Unconditional Love vs Emotional blackmail

Luk 15:29  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

I know that I have written on the prodigal son before but in this blog I really want to have a brief look at the older brother in the story.

The father in the story represents our Father in Heaven who allows everyone to make their own choices in life.  God does not force people into submission but rather loves them into health and wholeness.

I have been asking God for healing for certain things (like a tooth that is dying) and I got to a point of exasperation and it was in my heart and mouth to say, “but God I do this and I do that, so You should do this”.  I realised afresh I was acting like the older brother, coming to God with conditions and expecting His blessing.  The older son said to his father, “all this time, I have done everything you ask but you did not....”  The older brother did not recognise the blessing he had from his father nor the fact that it was all available for him to use. This kind of conditional thinking hardens our heart toward our Father.  It has brought out feelings in me, that are lies, but nevertheless, in some way have taken root in my heart, that God favours others above me (even though I do this and that for Him).

The bible encourages us to not grow weary in doing well. (2 Tim 3:13)  We never see Jesus using this kind of “emotional blackmail” on those He came into contact with.  He never said to His disciples, after all I’ve done for you, after all I’ve given up for you..”  His focus was never on Himself but purely on those He came to touch regardless of their feelings towards Him.

Joh 2:24  But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

Joh 2:25  and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

His Love is totally unconditional towards us. Even though He was scorned, mocked and treated with disdain on earth, “He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” (Act 10:38)

As hard as it is, we His children are called to do the same.  God is a God of Love, yet He is also Holy.  This doesn’t mean that we are to blindly close our eyes to sin or that we have liberty to sin more.  Jesus was quite clear that we are to be perfect like His Father in Heaven is perfect.  Jesus warned of the consequences of living a sinful life and encouraged those “to go and sin no more”.

So going back to my emotional blackmail -  God does desire to prosper, heal and bless us.  Can I promise that you will seen His blessing and favour in your life?  I would say, “Yes”, but in God’s timing although I wonder how many times we just don’t recognise His Hand in our lives, or worse forget what He has done.

Hebrews tells us that many of the Old Testament saints did not live to see the promises of God, yet they are rewarded in heaven now and are the “cloud of witnesses” urging us onward and upward.  Great rewards are awaiting us in the Heavenly realms both now in this time and in eternity.

From the Written to the Spoken Word

Mat 4:4  But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.' "

The word has great power to change and this is attested to by many who have heard the Word and been saved and changed.  Jesus said to His disciples, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” (Joh 15:3)   He prayed to His Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (Joh 17:17)  Jesus also said that the word must abide in our hearts and if it abides in us we can ask anything and it will be done for us. (Jn 15:7)

I was thinking about the written and the spoken Word of God.  We are completely blessed to have the written Word (the logos) in our hands today but it is the spoken (rhema) word to our hearts that only has the ability to produce the sanctification process in us as Jesus said.  God sent prophets in the Old Testament to tell the people what was on His heart, and often to employ them to return to Him. 
 
Deu 18:18  I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
 
Heb 1:1  God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
 
So In the New Testament Gospels, we see Jesus speaking and often He would use “Verily, verily I say unto you” when He addressed crowds to teach spiritual principles.  And so it is that He speaks to us today.
 
God spoke and worlds were brought into being.  Such is the power of His spoken Word.  His spoken Word (that which proceeds from His mouth) is the rhema (enlightened) word to us.  It’s this word that has inherent truth and power to set us free.  The word that God speaks to us enlightens us with His truth that remains unshakeable in our lives no matter whom or what opposes it.

Joh 8:31  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

Joh 8:32  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
 
When contemplating about the Word of God, I thought about the temptation episode and how Jesus, when tempted by satan in the wilderness said, “It is written” rather than “Truly, truly I say unto you” as He is the Word of God. satan is a legalist (much like the Pharisees and Sadducees were), hanging on every dot and tittle.  satan knows the word and can twist it and use it to condemn or confuse (much like many of the cults today) but satan does not have the rhema, the spoken Word in his heart. 
 
