Tag: Love

Did Jesus Die for Those Without Sin?

Did Jesus only have compassion on saints and ‘good’ Christians? Or was his compassion on sinners? Was his ministry only to those who had never been saved? Did he only minister to those who lived “right?” Did the people in the Bible live a life committed fully to God, always? Rahab, Tamar, David, Bathsheba, Solomon, Saul-Paul, Zaccheus, the Kings, tax collectors, prostitutes, harlots, thiefs, murderers, (to name a few}? Who are the ones who need Jesus, the sinners and the ones not living for him, or the ones fully committed to Him? That’s a trick question, because the answer is all. We all need Jesus. 

But I’ve noticed many times that “churches & Christians” only accept a few sinners and other “Christians” based on conditions or legalities. Many times, these same churches hold their ministers up to a different standard than that of other Christians, but Matthew 23 has a good teaching on this, in that we only have one Father – God and one teacher – the Messiah. It is when we put ministers on pedestals and they accept that worship instead of turning it over to God, that they face the greatest danger of falling off the pedestal or throne. 
  

There are times that we, as Christians, have certain expectations for those who attend church, our fellow members, whether they are grounded in faith or not, we think that those who are converted are suddenly supposed to be without sin. Although in some cases, God does work in a very quick way to rid a person of most of the sins in their lives, it is usually a slow progression that the Holy Spirit convicts each individual of things in their lives that are not amenable to the life of a Christian. We are not instantly ‘set apart’ but it is a progressive salvation. We are gently and constantly reproved by the HOLY SPIRIT, NOT BY MAN. Sure there are times that a minister must point out repeated blatant sins that might be offensive or lead others astray; instead of allowing someone to live in a state of sin, but it isn’t a list that can be handed to someone or a church’s bylaws or legalities that can set someone on the ‘straight and narrow’ path. It is gentle reproof and love. But it is usually the churches whose doctrine is steeped in legalism, traditions, rules, and regulations, that drive away the newly converted tender hearts of  Christians, back into a life of sin. If only, these churches allowed God to be God, the Father, who is able to nurture, love, give comfort and compassion, to gently reprove, through the Holy Spirit, without a litany of laws. Bedsides, Jesus REDEEMED us FROM the law. Man has reintroduced new laws, traditions, and religion over the years and has termed them the ‘correct way to live or THE religion to follow.’ Yet the correct way to live is guided by the Holy Spirit alone. 

Galatians 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

1 Corinthians 2:15-16 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

When we are saved, we are given the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. We are given the mind of Christ. We must renew our minds by reading the Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us and through those who are put in Spiritual authority in our lives, but we must choose them wisely. God is our ultimate authority and if the person we are following is not following God or the Word, we need to find someone who is. Jesus is our teacher through the Holy Spirit. May we all grow in the Word through Grace and fellowship, preferring others before ourselves. May we submit to God and allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and when we are convicted; may we have the strength and desire to turn from it. May we love and accept each other in our individual walks where we are. When the Spirit leads, let those who are mature, help those who are not, in love, not condemnation, but by example. 

Prayer: I ask for you Father to touch all who read this to allow the Holy Spirit to be their ultimate inspiration and convictor. In Jesus name. Amen!

The Ripple Effect of Love

I have found through the years, that any research can lead from one subject to another. This morning I was researching a phrase that led me to a mathematical theory, called ‘chaos theory,’ which then led me to the phrase ‘butterfly effect.’ I was thinking of examples of the theory and the effect. If I understand them correctly, an example would be skipping stones over water. As a young child, skipping rocks was one of my favorite things to do on one of the farms I grew up on. I would wander down the creek away from where my grandparents were fishing. We had an area on the creek, that has a ledge of shale. Those pieces of dark gray, thin, shale rock that flaked off the ledge, made for awesome rock skipping! I always looked for the ones with the least variation in thickness, so the aerodynamics would yield the best results. But I didn’t know at that age what aerodynamics even were, I just knew the rocks needed to be thin and smooth to skip the most number of times. Now I know that there are variables which can change the way the rocks react to skipping and sinking. Those variables include the type of spin the rock is thrown with, the force of the spin, the shape of the rock, the degree of angle that the rock has when it hits the water, the calmness of the water, etc. All of these occurrences can change how many times a rock spins and skips. Skipping stones is a past time that is known and practiced around the world. It is probably one of the few things that can cross barriers of language and understanding.

