NEVER FAILING

In your area of authority you can expect to be perfect. 
This is what I mean:

As long as you know your boundaries, the limits of your territory and ability, you can expect success in all you do.

How do I know this?

Love never fails.
God is love.
Therefore God never fails.

God commands us to do all we do in love.
Love never fails.
Therefore, if we do everything in love, we will not fail in anything.
The word of God says, "Pursue love."
If we pursue love, we will not fail in our pursuit.

Against love, there is no law.
No limit.
No boundary.
You can love freely and infinitely and eternally.
You cannot truly love too much.
There is no where and no one limited or restricted from love.

You really can't fail with love. 
You'll never be wrong in loving someone.
You'll never go wrong in loving God or your neighbor.
Love
Never
Fails.

Leah's Song

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.  Genesis 29:35

Jacob had two wives:  Leah and Rachel. 
He loved Rachel, who was beautiful, more than he loved Leah, who had soft eyes.
God saw this. 
God saw Leah. 
God opened Leah's womb and closed Rachel's.

Leah had her first son, hoping Jacob would love her. 
But he didn't.  He loved Rachel.
She gave him another son for his love.
She gave a third son for his affection, receiving only rejection.
When God gave her a fourth son, she no longer sought Jacob’s love.
With this son, she praised the Lord, the one who saw her pain and rejection.

I know how Leah felt. 
Before I met my Lucy I sought love and intimacy, remaining lonely.

“Maybe this relationship will make me happy.”
“Maybe this girlfriend will want to marry me.”
“Maybe this one will follow me wherever God leads me.”
“God sees me.  God loves me.  God desires me.  This time I will praise the Lord.”

“Maybe my father will call me.”
“Maybe he’ll remember my birthday.”
“Maybe he’ll like what I bought him for Father’s Day.”
“God created me.  He is my Father.  He is my Dad. This Father's Day, I will praise the Lord."

This time, I will praise the Lord.

"I Give You Praise."  Richard Smallwood

Does God REALLY love us UNCONDITIONALLY? (Part 2)

God expects our trust, love, and obedience.  He loves us whether or not we trust, love, and obey Him.  This is His “unconditional love;” in this way He does love us no matter what we do.  But we cannot be His children or experience intimate connection with Him no matter what we do. To become His children, we must actively, consciously, and deliberately put our total trust in Him and His Son.  To experience intimacy with Him, we must obey Him.  These are the CONDITIONS of being “born again” and being one with God.

Now, deep down inside we not only know this, but appreciate this.  What relationship, what REAL relationship, has no conditions or expectations?  Think of your closest friends or relatives, even the relationships that seem the easiest.  Does it matter what our closest relationships do or don’t do?  Can I be married without the first condition of exclusive commitment?  Can my wife be physically intimate with me and any man she chooses?  Will we remain married no matter what we do?

So it is with God, the most valuable relationship in our lives.

God cares about what we do because He genuinely loves us.  And love that is genuine has conditions.

Does God REALLY love us UNCONDITIONALLY?

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”  Luke 17:17-18

Jesus asked this after only one of the ten lepers he healed came back to praise and thank God for his healing.  Of course Jesus healed the ten before they proved themselves “worthy or unworthy.”  But this doesn’t change what He said.  He still seemed to expect them to thank and praise God.

In other words, His “unconditional love,” expressed in unconditional healing, didn’t seem to be without ANY expectations.  For God to love us unconditionally simply means He loves us, and does good towards us, whether we thank Him or not.  But this doesn’t mean He could care less if we thank Him.

The same is true for me as a husband and father.  I love my wife and children whether they return my love or not, but I definitely want them to return my love.  Not only this, I EXPECT them to.  I think they are WRONG if they don’t. 

So what does unconditional love mean then?  Or is love really without conditions? 

Jesus said in another place, “IF you love me, you will keep my commandments.”  The word IF is a CONDITIONAL WORD, which shows that the CONDITION of loving Jesus is obedience.

Some one may give this objection:

“Of course, that is the case for us, but HE loves US without conditions, as it is written, ‘God commended His love to us in that while we were sinners, Jesus died for our sins.  AND it is written that God first loved us, and that we did not first love God.” 

Both of these things are true, but for salvation to be EXPERIENCED we must meet a CONDITION:  FAITH!

So God’s love, ultimately expressed in the death of His Son, happened whether we believe in Jesus or not. BUT WE IT WILL NOT BE EXPERIENCED IN US FOR OUR SALVATION UNLESS WE BELIEVE!