This was true of the religious leaders of the day who as Jesus said:-
 
Mat 23:2  ... "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
Mat 23:3  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
 
They learnt the scriptures and discussed them thoroughly but the Word did not bring them eternal life as they were hung up on every law yet the revelation of the Messiah was hidden from them.  The truth was reasoned but the truth did not become “flesh” in their hearts.
 
Joh 5:39  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
 
The written Word has to become the spoken Word to our hearts.  It can only do this as we mediate and ponder the Word so that it becomes animate through the life-giving Spirit to our hearts instead of inanimate and remaining in our reasoning.  It becomes God-breathed and living, powerful and sharp, “piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb 4:12)
 
Joh 6:63  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
 
The Word becomes living to those who are willing to hear.  Spoken by God to touch our hearts and bring forth change.  We need to attune our ears to hear what the Spirit would say when we come to the Word.  Just like a mother who is so attuned to the smallest moan or cry of her new born that she would awaken out of a deep sleep.  We need to be awakened in our spirits too, to respond to every word that God brings to us. 
 
Let us come humbly to the Word of God and ask Him to speak to our hearts so that understanding comes and by it our hearts will be softened and pliable.  We need those “light bulb” moments with Him so that we can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Glorious God.  The Word He speaks to us is personal and relevant to each one of us, so that “.. we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2Co 3:18 

 

Living the Victorious Life

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, WHERE Christ sits at God’s right hand in place of honour and power.  Col 3:1

We have been raised to new life with Christ but do we, as His precious people, live life this way?  Our old life is left behind us – Christ has given us new life.  Old things have passed away – behold the new has come. NEW! 

2Co 5:17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2Co 5:14  Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

We are now no longer born of just the earth but we are born from above. 

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

This means we have a new vibrant life where we should rise on the “wings of eagles”, the Holy Spirit beneath our wings, to a higher way of living than earthly living.

Adam was born from the dust, formed in the Loving hands of the Creator Father, but still born of the dust.  God breathed into him and so Adam became a living being made in the image of His Creator.  He bore God’s eternal spirit and therefore God’s characteristics of His kindness, His goodwill, His mercy, His Glory and comeliness.  (Is 40:6)  Adam walked in the Glory of God, intimate with His Maker and His Presence, learning of Him, being like Him until disobedience entered into his heart.  Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned. (Rom 5:12 )  In this state humankind became enemies of God, their Creator.  This state of living is way below what God intended for us and the wages of our sin is death.  Living in disobedience, enemies of God, we miss the mark of His Glory. 

Even before Christ came, God in His Mercy,  set before us the choice of life or death, blessing or cursing.  He spelt it out so simply, the choice we have.

Deu 30:19  I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.

I think that this is a beautiful promise that when we choose life, it affects our descendants as for those who choose life the blessing of God comes upon the next generation.

Christ came and died for us so we could be freed from the law of sin and death that reigns in our members.  Yet we still have the struggle between these two laws as they compete within our members.  What is the antidote?  The Apostle Paul so emphatically tells us in Rom &:24-25a, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!..”

Jesus Christ delivers us  from our evil nature and wicked deeds, (Col 1:21) but we need to look unto Him, the author and finisher of our faith who has purchased us and ransomed us by means of His blood on the cross. He clothes us with this new nature because He has taken up residence in our hearts through the Holy Spirit and He has become our new life.

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, Rom 8:4  that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Rom 8:5  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

One of the keys to living this victorious life is in our thought life.  We don’t allow our thoughts to be filled with the earthly sinful things, but we look to Jesus, seated in honour and power at God’s Right Hand.  We are right with God for He obtained for us in becoming our sin His Righteousness. Christ who went through temptations just like us but remained without sin.  His blood cries out for eternity as the token of our salvation and forgiveness of sin.  We died with Him on that cross and our real life is hidden with Christ in God (Col.3:3)

Col 3:5  So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Col 3:10  Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him. Col 3:11  In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us.

