel like throwing in the towel; times when I say to myself, Why are we doing this, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year? It has been over seven years now, and I still am asking for God to heal her; and I still am holding out for a healing. Then again, there are times when I say to myself, This is it! Her current state is the best I can expect in this life, so get use to it! But then I realize something that is very profound: she is holding on to life; which, from the point of view that I have been told to have, means that the Lord is not done with her yet; which also means that He is not done with the two of us yet, because we are still one! So then, what about the perfect love which is not always perfect, and why is it that way? First off, God does not change, but we do; and every time that I change my heart, or let my heart be changed, God is right there to change it back!!! And all that I need to do for that change to happen, is to cry out to Him, 'Abba Father', and just like that, I am in His perfect Love! Now as far as 'being made perfect' goes, that process comes from trusting God and knowing how much He loves me, and that He will never quit loving me!!! That promise, along with the fact that He is such a Great and Mighty God, gives me more hope than I need to get through any measure of doubt; while at the same time, holding me in His perfect Love... "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not prevail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 54:1)

"Perfect Love in Us''

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23 & 24) The heart of God, that is the place I want to dwell; because being there I can partake of His perfect love for me. When we get to that place where His Love is the focus of our hearts, we can truly say the words said in the Psalm above, and actually want them to be done. Until then, we are so busy hiding our wicked ways that we forget God knows them already, and we are only fooling ourselves. The word 'wicked' in the verse above means an idol or image, which for the purpose of this passage of Scripture is about setting up an image of who God is, and then placing that image in the way of who God really is. When we place an image of God in our minds, we set that image between us and God; and in doing so we limit the access that we have to the Heart of God. I have shared on this before, way back in the Isaiah 55 days; but like I said before, this time it is about Love. This being also Valentine's Day, I thought it would serve well to dedicate this to my wife, and to search my heart for her; because this same principle works well in our love also. If I set up an image of what our love should look like, or what my wife should look like, then I am placing that image between my heart and her heart; which will limit the access that I will gain into who she really is. Having said that, I do believe that there is always room for improvement in our relationship; but that improvement begins with me. If you want your spouse to love you more, then love her more, and see yourself doing those things required to make that happen. However, we should not require our spouse to be the one who is setting the level, or meeting the picture that we have set up; by doing so we will only set ourselves up for great disappointment and some quarrels about not being loved. As for me, my life is what it is, and I must deal with it; but as I have said before, this is my calling and my mission is to love my wife with all my heart. Which brings me to another point I would like to make, and that is images within our minds that we have let in that are placed between us and our spouse. These images must be removed, and there is only one way to remove them: Repent and ask God to take them out!!! Replace them right away with the images of your perfect spouse, with the help of the Holy Spirit! And, and I mean and, ask God to search your heart and your mind to reveal anything that might still be there; anything which can take away from God's Perfect Love in you...

"Perfect Love In Thee"

"I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy Book all my members are written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee.(!!!!)" (Psalm 139:14-18) While reading this Psalm this morning, I could not help but think about 'enter into His gates'; those for words just kept popping up in my heart and mind, each time with a different ending: with praise, with thanksgiving, with love... This is the thought of a child of God: kept through all eternity in the House of The Lord. I hope you understand the just of that statement, because that is the power of knowing who we are in Him, and how we are cared for; even in the times of our iniquities! This is the kind of Love we are created for; that our Father in heaven would love us since the beginning of time, and through all eternity! While I really had a hard time deciding where to start, verse 14 seemed to be a very good verse to start with; but verse 12 was the verse that caused me to wonder with amazement at how powerful our God's Love is towards us. If you think long enough on it, it can really make your head spin. But, think about this for just a moment (if you not all day): Let's call His house His heart, which we will enter into; this is the Love of God, which we must relate to as a place, an actual place to enter into. Now, as we have entered in, we have discovered that there is nothing hid from Him; that nothing can be hid from His glorious Light; yet, in that same Light all things are made Light, even the darkness! Therefore, there is only One place that we are safe and secure, and that is in His heart where Love and Light dwell; and there is only One gate by which we can enter in: JESUS!!! "Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee." (Psalm 139:12)

