"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)

"The God of Love Lives!"

Odd title, if you really think about it; but for someone who has been a Christian for almost thirty years, I must confess that I have seen a lot of stuff that could make one wonder. Our biggest problem in our quest for godliness is ourselves; my biggest problem in my quest to love with the Love of God, is my lack of godliness. That is the way I see it anyways, how about you? As I was thinking about Jeremiah and God's call upon his life, I began to wonder why God really put that portion of Scripture before me; and then it hit me right in the middle of my heart: Perspective is the thing which we really lack! I know it sounds weird, and maybe even sounds like it could be somewhat secular; but our perspective of God, our perspective of others, and our perspective of ourselves, all have got to be in order. Take Jeremiah for example; his perspective about the calling upon his life was way off, so God needed to adjust his perspective. You could even say the same about Isaiah, who while in the presents of God, felt undone and of unclean lips; not worthy to be in the presents of God; which was actually the right perspective. However, God changed his perspective by having one of the seraphim's fly over a put a live coal from the alter upon his mouth, saying, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged". Our perspective of who we are in Christ must be kept; we are nothing without Him, and can do nothing of Him without Him living in us. Now comes the part that is hard to speak. If we are going to have the right perspective when it comes to Christ living in us, then we must stop looking to others for their living Christ out, and just focus on Him living in us. We can not see the fullness of what Christ can do in us, while we are looking through the prism of others. Heck, we can not even look to ourselves! We must come to the understanding about the God of Love that is living in us. Living in us means that He is alive in us; which means that He is molding us and shaping us in every area of our life. Therefore, if I lack something in my life which I know I must have, then it is because I have not surrendered completely to His molding and shaping. In other words; I can love, as His Love is perfected in me, as long as I am dependent upon Him perfecting me...

"The God of Love"

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) Sometimes we need to have a little different perspective to really know God's Love. The question that I asked myself, and actually asked you also, was if it was within me to love my wife with the Love of God; in other words, can I love her with an 'Agape' Love? Which, I answered by saying that I must first know what Agape is before I can even begin to express it, or live it out. Correction: Before I can live It out, It must be living in me! Then shall I know It!!! The opening verse which is from chapter one of Jeremiah, was the introduction by God to him, about the calling upon his life. This is a very interesting ordination, because Jeremiah was very young at the time of his actual calling; however, by God's perspective, he had been called for quite some time. Besides the task that he had been called to, his age was also a factor in the initial rejections that he received by his countrymen. He did not want to be a prophet in the first place, but the urgency of his message was like a fire raging within him, and he could not contain it. However, his response to God's introduction was in verse 6: "Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child." His is an example of total faithfulness to God, regardless of personal desires or circumstances; because, after God put His words within him, he could not help but speak them out. Along with this task of speaking forth the word of God to a dying nation, he also felt the pain of the judgement he had to declare; thus, he was known as 'The Weeping Prophet', because his burden was so heavy. So, what the heck does this have to do with God's Love? Well, for one, we are not the maker of His Love, He is! I cannot make myself love with the Love of God, and neither can you; but it is God who must love in us, and through us; and then, and only then, can we begin to love with the Love of God. Jeremiah had no desire to be God's prophet, nor did he think that he could; however, God's word placed within him changed all that, and nothing could stop him from speaking forth God's words; not even the sadness of the message. Most importantly, it was God all along that was in charge, even before his birth; even before he was conceived God had the words prepared for him to speak. The Love of God can only be found in One place: The God of Love!!!

"Love's Response Again"

As I was saying, before I had to go and love on my wife: just as the wife is responding to the love of her husband, so too, the church must respond to the Love of Christ. Now then, reason would have it that if the wife does not respond, then the husband would have cause for concern (to say the least); but the problem here is, we are not talking about reason; because reason by definition means to do what is logical, do you see a problem with that? Well do you? I would say a big fat yes! God's Love is not logical; in fact, His Love flies in the face of logic, because He loved us even when we had no love for Him; even to the point of dying on the cross for us. Hey husbands, are you listening! What was His response to our love? So you say that your wife does not love you anymore, and has even told you that to your face; then what is your response? The world would say that it is over, and that it is time to throw in the towel; God would say, to love her more; and if that does not work, then love her more than that, or any other thing on this earth. When it says in John 3:16, that God gave His only begotten Son, it means that Jesus was the only One of His kind; it also means that Jesus was the Father's best that He had to offer, that we might be saved from our lost and unloving state. So then; have you given your best? If you think you have, and she is still not loving you, think again. Or better yet, give your best to God first, and then watch Him transform your life into a life that can actually Love your wife as Christ loved the church! Have you given your best to God? Have you given Him nothing at all? Have you even loved Him at all? If not, I have some good news for you: God still loves you, and will even respond to that; in fact, He will love you even if you turn your back on Him. And you know what else? His response is open arms; arms that are extended wide for all to see...Only the Best, for even the worst!