Put off, put on!  Simple keys of understanding to live to the potential God wants us to live.  How do we do this in a practical matter, because it is not easy to walk the crucified life?  All of us have warnings when ungodly emotions begin to rise within us.  We can almost feel the heat rise from the stomach (ask any person who gets cut off in traffic, or anyone who has been the butt of a bad joke as two examples) and in that instant we have a choice – life or death!  We all have warning signals when anxiety or fear begins to come upon us.  Choose life!  Pull down every argument that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.  Any untruth seeks the place of power in your mind in an attempt to dethrone Christ in your life.  Choose Life – Truth which sets us free.

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

And be renewed in your mind as we learn more of the “word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;” Col 1:6 

God has chosen us to be His Holy people whom He loves and desires for us to live with heavenly potential bringing His Glory and His Presence to earth.  We are citizens of a Heavenly Kingdom, holy, thankful, speaking words of grace and healing, focused on Christ, eyes wide-open, magnifying His Glory and revelling in His Presence.

Christ did not bring us out of the kingdom of darkness so that we would stay in bondage to the law of sin and death but He brought us out to take us into the Kingdom of Light where His reign and rule brings Life and freedom.  For when Christ sets us free, we are free indeed.  He has redeemed us from the curse and died so that we would have the abundant life in Him, He promised.

Joh 10:10  The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

 

Let us love Him with all our hearts and obey Him in trustful surrender.  Let us choose life.  Let us with the Holy Spirit’s help, throw off the old nature and walk in the nature  and desires of  Him who is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy.  (Jud 1:24)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And He made Himself of no reputation

But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Phl 2:7-8 NKJV

I was watching a program the other night about depression and they were saying that depression is a major sickness among the nations today.  I was contemplating this as I know many, including myself once, who suffered depression and seemingly lost some sense of hope to varying degrees. The main reason they gave for this is the fact that society today is so focused on self and I had to agree.

Jesus made us to be outward centred and not inwardly focused.  He himself lay down His life for others and gave up His rights and this I believe is the key to relieving depressive states in us.  Just think about it!

“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Jn 17:5 NKJV

 Jesus had glory with the Father and in fact the Word teaches us that He is the master creator of the universe.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. Jn 1:3 NKJV

Angels worshipped Him, yet Jesus left His state of Glory to step into our time to heal, deliver and ultimately save us through His death on the cross.  He showed us another way of living and thinking, with a focus on relationship with the Father and relationship with each other.  And the Word tells us to have this same mind – be like minded with Christ.

When I look back on my past, before I met Jesus Christ, I was constantly thinking about myself and how life had thrown me the raw deal.  Being married and having children relieved this to a small point as it forced me to think about someone else, but even in that, I constantly came back to myself.  “I need my rest so you children better be quiet,  I’m doing this for you,  none of you appreciate the things I have to sacrifice for you.  I’m the one who has to pick up after everyone.  No I don’t have the time for you right now, I’m busy….” I, I, I!   No wonder I was in a state of depression.  I have learnt since receiving Jesus Christ into my heart that the world doesn’t revolve around me but in fact the world is centred around Jesus Christ and others.

Even today I can fall into this “I” trap. A good example of this being the other day when folding up countless handkerchiefs (okay maybe a little exaggeration here) and beginning to feel very annoyed.  Again, where was my focus – certainly not on being a blessing, or even doing my work as unto the Lord.  Even at work, when I went to make a cup of tea and others had left the sink area in a state of chaos and not washed up their plates, cups etc and I began to grumble (being focused on me again and getting very annoyed), the Holy Spirit had me catch myself and I began to thank Him that I could be a blessing to others and clean up all the stuff left.  I actually felt better rather then staying annoyed.

Is this difficult to do!  YES, but it is worth it and it is this kind of action that God can bless because, like Jesus, we are putting others ahead of our own interests.  Not only that but my blood pressure did not rise and the steam did not come out of my ears.  I felt more at peace.  I think that this is definitely something I could practise.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Phl 2:3-4

My husband Sam definitely has shown me more and more over the years about this way of sacrificial living as he has a servant’s heart and is always willing to go beyond himself and walk the extra mile.  I have a long way to catch up but focusing on Jesus example certainly helps.  I think that maybe this is love – putting God and others first.  It is what we teach at Sunday schools all around the nations – J O Y = Jesus, others and THEN you.