"Perfect Love" - 2

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:14 & 15) As we are talking about 'casting out fear', there is no better way to cast out fear than to not have the fear in the first place; this is what our relationship with our Heavenly Father should be like: as a child of His, knowing that He loves us more than we love ourselves, and that He is strong enough to keep us safe in His arms. Having this measure of faith is what 'perfect love' requires, because without these two things we really cannot put all of our trust in Him. Again, the 'perfect love' which is spoken about by John in 1 John 4:18 means the love which is mature, not lacking boldness or confidence and therefore not hampered by the insecurity or anxiety which are characteristic of immature love. Now, when it comes to our own stupidity and the things we do which are contrary to His will, we must be prepared for our Loving Father to discipline us when we have not obeyed His voice or His word. This I believe is a test for many mighty men of God; one which requires complete surrender to God's perfect love; which makes a man trust that God is strong enough to pull him from the fire, as he jumps from the frying pan into the fire; while at the same time, believing that God loves him enough to not see him hurt more than he can bare. If you do not know what I am talking about, then I should not say more; if you do know, then I have said enough. However, the real fire that we must fear is not the fire that we have created by our stupidity, but the fire that has been created for the enemies of God, and when it comes to that fire, which is the fires of hell, we who are written in the Book of Life have no need to fear. Therefore, whom shall we fear? Go look in the mirror... "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world. (not of this world!!!) (1 John 4:17)

"Perfect Love"

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength;" (Isaiah 26:3 & 4) Sometimes we need a little nudge to get us through a tough spot, and no better place to find that then in the strength of the LORD. One of the things which I wanted to speak about that I touched on earlier, was from 1 John 4:18, and 'perfect Love'; which is only found in One place, and that is God. As I touched on briefly before that we can try to know God's perfect Love, but to actually experience it, we must live it; and there is only One Way to live it, and that is through Jesus Christ. In 1 John 4:18, John speaks about perfect love casting out fear: the first thing that we must realize in our relationship with God is that He is strong, and because He is so very strong we can put all of our trust in Him. The second thing we must come to realize in this relationship with our very strong God, is how much He loves us, and that He has only the very best intentions for us. What I am talking about now is our relationship with God, not our introduction to Him through our gift of salvation; there is a difference, and I hope to make that point (for those that may not know). The main difference, that is easiest to comprehend, is the fact that we are His child, born into His kingdom; and as His child we are protected and loved. At the point of salvation this transformation was 100% positive in every way; bringing us from death to life, from dark to light, from sinner to saint, from lost to found, etc, etc; but as we progressed in our relationship with God, His love for us as a Father needed to be worked into our lives, which is sometimes not that positive, or so it may appear. It is in these times that 'perfect love' must take hold in us; knowing the strength of our God who loves us, we can be assured that nothing can separate us from His mighty hand, not even our own stupidity!!!