"Love's Response"

So then, why would His commandments be grievous to me? Could it be that I am not loving Him back enough? 'To whom much is given, much is required' could be the answers I am looking for; because, if God has forgiven me much more than I should ever need, how then should I be able to love Him enough? In reality, God does not love one person above another, although it may appear to be the case; but the picture we see is the persons response to God's Love, which gives those watching the assumption that God is loving them more than them. Do you actually think that Jesus loved John more than Peter? Although John referred to himself, as the Disciple whom Jesus loved; it was John's love for Jesus which brought this conclusion into John's heart, as well as the others: as Peter asked, "Lord, and what shall this man do?"; which was in response to Jesus telling Peter the manor of death he must suffer, and Peter wanting to know what would happen to the Disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:19-22). May I be bold enough also, to lay something out there that may or may not be received with great comfort; but the love which we have towards God greatly effects the amount of God's Love that we receive. That being said, I must remind you, that it is not that God is loving you more, but that you are receiving more of His Love, and the response to His Love is fanning the flames. Which again, is much like the love a wife will have towards her husband; where the husband is called to love his wife as Christ loved the church, yet the wife is called to reverence her husband (Ephesians 5:33). This reverence word has a way of twisting the Scripture to suit someones ego, because in the simplest definition, the word means to fear; which would not go over well with most wives. However, in the context of what Paul is saying about how the church is to reverence Christ, which is in response to the Love of Christ for the church; this word reverence, is more of a responding love, or a being in awe of the love that is given. (I so wish I had loved my wife this much 8 years ago...)

"Love's Pure Light" - 7

'Could he go all the way?' That's the phrase I heard in my head as I went to sleep last night, and yet I know that this journey is nowhere close to being completed. However, Love's Pure Light as a title is finally going to be brought to a completion, and what better way to do that, then to have it fall on the number seven. After I wrapped up yesterday's post, I thought about how bold John was in his statement, "His commandments are not grievous"; because to be perfectly honest, I can find myself struggling in trying to keep them, so to say they are not grievous; well, let's just say that I feel sometimes that I am grieving in my effort to be righteous. Here is the deal with the Love of God: when God created man, the one ingredient that was lacking in man, was his Love for God; don't get me wrong, I am not saying that Adam did not love God, because I am sure that he did; what I am saying, is that the fullness of God's Love was not known to Adam. Although Adam had the ability to love God with all of his heart, mind, soul and strength, his capacity to do so was not fully developed. God provided for man all that he needed, but until the need required for God to give of Himself, man could not know the fullness of God's Love. How can I make this outlandish claim? Well, for one, the fact that Adam and Eve hid from God after having eaten of the tree that they were told not to eat from; this is called fear, and fear is not something which has place in Love (Agape). In other words; the fact that there was a fear from God, tells me, that the Love of God was not fully comprehended in Adam's heart. Notice that I did not say 'Fear of God', because the point of that meaning had already been lost with the act of sin; now what Adam was feeling was a fear from God's wrath, besides the fact that they felt naked; which actually reinforces my point, because the nakedness that they felt, was a direct result of their guilt, and the sinfulness of their flesh. The more I think about it, the more I can see that God works all things for the good; because the devil meant it for bad, but God meant it for good; say what??? The death that man suffered in the Garden that day, was that catalyst needed, to bring God's Love to Pure Light... "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is Love; and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness (no fear) in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world (not of this world). There is no fear in Love; but perfect Love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment (punishment). He that feareth is not made perfect in Love. We love him, because He first Loved us (our response!!!). (1 John 4:15-19)

"Love's Pure Light" - 6

I don't know why, but I just had to do this again. As many of you may know, six is the number of man; which, for the most part represents the day on which man was created. I for one, think that it represents something a little more regal, yet not quite royalty. If the number which is the representation of God is seven, because on the seventh day God's creation was complete and then He rested, then the number six comes pretty close; don't you think? But here is the problem that I see with that line of thought: first off, God created man in His own image, however that is meant to be; but, at the same time He gave man the free will to love, which also came with it, the free will to sin. Secondly, He is Pure Light, and in Him is no darkness at all; man was created from the dust of the ground, and last I checked, the dust did not light much. And then thirdly, but most definitely not lastly, man's life, his love, his very soul is the breath of God; which tells me something very important about man's existence: it is nothing without God!!! That all being said, the most important ingredient of our existence is Love; and not just a love for life, or our love even for each other, but the Love of God that is manifested within us, that makes us love God; which, if you want to get really technical, is the completing ingredient of our creation. This is precisely why God gave man free will to begin with, that man would of his own free will love Him and have fellowship with Him. And then entered sin, which separated man from God, because God is pure Light and does not have fellowship with darkness (sin); and in the process of this separation, man's love for God was replaced by a love for the darkness (yep, you guessed it, sin); and the more man sinned, the more he loved the darkness, and would avoid the Light (Love of God), or for man's sake, the love for God. This is the reason for the sudden burst of Light, which was given by God to man through what Jesus Christ has done on the cross. It is this 'burst of Light' which instantly yanks the fallen man from the darkness and into the Light, which then frees man to once again have the will to love God. Finally; it is this love in man for God, which draws man closer to the Pure Light, and further from the darkness!!! Which is the reason John can make this very bold statement in chapter 1 John 5:3 & 4, "For this is the Love (Agape) of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (firm persuasion)."