Natural to explain the Spiritual

Jesus often used nature to explain spiritual principles.  Even the day He cursed the fig tree and it withered and died, it became an example of spiritual faith, that if we speak and ask believing, we will receive.

Jesus gave us a story of a farmer who scattered seed across his field.  The outcome of the fruitfulness of the seed was vastly different according to the receptiveness or hardness of the soil, which represents the heart’s willingness to hear and apply the Word.  Everyone has the capacity to hear and receive or reject the Word of God.  Those whose hearts are not receptive to the Word of God didn’t have a hearing problem, nor did those who received the message in some measure. The problem was in the hardness of their hearts. The Word of God is prevalent today, but many do not want to listen.  They shut up their ears and close their eyes, lest they hear and see. 

Mat 13:15 “ For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed ,lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”

Mat 13:3  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.

Mat 13:4  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

Behold – in other words LISTEN and UNDERSTAND. 

This group of people have hardened hearts, even as a path is well travelled and beaten down, so it becomes almost as hard as rock.  Seeds do not have the time to sprout and put down roots as they are seen easily by birds that eat them.  The soil is impenetrable, like the hearts of those who have been beaten down in life and have become bitter.  Often these people blame God, or are angry at God, “If God is so loving, why did this happen to me/them?”  The enemy (satan aka birds in this parable) has sown his deceit in their hearts, and so they become like those spoken of in Psalms:-

Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,

Psa 2:3  "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us."

Jesus offers them an invitation though His Word to “behold” (see, understand) but they do not want to hear, see or understand as their eyes are blinded by the veil of the god of this age.  They are carnal, living and walking their lives out by the desires of the flesh, the pride of life and the lust of the eyes.  Earthly, temporal things are their main concern, and they are self-focused, self-driven people often to their great detriment and harm.

Mat 13:5  Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

Mat 13:6  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

This group of people listen and hear and receive the message with joy, but interestingly enough, the soil is shallow with underlying rock, so that the roots of the message do not have time to be established. Like the vitality of the plant, in the heat of the sun, their faith withers up and dies.  Jesus referred to their hearts as “stony places”,  and this reminds me of roots that are trying to get down to the deeper nutritious soil but the stones are many and progress is impeded.  As Jesus explained, this group of people are easily swayed when challenged about their faith and stumble.  The stones in their hearts, such as unforgiveness, bitterness and doubt stop them producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit as they are led by the desires of the flesh, instead of the desires of the Spirit.  They have “no root in themselves” because they have not “renewed” their minds with the truth of the Word their faith is weak and they stumble by taking offence with the message.  They have not allowed the root of the message to “flush” out the stones and put roots down deep “into the soil of God’s marvellous love”.

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

Rom 8:13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Rom 8:15  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

Rom 8:16  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Rom 8:17  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Rom 8:18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The next group of people to hear the word are too worried and pressured about the cares of the world, and are out to make money to better their “lot” in life.  They are too busy for the message of God’s word to bear any fruit in their life.  Jesus refers to riches as “deceitfulness”, because riches have a promise of security, success and happiness which can be very fleeting.  Those who love riches are driven to gain, gain, gain and put their trust in the riches they accumulate.  No wonder Jesus refers to riches as “thorns” because those who put their trust in riches have placed an idol before God, who will not share worship with any other “god”.  Thorns inflict pain and draw blood.  Many have lost their families and their peace in pursuing riches because greed is insatiable; it has a very large appetite.   Our sufficiency should be in Christ, who promises to us prosperity without sorrow. (Pro 10:22)

1Ti 6:6  Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

1Ti 6:7  After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it.

1Ti 6:8  So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

1Ti 6:9  But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

The seed that fell on the good soil represents those whose hearts welcome the message and understand it so that it produces fruit in their lives, some 30, some 60 and some 100-fold.

