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Monday, February 3, 2014

Hope

Last week we talked about faith. A common term used in churches... but a term that is not fully grasped by a lot of us. Even I find myself going on before God in situations... instead of bring it before Him in prayer... and waiting for Him to work. Enough on faith. Our next characteristic is "hope". Now hope is to desire or expectation of something. It is a future thing... Now last night I have hoped that the Denver Bronco's and Payton Manning were going to win the Super bowl. Well as you know that did not happen; in fact it was not even close to happening. Now this is a demonstration of what hope is. But sadly this is how most people have their hope. Their hope is in games of chance, peoples performance, of groups, of nations... Our hope as Christians is in Jesus Christ. For the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. You see He was dead and rose from the dead... And if He can raise Himself from the dead we put our hope in Him to do that for us... Now that is part of what we hope as Christians. Now take our faith and mix in hope! Hope becomes stronger and faith becomes stronger. Now we must realize that we are not making up our own things... Instead we are trusting the things that are written in the word of God, the bible. So when we as Christians are looking forward we look forward to those things that are written in the bible and those things we have hope in. We also put our faith in the one(s) who are mentioned in the bible, that would be God, His Son and the Holy Spirit.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Faith

"But now faith, hope love, abide these three, but the greatest of these is love." 1Corinthians 13:13. What I would like to do is to still continue with our series of love but at the same time address this last sentence of the love chapter if you will. This sentence talks about 3 characteristics that are to mark/manifest us as Christians. The first is faith. What is faith? This is a hard concept to get our hands on. It is something that is believed, It is a belief and trust and loyalty to someone. The first thing that one needs to understand that one faith starts within the mind/thinking process. Let's face it we are very easily swayed to thinking and trusting varies things. We here it on t.v. and trust that it is true..and we believe it... we put our faith in it... and sometimes later on we find out that it wasn't true... but we still do the same over and over. So let us call this faith on man; for we can come up with many way we trust man and lift them up. But there is a component of faith that needs to be talked about. That is what about putting your faith in someone you cannot see. Putting your faith in someone you only heard about or read about? Remember faith is in the mind thinking. Can one put his faith in someone he cannot see? Yes, for that is part of the meaning of faith. If we start thinking in the way we have learned... without being open to things which are beyond what we can see or that we know, then part of faith is missing. Let us call this part of faith, believing. We come to the reality of God is real/true and His son is Jesus.. this is believing. Now there is another component of faith, that would be to trust. Now what do we trust? We trust the one we believe(put our faith in) would be who he said He is and do the things that He says He can do. Here is the thing with us as Christians, is that we start to expect God to do things that we want... going beyond the things that He said He will do. And sometimes we challenge God to do things for us, putting Him to the test if you will. Things like this is what causes ones faith to waiver if you will. So faith is a believing and trusting, and if you want more faith you need to believe God more and trust Him more!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Love endures and never fails

Love endures all things. If you have noticed when we have been talking about all things we have been putting the all things in perspective of using the term love; not allowing ourselves to get carried away if you will by some things that may not involve love. So love endures! If we look at the word endure we think of being able to with stand a force... not giving in. That love would be victor over hardship, suffering, people abusing... It is not that love will break down all that is bad... even though it will in the future. It is that love will get us through all these things that are in the world. Many times in my life I have tried to get through situation... and yes some if not most needed me to give love or extend love. Here is what I have found that by myself a lot of times I would fail in giving love... that roots of bitterness and... would still be there. That by myself it was not truly in me to extend the love that need to be extended. I needed help and the help I needed was from Jesus the Son of God. Without the power of God it is hard to truly love when we are in the state of enduring. It is hard to give love and it is also hard to receive love. Love never fails. You see when we show love, unselfish true love it has power... It has an effect on people... sometimes you may not see it... and sometimes it takes a long time to do it's work... but love is very power. If you keep reading down in bible 1Corinthians 13 it talks about us having power to do things... Love is not about having special powers... it is about doing good, doing righteousness, restoring, comforting... being in tune with God if you will to love like He loves. God so loved us He sent His Son, Jesus. Jesus so loved us that He did not deviate... from the task before Him of going to the cross to redeem us. You see the love of God never fails, it endures all things. That is the love we all need.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Love believes all things Love hopes all things