"Love's Pure Light" - 5

Just when you thought it was over, Light shines out of the darkness! Never Give Up!!! "For God, who commanded the Light to shine out of the darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6) Within this passage from Paul's Letter to Corinth, there are two different forms of light mentioned; one is direct Light of God, while the other is more lighting the way. Both are derived from God, but one is just more direct, and transforms instantly; while the other is more of a sustaining light which keeps us from slipping back into darkness. This is very similar to the difference between 'pure' and 'purifying'; which if you remember, to be made pure was something which was done to us by God through Jesus Christ, while purifying is what God will do in us though our obedient heart. Now, when it comes to the Love of God: there is the Glory of God which has been shined in our hearts, so that we can see what Jesus Christ has done for us; while there is also God's Love, which has done what was needed to transform us into His Light. In other words; there are two different forms of God's Love at work in changing us, yet both have the same source; almost as if one is for changing our heart, and the other for changing our mind. If I had the know how to draw a picture of what I see, I would become very famous, but I don't; however, I do think that I can illustrate it with words, the only problem with that, is that some words mean different things to different people. When a description of something is put into words, there are many different ways to see what is being described, depending on one's own point of view. So; if you see a Big God who has a big giant heart, that loved us so much that He could not bare to see us perish in the darkness, so He commanded the Light to shine into the darkness with the Gift of His Son; while in the same fashion, has made this Light to shine in our hearts, which then softens our hearts in order to see His great Love for us; which then lights up the Truth within us, so that our way is well illuminated; and then, as if that was not enough, He provides us with His Spirit so that not only is our way illuminated, but so are we... (Some of you have a vision of a Transformer, don't you?)

"Love's Pure Light" - 4

I usually do not go over three days with the same title, but this one has not yet been brought fully to Light... "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:15-17) There is a reason that we are to love one another, besides the fact that Jesus said we should do it; it has to do with God's dwelling place, and the fact that He does not dwell in darkness. Maybe you might be wondering what darkness has to do with not loving one another? Maybe you need to know what darkness means? There are several different forms, or meanings for darkness in the Scriptures; but they all have something very much in common, which is the association with the word 'void'; or to put it in the simplest terms, empty space! The reason that this is so very important to the life of a Christian, is because this was the life of ruin that they came from: void and without Light. To put it in a way that even the simple minded Believer can understand: If you walk in darkness, you are not in the Light; and if you hate your brother, then you are walking in darkness, and void of the Light... "Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you: because the darkness is past, and True Light now shineth. He that saith he is in the Light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the Light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:8-11)

"Love's Pure Light" - 3

You 'Know' that you are His Child when you can see Him; yes or no? Okay; here is another little question: How does He make His abode in us? I know your thinking the Holy Spirit is the way He does, right? Well your right; but He also will manifest Himself within us by His Love; which, if you were following this blog several days ago, I shared that it is His Love which is the reason for passion to do His Will. This is the power also behind the Holy Spirit, because when we look at the character of Love and that of the Holy Spirit, they are very similar in how they work. So, the real mystery behind how the Holy Spirit works, is not why He does this or that, but when; the why that He does something, is all about Love: to demonstrate the Love of God; which, if you want to get real technical about it: it is to manifest Jesus Christ, in one way or another. The real question for me (and maybe some of you), is when does He work the work's of Christ? As I was reading the verses that I ended with yesterday, I could not help but think of something very, very dear to my heart, which is, why my asking for my wife to be healed has not been answered? Verse 22 says, "Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him"; so then why have I not received when I have asked? Could it be that I am not doing enough to please Him? You know what; I don't think that God works that way. Call me ignorant, if you will; but I really do not think that God bases answered prayer upon performance. That being said, I do believe that He answers the prayers of His Children; however, the only thing that I have found which Jesus promised the Father would give us was the Holy Spirit. Even though we want healing, work, stability in our marriage, etc, etc; it is the Holy Spirit which has been promised, and sometimes, it is all that we get. But God; who is mighty in Love, and is full of wisdom, knows what we need more than we do; and it is the Holy Spirit which gives us comfort through anything, and who makes even the worst trial something other than a trial, but an experience to know God's Love. Other than that, I really do not see a reason for the when in God's answering of my prayers, but I can begin to understand the why that He does not... "And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His commandment dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He has given us." (1 John 3:23 & 24)

"Love's Pure Light" - 2

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8) This verse, taken from what is commonly known as The Beatitudes, which was also called, The Sermon on the Mount, I have written in my Bible after 1 John chapter 3; but the funny thing is, this verse is written out, but the Scripture reference with it is John 14:23. As I was looking at that verse in John 14:23 yesterday, at first reading, I thought, Hey, this is not "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God", what was I thinking when I wrote this? I thought maybe I had one of my half-sleepy sermon notes written at the bottom of the page; but then as I read the Scripture again, this time also including the question asked by Judas, the Light went on! The word for pure, which is in Matthew 5:8, is the word 'katharos' meaning to be unsoiled or clean; which is a whole different meaning than the word 'purifieth' from 1 John 3:3, because the later means to prepare one's self for purity, while the first one means to be pure. Specifically, in Matthew 5:8, it means to be clean or pure in a spiritual sense from the pollution and guilt of sin, sincere, upright, and void of evil. Couple that with the word for heart, which is 'kardia' meaning the seat and center of human life; which consist of the desires, feelings, affections, passions, impulses, i.e., the heart or mind. Now what we are talking about is very much in line with both John 14:23 and 1 John 3, because what Jesus was saying, as He answered Judas' question, How is it we can see You, but the world can not? (paraphrased), was that only a sincerely pure heart can see God, and a sincerely pure heart, is a heart that loves Him; and a heart that loves Him will keep His words! And as we look to the meaning of pure, as specified for this Scripture, it means to be free from not only the pollution of sin, but the guilt of sin also!!! "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." (1 John 3:20-22)