Jesus taught:-

Mat 13:12  To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

There is a priority here.  For those who are willing to listen and hear God’s word, think and mediate upon it, understanding will come.  God sees those who place an importance on Him and pursue the Word of Life and allow their roots to be established in the Word.  The roots will produce the fruit of the Kingdom, as the Word provides nourishment to the soul.  Roots that are put down deep into soil are hard to dislodge and keep the plant stable, vital and bearing and so it is with those who receive The Message and allow its power to do a work in the heart.  God’s Word is “living and powerful” and has in it all the keys to Kingdom living.  Herein lays success, peace and joy and faith, hope and love – qualities that bear the sweetest fruit for others to taste and see that God’s way is good.

 

Throw off Limitations

What limits us in our walk with Jesus?  For each of us, the answer may be vastly different but the following ideas may be common ones that we all face.

1.       We have a wrong view of God.

We make God small in our own minds and put Him in a box, confined to our small minded thinking.  The heavens cannot contain the Almighty God, our Father and His hand created everything visible and invisible.  He is the God that splits seas, raises the dead and lets the rain fall on the just and the unjust.

Isa 40:26  Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.

Jesus told the story of the Master who went away on a long journey and before leaving gave to his servants, according to their ability, talents.  One he gave 5, to another 2 and to the final one 1.  On his return he summoned the servants to see what they had done with the talents he gave them.  The first two servants doubled their talents whereas the last had an issue with the character of his Master.

Mat 25:24  "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

Mat 25:25  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'

The scripture is not clear as to how this servant had such a bad report on the character of his master yet even today there are people who think of God as a vengeful God waiting to send a bolt of lightning to fry them.  Many people do not understand the unconditional Love of the Father heart of God.   The master in this account did not need to give his servants anything.  He owed them nothing, yet he gifted them and trusted them to use what he had given them to the best advantage.  We often do get a wrong picture of God, fashioning Him in the image of man instead of us being fashioned in His image.  God has gifted all of us and yet when He wants us to use the gift, we come up with all kinds of excuses, looking instead and our inadequacies instead of looking at His adequacy.   The master did not defend his character yet brought a huge indictment upon the lazy servant, informing him that if he believed so bad a report, it should have compelled him to do the best he could with the talent he had been given.

2.       Doubt and unbelief

Jesus could not do any mighty miracles among his home town in Nazareth because of their unbelief.  They refused to recognise Him as the Messiah and so did not recognise His authority in the spiritual realm and were in fact offended by Him.  They were offended because He was the kid that grew up and played with their kids in the town.  They were familiar with Him and His family and because they were familiar with His humanness they could not believe that He was also divine.   In fact, they were so offended by Him and His claim to be the Messiah they wanted to throw Him off a cliff.

Jesus has given us a blank cheque on Heaven’s account with this scripture:-

Mar 11:23  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

What stops us receiving is the doubt we have in our hearts.  What we can see with the “eye of faith” we can speak into being.  In fact scripture clearly teaches us that we must call those things that are not as though they are.

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Heb 11:2  For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

Heb 11:3  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Everything that we see around us was first of all seen in someone’s imagination before it was physically brought into reality.  God created this way too.  He imagined creation and He spoke it forth.  When we do not have the faith in God, we will not step out boldly to declare, to share or to touch the needs of humanity.  This will definitely limit us in our walk with God.

 

3.       Unforgiveness

Jesus gives us a provocative insight into unforgiveness with the parable of the master who calls his servants in to pay back the debts they owe him.  One servant owed a large fortune and the master calls for him, his family and all their belongings to be sold to pay off the debt.  This debt was large and the servant fell on his knees to beg for mercy and patience.  The master had compassion on him and wiped his debt clear.  You would think that this servant would have left rejoicing but he went and found someone who owed him a small amount and demanded immediate payment.  His debtor immediately fell to his knees begging him for mercy and patience but instead of giving the same compassion he had received, the servant ordered that he be thrown into prison until the debt was paid.  Jesus continued the story with:-