Therefore, to love God, and experience His love, we must meet the conditions of obedience and faith.

Why I sometimes feel sorry for God

How do you feel when you reach out to someone and they reject you?  How do you feel when you go to talk to someone and they don't take their eyes off the computer screen; when they talk on their cell phone the whole time you are together?  How do you feel when the people who should understand you the most understand you least?

This is why I sometimes feel sorry for God.

Who reaches out to people more than Him?

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  Acts 17:26-27

God orchestrated our entire lives, our origins and destinations, so that we would seek Him, reach out for Him and find Him, the only one who is not far from each and every one of us.  Who can promise to be literally with us always?  Who has gone through such pains as to desire us to find them?

How do you feel when you are treated as an interruption, as if the one you are coming to is too busy for you?  How often do we treat God like this?  And how does God respond?

He (Samson) awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. Judges 16:20

When we ignore God, demanding that he leaves us alone, He does.  Yet we are so used to desiring his absence, and acting as though He is absent, that we do not know when the Lord has left us.

I hate that I've done this to God, and to others, because I know that I hate when others do this to me.

I don't ever want to make God, or any one in His likeness, feel like this.

If I've done this to anyone who reads, I'm truly sorry, and I'll never do it again.

Dearest God, I'm sorry for when I've ignored you.

I'll never do it again.

***

The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth,

and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.

So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth.

It broke his heart.

And the Lord said,

“I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth.

Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—

all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground,

and even the birds of the sky.

I am sorry I ever made them.”

But Noah found favor with the Lord. 

Genesis 6:5-8 NLT

The TRUTH is NOT ALWAYS in the MIDDLE (part 3)

Paul also wrote the Corinthians concernings spiritual gifts, and showed the equality of the members of "the body," comparing each believer to a member of the human body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 
I Corinthians 12:21-26  NIV, emphasis mine.

So with truth there is justice and thus equity and fairness.  The truth does sometimes bring about balance and moderation. 

But not always.


Our commitment is to the truth, whether it is extreme or moderate, whether it causes unions or separations, for sometimes truth unites, and at other times truth divides. 

Christ was and is the Prince of Peace who blessed peacemakers.  The death and resurrection of Christ brings peace between God and people, and between people and each other WHEN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTED ARE ACCEPTED!

But if Christ is rejected, then He does not bring peace.  He brings a sword that divides families and friends.  The Scriptures declare these absolute truths:

Friends of this world are enemies of God.
Those who are not for Christ are against Christ.
No one can serve two masters.  One master will be loved and the other hated.
God is light.  In God there is NO darkness AT ALL.

These truths are not "in the middle."  Truth, by definition, excludes falsehood or that which contradicts it.  This does not mean we should strive to be as obnoxious, abrasive, and blunt as possible, "in the name of the Lord!"  It does not mean we should see how many people trust in Christ, NO THANKS TO HOW RUDE AND STUPID WE ACT!!!

No.  We should speak the truth in love always, being as gentle as possible.  Yet at times, no matter how gentle we try to be, and no matter how loving we say it, the truth will indeed offend some who hear it!  Who is more gentle and meek than Christ?  Who has EVER been more loving and wise than the Lord Jesus?  Yet He was hated and called demon possessed!  He was accused of blasphemy and crucified as a result.  Therefore, as Christ warned His followeres, if we are as committed to truth as Jesus was, then we will experience the same responses He did.  The Lord Jesus said:

"For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world:  to bear witness to the truth.  All who are of the truth hear my voice." 

Our cause is His cause.  Those who hear Him will hear us.  Those who reject and hate Him will reject and hate us.

Followers of Christ are His witnesses, as well as witnesses of the truth.  They cannot, do not, and will not tolerate contradiction or compromise.  If a truth is "moderate," they will proclaim it.  If a truth is "extreme," they will proclaim it.  They live for and are willing to die for the truth.

Are you?

how much faith is enough?

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.  Luke 17:5-6

it seems like they had enough faith, as far as the Lord was concerned.  yes, he at times marveled at the "great faith" of some who trusted him, and rebuked the "little faith" of those who didn't; he even outright denounced the "faithless generation" that sought signs and wonders instead of trusting the signs he already performed.

yet he said that the smallest amount of faith could move mountains.

how much faith is enough, and how do we know we have it?
 