"Love's Pure Light"

And then again, there is a certain power which comes from appreciating the Love that God has bestowed upon us; something that can not be explained, but must be lived in order to know. In John chapter 14, Judas (not Iscariot), asked Jesus in verse 22, "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will make Our abode with him." (John 14:23) The more I appreciate the love that I have for my wife, the more I love her. This is not a selfish thing I am talking about, but more of a desire within me to experience the love that is appreciated; in other words, I have a desire to manifest the love that is within my heart more, when I know how special that Love is, and the more I experience that love, the more I know how special it is. The Love that God has given us for one another, for our spouse, and for Him, is a Love that is born within us; He makes this Love come alive in us, as He makes His abode in us. That being said; there is a joint effort which we must have, or put forth; something which we must do in order to experience the Love which we know to be in us; or, to put it another way: we must put the Love into motion in order to experience and appreciate how special this Love is that we have been given. We are not talking about Salvation here, so don't try and put the two together; what we are talking about is the Love of God making us into the best person that we can be. Do you want to be the best husband, wife, child, employee, boss, or servant of God that you can be? Then we must learn to experience God's Love in our lives! It is one thing to know His Love by the Salvation we have been given, which is the Love we have inherited; but, it is something all together different to experience that Love being lived out in our lives. Okay, maybe this is not that easy to explain; or maybe the experience cannot be known until it is lived, therefore, it is not explainable? Much the same as seeing the need for Salvation; which we can not see until we see the sin we have that separates us from our God. Or the Love that God has for us, is not really known in our hearts, until we understand what He has done for us, and the 'Great Price' He paid, so that we could be in Him and He in us. Living out the Love of God simply means that we are loving God back! How else do we show our appreciation? "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we Know that we are of the Truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him." (1 John 3:18 & 19)

"Love Perfected in Us" - 3

I know that there are some who have tried to see what my point is, and can not yet see the importance of Love in the reason to live out righteousness, but it is there; the problem is just me and my lack of explanation; but then again, maybe it's not. First off; I tried to think of an easy way to explain how God's love towards us, is actually the same love we have one to another, just on a smaller scale. The reason that this is good to know, and can benefit our walk, is that we can know what Love we have been given. As John started the section of Scripture, which we have written as chapter 3, he was instructing us to 'Be a Child of God'; and as a child, we have been given something inherently from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; three separate levels of Love, yet all having the same source. Verse 1, which I shared on several days ago, starts out,"Behold, what manner of Love (Agape) the Father hath bestowed upon us"; which can be taken to mean several different things; all at the same time. The previous chapter, which also speaks about how we are His children, has as it's theme that we know what we should do, and that no one needs to tell us, because we inherently know. After knowing what we know we must do, the next thing, is to take action on what we know; thus the point of 'To Be a Child of God', which requires us to live out the Love which we have been given. Another way to view the opening of verse 1, is to see this declaration as one of appreciation; in other words, to be in awe of the magnitude of Love that God has towards us; this might work for the second part of verse one, but it hits a little speed bump at the end of the same verse. The second part of the verse says, "that we might be called the sons of God"; which could be viewed as the continuation of appreciation in what God has done for us; which is what we must have, and do. But the point I believe that John is making is more in line with the first; which expresses more of the Love which we have been given, more than the way that we are loved. The third part of the verse is what tells me this is so, "therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not"; which in my view, illustrates the inherent quality of God's Love which we have been given, that the world cannot seem to understand. That being said, there is something which brings us into a place (if you can call it that), where we are no longer living for the things which we once loved, but have a new Love inside us, which lives for God. That is why John expressed the things he did in verses 4-8, about those that sin being of the devil, and those that do righteousness being born of God; because it is based upon our inheritance as a child of God! "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." (1 John 3:9 & 10)

"Love Perfected in Us" - 2

As I was saying, how can I even begin to purify my wife without first being pure myself? But you might say, how is it my job to purify my wife? or, how can you think that you can be pure? Well, for one, I can be pure, if I want to be; and so can you, because being pure is a matter of choice. Say what? Didn't I say that we would not be perfect until we are in His presence? So then, how can we be pure now? John was making a point about the direction of our lives, not about what state are lives are in; we can not live a sinless life, only Jesus could do that; but what we can do, is to set our affection on Him, and then strive towards His perfection. Then, and only then can I seriously begin to purify my wife; which in case you did not know, means to sanctify her with the washing of water by the Word. My ability to sanctify her with the washing of water by the Word, is seriously tainted if I am not living my life as one who holds the Word to be true; meaning, that if I do not let the Word purify my life, how can I expect it to purify her? (rhetorical question) What does this have to do with Love? Everything!!! Love is what motivated Jesus to be pure, sinless, and do the will of the Father; because He knew what was at stake, His direction was towards the cross, and to get there sinless. But some might say, Well ya, but He was God, and could do no sin. To which I would answer, But He was also a man, that could be tempted. We have to remember something that is very important: Jesus had to be manifested in the form of a man, live a sinless life in that form, and then die a sinless man for the sins of all that sin (everyone). Now, when it comes to me and my desire to purify my wife, Love is the motivating factor that drives me to be pure; because I know that it is only by being pure (moving in the direction of purity) that I can purify her. Again, you might say, How is it your job to purify her? to which I would answer, What part of One did you not understand? "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:7 & 8)

"Love Perfected in Us"