skipping-stone2
But I’ve also learned something that cannot be explained by a mathematical theory or change with effect, which also crosses all boundaries, language barriers and does not involve chaos. It is the Love of Jesus. It doesn’t matter how hard a person’s heart is, Jesus’ Love is penetrating, constant, sincere, and His redemption is for everyone. We cannot win others by condemnation, but we can reach them with love and allow the Holy Spirit to soften their heart. It is the way that God provided to bring man back into his original purpose, which is to have fellowship with all mankind. This morning during my prayer time, I was thinking of the death chants by the radicals in the Middle East and I prayed, “NO! I do not agree with this mindset! I call death to any spirit that calls people to desire the destruction of others, not death to those people personally. I call death to the evil they engage in and I speak LIFE to them! I speak that the Spirit of God will arrest their hearts into true understanding. I speak LOVE & PEACE!

I pray that Jesus will be revealed to them and that the corruption of their hearts will cease. I speak a Healing to their land. I claim a righteousness to invade their land like nothing they’ve ever experienced before. I call for a stirring in their souls to be awakened to God’s original purpose, to know and love each other and the world around them. It can start with one man, and then another, and another, like a skipping stone causes a ripple effect, and it will continue forever. When we start seeing with the eyes of spiritual understanding we will see Jesus all around us, we will see others with the potential to return to God’s original purpose. Many today are aborting the Spirit because they are holding onto the law of religion and the traditions of man. God put his spirit within us to be birthed over and over again, but many use spiritual birth control by hanging onto the law and false religions, which Christ already redeemed us from. (See Colossians 1:1-14) When we recognize his seed, his original purpose, which came to fruition by Christ’s resurrection, we will start watering it and see it spring forth Life!

I pray for the mouths of all the governmental, religious, and system leaders around the world who speak or contribute to the destruction of any man to be softened to hear and to know PERFECT LOVE. I pray that their misguided leadership, anger, fear, and hatred is replaced with love and acceptance. How will they know HIS LOVE if they do not hear? I pray for ministers to be called into their midst and into their personal lives, who can reach their hearts by your Word. I pray for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the people and the land that all their barbaric customs cease. I pray for an encounter with God who is the only one who can change hearts.

I claim these things through the redemptive power of Jesus. I pray for doubt and unbelief to stop in their land and ours. I pray that we quit calling others barbarians and perverts, but that we call them redeemed. Father I thank you that your will is being performed throughout earth to transform the hearts and minds of people towards each other. I call the scattered to come into one accord as you desire and that we will seek to live in peace and trust, with our fellow man, both in America and abroad.

I pray for awakening in our own land in our leaders and our citizens to seek you and your will. I pray for Heaven to come to earth by your people who are called and I pray you would give them understanding that condemnation cannot heal, hate cannot heal, despising cannot heal, corruption cannot heal, but only your Love can heal our land and the world. I praise you that we will see the manifestation of your will on earth as you have instructed us to pray in

Matthew 6:9-10 “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

Give us the courage and realization to point to the answer and not to the problem. Give us Peace where there is chaos. The answer is Jesus Christ. How can we say we believe in a Living God if we do not share His love and His answer to a lost and dying world? Help us to share His answer. We have the answer!

Luke 5:31-32 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

A Ready Response

My husband and I have dealt with people who spread lies and were caught in them — even admitted them; sometimes by accident and sometimes by bold disregard of our feelings. They showed no culpability, even though they admitted saying hateful things and gossiping. Many times, we thought we had already dealt with it, only to find out they went back to their old habits. We know as Christians, we face persecution, but when it seems there is no end, it becomes daunting and disheartening. We try to make our response what we feel Jesus would do. We apologize for anything we may have done to make others angry. We give them the benefit of the doubt… But there is one way they and anyone can change, and that is to repent and surrender to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We pray they find a complete relationship with Christ who has the ability to transform. (More about that later.)

