Category Archives: Thoughts

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Letting Love Motivate Us- Part I

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The most important truth available to us today is this: GOD LOVES US.
He loves you, He loves me.

One of the most familiar verses in the Bible is –
John 3:16 (KJV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

How many of us wish we had a dollar for every time we have heard it, said it, read it (even on t-shirts and cardboard signs at football games)? God so loved the world! He loves the lonely single parent, the latch key kid, the grieving widow, the gay couple next door, and even the child molester. God loves people! We have heard countless messages on God’s love for us. So we know, at least in our heads, that God IS Love. But it isn’t until we hit those road bumps of life that our belief in that love is tested.

God doesn’t stop loving us, ever. We may go through hard times, even horrible things, but His love is still there. We may not understand why we have to face such trials, other than the fact that we do live in a fallen world, with a real enemy, and awful things happen to people. Those people, won’t get saved hearing a ‘turn or burn’ message. In fact the few ‘turn and burn’ messages in the bible, weren’t given to the lost, but to religious people. The lost will come into the family of God when they really believe that He loves them.
How will they know that He loves them?

Leviticus 10:17-18 (NIV) “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

And Mark 12:31 (NIV), The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

So it starts with two things, we have to love God, and we have to love ourselves. For some of us it is easy to love God, but loving ourselves is a whole different matter. We know us. We know what ugly things we did, the ugly thoughts we have had, those things we don’t want anyone else to know. But it is part of the command. If you have a hard time loving yourself, then you haven’t been listening to God. He has wonderful things to say about you. Find out what He says about you, how He feels about you, what He plans for you. You’ll find it much easier to love yourself. We have to change our ungodly thought patterns into Godly thought patterns. Ungodly thoughts say “I am no good, no one loves me.” Godly thoughts say, “I am accepted in the beloved and God loves me.”

Jesus’ says in John 13:34-35 (NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

After loving God, and learning to love ourselves, we must love one another. If we can’t love our brother and sisters in Christ how can we love those that are lost and without hope. We always think of loving others as a new commandment, but God commanded Israel, in the book of the law (we just read it) to love your neighbor as yourself. My opinion is that part that is “new” is our loving the way Jesus loves us, unconditionally, without restraint or strings attached. It has always been a command of God. Of course, He’s all about love!

Now, we come to the part where the world can see the love of God. They see it by our love, for God, for ourselves, for the family of God, and for them. We can’t stop at any of these steps. If we learn to love God with our whole heart, we won’t be able to stop! God’s love compels us to love others. But if we get hung up on just trying to love ourselves or other Christians, how will those who really need to know about His love ever experience it?

Ephesians 2:10, (KJV) “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We have to show them the love of our Father. We need to be a reflection of His love.

Ephesians 2:1-7, 10 (AMP) “And you [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins. In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God]. Among these, we as well as you, once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind. But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation). And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Our acceptance off all God’s goodness shows by example God’s love to the world.

Verse 10 again in the Amplified. “For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].”

We were predestined to demonstrate the riches of his kindness and the goodness of His heart. God is our Father, we are His children and this is our “family business.” He has already given us the gifts and talents to do this. We have all of heaven at our disposal to show the world how much He loves them.

Just doing good works isn’t enough. We have to let love motivate our good works. If we work to try to earn God’s favor, we are building with wood, hay and stubble.

Matthew 6:1(New Living), “”Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”

Verse 16, (New Living), “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.”

God’s word is clear, our motives are important. If we work so other can see us and praise us or admire us, then their praise and admiration are our only rewards. It isn’t pleasing God, or building with anything that will last through the storms. We can bully, beg and harass someone into saying the sinners prayer, but are they really saved? How does that portray God? As someone who doesn’t really care about them, someone who just cares about numbers-how many people I converted today.

Please read Letting Love Motivate Us Part II Tomorrow.

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Sound the Trumpet

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When Nehemiah went back to Jerusalem, after getting permission from the King of Persia, Artaxerxes, he faced opposition. There were those who didn’t want the wall to that beautiful city repaired.

The people “had a heart and mind to work,” they all worked together, from officials, to perfumers, gold smiths to their daughters, priest and merchants. We all know that many people make quick work. They all worked together in family units to repair what the enemy had destroyed years ago.

Word got back to Nehemiah that their enemies planned on attacking while they worked. So he ordered the workers to work with their swords strapped to their backs. They worked with a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other. Notice- he never told them to stop working. Too many times when we are under attack, we drop everything “to do battle.” We stay home from Church, we don’t show up for the outreach we promised to help with, we stop helping our neighbors and say we are fighting the enemy. God says, do both.