God's Love was perfected in His Son Jesus Christ, but what about us? Can His Love be perfected in us? If so, when? I believe His Love will be perfected in us, once we are in the presence of Jesus Christ the King of Glory; until then we are to strive for that perfection. But you might ask, why strive for something that we can not achieve? Ah ha; that is the lie from the enemy; that is exactly what the devil would have you accept: Why bother trying, if I cannot obtain it; besides, I am forgive of my sin, so I will be alright. Let's look again at the athlete that I illustrated the other day; this time we shall add the Head, Jesus Christ. Now, think about this with me, if you want, because I was up most the night with this (I should have taken notes). If Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body, then who is making all the decisions? Does your arm decide what your legs will do? The game has now changed; no longer am I, as a son of God, just going to be trained to love in this world, but now my training is for another. To fulfill the love required to move, react, or respond to the passions of this world is within my ability to achieve; but to even begin to fulfill the Love required to start approaching the Kingdom of God, is only possible in Jesus Christ. Now then, the painful part of the training: to deny the flesh! The word 'purifieth' which is in 1 John 3:3 is not a word to be taken lightly. As I have shared before, I made the wedding invitations for our wedding, which there is a picture of back in a blog from last January. At that time I was about six months old in the Lord; just a babe in Christ, however, I was full of the Spirit, and believe that I was being directed by God in most of my life. The Scripture that I typed inside that invitation was from Ephesians 5, with regards to a husband and a wife; which is also a Scripture that I hold dear unto this day. That being said, when it comes to verse 25-27, there is something that is abundantly clear about how we are to Love our wife as a husband: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it: that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." How can I even begin to fulfill my obligation to my wife, which is to purify her, if I have not purified myself??? "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him was no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him." (1 John 3:4-6)

"Love Perfected"

"Behold, what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." (1 John 3:1) Here is the thing about perfect Love: it is in us, but it is not of us. If I could put it another way, say something a little easier to understand, then I would say, that our flesh can not comprehend the perfect Love of God; however, His perfect Love is in us, because His Love is perfect and He, being in the form of the Holy Spirit, dwells within us. That being said, the thing which we are to inspire to become, is that which has been placed in us; but we have one problem completing that task, and it is called our flesh. We must never think that we have achieved perfection, because we can not! As soon as we start believing that we have achieved perfecting God's Love, we are going to be in for a rude awakening; I can guarantee it! There is a reason for John to say that the world does not know us, because it did not know Jesus; besides the obvious revelations of who Jesus really was, there was something which Jesus brought, that we have been given also: it is called 'God's Love'. However, unlike Jesus, who was the manifestation of God's Love in the flesh, we cannot move with such authority; why? Because we are sinful creatures in the flesh, yet He was sinless, even though He was born in the flesh. The world can not understand the magnitude of God's Love; it is just not something that you can see through the eyes of the flesh; and because of this fact, many who think that they do understand His Love, are deceived because they have accepted it to fulfill or comfort the passions of the flesh. Maybe passions is the wrong word to use, but maybe not; because the passions of the flesh are not all sinful, however they are all carnal, meaning that they do not leave this world. Because these passions of the flesh do not leave this world, then they may seem easily achievable, or attainable; and thus, they are made to look much like the world, compared with the Perfect Love of God. (What the heck did I just say?) "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." (1 John 3:2 & 3)

"Love Endures All Things, Because?"

Do you want to know how long I was gone (as if you cared)? I think it was about an hour, but not much more than that; because I could not stand being away from my wife for another minute. Oh, I would be away from her all the time to work, golf, Men's Retreats, etc; but not like this, not like I left her at home in anger. Maybe you don't understand what I am saying, partly because you might not have ever left someone you love in anger; or maybe because you have done it so often, that it really does not count any more? I never left before because we were fighting; in fact, I would make a point of not leaving, even if I had to leave, until our dispute was settled, or at least to a point where we were not angry any more. Even if I went outside just to cool off, I would always try to keep a close eye on my wife, knowing that her heart was in pain. This is what brought me back so soon when I left, that desire to protect her heart; even though we were fighting, I still knew that I needed to protect her heart. Do you see yet what leaving means? Leaving says, I don't care about you anymore. Jesus said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you"; why would He say that, or even need to say it? Because He Loves us!!! Because we are His Body!!! Do you see the point that Paul was trying to make in chapters 12 & 13? We can not, without some very severe damage to ourselves and others, just discard a member of our Body; just like I could not leave my wife unprotected, because I loved her so much and knew that her pain, was, is, and would be my pain: Why? Because we are One!!! Okay, maybe you don't understand the One thing very well? Do you need some help? Here is something which might help (or not): Say that you are trying to be a professional athlete, and that in the process of setting out to accomplish this goal, you will have various factors of opposition. You will have those in the your life (the world or outside the body), you will have your mind (will to do), and you will have your body (members); all of which will at one point or another be a deterrent to your goal. As a training athlete, the will to do something is pretty much the same as love; it is what drives your ambition, and keeps you working through all the pain, as well as ignoring those that say you can't do it. So, as you are training, you will notice that your arms are a little weak; so what do you do? You cut them off??? No, you work on making them strong enough to compete! Now, let's look at you; because this body of One has you also as a member, and sometimes you need a little work also. The one thing that was the hardest thing to fix in that fight with my wife, was the fact that I left. I prayed that she would not see it the same way that I did, and that she did not count it against the promise that I made when we were married. If as an athlete, your arms are vitally important to your game, then you are not only going to make them strong, but you will also keep them safe, or free from harm; which means that you will make adjustments to the way you live, or chances you take that might bring harm to your arms. This is my role as a husband; to not only strengthen and protect my wife, but to also make adjustments within myself which ensure that I especially, do not become the cause of any harm to her. Anyway, I hope that helped a little? "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular." (1 Corinthians 12:26 & 27)