How do you respond when someone tells you that they are not willing to accommodate your needs (not wants) because they simply don’t want to; yet you see them accommodate others, without hesitation? How do you react when people gossip about you? What do you say when people don’t listen to anything you say because they’ve formed a bias against you based on lies? How do you treat them when this behavior is a constant pattern? How do you act when others say that you don’t owe them anything for a past kindness or gift, yet they continue to remind you of that ‘kindness’ or gift? You cannot stop others from lying or gossiping. You cannot make anyone forgive you for ‘perceived’ offenses. You cannot make anyone listen and understand. You cannot control what others say. You cannot keep people from maligning you. You cannot repay kindness that is held like a debt over your head… And I think of Jesus and his responses in all of these situations, and I try to emulate him. You go about your business, which is your Father’s business and you forgive, over and over… seventy times seven… but we are human and it isn’t easy.

wm_KMA0094

Even though we’ve searched our hearts and the Bible, I continue to search for the solution. We don’t want to lash out in anger, we want to give a response that is godly and kind, whether they choose to respond in the same way or not. One thing my husband said to me, while we were discussing these situations, was “How do we respond?” We’ve tried several methods, confronting in person, writing letters, speaking on the phone, but nothing has worked in one particular case. The lack of culpability, the lying, the scheming, and hatefulness has become a way of life for them. They even justify their actions. We all face these situations in our lifetime, whether it is with coworkers, family members, so-called friendships, and sadly with people whom we attend church.

Hugo4
As I was writing, our dog, who is very territorial, went into one of his barking frenzies. A van had pulled up in our neighbors’ driveway and our blinds were closed. The dog thought (because he couldn’t see and relied only on what he heard – not reality) they were invading “his” territory. He was putting out a warning that they better not get any closer. They better not mess with his space or his treasures, which happens to be me, my husband, his toys, and his food. He was going to protect what is his and what he is comfortable with, even beyond reason! While he was barking at the phantom threat; I had an epiphany! These people who have been attacking us are protecting themselves and their perceived offenses. They don’t want to change their lifestyle, they don’t want anyone “in their business” because no matter how phantom the intrusion, they don’t want to feel uncomfortable by making changes. They are so jealous of our peace, that they’ve decided there must be something wrong with us! They constantly scheme, like our dog who sneaks dirty wash cloths out of the laundry to tear them up, then he hides in a corner… They hide any behavior they know is wrong by repeating their behavior more discreetly. When the phone rings they bark their greeting, because it wasn’t their idea to have communication at that time… 

The question my husband proposed was, “How do we respond?” I started to think of Jesus and what we know of his lifetime. How did Jesus respond to hecklers? How did he react to people who were so blinded they didn’t recognize the truth standing before them? Jesus IS Truth! How did he speak to the Pharisees or those who were non-believers?

When we encounter those who don’t understand the truth or are too blind to see it, we can pray for them. We can also remember a time when we were too blind to see and wouldn’t listen to others in our lives. We remind ourselves that it is only by the grace of God that we are not in their shoes; attacking others, without peace, and unhappy. We can Thank God for the Holy Spirit in our lives and pray they also receive enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, and come to know God intimately, to know His overwhelming love, abundant peace, and joy. If we are given the opportunity to make a difference in their lives, it must be by example. It will only be through a ready response of true love. Does this mean we must constantly be subjected to people’s hateful attitudes? No. I believe sometimes we must stay away from those who attack. Sometimes it is only by staying away that no offense is taken. Jesus didn’t take offense. His intention was to do his Father’s will. His perception was perfect, therefore his response was perfect. I want that perception! Jesus also removed himself from the crowd at times, when they were pressing in and overwhelming him. Luke 5:16 What did he do when he was alone? He prayed. What a lesson for us all, when we are attacked, we should politely remove ourselves from the situation and pray. 

 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

My prayer: Father, I desire to Never be offended. I want to walk constantly in my Father’s will. I want to respond in the same way that Jesus did to the false accusations and the attacks which he encountered. Help the people who are attacking see your ways and have your peace. Thank you for loving me and for loving them. Help me to know how to answer them, when the time comes. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who is our teacher and guide, who will provide us with the correct words at the correct time. Thank you for a ready response.

“When God wants to show you what human nature is like separated from Him, He shows it to you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has ever given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He will only do this when His Spirit is at work in you), then you know that in reality there is no criminal half as bad as you yourself could be without His grace. God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.” –Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest.