Love...

As we embark upon the weekend that boasts in love, I am ever so reminded of the love God has for me … for us. He has taught me what true love really is, not only in words, but also in deed. God gave His only Son to die in my place and for that I can never repay Him. How could I possibly? He did this not so that we would try to do things to repay Him for His sacrifice, but He did this to show us that He dearly loves us.

When I look at the marriage relationship between a man and a woman, I am often reminded of what the Apostle Paul spoke about in the fifth chapter of Ephesians:

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

This description led me to ponder how we ought to truly uphold our relationship, our commitment, with the Lord. For those who are married or in committed relationships, how do we value our mates? Do we respect them? Do we honor them? Do we consider their feelings, thoughts, and emotions? How about their dreams, visions, and aspirations? Well, God does, so much so that He teaches us Heavenly matters through earthly explanations in ways that we can understand them.

No one honestly desires to be trampled on, used, abused, and discarded. People don’t generally want to be the brunt of ridicule or maltreatment. So, when in a committed relationship, if we don’t want those things from a mate, we can certainly reason that God does not want that from us.

Do we love Him?

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” ~ John 14:15, NKJV.

At the House of God

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator,” 1 Peter 4:17-19, KJV.

In serving the Lord, I take my actions very seriously. I do admit that I hadn’t always. But I’ve learned that when you ask God for wisdom, knowledge, understanding, insight, and application, with it comes conviction. It is that gnawing feeling that when you think a bad thought or say the wrong thing, a spirit of discernment corrects and obedience should soon follow.

I do not take it lightly that I am a Christian. My faith is all I really have to hold onto. I cannot place my stock in my husband or my parents, but in God alone. We must not love the gift more than the giver. God is a “rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).” Our trust must be in Him alone. Now, this is not to say that you cannot or should not trust people. It is to drive home that no matter what others may say or do; God has it all under control.

Understanding who God is helps me in knowing who I am and my reason for being. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them,” Ephesians 2:10, KJV. And as we walk in our God-ordained purpose, our life is that much more fulfilled. What a joy to know that salvation is mine! It is an honor to obey the Gospel, not by my own power, but in God’s. I am not perfect, but Jesus is. And I am thankful that God sees me through His Son.

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…” At the house of God could be taken literally, but I believe it means spiritually. Jesus is not coming back for a church building, He is coming back for a church, those obeying His word. Those who love good and hate evil, and those who say no to the world for the gain of eternal life. In this passage I’m reminded of the judgement seat of Christ. “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences,” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11.

It’s not enough to just say that I’m a Christian and sit on the sidelines as a lazy one at that, but I must be active in bringing more to Christ. Somebody cared enough to teach us the way, we must continue the work. And as Christians, we should be in the mindset of encouraging one another, helping, and teaching as we have been taught. It’s not fair to get the understanding and not share it with the one you call a brother or sister in Christ. Sure, they may not receive it, but be diligent in planting that seed. “So neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but [only] God Who makes it grow and become greater. He who plants and he who waters are equal (one in aim, of the same importance and esteem), yet each shall receive his own reward (wages), according to his own labor. For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's [a]garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building,” 1 Corinthians 3:7-9, AMP.

“…and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” The righteous scarcely make it in. This tells me that there is no room for games. We must come to God with a sincere heart, again, willing to let Him have His way. Just let Him have His way.

“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”

Additional Reference: Romans 14:9-13

By One Spirit

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13, KJV

The analogy of the human body and the spiritual body of believers is wonderful. We must all labor collectively. Just as fingers work together to pick up a cup of water or to write an email, members of the church body must come together as one to accomplish a goal or complete a given task. Each has an integral part. No one part is better than the other, they just have different functions.

Often in churches, many are “title seekers.” The only title that really matters is Christian. We’ve heard the term “true Christian,” I’ve used it as well, but I wondered, what is that? A Christian is a Christian—either you are or you aren’t. That’s like saying a little pregnant, either you are or you’re not. But then I looked at the words Jesus spoke, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth...," John 4:23, KJV. I understand now that He knew in advance that this term would indeed be needed. There are so many make-believers that the distinction has to be made clear.

What about the person behind the title? It is the same outside of the church, a doctor is no better than a janitor, a CEO of a company is no better than a person at entry level, a pastor is no better than an usher or choir member—just different functions. And each function must be occupied to make the operation run effectively. Have you ever seen a call center with no customer service representatives? Have you ever effectively printed something out with no paper and ink, but you had a printer? What about a car with no wheels? Where would you go? “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body,” 1 Corinthians 12:18-20, KJV.

We all need one another as believers, a gift God has given you I may not have. I believe God did this for a reason, so people won’t get full of themselves or the big head. No one person has everything. If a person did, that person would be God, and Jesus is no longer walking on this earth. “So that there should be no division or discord or lack of adaptation [of the parts of the body to each other], but the members all alike should have a mutual interest in and care for one another,” 1 Corinthians 12:25, AMP

Do we care for one another? Do we offer friendship, a helping hand, or a kind word? What about a smile? Do we even care …enough to love?

Additional References: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, 1 Corinthians 13

Cheating ...on God

Is it possible to cheat on God when you proclaim to be a Christian? The explanation is quite clear when relating this to someone on earth. You can cheat on a spouse, a girlfriend or a boyfriend. You can even cheat on a test by sneaking notes into the testing room, or looking over at your neighbor’s answers. But how can one cheat on God?

God said to have no other god before Him. Of course a Christian is not going to bow down to another god, right? How dare someone think that a person who has “followed” Christ for years would submit to another god, hmm? What about flirting? In relationships with one another, that’s not even tolerated. If married, or in a committed relationship that may lead to marriage, would it be okay with you if that person flirted, held hands, or “hung out” with another while you’re sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring? I don’t think so. You would be upset and ready to give that person a piece of your mind. But if we did this to God we just want Him to give us peace of mind.

When anything takes the number one slot in our lives other than God, it’s cheating on Him. Paying a bill before rendering tithes (and remember taxes are taken from us, God allows us to offer tithes to Him), never thanking Him when we can say thank you all day to coworkers, or shutting Him out of what we consider to be the most important decisions in our lives by not seeking His will, but our own. God has feelings too…and to think He has given us everything that we have. Give back to God what is God’s.

“Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent out unto Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” Matthew 22:15-21, KJV