"Love Endures All Things, Regardless"

"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 also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12) Regardless of what? What is it that seems to stubble our love for one another? Thinking back to when I would have a fight with my wife, it was the fact that she had to know how much my heart hurt which really made me mad. Can't she see how upset I am? would be the question in my mind. If you were thinking selfishness, then you are half correct; because the thing that upsets love the most is feelings. Sometimes present, sometimes not felt at all; but feelings are the product of our emotions, and are not the product of Love. Emotions are directly attached to the flesh; I feel happy, I feel sad, I feel like I am in love, I don't feel loved at all; regardless of what I am feeling, real Love does not faint, fade, or fail. Feelings are one of the childish things which should be put away, because the man of God does not care any longer about what this body may feel like doing. If there was one thing that Jesus expressed more than any other, it was that we must do what we might otherwise not feel like doing: love your enemies, give them the other cheek, walk two miles when asked to walk one, give them your coat also; all of which require the 'I don't feel like it' attitude to be thrown out the window. But you see, here is where we stumble; time and time again, we look to how we feel: I don't feel good about this, or that? It is really not a question about you when it comes to Love, but more about others. My worst remembrance of a blow-out fight I had with my wife, was about Bush's Baked Beans, believe it or not? I asked her to get some of my favorite beans to go with our dinner and she came home with a new kind of Bush's Baked Beans for me to try; I did not feel like trying something new, I wanted what I knew I already liked; it didn't take long for that to get ugly. Thinking back to that horrible day, was like thinking back to when my parents would have me go to bed without dinner: empty inside! In my own stupid childish way, I had no concern for what my wife felt as I scolded her for her mistake; which became my mistake!!! And then, after realizing my stupidity, and giving her, what I thought was my best apology, I was shunned; 'Oh no she didn't', was the reply in my heart; and now the new fight continued, until I did something which I never had done before, I left. It hurt so bad when I did, I can not begin to express it; but it was as if I had just killed something, and now I did not know what to do. If I stayed gone too long, maybe she would get concerned; if I went back too soon, maybe there would be no change. But no matter what the outcome, the thing that I felt worst about, was the fact that I had left. Nothing can make a person feel a lack of love more than leaving... "But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely (well-formed) parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism (split) in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." (1 Corinthians 12:20-25)

"Love Endures All Things"

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." (1 Corinthians 13:11) As we move among each other, we have a tendency to sometimes hurt the ones we love. Sometimes it is unintentional; and then again, sometimes it's not. I went to see Jack Black's new movie on Christmas morning, which is called Gulliver's Travels, and before going I had read several of the reviews, both secular and Christian. All of the reviews that I read said pretty much the same thing: no plot, waste of time, big flop, etc, etc; however, they also spoke very ill of the musical number towards the end of the movie, which was when everyone broke out into singing the song, "War! ... What is it good for? ... Absolutely NOT!" Let me tell you something that happen to me during this routine, I cried; not just cried, I wept; it literally came from deep down inside me. Why must we war amongst each other? Why do we set out to hurt one another? It's one thing to gracefully turn away and to go somewhere and pray: Lord, what should I do? But that is too lonely for many to do. Instead, we look for those that we can put on our side; it's the old 'strength in numbers' thing; you know what I am talking about. I relate the stupid things that my wife and I would fight about to this concept, with one more little twist: fighting among each other, no matter how trivial the issue, causes casualties! People get hurt, children loose there self esteem, hearts get scared, and that is just talking about what happens to the family when husbands and wives fight each other. When we take this issue into the church, things are magnified a hundred fold, because now we are talking about the Body of Christ; which, in case you did not know, is One. I know I have covered this subject before, but this is a little different, because this time it's about Love. When Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 about Love, he was completing a thought about the Body of Christ, which he started directly talking about in 12:12. It is important that we understand what Paul is trying to get across in the verse I started today's blog with, because when we are the Body of Christ, or if we are part of the Body of Christ, then those things which we did as a child (unlearned), we must not do as a man (one who knows better). For example: one thing that I have learned since becoming a man is that the major characteristic of the flesh is to get it's own way, and the major characteristic of Love is to deny one's self, or one's way. Therefore, if I revert back to my childish ways, then what I am actually doing is to put myself before others, or doing what I have learned not to do. (??????) WHY? (??????) "That there should be no schism in the body; but that all members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular." (1 Corinthians 12:25-27)

"The Love of God Proven"