Nehemiah also realized that there were gaps in the wall between families. They were separated by some distance. So he tells them, “Whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

They were to “blow a trumpet” when help was needed and the others were to rally to their aide. But how many of us are too proud, too self-righteous, to even admit we need help. We think that us being in a battle somehow constitutes spiritual weakness or a lack of faith. The priests were working on that wall; the spiritual leaders were in the battle right along with the rest of them. If you think your Pastor doesn’t face opposition, invite him or her over for dinner one night and ask them about it. We all battle. It is never a lack of faith to ask for help. We are called to bear one another’s burdens. When we do “God fights for us!”

Are you facing a temptation that is threatening to overtake you?
Blow the trumpet!
Are you fighting a physical battle that has you worn down?
Blow the trumpet!
Have you made a mess of your life and feel unworthy of help?
Blow the trumpet!
Sound the alarm-help will come and God will fight for you!

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Consider Esther

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As I study the book of Esther, I can’t help but think she typifies the Church. Esther lived during the time that the Jews were living in exile from Israel. Nebuchadnezzar had taken the princes, royal family and the top of Jewish society with him to Babylon. Later the Medes and the Persians had taken over the territory of Babylon and King Ashasuerus (Also known as Xerxes) was sitting on the throne, ruling over 127 provinces. He decides to throw a great feast, inviting all of the princes of these provinces, chief officers of the Persian and Median military, the nobles and governors, all of the ‘who’s who’ of his society. Then he invites all the men, both great and small to come for seven days of parties. His wife, Queen Vashti, not to be outdone, does the same thing for the women.

At some point during the celebration the King calls for Vashti, wanting to show off her beauty. She point blank refuses. As a young Christian, I used to think “Good for her!” Fortunately, now I have a better understanding of the rebellion in Vashi’s heart. Ashasuerus is King. King’s have complete authority. Period. We have no reason to assume he was an evil king, in fact later in the book of Esther, we find information contrary to that fact. Here is where the spiritual implications come in.

If Jesus is my King, shouldn’t I obey His every command? Whether I understand His request, or agree with it? What if it is not convenient for me to do what He says, right when He asks? Vashti may have been beautiful on the outside, but inside she was a rebellious and disobedient woman. Her disobedience is a bad example to all the woman, great and small, in the 127 provinces who are witnesses of her actions. What example are we, the Bride of Christ, setting for the world?

Ashasuerus has not choice, he has to divorce her, put her away! Another queen must be found. Jesus turned from the Jews, and chose a new love to pursue, the gentiles. He chose us, just as King Ashasuerus chose Esther. Unlike him, God didn’t clean us up first, there were no beauty treatments to get us ready. He chose us in our mess and dirt. Our purification comes after, not before.

Esther is a woman of obedience. She obeys her Uncle Mordecai, who raised her. After she was taken into the harem of the king, she finds favor with the chief Eunuch, Hegai. It is safe to assume that her humble behavior and her submissive attitude is what bring her that favor. There are countless beautiful woman there, who are all virgins. There is something different about our Esther.

When the women are allowed to take anything they want with them when they go to see the king, Esther only took what Hegai advised her to take. She deferred to the one who knew the king. It paid off for her; she is chosen above all others to be queen in Vashti’s place. Once sitting in her place of honor, she continues to obey her uncle.
We are all familiar with the story of Esther. How evil Haman desires to destroy her uncle and all of the Jews, even getting the king to sign into law a day of Jew killing, with a reward. Doing as her uncle requests, she goes uninvited into the throne room, which was punishable by death. But the king in his generosity and love for his queen, offers to give her up to half of his kingdom. Through Esther’s bravery and obedience, not only is her uncle saved, but her people as well, and evil Haman is hung on the gallows he has built for Mordecai. She put her life in the hands of the King and won the right for her people to fight back against those who would harm her. The Jews celebrate Purim to this day, marking their victory.

As modern day Esther’s, we don’t have to fear for our lives. We can boldly come to the throne of our King. Unlike Ashasuerus, our King has given us all of His kingdom, not just half. Our obedience is important. We have the whole world watching us!

Are we going rebel like Vashti?
Or obey, like Esther?

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Because He Loves Me

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Psalm 91:1-16
“He who [a]dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness—trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

There are great benefits for loving God. Not just recognizing that He is, not just believing He took away your sins, but LOVING Him.

In verse 14 God promises to do all of these things, to rescue us, and protect us, because of our love for Him. Do you want long life? Love Him. Do you want Him to answer when you call? Love Him.

There are many people who say, “God has never done anything for me.” They have spouted out a few requests, maybe even begged and wept, tried to bargain or broker a deal. But do they love Him? Or are they just going thru ‘drive thru’ and placing an order on a fast food deity they expect a quick fix from? They don’t know Him, They don’t have “personal knowledge of My mercy, love and kindness.” He has done everything for them. He has made a way were there was no way, reconciled them back to Himself by shedding His own blood. He has loved them, even in their sin, and misunderstanding of who He is. All they have to do is accept His love and love him back and He is so easy to love.

I love Him, because He loves me.