Love as I Love

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."  Words of Jesus.

John 15:12

This was one of the verses that I read this morning in my Bible Study.  It smote my heart.  I realized that I have fallen way short of how the Lord wants me to love others.

Loving others the way Christ loves me is not an option, it's a command.

In order to love others that way, I must first know Christ's love for me, and I need to recognize His love in words and actions.

    Christ gave Himself for me.  Do I give myself for others?

    He put me first.  Do I put other's first?

    He always gives.  Do I give, or do I expect to get?

    He shared all that He had.  Do I share, or do I hoard?

Everything Christ did was because He loved.  He had no self-motive, no self-gain.  His love was healing and His love was pure.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  

1 John 4:7-8

Jesus Christ was and is the very essence of the Fruit of the Spirit of Galatians 5:22,23.

"Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance.

Do I have this Spirit when I speak to others?

Jesus Christ was and is the perfect example of 1 Corinthians 13:

    He spoke with love-

    He had faith to move all obstacles-

    He gave His provision to feed the poor-

    He sacrificed His very body for all service-

    He has a love that is kind and not proud-

    His behavior in all things is pleasing to God-

    He sought after the needs of others and not His own-

    He was not easily provoked, and He didn't think evil of anyone-

    He rejoiced in Truth!

    He bore all things, He believed all things, and He endured all things-

For you, and for me.

He never gave up on love-He knew it was and is the only thing that will never fail.

Am I an example of His love to my family?  My friend?  My neighbors?

    It's a sobering thought...

        But that's just me!

Love as I Loved

by Ron Hamilton

When the Lord was speaking to the crowd,

A beggar came,

Who fell down before Christ, and called out His Name,

The disciples quickly came,

and they turned the man away,

Till they saw the Lord's compassion

and they heard the Saviour say-

"Love as I loved,

Give as I gave,

These are the people,

That I came to save,

Love as I loved,

and I will shine through,

Let other's see,

My love in you."

Yesterday, my time was filled with vain and empty things,

And I was so busy, with all that life brings,

People crowded in my way,

and I pushed them all away,

They were just a senseless bother,

Till I heard the Saviour say-

-chorus-

Pretense

"Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men."  

2 Corinthians 8:21

I usually observe the Show, but this time I was part of a Scene.  I laughed to myself as I realized that I had become part of Improv.  Same characters, same Actors, same Show, different Set.

Act 1:  The curtain rises, and two women are talking about their week, as another lady joins the conversation.  The previous conversation ceases, and rehearsed lines are spoken.  One corner of my mouth begins to lift.  Do I dare allow the other side to follow?  I am mesmerized as the Scene unfolds.  Are the Actors aware that I have already seen this Play?  It takes everything I have inside me to refrain from applause, to cry out, 'BRAVO!  ENCORE!'

Act 2:  I can no longer participate in this Scene.  I decide to walk away from the Actors, and as I slowly walk away, the curtain begins to fall on their laughter.  They believe they pulled off another Act; little do they know I have already seen it.

Pretense: A claim made or implied, a false show, make-believe.

"He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known."

Proverbs 10:9

Matthew Henry once said, "Dissemblers, after all their shuffling, will be exposed."

This world hides behind pretense.

People are searching for the Real, the Genuine, The Truth.

Do they see it in you?

In John 14: 8-9 Philip asks Jesus to show them (the disciples) the Father.  In Jesus' reply, He tells Philip, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father."

So, Christian, when other's see you, do they see Jesus?  Or is it all just a Show?

Are you a fake?  A phony?  Or are you the real deal?

The Finale: "For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known."  Words of Jesus, Luke 12:2

"Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight."

Proverbs 12:22

It's time to stop pretending...

    It's time to be real...

        So, others can see Jesus...

            But that's just me!

"Make conscience of truth, not only in words, but in actions."  Matthew Henry

Rewrite

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."  Psalm 119:89

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

Isaiah 40:8

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 

John 1:1

Dr. Seuss has been cancelled and banned.

Classic books are being edited and rewritten.

Names are being changed to be less offensive.

Descriptions of characters have been neutralized.

This Generation is disregarding the past, our history; It is being deleted, and when history is erased and forgotten, it will be repeated.  There will be nothing left to look back on to learn from our ancestors' mistakes.

All to allow inclusion and to accept sin.

Even God's Word has been edited, and rewritten in the forms of different translations, to remove the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to water down the Gospel.

But God's Word cannot be changed by man.

Oh sure, people can rewrite it if they want too, they can burn it and ban it, but God's Word is settled in heaven, and it will never be altered or destroyed.

    It is God Written...        

                        Spiritual... 

                              Eternal...

                                    But that's just me!

"We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's Grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible."  Charles H. Spurgeon

The Old Rugged Cross

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."  1 Corinthians 1:18

I saw something the other day that didn't sit right with me.  It was a Logo showing a red and white Life Preserver hanging from the Cross.  I have never seen such disrespect and disregard for the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Cross like that in a very long time, and it made me mad.

Jesus Christ's death on the Cross is NOT our Life Preserver keeping us out of hell.

Jesus Christ is our Saviour, and He paid for our sins that would take us there.

Jesus Christ was not rescuing us from eternal fire, although that is a benefit of Salvation-

    He was saving us from the eternal death of our sins.

Jesus Christ is NOT a Life Preserver-

    He is God in Flesh.

He paid a price we could not pay-

His death brought Life-

His death was motivated by love-

Making cartoons and Logo's to change the meaning of the Cross is wrong...

    And I won't apologize for saying so...

        But that's just me!