"He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him." (John 6:56) In the scientific community, for something to be considered a scientific fact, there must be a way to prove it is not so. In other words, if you are going to say that it is a fact that the world is round, then there must be a way to prove that it is not round in order for that statement to be fact. In the case of elementary arithmetic, to prove 2 + 1 = 3, you must take the sum of the two numbers and subtract one number, which should give the other number; such as, 3 - 2 = 1. This is how things are proven; or at least how they use to be proven; I am not quite sure anymore if logic rules the day. However, when it comes to God's Love, eternal life, and the Gift of our salvation, there is only one way to prove that they are so: The Proof is in The Pudding! That's right, you heard me correctly; simply put: you must taste and see for yourself. In the case of Jesus explaining that He was the Bread from Heaven to those that asked Him for a sign of 'His Work', it is impossible to know that what He is saying is true unless you taste and see for yourself; you can't even begin to understand it, which is what happen to many that day. Likewise, to know, and to prove that a heart of stone can be changed into a heart of flesh, one must first open the door of their heart and let Jesus in. Upon doing so, the heart will be changed into a Living heart; a heart that actually works; carrying and pumping the Breath of Life throughout the soul, and even out into the body of the flesh, which others may see, and also witness the proof of God's Love. Even if you think you understand, and you believe that Jesus died for the sins of the world, you will still not be able to prove His Love for you, until you actually make it personal; each and everyone must taste and see for themselves. We can not just take someone's word on such a matter; there must be an individual commitment and action taken within a persons heart; to open the heart and let Jesus in. No one else can open your heart for you, and just thinking you believe will not work. It must be real to you!!! "As the Living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me." (John 6:57)

"The Love of God in Us"

Okay, maybe you thought what I posted yesterday was out there; wait till you get a hold of this. I was trying to figure out a way to explain the flesh that I saw in my dream, and have to admit that it is not easy; mostly because what I saw was not human, or the way things appear to you and I. But what I saw was more like a glowing body, which was almost transparent; almost like when you put a flashlight against the palm of your hand and can see the inside tissue, veins and bones; kind of like that, just with a white tone instead of red. Without getting into a bunch of scientific mumbo-jumbo, I thought I would try to illustrate what the Lord was showing me with just some basic scientific facts. The first and most important fact to my illustration is that our blood stream delivers oxygen to all the parts of the body; every thing that is within us, and even our tissue, requires a constant supply of oxygen to survive; not just blood, but also the oxygen that is carried within the blood. Why is this so important to the Love of God? Well, for one thing, the heart of stone which we have been born with, due to the fall of man, can not pump life, or, in this case Love. So, even though we have the seed of God's Love within the core of our being, there is nothing there to circulate and get that Love flowing. But God; who commands the stars to stay in their places, has made this heart of stone into a heart of flesh; flesh which pumps blood, and which provides the needed oxygen to the soul, or in this case, God's Holy Spirit, which is the Breath of Life. In case you were not aware; my wife's condition was caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. It seems that the brain requires oxygen also, and lots of it. When you deprive the brain of it's needed oxygen for an extended period of time (in her case it was 35 minutes), the brain begins to die and the vital functions of what the brain controls can be lost. This lack of oxygen to the brain was the cause of a failed heart; her heart just stopped working. One of the reasons that we found which caused her heart to stop, was a lack of blood being supplied to her heart; in other words, she bleed to death. It would seem that there is also a supply of blood required to keep things moving; the pumping heart will not pump without a certain amount of the material that it is to pump. Much like the illustration that I saw in my dream; that seed of God's Love, although it is present, is not enough to bring that stony heart to life. But God!!!! "But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great Love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened (made us alive) us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved); and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-7)

"The Love of God" - 3

By now you probably have lost all interest in these daily rantings, ramblings, or whatever you want to call them; but I am holding on, and promised God I would continue as long as He gave me something to say; even if I did not understand what I was saying; which brings me to the post for today (?). As I was laying next to my wife this morning, I could not help but wonder, what makes her to keep going? What enables her to continue breathing, day in and day out? This life we are given here on this earth, although short compared to eternity, is precious and is a gift from God in and of itself. I do not claim to know much, but God has shown me something that I want to try and explain (if I can). Each and everyone of us are given a life, and this life that we have been given comes from God; I hope you all knew that? Because this life comes from God, it has certain attributes of it's creator; the One who made it and holds it's cells together. One of those attributes is Love, which, although faintly realized, it is there somewhere deep down in the center of our souls. When sin separated man from God, this separation was not a complete 'no more God' separation of man, because man still had the soul he had been given, and the flesh God had formed; what was missing however, was the Spirit of God. This flesh, however temporary it may be, was made by God; fashioned by the hands of an Almighty Creator; that made it to represent Him, in one way or another. The soul, now that is another story; because, from what I believe that God has shown me, the soul which God created in man is something that is very unique; unlike anything which God had made. This soul, when created, was brought into existence by the Breath of God (Gen. 2:7); this Breath of God, known as the Breath of Life, is the Spirit of God; and when this Spirit of God was breathed into man, the soul was born. However, when man sinned, the soul remained, but the Spirit which had given it life was removed; thus leaving man's soul with a yearning to be reunited with the Breath of Life; almost as if the soul could not breath, or take in the air that it needs to be full. But what remains, even though it has been without the Spirit, there is still a part of God, because it is still a part of God and His wondrous creation. Thus, we find 'The Love of God'; somewhere deep down inside; beneath that stony heart, there is a seed of God's Love. Then I have to wonder: Does God speak down to us, or out of us? or both, depending upon the circumstance? "Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled: Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they are created: and Thou renewest the face of the earth. The Glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in His Works." (Psalm 104:29-31)