Love believes all things. This is a hard concept to get our hands upon! So what I want to do is to give a simple quote of my wife, which she learned from her mother. "Look for the good in people." It is so easy to look at the negatives of people... But if we can get beyond that negative... and see some good... then we will be able to love them... and even be more willing to share the Gospel with them... and hopefully see the good God has bundled in them... So with that we will go to the next what love is; love hopes all things. So let us look at hope; hope is an expectation of something to happen, it is a desire with anticipation... So when we put this hope with all things; it is that we have a hope no matter what is going. We have hope as Christians of eternal life; even a mist of great trials... Also we have hope that all might be saved! There is hope for everyone! So we should have a love for them and hopefully they might become believers in our Lord Jesus.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Love bears all things

Now there are two different translations of this the first Love bears all things the second, Love covers a multitude of sins. Love bears all things. Another way to say this maybe that love puts up with a lot. For believe it or not we do a lot of stupid things, we do a lot of injurious things unknowing and sometimes knowingly, we neglect one another, we hurt one another... Love can overcome all the hurts... Now that is, true love, that is tapped in to our Lord Jesus Christ. Love is a strong power if you will, and yes love can do amazing things Love covers all things. Now this will put things more pointed if you will. For a reference in the New Testament would be 1Peter 4:8"Above all keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." Love does cover sins, now that is true love if you will. For our sin is not only covered by Jesus shedding His blood on the cross; for His action of going to the cross is out of His great love He has for us. So for us we need to understand how to have great love for others. Can I be serious with you all? I have been a Christian for a long time; and in all my years I have not felt or had to suffer such pain and _____... as in the so called Church. Gossip, jealousy, back stabbing, dislike...even while doing good/ good deeds... not to say that I am perfect... Now with that as I go on with this study of love I understand how hard it is to love ones that are Brethren that do things of injury. Here's the deal it seems that the ones who are doing these things are so called 'The spiritual of the Church' . Not knowing about how to be a shepherd, how to truly love... For us we need to overcome their actions of hurt... and to show love... we need to forgive them... Now here is the hard part; how does one trust those who have ____ you? I have heard a lot about forgiveness and trust... it is hard to trust those again that have hurt you. Let us be real it is hard real hard. Not only that it is hard to get close to them again, seriously think about it! You see gossip, dislike, jealousy, with hurts are hard to overcome, they rip deep inside. In fact those are things that destroy relationships, people and even Churches. For us the only way we can overcome is with our Lord Jesus Christ. He can help us to forgive... and to love and He can overcome the hurts... and heal the relationships. He can restore! One more thing is that we will not be the one who is the cause of these great hurts... Guard your selves!

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

A New Years note

As we come to an end of the year 2013 some of us will look forward to a new year. A new year to do so many things... We even get caught up in the excitement of making resolutions... sometimes we look at this time as a new starting point. This year I will do better... This year I will get my weight under control... This year I will not act so badly... This year I will try to love more... This year I will draw near to God... This year I will be a better person... So tomorrow start 2014 and like many we want to be better... But what makes this year so special? Some of us have been trying hard for many New Years to be better... And believe it or not for many of us the New Year just fades away in a few days or weeks and we are living life just as we had before. Back to the same old, if you will. How can we change this New Year thing? How can we reach the goals that we know God wants in our lives? Now let us pull back a little and say small goals... small changes... and for some maybe big goals. You see we are always waiting for the right time... timing is everything right? We wait for the right day, we wait for the right season, the right place... But in God's word there is this verse Lam. 3:22 "The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." So as we go ahead this new year some may start a right if you will, some might not, some might still be waiting... but we do not have to wait for special days.. to seek God... to change for every day is new and with God's lovingkindnesses; you have to like that word lovinglindnesses. So let us go forth day by day in God's lovingkindnesses. Lovingkindnesses fits in with our study just right.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