 Mat 18:33  Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'

Mat 18:34  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

Mat 18:35  "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

 We have been forgiven a huge debt of sin by God through the cross of Jesus Christ and our forgiveness cost Christ His life.  When we will not forgive others we are treading on dangerous ground.  God clearly teaches us that if we do not forgive, He cannot forgive us.  Unforgiveness opens the door to satan, the torturer, to bring a root of bitterness into our lives, and this has the ability to shipwreck our faith and continually torment us.  Yes we may have been hurt and hurt bad, but we need to trust God to deal with the situation on our behalf and we need to forgive more for our sake then for the one who has hurt us.  Forgiving others does not mean that we condone what they did but God is clear that He is the only one who can avenge justly.  We need to release the perpetrator into His Loving hands and move on with life.

God has an awesome plan for all our lives.  We need to keep our hearts sweet in His presence and grow in the grace and knowledge of Him.  Those who know their God will be strong and do exploits, as the scripture exhorts us.  We need to make the decision to just believe and trust.  God will never let us down and He will allow us to bring His Kingdom to earth as we co-labour with Jesus Christ. What an awesome privilege He has given to us.  Step out and step up in faith, amen!

The Law of Love

1 Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Made in the image of God, we are wired for love.  We were created to receive, respond to and give out love.  I was contemplating on the law of love as I was having a walk down by the beach this morning and ended up lamenting because we don’t walk in the law of love as we should do.  We know that God’s “perfect love cast out all fear” so therefore the opposite of love is fear.  When we are safe in God’s love, we have no fear of the future.  We are content to wait for God’s timing and for His plan to be worked out in our lives. We know that He has a perfect plan in His Love for us, and He will see His perfect plan accomplished.  Not only do we have no fear for the future but we look forward to it with great expectation as we abide in His Love.

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psa 46:2  Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Love is the highest law there is in the universe and it is a law that should supersede the law of sin and death that is in our members.  If we put the law of love in its rightful place, we would not cater to the law of sin and death in the flesh.

1Co 13:4  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

1Co 13:5  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

1Co 13:6  does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

1Co 13:7  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1Co 13:8  Love never fails.

Love is the more excellent way, and grows out of continued devotion to God, being filled and filled again and again by His Love.  Love is the higher path and love brings meaning to life.  Where there is no love, there is all kind of bitterness, fear and envy.  Love is tender, yet love can bring discipline where needed.  Love always forgives and restores. 

The Law of Love supersedes prejudices and emotions.  Jesus was weary and resting at the well in Samaria when a woman, caught in the bondage of looking for love in the wrong places, came to draw water at the well. The Jews disliked the Samaritans so much that many of them would not even step foot in Samaria.  Enmity was so great that no Jew would have spoken to a citizen yet alone a woman.  Jesus could have totally ignored this woman because of the years of ingrained prejudice between Jews and Samaritans.  He could have turned aside from her in His weariness but the Law of Love in Him reached out to her and brought her into freedom.  Jesus knew her sin.  He knew the darkness in her soul but He brought her into the light and love of His mercy.  In doing so, salvation came to her and the townsmen.

Love doesn’t push boundaries but keeps everyone safe within those boundaries.  Love also contemplates the consequences before it is put to the test.  It protects.  It does no harm to anyone. Love prefers others over and above oneself.  This is why Jesus said to follow Him, we need to die to ourselves take up our cross and follow.  Love walks in the light because it has nothing to hide and where all can be seen and everyone kept safe.  Love is clearly seen by the way we treat each other.

Joh 13:35  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

This kind of unconditional, pure love is hard to find in the world today.  This is why when others see genuine love displayed in the church it draws them in.  There is nothing like being an eyewitness of a loving encounter to warm and soften the heart.   Nor is there anything like being the giver or reciprocator of a genuine loving gesture.

Let us pray every day for God to so fill us with His Love that we are compelled in the overflow to reach out and touch others for the Kingdom so that His Love can be perfected through us as we obey Him in all we do because our love for Him.

Rom 13:8  Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.