Christian Love

The Book of John gives us a look at how we are to treat each other. In John 13:34 & 35 Jesus gives us a new commandment, and gives us a test of Discipleship. In John 14:21 Jesus tells us That "he who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me". John 15:12 " This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you." In 14:15 Jesus said " If you love Me, keep My commandments". All of these verses are Jesus speaking, they are not an option, but a commandment.

The body of Christ must commit this as a way of behaving. Jesus said that his disciples would be known by their love for one another. Are we known for our love, true agape love? To many times we get into arguments over small things. These disputes, unkind criticism, schism, and defamation of character are not what Jesus wants from us. In John 14:24 Jesus says " he who does not love Me does not Keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent me'. Are we keeping His word?

Jesus loved us with an unconditional love. His love was always to provide the best to others. Our priority is to love one another, all of the body of Christ, not just those we attend church with. Jesus did not die for a individual church, but all who call on His name in true repentance. We can not be His with out this love for each other. We cause many to fall away with our petty arguments. Many sinners look at us and say there is nothing but strife among them, why join them. Why become a Christian, there is no love or peace.

Remember that Jesus suffered for us. The love He showed for us is the love we are to give to one another. We are to bear with other's sins, with stabbing remarks and treatment. This is hard for us to do, but as we are a temple of the Holy Spirit we can. His love has been poured out into our hearts and we can ask Him for his grace and guidance to love as Jesus did. Jesus said in John 15:14 " you are My friends if you do whatever I command you." Would He call us His friend? I pray He would call me His friend.

Our Sacrifice

In Isaiah 1:11 The Lord says "to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me. I have had enough of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle.I do not delight in the blood of bulls or lambs or goat." He continues on in verse 13 to say "bring no more futile sacrifices."

The last statement is the real heart of what the Lord is talking about. The people were bringing their sacrifices because they were required to. There was no love for Him in them. Their hearts were far from God. The laws of man were what was being followed. God goes on to say in verse 15 that He would hide His eyes from them.

God was not telling the people not to sacrifice, but to change their heart. They must make their sacrifice with a sincere devotion. The sacrifice was required, but God wanted a right relationship with Him. David shows his understanding of this in Ps. 51 when he says "God's delight is not in animal sacrifice but rather a broken and contrite spirit."

Today we do not have to make animal sacrifices. Jesus was our sacrifice and He fulfilled all that the many sacrifices were for. Just as when Isaiah wrote many today worship only with their mouth, not their hearts. If we do not come before Him with a broken and contrite spirit we will not be accept, and God will turn His eyes from us. Mere ceremony will not do, just as it did not in Isaiah's day. We need to examine our hearts. We must accept with our heart the work that Jesus did on the Cross, with a sincere devotion to Him. This is the only way to be accepted by God. Only through the Blood of Christ is he satisfied.

storm damage

Do to damage done my a storm I will not be blogging until Wed. May 28.

lets play cowboys and indiana

Tombstone generator


I was memeed Friday by my sister supernaturalchristian. The question was who would you like to have in your wagon on the Oregon trail. Here is who I would like to have.

adrivebyshooting. To chronicle our journey

a-homestead-neophyte. To hunt that ever elusive yellow rabbit.

scenicmichiana. Her daughter is a trained soldier.

my life's journey. Her dog Poco could help to hunt the yellow rabbit.

Brother Mark He likes Colts.

Communion

Last night in our small group we had Communion. We were each ask to have a verse that meant something to us about the Lords supper. As different people read the verses it gave one a time to meditate on what the last supper really was. Several verses were from the Old Testament. This made me wonder how many people really can tie the Old Testament feast to the Lord's Supper.

The time of the meal was at the Passover. The Lord Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Just as he had the Disciples prepare for the Feast, the Passover Lamb had to be prepared. When the Israelites Left Egypt the had to prepare the lamb and then sacrifice it. The placing of the blood is also important. The blood was to be placed on the top, both sides and at the bottom of the door. When Jesus died on the Cross his blood was at the top, both sides and at the bottom (Head, hands, feet). Jesus was telling us that we are to continue this in remembrance of Him, our Passover Lamb. Just as the Jews are were to keep the passover, we are to remember Him in this fashion.

Jesus told us He was the Passover Lamb. In The Old Testament the Lamb had to be eaten after the sacrifice, Jesus was using the meal to show us again by the eating that He was the lamb. He said take and eat this is my body, drink this is my blood. Jesus did nothing by accident He knew what was ahead for Him. He was the spotless Lamb.

I will be taking the next couple of days off. I am going on a Church retreat and we leave all computers, cell phones, and cares of the world at home and concentrate on God. I Pray that I will have a closer walk with The Lord upon my return. God Bless all.

Correction of Children

Today I read a blog on spanking and thought it worth while to ling it for reading. click here It is I believe a law of God that the government is banning from us.

We as Christians are losing many of our rights. We are being told that we can not teach some of the truths that the Bible teaches. This form of correction is banned in many states. Those that oppose spanking now say that even a small slap on the rear harms the child. What are we teaching our children? We are teaching them that there is no penalty for disobedience. You can look at today's youth and see the results of the no touch policy. Gangs are at a record high, drugs are getting worse, sex among early teens is increasing. I could go on for the list is long.

Soon we will be arrested for hate crimes for teaching against homosexual activity. We can no longer have the Ten Commandants in a government building, Crosses are under attack. There have been attempts to ban Crosses from Veteran Cemeteries and memorials. It is going to get worse. Our Government has drifted far from what our founding fathers planed for this country. Our country was founded on Christian principles. Even the readers of the early schools were from the Bible. Wake up America, we are head for doom if we do not turn our country back to God.

Abundant Life

John 10:10 says "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly". The word abundantly here comes from the Greek word, perissos. In the Strong's concordance this word means superabundance, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above. So Jesus in this verse is telling us that He came to give us and overflowing life.

As we give our self to God He has promised to return all plus more. He owns every thing and in this verse He promises to give back to us. I guess you could say it is like loaning some one something and they return it much better than when they got it. God in this case is giving His all to us as we give our all to him.

The first part of the verse describes what Satan does. He comes as a thief, to rob and kill. To bring us to total destruction. He came to steal our souls, to rob us of God's blessing. He wants to destroy our bodies through sickness and accidents. What a contrast to our loving, giving Saviour.

Christ came to Earth to defend life. He also calls us to do everything that we can to improve the lives of those around us. He wants us to preach the word not only with words but action. We are to help to relieve poverty, disease, hunger, injustice and ignorance. Jesus came to defeat death, but He also came to deliver abundant life.

This is a Covenant between God and us. From the beginning of time God has wanted us to have an abundant and prosperous life. God made everything and said that is was GOOD. He gave this beautiful planet to us. We were suppose to live here and have dominion over all of it. Man was suppose to live in that abundance. When we fell God still wanted man to live that way. To return man to this abundance God sent His Son to bring us again what we had lost.

We can have this abundance. To do so we must give our all to God. Not just our money, but our all. We must turn our lives over to Him, our talents, skills, our all. We must trust Him to deliver what He has promised. If you are sick, know that it is not from God but all illness is from the devil, and God can and will heal. He will get that job you need for you. If you are not living in his fullness examine your life and ask am I giving my all to God. If not I pray you will, He awaits with everything He has for you. He wants to give to you. Jesus said so, so it is true.