A Christmas note

As we have been going through what love is as written in 1Cor.13, it seems that we need to understand why we love! Let us start with why does God love us? Why would God love me; I'm not that likable... I have messed up a lot and I still mess up a lot... sometimes it seems that I just can't get it right, sometimes I feel like I am a one man wrecking crew or you may think that you have done something(s) so bad there is no way that God can love me. As we have been learning that love is an action(s), but what motivates that action of love. What motivated God to love us that He sent His Son! He does say in His word that not one is good. Why would God love us? Now before we go further let me say that this is not going to be an answer of great theology... God love us because we are His creation, and we are created in His image/likeness. I also believe that God also knows what we would be like when we can handle the knowledge of evil and when we really start understanding the knowledge of good. We are His! That is why He reaches down with love, the love of sending His Son to pay the price for our mess ups... to fix our thinking... so we can have everlasting life with Him. As for us when we accept this gift of God, Jesus, our life is changed... and love for Him becomes more real if you will and more... Now why do we love? A good example would be the love parents have for their children. Because they are yours part of you... The same as love for family! We love each other for we are connected. We don't have to do anything to earn that love. A child could be crying or over active... but as parents we still love them. How much more does God love us His creation. Now why does a man love His wife what is the bond that makes their love stand out if you will. The bond is that an attraction becomes more when they become married for they become one, a bond that is greater than family. Love is actions but before we get to those actions love is a choice. We need to choose to whom we love and then do the actions of love. As for God He chose the world, all of us, that all have the choice to accept His love of Jesus. As for us we need to learn how to love all and to do those deeds of love. Yes, God did give a gift, His Son but with His gift He is still doing what we are learning in 1Corinth. 13. For us we need to understand that just giving gifts to show love is not enough we need to do those action of 1Corinth.13 So Merry Christmas to you all!

Friday, December 20, 2013

love rejoices in truth

As we continue our series of love; we find ourselves leaving the section of what love is not, and back to another section of what love is. You see love is an action, that is doing acts that demonstrate love and as we have seen that it also includes not doing actions that do not demonstrate love. With that the next of what love does is love "rejoices with the truth." Truth, so many times we wonder what is truth in the big picture of things. Some believe that the bible is true and some only think that parts are true... (there is another devotional for this). For us it will be helpful to recognize that when we look at truth in this circumstance that we focus toward individuals. That when we look at truth we are looking at the actions of someone, or ones. Are those actions done in good will? Are they sincere? Did they tell the truth? Are they honest? So many times we look at things of being factually true... that we miss in life when one tries to do something good... and things go array... we only see the negative... Or when one does a wrong we can't wait to jump... on them, make them pay... even when they are up front and tell the truth... our anger... So many times when we see truth... what do we do? but what should we do? Rejoice! So no matter what is happening when we see, hear... truth, we need to rejoice. Yes, when our children tell the truth we need to rejoice! Guess what, if we do rejoice it will help us in the way we deal with them... When we hear of someone who has done something... and tells the truth we rejoice! And if we are rejoicing then hopefully all that negative thinking... will go away. For hopefully when we are rejoicing we can put on the other positive actions of love; being patient and kind. You see when we where honest with God, confessing our sins... and believing that He will forgive us... in the Name of Jesus His Son who takes away the sins of the world. Do you not think that when God hears us being truthful... He rejoices! Not only then but when we come before Him in our Christian walk and confessing our sins as we are instructed in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Not only does He forgive us but He rejoices! He is not up in heaven saying here comes Peter again, can't he get anything right... No He is waiting for us to come to Him, yes with a good attitude... and when we start confessing in truth a smile of rejoicing if you will start... So this Christmas season let us have rejoicing more a part of our lives!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Love is not provoked

Love is not provoked. Now this is an interesting concept of what love is not. When I think of provoke the thought of pushing one to act with anger is at the forefront. Some one's actions or words, bringing up feelings... to get me to respond in a negative way... Let's face it people know how to press others buttons... They know how to get under ones skin... knowingly or not. Yes, people for some reason do put people in negative "light" if you would trying to get that negative response... to confirm all what they have been saying... Provoke how ever has that positive meaning also; to provoke someone to continue in a good direction... to provoke a smile... so provoke is not a bad thing. But when love is provoked it is. Now before we go on we must remember that things need to be put in to perspective. That having a hard black and white approach may not fit; here is one of those times. The first example would be that of dangling an object... in front of someone. You want the object or even have a need for the object... so with that you show affection... even when you do not want to. OK I'm going to say it, "money can't buy me love". Nor can one who does the other of threatening... Another one would be that of favoritism... For if one is doing these things to get love, then one needs to stop doing those things for love is not provoked. The love you think you have is not really love, it is shallow, weak at best. For love is not something that can be bought, influenced... Just like you cannot buy God's love or the love of God for love is not a thing that can be bought. Remember it is a gift! You can try to buy it, steel it, borrow it... but you can never get the real deal with those ways... For love is a gift that one gives... if you need to do something to earn... influence... or buy... it is not a gift freely given...