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."  Galatians 6:14

"It was Christ who willingly went to the cross, and it was our sins that took Him there."  

Franklin Graham

"Come, and see the victories of the cross. Christ's wounds are thy healings, His agonies thy repose, His conflicts thy conquests, His groans thy songs, His pains thine ease, His shame thy glory, His death thy life, His sufferings thy salvation."  Matthew Henry

The Old Rugged Cross

George Bennard, 1913

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross,

the emblem of suff'ring and shame,

and I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best,

for a world of lost sinners was slain.

O, that old rugged cross so despised by the world,

has a wondrous attraction for me,

For the dear Lamb of God

left His glory above,

To bear it to dark calvary.

In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

A wondrous beauty I see,

For 'twas on that old cross,

Jesus suffered and died,

To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,

It's shame and reproach gladly bear;

Then He'll call me someday to my Home far away,

Where His glory forever I'll share.

Chorus:

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last I lay down,

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it someday for a crown.

Growth

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.  Amen." 2 Peter 3:18

When my boys were babies, they had Pediatric visits scheduled every few months during their first birth year.  The doctor would then compare my child's height and weight next to the numbers written on a Growth Chart to see if they were exceeding, maintaining, or falling short of the desired physical and nutritional growth.

Why?  Because if they were behind, there were nutrients I could provide in their diet to help them grow, and if they were maintaining, or exceeding their percentile range of growth, then I knew they were getting the nutrients they needed to grow and be healthy.

In the doorways of many of my friends' homes who have children, often times you can see knicks, or penciled-in lines of their child's height next to the date of their birthday throughout the years.

Again, it's fun to see how much a child can grow in any given year.

As Christians, we are told to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, so, how do we know if we are growing? Do Christians have a 'Growth Chart' to measure our separation?  Holiness?  Standards?

Yes, we do!

The Bible is our Growth Chart to make sure we are growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.

"For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."  Hebrews 5:13,14

-Do you still want 'milk' or do you desire 'meat' from the Word of God?

-Do you read your Bible every day?

-Do you study your Bible, or has your daily devotions grown mechanical?

-Are you learning new things when you read the Word of God?

-Is it changing the way you walk and talk?

-Are you being conformed into the image of Christ?

    If so, then you are growing.

And if you are not growing, it's time to ask yourself, "Why not?"

The closer you walk with God, the further you will walk away from the world.

The places you used to go, won't hold much appeal anymore.

The things you once listened to, watched, or wanted, won't occupy your time, or desires.

The people you used to hang around with...you realize they aren't the people you want to hang around with anymore.

God's Word is our Growth Chart.

So how are we doing?

Are we exceeding, maintaining, or falling behind in our Spiritual walk?

    It's time to measure our growth...

        But that's just me!

"It's impossible to worship God and remain unchanged."  Henry Blackaby

Resurrection Sunday

"While our Saviour's death on the cross satisfied the righteous wrath of God, the true gift is that Christ allowed Himself to be hung there in the first place."  Mr. Balfour, Lost in Darkness, by Michelle Griep

Barbour 2021

"No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This commandment have I received of my Father."  Jesus speaking, John 10:18

Before there was time, there was God.  Genesis 1:1

Before there was sin, there was a Plan. 1 Peter 1:19-21

And the reason for it all; love.

"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."  Jesus speaking, John 3:16

Easter.

Resurrection Sunday.

The day to celebrate our Risen Lord.

But Christian, shouldn't that be celebrated every day?  And if so,

do others see our Hope?

If not, why not?  Today will be a great day to search your heart-

    see if the Risen Christ is in you.

        But that's just me!

He Lives!

Alfred H. Ackley

I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today,

I know that He is living, whatever men may say,

I see HIs hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him,

He's always near!

In all the world around me, I see His loving care,

And though my heart grows weary, I never will despair,

I know that He is leading through all the stormy blast,

The day of His appearing will come at last!

Rejoice, rejoice  O Christian, lift up your voice and sing!

Eternal Hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!

The Hope of all who seek HIm,

The help of all who find,

None other is so loving, so good and kind!

He Lives!  He Lives!

Christ Jesus Lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me, along life's narrow way!

He Lives!  He lives!  Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives...

He lives within my heart!

Perfect Imperfections

I was reading Melody Carlson's new book, Second Time Around, the other day, and something one of her characters said kept playing over and over again in my mind.  On page 172 of her book, published by Revell, 2023 by Carlson Management Company, the character Mallory Farrell says this:

"The end results are even better than my original plan...it's like perfect imperfections."

I couldn't help but think of Romans 8:28!

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Ever make plans down to the tiniest details, and suddenly at the last minute something goes awry?  Plans change, details change...people change?  Just when we think we are in control of a situation, God gently reminds us that we are not the ones in control; He is.  

I've always loved this verse, but I think most people take this verse out of context.  I know I have.

Often times when something doesn't go quite right, you will hear someone quote just the first part of the verse, "And we know all things work together..."

Well, that promise is not for everyone.

It's a promise for them who love God.

And the word 'good' means "conformity to Christ."

So, when a situation doesn't turn out the way we expected, we must ask ourselves, "Did it allow me to become more like Christ?"

This verse is also a promise "to the called according to His purpose."

Sometimes situations will not work out the way we wanted them to, or the way we originally planned, but when that happens, God is allowing us to trust in His plan.

His purpose and His Will are always good.

And usually, it's more than good.

       Perfect imperfections...

                 God makes perfect our imperfections...

                          I love that...

                                 But that's just me!

"There's no need to be perfect to inspire others.  Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections."  Anonymous