Our Only Obligation

Our only obligation is to love. The 1st commandment is to love God-(Matt. 22:37). The 2nd commandment is to love others-(Matt 22:39). Love is the anchor of our soul. The anchor that holds us close to the Lord. It's the plumbline that keeps us lined up with God. Love is the guard that keeps us on the narrow way, the level that keeps us "on the level". Anyway, why is it that so many Christians obviously do not realize this? Why is it that I haven't realized the importance of love as much as I have in the past few years? I didn't focus on love for approximately 30 years of my Christianity. I've focused on different things off and on throughout the years such as ministry, gifts of the Spirit, evangelism, Bible study, etc. None are as vital as love. At times I would remember reading 1 Cor. 13 and casually thinking that I should be more loving. I even would pray at times for God to help me love others more. Well, I now realize that out of my love for God and personally experiencing His love, I am able to truly love others. I want to suggest to you that we are not taught enough to love and submit to the fact that without love in our hearts and life...we are NOTHING or a USELESS NOBODY (1 Cor. 2). These are very strong words. Is all that we do in vain if we are not motivated by the true love of God? Now let's look at Rom 13:10>it says that "love does NO WRONG to others. We are not obligated to like everybody. We are not obligated to live our life for everybody else (only for God). But, if we ever wrong someone or cause harm to them, we are not acting in love. I believe that covers bodily harm, neglect when it is in our power to care for someone truly in need> (ex.-the "good Samaritan"), emotional abuse and insensitivity, not speaking the truth (in LOVE) to someone who really needs to hear it, being gentle, kind and caring, just to cover a few characteristics of love. 1 Cor. 13 is an overview of what God's authentic kind of love looks like. I think we Christians need to meditate on 1 Cor. 13 regularly. We do not naturally walk in love as we ought. In John 15 we find that if we don't abide in the Lord and His love, then (vs 6) we are considered withered, dead, and will be gathered up to be thrown into the fire. (You determine what He means by that!). Thank the Lord, (vs2), He will prune us as needed. Just don't refuse His pruning work. The alternative isn't pretty. That's why I'm soooo glad He loves me, and that He disciplines me. One of my first memory verses was Heb. 12:11, "No discipline for the moment brings joy, but seems grievious and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Vs 8 says that you are a child of God only if you are being disciplined by Him. Welcome His love and discipline. And rejoice in the fact that He loves us enough to change us! Make it your priority to let Him reduce you to love>the only thing that will count!

The Evil of Dead Works

To continue on the last posting, I want to touch on the subject of how one falls from grace (Gal. 5). It's by seeking justification in religiosity (the Law and dead works) as opposed to the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus (which is daily walking in the Spirit, and submitting to God's will>Gal. 3). First of all, I believe that the temptations Christians face today are the same in nature as the temptations all Christians have faced from the beginning of Christendom. But, there is a difference and that is the temptations come in contemporary forms. It's one of the saddest things in the world when a gifted Christian becomes prey to pride, bringing self-deception, and they fall from grace into an irreversible pit of darkness and destruction. One of the pitfalls that I believe take many wonderful men and women of God down from grace is the grasping of a ministry and recongnition. In our world today people idolize movie stars, rock stars, politicians, etc. In the Christian world, we have the same sin of idolatry. Many Christians lust for spiritual positions where people will look up to them and this is creating in many a lust for recognition. If the recognition is not found, this becomes their ambition. If it is found, then the temptation for pride and self-righteousness raises it's ugly head. The evidence is striving and self-promotion. Ps 75:6 says in essence that God promotes and lifts up. We don't always understand why we don't get promoted or honored when others do. One thing I've noticed is that when I think I need to be promoted and am not, and if I can't be honestly happy for the one that has been, then I am committing the sin of jealousy and envy. (James 3:16) This is EVIL! I am not humble and therefore God will resist me>1 Pet. 5:5-6. Jesus said that the greatest in the kingdom of God will be a servant>Matt 18;23. And the wisdom from God that prepares you for promotion is evident by peacefulness, one being courteous, yielding to reason, full of compassion and good fruits, impartial, sincere, agreeable, harmonious with others, undisturbed, free from fear and moral conflicts>James 3:17-18. I challenge you and myself today to hold true to these things: stay humble by always being a servant, check thoughts and motivations. I want God's recognition, even if that means that's all the recoginition I may ever get.

What about the Pigmys in Africa?

This question comes up so often when I am sharing the gospel on college campuses. Faith in Christ Jesus is trusting in, and relying on Jesus alone for salvation>Acts 4:12. In Romans 10 we see clearly and specifically the answers to this dilemma. The A. Paul clearly points out to us in this chapter that, #1. It is necessary for believers to preach the good news of the gospel to all people so that they can (if they choose to) hear, have faith, and get saved>(vs. 5-7, 13-15,17). #2. Because the Jew (and anybody else) who doesn't have their righteousness (the means of salvation) found in God through Christ Jesus, will not be saved>(vs 1-4). #3. And for the ones who have not heard the gospel? Well, according to Ps. 19:1-4 and Rom 10:17-18 (AMP version), all have heard the gospel already through nature>"...Have they not heard? Indeed they have; for the scripture says, Their voice (that of nature bearing God's message) has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the far bounds of the world." So, the preaching of the gospel is just one more effort God uses to reach out in hopes that people will respond to His love and give their heart and life to Him. Even "Christians" in error and with great effort, try to establish their righteousness through their own good works. It won't happen! Rom. 9:31-33 declares that like the Jews, pursuing a right standing with God, without faith in Christ, will make one fall short and not attain salvation. No religion in the world will accomplish the task of providing salvation. It's through a personal relationship with Christ alone. I hope that on the day I stand before the Lord, I will hear Him say, "Enter in thou good and faithful servant!">Matt. 24;25> When we all stand before Him, He will not be tallying our works, but will measure whether we have been good>(Greek-valuable; virtuous), and faithful>(Grk.-trustworthy) servants. This takes relying on a personal relationship with Jesus in which He will provide the knowledge of His will for our lives. We then must be obedient. There will be those who will know God's plan, but will reject it>Rom 10:19-21. God forbid we be unyielding, disobedient, and self-willed (vs21). Please read all of Col.1. > I pray "that you may be filled with the full knowledge of His will...that you may walk in a manner that is worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him in all things...bearing good (valuable) fruit in works, steadily growing and increasing in the knowledge of God...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints...the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you, the Hope of glory...Him we preach and proclaim...and for this I labor, striving with all superhuman energy which He so mightily enkindles and works within me."