"The Love of Jesus" - 3

The bottom line in this message is that Jesus Christ is all about unity: unity in the Spirit, unity in Love, unity in the Body of Christ, and unity with the Father. He came to die on the cross for our sins that we could be united with the Father through Him. Now how important do you think unity is to Jesus? This goes hand in hand with marriage and the love between a husband and wife, because the love that they have formed in the marriage relationship goes beyond the simple love that we express in courtships or even affairs; it is based on unity, where the two become one. If you watched the movie Fireproof, then you might remember the part where his friend glues the salt and pepper shakers together, demonstrating the bond of marriage; that now that they have been bonded, pulling them apart will damage one or the other, or both. (If you have not seen this movie, you should!) The reason that the meaning of the husband and wife becoming one is so important, is that we, as the body of Christ, are His bride which He has won through the suffering and death on the cross. This is not just an analogy or a type, but is the reason for His sacrifice that He gave; that He could purchase us with His blood, and that we would be His bride, for all eternity. Now, if we are to become the 'perfect' man in Christ which Paul mentions in Ephesians 4:13, then we must come to the knowledge of this unity of the faith, and not just by knowing it, but by living it. Which, if you really what to know how to live it, the greatest illustration that Paul gives is in 1 Corinthians 13; with a focus on Love, and the understanding of who we are in Christ, we are made perfect and complete in the Love of Jesus. His Love was that of sacrifice, which is not selfish, but in the same manor was also for Himself; in other words, His goal was to purchase a glorious bride for all eternity, which required that He give of Himself to accomplish that goal. Our goal is also that of unity, and it too will require us to give of ourselves and to not want our own pleasures at the expense of others, especially our brother and sisters, or our spouse. For the most part, I know what I have been called to do, and that is to care for my wife; to love her, and cherish her, and smoother her in prayer, God's Word, and praise. However, this calling has many parts, and everyone of them are to be in unity with Christ and must express His love for the church; which means that I am subject to being a prisoner of the Lord in the wake of my calling... God is in control!!! "When I was a child, I spake as a child: but when I became a man (perfect or complete), I put away childish things (things which are done out of ignorance). For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known. And now abideth faith (firm persuasion), hope (good expectation), charity (Agape: affectionate regard), these three (are joined together as one); but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE)." (1 Corinthians 13:11-13)

"The Love of Jesus" - 2

Now, just in case you missed it, Paul being the 'prisoner of the Lord' is not just a reference to the fact that he was in prison while writing this epistle, but in fact, I believe it had several different meanings. In the light of what Paul is talking about, the term prisoner is much the same as bond servant, or even to be held captive. Yes, he was in prison at the time of this writing, as well as Colossians and Philemon, and a few other letters that did not survive; but in giving place to the One who is in control of his life, it is in this regard that Paul is held prisoner. This could also be said of the fate Jesus looked to as He lived here among us; as one who lived His life in a certain way; being tempted, yet not walking in sin, that He might fulfill the task set before Him. In this regard, Jesus was a prisoner of the Love of the Father towards us; or, if you will, He was bound to die on the cross for our sins. Another aspect of being a 'prisoner of the Lord' is the fact that Paul is being held in prison for doing the Lord's work, to do the work of the Lord, and that the Lord would do a work; all of which are for God's glory and the ministry of Jesus Christ; but none being the result of chance or a mistake, but the will of God. That is the meaning which I expressed yesterday, that Paul was being held for the Lord's work to be complete in him; whereby Paul could say in his heart with all honesty, that ALL things work for the good, knowing that his circumstances are for no other reason than to give glory to God. So then, when is comes to our calling, or what we felt called to do for God, our most important task in the ministry of Jesus Christ is Love; loving our brothers and sisters more than the calling we feel God has put upon our hearts. This is not an easy subject, although it should be; because we are flesh and blood, we have a tendency to get caught up in the emotions of our hearts, as well as the racing of our minds; which, if you know what I am talking about, those are things which get us in trouble more times than not. I have been involved in ministry leadership for quite some time, and I can tell you without a doubt that we really do not know how weak we really are; as soon as we step outside the will of God, and as soon as we are no longer under the leading of the Holy Spirit, there is no telling what damage can be done to the church by a fleshly spirit (someone who wants their way). "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (love), I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (love), it profiteth me nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

"The Love of Jesus"

"Till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:" (Ephesians 4:13) This little verse really packs a punch, and it has within it some of the fundamental issues within our churches today, and most likely Paul's day also. In verses 1-12, Paul was sharing about the workings of those in ministry, and the need to be united as one, and to walk in love. This is a really good concept, but not real practical when it comes to groups of people; especially gifted people who believe they not only have a gift, but also know how God wants them to use it, or at least think that they do. Am I saying people should not do what God has told them to do? No, not at all. But what I am saying, is that the unity of the church comes first, and if you, setting out to perform your calling, goes against the unity of the church, then that calling needs to be put on hold. God will put things on our hearts for a reason, and sometimes for a special time; but in the moment, that desire to do what He has called us to do must never disrupt the unity of the church. Having said that, I also believe that there are times when a calling is meant to awaken the church; much like a gift of healing would do, where people are stirred by the working of God's Spirit; but that type of action causes unity, as it should. This is one of the basic lessons we must take from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; that His love for the Father and His love for the church were the same Love; in other words, they were unable to be separated, because they were for the same purpose. When I said yesterday that our love for others was a reflective love, I meant that it is reflective off of our love for God; it is a reflection of that love. Much like the love Jesus had towards the Father was reflected in the love He had for the church, why? Because it was the Father's Love being manifested through Him towards man. As Paul begins to list his passionate plea for unity within the church, he begins with who he was in Christ, which is also who we are in Christ; because although we may feel called to do this or do that, we are limited by Spirit of God and wherever God has us serving... "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3)

