Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!
True Love
My husband and I lead True Love Waits retreats. Some of my books take a hard look at the nature of love. Whether between spouses, among family members or friends, genuine love always follows Christ’s example. While I wouldn’t presume to tackle the vast topic of Christ’s love, I hope to provoke some thoughts.
True Love initiates – God chose us without waiting to see how we would respond. If we love like He does, we can boldly and confidently makes the first move. This does not mean we do the asking when it comes to dating. It means we love without waiting for it to be reciprocated. It fact we love even if it is never returned.
True Love risks – God knew that we would reject Him, and He chose to love us anyway. Loving like Jesus means we understands that we may also be rejected.
True Love sacrifices – Jesus Christ sacrificed more for us than we comprehend. However, His sacrifice wasn’t wasted on our selfish aspirations. He sacrificed to redeem us. When we love like Christ, we will pour ourselves into others so that they can be everything God intends for them to be.
True Love commits – Jesus said He would never leave us or forsake us. Never. True Love isn’t shallow or fair-weather. It is forever.
True Love is not a feeling -it is a decision. Feelings change. They are dependent on circumstances, and they are generally self-serving. Real love is not. It stays steady no matter what.
In popular culture, what is called love is more often lust, a selfish, hormonal reaction that is determined to use the other person rather than serve and care for him or her. As a result, we are starved, but suspicious of claims of love. Jesus’s love sounds way too good to be true. We have to live and love others in a way that makes those claims credible.
How do you show love to those around you?
Study Tip: Now What?
In the last few tips, we’ve examined Scripture to see what it reveals about God, and what it tells us about ourselves. What do we do with all that information? If it doesn’t affect our daily lives and make us more Christ-like, then it’s no better than knowing our state capitals.
By way of review, last week we considered Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, 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. (13) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
And we came away with some observations about ourselves.
1. I am made up of the physical and spiritual.
2. I have hidden motives
3. I am not able to hide myself or my motives from God.
4. I must give account to God.
Here’s the part I call the ‘Now What?’ How does this information change my life when I leave my desk? How will it make me more Christ-like?
Knowing that I will give an account encourages me to life according to His standards, to be transparent and diligent in His service. Understanding that I will deceive myself about my motives (I have hidden ones that God sees through), I need to constantly ask God to show me where I’m fooling myself. One of the most significant things I’ve learned is that I cannot trust my perceptions and I need God to sort those things out for me.
Let It Begin With Me
If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God.
1 Samuel 12:14
I had to give up watching the news. Oh, I still read the headlines on the internet, and I still get email updates, but no more news broadcasts on any network for me. I found that they were contributing to a general discouragement and made me harbor some unsanctified thoughts about some of my countrymen. However, I cannot deny that our country is in deep trouble. Court rulings, legislation and political policy seem increasingly hostile to God’s authority and His standards.
As I read Scripture, the remedy won’t be found in the halls of Congress or on a picket line outside. (This is not to say that people shouldn’t avail themselves of whatever means God leads them to use to speak the truth.) The key to good God-honoring government resides in my heart and the hearts of others. If you fear the Lord, serve Him, obey Him and don’t rebel against Him – did God make Himself clear, or what? – If we as citizens commit ourselves to personal holiness, then our leadership will follow suit.
I am one person. I can vote, but how much influence do I really have on Washington D.C.? I can control my own actions, though. I can choose to fear God and honor Him. If THAT catches on, then the nation will change. If we live out genuine faith, if we become vessels of honor, sanctified, cleansed and prepared, we become part of God’s solution to the ills of our society. True healing is only found in Jesus Christ.
Be the Sheep
My Bible study group is working through Kay Arthur’s study of Psalms, Praising God through Prayer and Worship, and this week we hit Psalm 23.
Psalm 23 has been commented on maybe more than any other passage, and there is much comfort to be found in the promises of provision and protection. A shepherd is a person, but I looked at “shepherd” more as a verb, to guide.
First, a detour- I got side-tracked in the dictionary… I shall not want. The shades of meaning for want are significant. I shall not be needy or destitute. I shall not feel “need” or even have “need”. I shall not have an independent desire to come and go or be. I shall not have a strong desire for anything else. I shall not put my energy into hunting something with the intention of apprehending it. If the Lord IS my Shepherd, then I don’t want anyone or anything else. He is the source and supplier for everything. In Him there is contentment, rest and peace. To walk away from Him is to trade away those things for cheap, illusory copies.)
So where does He shepherd me?
Green pastures – abundant, easy-to-obtain nourishment. He will lead Me through His Word to feast on the riches of His Truth.
Still waters- Sheep won’t drink running water. He understands my frailties, and graciously works through those.
Restores my soul- He so desires a relationship with me that He will shepherd me through the tough process of repentance and restoration, so that nothing stands between us.
The valley of the shadow of death- First off, it’s a shadow. While it’s the size and shape of death, it’s only a shadow. He’s with me. He’s still leading.
The presence of mine enemies- To prepare the table, He had to get there first, before me. No matter what the enemies have in mind, the Shepherd is one step ahead.
Anointing- Healing, favor, selection, identification, consecration, commissioning… Anointing was used to show all these things.
None of these places is a one time stop-over. We revisit them as often as needed according to the Shepherd’s assessment, timing and purposes. The ultimate destination is the house of the Lord – He will finish the job, and will safely bring us into His eternal presence and glory.
The sheep is not responsible for figuring all this out, for trying to solve all these problems. The Shepherd, who led the sheep there, is the One responsible. He is Shepherding. Am I “sheeping”? I was not made to be a free-agent, but to glorify God through obedience.
The Risk of Choice
Happy Friday! It is warm finally. My son starts Little League practice Saturday. It must be Spring! I hope to pack up the winter clothes this weekend at last.
Reading The Giver (I gave a quick synopsis in yesterday’s post), soon after the boy begins training, he is frustrated by the lack of choice in his community. He wants to be able to decide. He quickly concedes that there is a danger in that. If people can choose, they might make the wrong choice.
Beginning with Adam, God trusted man with the ability to choose, knowing the risk it presented. [I am NOT going to get into Calvinism and irresistible grace.] God gets glory when we choose to love and serve Him. That means we understand that He is worthy. It’s a step toward revering Him the way He deserves. It also reflects His character- He loves us because He chooses to.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- Next Page »