 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1 

so, do i have the smallest sureness of what i hope for, and the smallest certainty of what i do not see?  i want my children to be healed of sickness, for example.  this is what i hope for:  healing.  this is what i do not yet see:  perfect health.  how can i be sure that my children will be healed, and certain of their healing before i see it?

the verse assumes a promise, a surety, a legal guarantee from God.  like when i paid first and last months rent, and gave the land lord a security deposit, so God gives us a "security deposit," the Holy Spirit, as Paul said to the Ephesian Christians.  So, as Paul said, if God would not spare His Son, or His Spirit, and if God would give us His Son while we were His enemies, will He spare us anything else that is good and of far less value?

Of this I am sure and certain:  God is love, and God is good.  I know that God is full of compassion and great in mercy.  Jesus promised this:  Ask, and it will be given.  Seek, and you will find.  Knock, and the door will be opened.  He said if evil human fathers can give good gifts to their children when they ask, how much more will the perfectly good heavenly Father give good gifts, and His Holy Spirit, to His children when they ask?  now that i am a father, i have a deeper understanding of this verse.  i know without doubt i am an imperfect father, yet i can say with all honesty that i have not knowingly withheld ANYTHING good from my children when they've asked.  i give them whatever they need or want that is good when they ask.  if i can comfort them or help them, i do it without hesitation.  i am certain that God is infinitely better and has more power than i do.

Therefore, I am sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see:  That God will heal my family, and that the devil will flee from me.

how much faith is enough, and how do i know i have enough faith?
the smallest amount of sureness in God's goodness is enough.  i know that i have it, because i can't live without it.

 

GOD FIGHTS (PART 3)

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." 

Exodus 14:14

God fights for His people.

God fights through His people.

The people of God are warriors, strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

God armed them, making them dangerous with invincible armor and a double edged sword.

They are impenetrable and immovable.

Touch them and suffer consequences dire!

Called more than overcomers, more than conquerors, more than victors, God's people possess spirits of power, spirits of love, and sound minds.  They follow the example of their Lord, who silenced the mouths of enemies and kings; who told His followers that His Spirit gives irresistable and irrefutable words. 

End the madness of God's children who weaken their words as though weakness is love!

The God who is love is a consuming fire!  Thus the love of God warms and burns!

God's children overcome evil with good, unmercifulness wtih mercy, injustice with justice.  Take them lightly to your own harm, for the word of the Lord is on their tongues!  That word which is a double edged sword is theirs!  Beware!  Be enlightened!  Reject the deception that they have no weapons!!  Their weapons come from heaven and are made by the hands of GOD!

Children of God, all who read, heed the words of your brother:

You are warriors, sons and daughters of God, The Invincible Warrior!  Your words are swords. Your faith is an impenetrable invincible shield.  Wield the truth that is Christ, that is your life, without fear.  Love good.  Hate evil.  Accept good, reject evil--expose and eradicate the works of the devil!!!

God fights for you!

God fights through you!

THE GUARANTEE OF INTIMACY

I remember hearing my pastor say, "Did you know that if you believe in Jesus, you have a guarantee of heaven?" 

I liked the word guarantee.

Heaven for me is the guarantee of intimacy!

I have this by God's faithfulness in keeping this promise:

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

The guarantee that God gives to me is that we can be as close as I want to be!!!

He gave Himself in His Son and His Spirit.

Now it's up to me!

The faithfulness of a promise is the power of intimate bliss.

God gave me this.

My wife gave me this.

Think of it.

Parents bring children into the world...in love, with love, and to love.  The promise of faithfulness carries from marriage to the fruit of marriage; but it is not made directly. 

Yet with God one denies self, even if it means death, and commits to following Him.

And with a wife or husband, another commitment is made until death does them part.

At this moment I know nothing more precious than the promise of faithfulness!!



To my dearest God and Father and Creator

Dearest God,

Thank you for creating me.  You thought of me in past eternities, honoring me in your infinite memory with the purpose of our intimacy.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.

If this wasn't enough, you gave me a body in which you would dwell eternally, honoring me as your temple to fill and fulfill.  I have you as Father, Brother, and Master.  I know you as my best and only friend.

And if this wasn't enough...

You gave me Lucy, my wife, my sister, my lover, my best friend on earth.  This dearest sweetest and kindness,  this most beautiful witness of light brings me the delight of friendship in a world of loneliness and shallowness.  I love her with a love that is love.  For 11  years you blessed me with my one and only earthly love.  She is your precious and priceless gift to me.  My Lucy.

And yet you keep blessing me!

With six wonders of oneness, each a different reflection of you and me and my Lucy.  I am unworthy.  Forgive me for every pain or heartache caused to you or them.  May I please you, and them, from now on  and forever.

May all who read know the blessing of God on my life.