"Loving God More" - 2

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) Not that I thought I could, but what do you think Jesus meant? As I was thinking about what I asked yesterday about for what purpose I would gladly give it all away, and whether it would be for Love, I was struck by a thought: What love would I be after? Oh, where do I start? I believe that we are to love God first and foremost, which is what Jesus commands; however, when it comes to loving others, well, let's just say that it is a reflective love. As odd as that may sound, it is the best description I could come up with at the moment. For the most part Jesus is talking about Love with the statement being made in this opening verse, because in the five verses prior to this statement, He is talking about loving our enemies; if you have been able to do that, then you know what I am talking about. However, leading up to and following these verses, Jesus is speaking about attitudes of the heart: what is really going on inside of us. The famous 'Sermon on the Mount', for which many catch phrases, both rightly and wrongly quoted, come from. This portion of the Sermon has to do with loving our enemies, but if you really think about each and every verse the has to do with this Sermon on the Mount, from verse 5:3 all the way to verse 7:27, they all have to do with the attitude of our hearts, or where our hearts are. Do you love your enemies? That is not a trick question, but one that requires some heart searching; because saying that you love your enemies, and loving your enemy are two totally different lights. For example: if I say I love my enemy, and even go out of my way to show them that I do, yet in my heart I wish that they would be struck by lightening, then what have I proven? But you might be saying, "Vengeance is Mine, saith the Lord", so why not wish God would strike them? But that was just the point Jesus was making here; we are to bless and pray for our enemies, not curse them. This really goes beyond just treating them well, it really gets into the heart of the matter, which is our heart; do we do what we do for man's recognition or for God's? Which just so happens to be the next subject of His Sermon, 'Seeking God's Approval' in giving, prayer, fasting, and where our heart makes it's home. All of these require the same thing to make them happen, our Love for God! And when I say Love, I really do mean All love; which is a little complicated to get into, but it requires our loving Him more than anything else; let's just leave it at that for now... "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of man, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in Love, may grow up into Him in All things, which is the Head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in Love." (Ephesians 4:13-16)

"Loving God More"

"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me." (Matthew 19:21) The perfect here is again the word 'teleios', which is the destination; or, as I said yesterday, it is complete. The thing that would make it complete in the example given, was who Jesus was talking to; a young rich man, who had told Jesus that he had kept God's commandments from his youth, after Jesus listed God's commands when the young man asked, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?". There was something that this young man loved more than God, which was his riches, as we see in verse 22, "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions". I too would be a little uneasy in my seat whenever this portion of Scripture was taught, because I was always waiting for the one teaching it to call everyone to give everything away to the poor; and not knowing what I would do if they did. What would I do? Right now, I think I would gladly; ten years ago, I think I would sadly. What do I think has changed in my life to make that claim? I think the biggest change has been my love for God; not that I did not love God before, but that I did not love Him with all that I had within me. How can we love God with all of our might? This is not much different than the question that the disciples asked in amazement, in verse 25: "Who then shall be saved?"; which was asked when Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God". Again, the word perfect comes into the picture; which is the only thing that can possibly make the impossible happen: God's perfection is absolute; man's is relative. The perfect (teleios) is one who has attained moral maturity, the goal for which he was intended, namely, to be a man obedient in Christ. It really does not matter what the subject matter is, or how much of it we are talking about; but what really matters is whether or not we are willing to give it up for the Lord. Whether it is riches, or whether it is sin; there is no difference when it comes to the things we place between us and God, or the things that we love more than Him. Now then; when it comes to Love, I need some great improvement in this area, because the real question remaining in my heart, is not necessarily about whether I would be willing to give everything away, but to what cause? Do you understand my question? Okay, how about this one: For what purpose am I willing to give it all away? Is it for Love? "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