Love does not rejoice in evil

Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness. Or rejoices not in iniquity. We are to be marked with love as a Christian. That is love is what comes forth from us ... Not only toward the people we know, or close to or the people we like... but toward all. When we think of this what love is not we can get stuck in the out ward appearance we have if you will. That is we are not doing bad deeds... to others; we are not the one that did such an such... that we have had no part in that... But this of what love is not goes much deeper. It reaches deep down inside of us. For deep down is where things boil up that should not be. We think that when someone is going through a hard time... that they deserve it because of their sin... Even when an unthinkable thing as a death of a child, people think that something is a miss... in their lives that is why it happened... Oh, some might say, that is not what I am doing... Love does not rejoice in iniquity, that is evil. Love does not rejoice when evil... comes upon someone... If you were to have love you would have compassion... not thinking what they did to cause this... or thinking that this evil/bad thing is deserved or what they have coming... You see if you are getting stuck in what people deserve... or what sin have they done... to be where they are... Then you will have a hard time to demonstrate love... I would even go as far to say you will have a hard time witnessing for our Lord and Savior Jesus. You see for God so loved us He sent His Son. This He did out of love. You see we all deserve His judgment but He reaches out to us in love... Love is foremost. You need to love the people that God created, even when they are in the midst of bad things because of sin or when things fall their way because we live in a fallen world... So if you find yourself thinking that they deserve such an such... or hoping that something happens to someone... That get'em attitude. Just maybe you need to refocus, rethink... even thinking that this might be tough love... you still need to change for love does not rejoice in evil.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

wrongs suffered

"Love does not take into account a wrong suffered," Of all the "does not" maybe this one gives most people the most problems. When I think of wrong, I default to my school days of getting problems wrong... but the main definition of wrong has to do with unjust, injurious acts, principles being violated and conduct. As with all things dealing with people there seems to be those things that have different meanings for different people. that what is wrong to one may not be a wrong to another. Never mind putting ones feelings into the equation. So with that said, you have been wronged by someone. The question is are you taking into account that wrong? Did you forgive the one who wronged you? Has the one who wronged you been restored? Here is the deal if you are one who is holding a grudge, you are not putting on love; if you are not willing to forgive someone for a wrong, you are not putting on love; if you are waiting for one to ask forgiveness... before you will forgive, you are not putting on love; if you are one who is judging someone's actions, you are not putting on love. For many of us we have great memories when it comes to remembering wrongs... we need to forgive and to forgive like Jesus forgives. Forgiveness is what demonstrates love. Eph.4:31-32 "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Love is not self-seeking

Love is not self seeking. Now this is easy to see in others... Your watching a chix flick and there is that one person who is doing things to impress... for their own goals... It is usually pretty pronounced in the movies. In real life there are ones who do the same, they are good at putting on the charm... and good at doing things to pursue their own desires... Now I know that this example is toward romance; but it does not end there. Self seeking brings the thought of one doing things that would benefit them self. That you give a gift to someone for you know that one will be given in return, hopefully a better one. You have someone over for dinner because you know that they will have you over... You show love if you will because love will be shown back... Always looking at what will be given back... what is in it for me. Now sometime that what is in it for me would be praise. Yes, praise; let me tell you looking good... for doing something... is a good motivator for a lot of us. Praise, of men... Now let us not get to far to the left/right, having one thank you... is ok; it is when the line is crossed. What line? Say that you reached out in "love" by doing or giving to someone and they never thank you... Now here is the line test, how did you feel... and what do you think... would you reach out again? Did those negative feelings... boil up? The true test of love is that you do... with no expectations... and you are happy... that you showed/ demonstrated love... The joy of giving! One more thing; we must be aware of who we show love too. That we do not show partiality. An example, in a church I have attended there was a signup sheet for meals for people in need/ going through crisis... A family was on that list and there where meals signed up for weeks... and during the same time there was another family on the list; but very few would sign up... Calls were made to try to fill in the gaps... but still people were reluctant to help... saying they were helping the other family... Even now it brings tears to my eyes... Oh, it happens all the time in churches; oh yes it does. We are the church of the living God, how can this be? Let us all work on not letting this be in our lives. Now one last thing for men, so many times we do things for our wife... and guess what we sometimes do these things with expectations... and after a while when these expectations are not met we stop doing. Love does not stop doing. So keep on doing. Yes I know it is hard but don't give up.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Love is not rude, unbecoming