"The Love of God" - 2

"And Hope maketh not ashamed; because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:5) You see; what I believe happen to Peter is that he lost hope; hope that Jesus was going to establish His kingdom; hope that he was going to be given eternal life with the Christ. To really understand what 'Agape' Love is, there are two things I believe we must know: the first is, where does it originate? and the second is, what is the heart of man? The first question is easy enough to understand; because the Bible says in the opening verse, "the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost", which is God's Spirit; and the Love mentioned here is 'Agape' Love. So, if we need an answer to where 'Agape' Love originates, we can say that it originates with God, by God, and from God; whichever way suits your fancy. However, the heart of man is a little harder to define; because it is not our physical heart. I think we all have a different view of what the heart represents, and it really does not matter what that view is, as long as it has the same center core; because that is what the heart of man is: the center core of man's existence. As I was looking up this word for 'hearts' this morning, I could not help but notice something: there is no differential between the heart and the mind within this definition; they are both listed as if they are one of the same. After some serious thinking, I started to wonder about my wife and her mind, which, although it is severally damaged, it is not the center of her existence; and neither is the heart that is within her chest. The center of her existence is her soul, which is something hidden within her, yet lies clearly visible by God. This center of her existence is the most vitally important part of who she is, because it is who she will continue to be, long after leaving this earth. As I was thinking about that, and how little man knows about the brain's complete functions, I could not help but think about how little we know about the soul. Really; we have no idea what it looks like, or where it even is; is it in the center of our body? in our heart? in our mind? After thinking about this, I wondered what Jesus meant by, "To Love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, mind, soul and strength"; and if what He actually meant by this, was to Love God with all that is within me!!! Now this is interesting, because the Love that is within me comes from God! I just can't wrap my head around this!!! "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)

"The Love of God"

This is a very touchy subject, I mean that literally. I think there was a TV show once that was called 'Touched by an Angel', but I don't think I ever watched it. I guess they would not have wanted to call it 'Touched by God', because that would have seemed too much like a religious show. But, in all seriousness, the Love which we have been given is heaven sent, in more ways than we might understand. If we have any love within us, it is usually just skin deep, and is easily taken out of the way once our skin is offended. Even valiant and heroic men or women have been so, not because they had more love than others, but because the love which they did have was deeper and harder to be compromised. Take Peter for example, in John 13:37, Peter made a statement which may or may not have been from his heart, "Peter said unto Him, Lord, why can not I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake". Well, we know how that went, don't we? Does that mean that Peter did not have a deep love for Jesus? No, I don't think that is the case at all; but rather that the love which Peter had for Jesus was rooted in the wrong place. The reason that I say that is because of what Peter does in the Garden when Jesus is arrested, which we can see in John 18:10, "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus". You must know, it took a whole lot of courage (or stupidity) to draw a sword in the presence of all those that came upon Jesus with weapons; yet only hours later, Peter would deny that he even knew Jesus. As I said, his love was rooted in the wrong place, because Peter's love, even after his acknowledgement of who Jesus was in John 6:68 & 69, was based upon the life which he knew, this life, the here and now for eternity. The way he saw things, Jesus was going to establish His kingdom here on this earth, for all eternity; defeating the Romans, and establishing the Jewish nation back to it's greatest spender, once and for all. Not exactly the kind of thing that is accomplished by dying on a cross, now is it? But, when we love based upon the truth! And what is truth? For one: The Love of God is truth, and can not be denied... "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some will dare to die. But God commandeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)

"Love In The Flesh" - 3

Would I give my life for my wife? You bet I would! If giving of myself would do the job of healing her, I would do it; I would give her my brain, if that were possible; is it? But you know something that is really strange: if I remember correctly, I would have given myself before for my wife also; at least I think I would have; at least I said I would have. However, there were times, times that I would be so selfish, so unloving, so, all about me, that you would have never been able to tell that I actually cared for her needs or desires. I can honestly say, that for over seven years and four months I have not once raised my voice to my wife. In fact, I kind of miss having arguments with her about the most stupid things; the major things, like life and death, we had those down; but stupid stuff, like how many stars there are (imaginary topic, I could not remember why we would argue?), these stupid things which afflicted my ego, were the things which would spin me out of control. This morning as I was praying I fell back to sleep, thus the late post; but as I was sleeping I saw something which was so strange in a dream, I saw my flesh; I know, you are probably wondering, What's the big deal? But this is different, because what I saw was different; there was something sacrificial about this image that I saw, which was not normal for the way I see my flesh. Usually, I see my flesh as the thing which gets in the way; in the way of my relationship with God, as well as my loving my wife, as well as others; but this time I saw it as an object of Love; a source for which Love is made visible; a vehicle in which Love is to be dispersed. It was then I realized something extraordinary, something which made my wake up and do that V-8 slap in the head; duh, that is why I am here!!! That is why Jesus came in the flesh!!! Because, "without the shedding of blood, there can be no removal of sin"; likewise, without the denial of the flesh there can be no expression of 'Agape' Love; because, 'Agape' Love is giving of one's self for the sake of those that you love (agapao or phileo). This is what those that did not understand Jesus could not see; the bread which He spoke about, which was His flesh, was called bread for the reason for which He came in the flesh; that those that were called could see the sacrifice that was made. Much like those that asked for the sign, looked back to the manna given to their fathers in the desert, as the sign to believe; those before looked to the Christ; those that were present, saw the Christ; and those after, look back to the Christ; which was the Bread from heaven, or God's Love made manifested in the flesh... "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the Living God." (John 6:67-69)