Love For Eternity

Love For Eternity “If you ever say that again, I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap!” “You see what you get! It was your own foot that caused you to trip and fall.” “It was karma! You should not have been walking into that house in the first place!” “I’ll never do that again! I’ve learned my lesson!” We may be quick to judge the actions of others. We may even bring attention to our own faults. Based on our own set of values we point out the shortcomings of others and impose what we think should be their just punishment. Is our own conduct so perfect that we can easily tell others where they are blemished or spoiled? Are we people worthy of emulating? If there is a part rotting on a piece of fruit we cut it off or toss the whole thing into the trash. If we see a blood stain on a garment we deem it no longer useful for us to wear. Be rid of all that that keeps you from conducting yourself like a child of God. To quote a man named Jesus, “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.” Chances are when we are well versed in the basic rules of decency we will raise our families and conduct ourselves in a good way. When we use love as the basis of our interactions we will promote love and receive love in return. Rather than leaving fate to chance, better we live now without scalding one another in the inferno of selfishness, burning in the flame of anger and vindictiveness, charring and blistering in acts of wickedness and un-forgiveness, lest we desire to live that way for eternity. Love is like eternity in heaven. It’s very essence and purpose is to make another feel complete in love without ceasing. Mark 9:41-50 Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward. ‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you season it again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.’

Forfeiting A Prize Has It's Reward

Forfeiting A Prize Has It’s Reward “I am so mad! I was first in line and when they opened they began at the end.” “Are you crazy! I’m going to help myself before I even think of helping anyone else!” “I don’t care if I have 3 computers, I won this one and I’m keeping it. Why should I give it to that kid whose parents can’t afford to buy him one!” If we are first we may be able to assure our purchase, our allotment of free goodies or perhaps even our pick of the litter. Being first should not always be at the top of our desires. Allowing someone to go in front of us should not make us feel cheated. Signing up for a free concert for the underprivileged and finding that our name is not on the list should not make us feel short changed. Being rich, famous or better off than our neighbor should not make us feel as though we are above everyone else. When you live your life as a servant of others, when you can be humble and generous, and wish well those who receive benefits you did not, you will find your heart feels as though it won a great prize. Mark 9:30-37 Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him. They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. For they had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Thoroughness, Faith & Prayer

Thoroughness, Faith & Prayer “Why do you ask me to pray? There is no hope. The doctors have done all they can do.” “I know you are a professional at what you do. This might be too difficult, but could you see if you know how to do this?” There is only so much that we can do with our human hands and minds. And even that is a grace from God. Asking for the impossible, requesting the simple, demanding for what seems routine all require a degree of faith. Knowing that all things are through the works and grace of God should give us patience to wait, acceptance of His will, and an opportunity to grow deeper in our faith. Jesus taught the faithless, that this kind (perhaps healing, peace, curing) can only come through prayer. When you are troubled, do what you can with thoroughness and faith, pray and leave the rest to God. Mark 9:14-29 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, 'What are you arguing about with them?' Someone from the crowd answered him, 'Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.' He answered them, 'You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.' And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, 'How long has this been happening to him?' And he said, 'From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.' Jesus said to him, 'If you are able!-All things can be done for the one who believes.' Immediately the father of the child cried out, 'I believe; help my unbelief!' When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, 'You spirit that keep this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!' After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, 'He is dead.' But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, 'Why could we not cast it out?' He said to them, 'This kind can come out only through prayer.'

Giving Beyond The Bare Minimum

Giving Beyond The Bare Minimum “Can you spare a dime?” “Sorry, this is my last 20 bucks.” “It can't be that you've got nowhere to go. You must have someone you can stay with.” “I won’t take no for an answer. The gift is already on its way.” When and how do you give? Do you guard and hoard what you earn or inherit? Could you give up your leisure time for the sake of a lonely or ill person? Would you offer a warm comfortable bed to a person suffering a hardship? Can you recall all the times God gave you more than you deserved? We all have much than can be shared. The surplus of our time, the unused money in our accounts and the untapped benefits of our talents are just morsels of our gifts. Sacrificing deeper than our usual financial baseline, praying for others beyond our daily prayer routines, and doing more than what is asked of us is giving out of our poverty. To give beyond the bare minimum is reward in our spirit and celebrated in Heaven. Luke 21:1-4 Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put all in she had to live on.”

Cling To Mercy

Cling To Mercy “I know you forgave me. But I can’t forgive her for all she’s put me through.” It does not matter the transgression, “forgiveness is forgiveness” no matter the size or type of offense. To forgive is not a partial act, conditional idea, or something done in due time. Forgive others from your heart with immediacy lest you delay and risk losing your opportunity allowing a loving heart to harden. God forgives us even before we blunder. If we do not CLING TO MERCY, God’s mercy may be there for us no more. Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

Peace and Forgiveness Matters

Peace and Forgiveness Matters “I will never forgive you. What you have done is unforgiveable!” “I don’t care if I never speak to her again! She deserves punishment!” “I don’t have control over what you do. For me, I will let him know that all is forgiven.” To many, it seems a “no brainer” that rebuking is the appropriate response to someone who has hurt us. If God punished and did not forgive us our sins for our every wrong doing we would not know hope, have an inkling about faith, and would be ignorant about any aspect of love. Peace and love have no conditions, attachments, precursors or riders. The Holy Spirit inside you has no limitations as it is a gift to you revealed by Jesus and sent by God. God may be forgiving you a multitude of times in a day and still He promises eternity. The moment you become aware of the gift of the Holy Spirit inside you, your heart will agree that pardoning is God’s natural response to offenses. Jesus asked God to forgive those who crucified Him. Peace and forgiveness is fitting in all matters. John 20:19-23 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

God's Love Lives In Me

God’s Love Lives In Me "Do as I say, not as I do!” “We are not talking about me. We are talking about what YOU are doing!” With love do those things that show you are a child of God. Conduct yourself in a way that reveals your discipline in God’s word. Act quickly with forgiveness, hope and faith so that only love defines your character. May the glory that God gave Jesus, and the glory that passed from Jesus to you be received and revealed. Live so that the world may believe that God’s love lives in you. John 17: 20-26 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’