"Love does not act unbecomingly" , 1 Corinthians 13:5. For me it is still hard to get over of knowing what love is not. Is it only me, does it not seem that we need to know more of what love is? So we can do what love is. Well yes, but we need to know what love is not, for we tend to think that some of the actions of what love is not, is showing love... so let us dig in to this next concept. Unbecoming is talking about our conduct. Rude is a word used in some translations; but unbecomingly reaches beyond the meanings of rude. It has in its meaning the respect of person(s), no matter who they are, were they are and what ever station of life they are at, being age or rank or wealth(rich or poor)... As I was thinking of this I can relate to acting unbecoming toward the poor and also acting unbecoming toward the rich. How can that be? That acting unbecoming could reach so vast a people in me, in you? So here it is we need to watch that we do not act unbecoming, that is bad conduct, feelings, speech, ..., toward people. That we treat people with love no matter who they are... For when God reached down for us it was not that we were deserving, nor that we were noble, nor that we were good looking, nor that were bright, nor that were we better... He reached down to all of us because we all are His creation; and He loves us, His creation. He reached down to us by sending His son, to redeem us... For this was our first great need. Now one last thing, unbecoming/rude also implies the idea of one not preparing/ thinking it out... not learning how to love, as pertained to the individual/ groups... for we all are so different in our preferences... also with these words of what love is not; could suggest the deliberate act of being rude/ unbecoming. Hopefully that is not us and hopefully we will try to be more studious about how to love our spouse, children, family and others.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Love is not arrogant

Love is not arrogant or love is not proud. One should not show or say or boast of how much they love. For love is an ongoing thing and not only is it on going, the opportunities of showing love are changing... and not only that, that as one grows his love should grow... When I think of arrogant, it makes me think of one thinking that they are better than_____. That their gifts... are better than.... What they do is better than... That no matter what for the most part you cannot compete with them for they are better than and do better than... And eventually this will make them think that the one being loved, shown love... should appreciate them more for showing such great love... We joke about this saying(s), "She is so lucky to have so and so" or "She is so lucky to have me." That just being associated with them, they are blessed... You see if we are only relying on our ability to love we have missed the mark; for we do not know how to truly love. Think about it! We think we know how to love but as time goes on we realize that we know so little... And when we want to truly love more... it somehow get's mixed up... and we find ourselves not doing the actions we want... You see for us to show love... we need God's help. We need Him to show us the way. We need Him guides us so we know how to love, when to love... and we need His strength also; for without Him our love is shaky at best.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Love does not brag

As we continue of what love is we are faced with another, what love in not. Love does not brag(1Corinthians13:4). This is good that we learn what love is not. Just like there are actions that show love; there are actions that do not show love. Some of these actions would surprise us as we look at them. Like the one before us now; love does not brag. Brag, to boast. That is to tell what one has done... Wow, doesn't that hit hard. Love does not boast. So when you do something that demonstrates love... don't brag about it. When you buy your wife a gift just because you love her, don't bring it up later... saying this shows that I love you... That when you start saying that, this demonstrates the love I have for _____. That really is saying that maybe your priority has been amiss. You see love does not need to be defended because it is an ongoing process. Passed deeds that show love, are void if new deeds are not present. Love is a continuing process that involves multiple deeds/things. Love is more than just feelings, it is action based. Action based, that would be actions based. It is not just many actions it is actions that continue in the future, thus being on going. Now that, that is said, those actions being done have to have meaning. Not just financial meaning, but meaning that is personal. Maybe actions that fit needs and actions that makes one feel special. Actions that are personal to the individual... Sometimes actions just because it seems nice.... If you find that you are bringing up past actions of love... to justify your love... maybe you need to take a hard look at yourself and ask have I been demonstrating love enough? Now if you are married, maybe we all need to ask that question more frequently. Did I say maybe? No we need to ask that question frequently! An to act; so many times I find myself wanting to do... but then I get tired... and .... and ... So let us do the actions that demonstrate love to our spouses, to our children and to the brethren...