"Loving God" - 3

Having said that, it is important for those that are called by God to know what they are called to do. What is your calling? This is part of the part that Paul is talking about; it is also a main part of what gives us the confidence and the boldness in the love we have for God; that enables us to press forward, even though others may scoff or come against us. Why is that? Because it is God's will; it is God's ministry, mission, or work that you are doing, and not your own. What this does is to change the perspective on what you are doing; where it's not your doing, but God's, and He is allowing you to do, and enabling you through every part of the journey. Paul's life is a great example of what I am talking about, because right from the start he had opposition from all sides. From that fact alone, many would have not went forward; however, for Paul, this was not an option, because he had heard from Jesus: bright and clear. Jeremiah is another example that is along the same line, because as he started his ministry there was opposition from all sides; but just like Paul, quiting was not an option, because he heard directly from God, and was touched by God. The word 'perfect' in 1 Corinthians 13:10, although very similar to the 'perfect' in 1 John 4:17, ("Herein is Love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world"), they are two very different words; one is the destination, while the other is the action required to be at that destination; or another way to put it: one is complete, and the other is to complete. However, neither of these examples are complete without the other; because as I have mentioned before, the point to Paul's 'perfect' in 1 Corinthians 13:10, is the result of the Love being spoken of in verses 3-8; which is also the same Love spoken of by John in 1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in Love; but perfect Love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in Love."

"Loving God" - 2

"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is part shall be done away." (1 Corinthians 13:9 & 10) The word perfect in this verse is 'teleios' which means Finished, that which has reached its end, term, limit: hence, complete, full, wanting in nothing. Generally, it means that a person has reached God's expectations, or that one is completely blameless before God. But what is God's expectation? This I believe can vary from one person to another, which was part of the point Paul was making; because he was completing his last statement in verse 12:31: "And yet show I unto you a more excellent way", as chapter 13 begins. And in chapter 12, Paul is speaking about One Body with many parts, and that all these different parts are different, having also many different levels of service, gifts, or even abilities. That is why loving God is our number one priority, because we may not know what His will for our lives may be; but as we continue in His Love, then He will show us what His will is, as He moves us in His will. Paul was gifted in his knowledge of what God's will was for his life, because God told him so; but not all of us have such a gift of knowing, and some step out into a work, only to be frustrated by that work not being God's will for their lives. We really do not know what we must be doing until God tells us, and in most cases, He will not tell us until it is pressing into our hearts, or we have been so radically changed by circumstance, that we are spun out into His will from that ordeal. Which was the case of Paul, as he met the Lord on the road to Damascus... Now, when it comes to 'perfect Love', like the love that John spoke of in 1 John 4:18, which casteth out fear; this perfect love means the love which is mature, not lacking boldness or confidence and therefore not hampered by the insecurity or anxiety which are characteristic of immature love. This 'perfect love' coupled with the will of God for our life is the more excellent way that Paul was talking about, because without loving God first and foremost above all things, we can not know 'perfect love' or His perfect will...

"Loving God"

I need to switch gears, at least for the time being. As I was praying about the message God would have me share today, I thought about what it means to 'live out Love'. Conviction is the thing that sprang up inside my heart. What does love look like? Can you tell me that? Paul gave some hint of it in 1 Corinthians 13; but to really observe love, requires Love. How do I mean? Let's take the ones that put Jesus to death, and think about the greatest act of Love ever observed by man; standing around the cross, they mocked Him, they spat upon Him, they even rejoiced in His suffering; yet, for those around Him that knew, their hearts were broken for Him. In order to see the love that Christ had for the world, as He hung there on that cross, required the looker to know the Love that was being displayed. For those that did not know, this was an act of mistaken identity, false crucifixion, or hasty injustice; and that it just those that were on His side; because those that were against Him, they were the ones mocking, spitting and rejoicing. The reason I have even brought this up, is because we have a tendency to give ourselves a pat on the back for the good we do; or, if you really want to the truth, we actually expect to be patted on the back. This is why it is so very important that we are always keeping our focus upon God; loving God first and foremost, and expecting only to need His Love to be manifested in us towards others; otherwise, we will be found wanting. Wanting what? Rewards for one; someone to come along and pat us on the back; for what, for doing what we are called to do? It is also this same focus that allows us who love God, to see the love being brought forth from others. Instead of looking for the faults of others, envying those that serve God well, or thinking ill of those that receive recognition, we look toward the work that God is doing in our midst; knowing that it is His Love at work, not only in those brothers and sisters, but in us also as we observe God's Love being poured out.

"Love Lives"

"In this was manifested the Love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might Live through Him." (1 John 4:9) In what? In what was the Love of God manifested toward us? Was it just in the act of God sending His Son? I am thinking that there is a little more to the 'this' then just that; because John is talking about knowing God, and that those who do not love, do not know God. The word 'live' means more than just living, it also means having Life; coupled with the 'through Him', which refers to God's Son, it means to have life through Him. Now, some may scoff at the notion that there is anything special about the 'Life' we have in Christ, and with good reason, because sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between the believers and the nonbelievers. But, I can assure you that this 'Life' we are given is far more special than even most believers realize; and the reason I say that, is the example I just gave for those that scoff. Because; this word 'live' is a present tense word, which for those that may not know, present tense means right now. Am I not talking about eternal life? or life everlasting? or the here after? Well, it really comes down to the now; What about now? Okay; this is how I see it: The living which is to be manifested in us is God's Love, which we have been blessed to be a part of, by knowing and believing in God's only begotten Son; which is in fact the Redeemer's kingdom, and His kingdom is now. But I thought His kingdom was to take place in heaven, and was not of this world? Don't scoff! The Redeemer's kingdom is now, and is presently about redeeming the lost, and about Life being given, and about God's Love. Here is the reason: those that need to be redeemed, need to believe in God's Love for them, which was manifested towards them through Jesus Christ; however, the vessels which manifest the Love of God to those that are lost, are those that have already been redeemed, and which know God's Love. Does anyone see a problem here?

"Love Suffers Long"

After doing yesterday's blog I felt as if I left something out, something important about our proper perspective. As I was praying about that this morning, I was reminded that our longing must be elsewhere; in other words, we are looking forward to the day when we are in His glory, and hearing the words "Well Done". Until then, we must press on, knowing that His return is very, very soon. Some things just can not be explained, at least not in a way that makes perfect sense; but, as I was praying wife my wife this morning, I could not help but wonder how she feels. Does she just lay there counting the minutes of the day? Is she just a prisoner in her own body? How many years??? Regardless of what I think or feel about what justifies life, and the quality of living, God has given me a love in my heart that goes beyond that. This is not about how I feel, or even about how Marianne feels; but this is about a work the God is doing in us, and in me especially. The term 'long-suffering' implies that there is something wrong which must be endured; to endure patiently as opposed to losing faith or giving up, and it involves putting up with things or circumstances. Holding my wife this morning, while praying for her, I began to ask God to heal every part of her; rubbing each part of her body as I asked God to heal that particular part; all the way down to her toes. In the process of that prayer, two things happened to be taking place: one, is the fact that I was affectionately touching my wife, and actually sensed that she was moved by it; the other, was the fact that I was moved by it. I could feel love flow through our bodies, as if there was a current of electricity pulsating back and forth. Then I realized again something of great importance; something that I have a tendency to forget or neglect to put at the forefront of my mind: She is still with me, and we are still one! Regardless of her condition, she is still here, and she needs me to treat her so. Which brings me to a point that I was stricken with yesterday: Love is a action; not a pillar or even a thought; but it requires movement in one way or another...Talk about putting things in proper perspective! "In this was manifested the Love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (1 John 4:9)