I'm going to pick up right where I left off some time ago. Life sometimes gets in the way of writing blogs, and although I'm not sure that I'm ready to continue full bore, I'll do my best. I apologize for leaving you hanging from one post to another, but hopefully we'll continue our climb up the Hill of Love. It might help to go back and read my last post to refresh your memory. When you think about the fact that God IS love, you'll realize that this is the most important part of your thinking and application, love being the guidance system for your behavior, both as a child of God and as a Christian.
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Just to remind you, we looked at God's love for man, and Jesus' love for man, and I began talking about how we can and must show our love for God and Jesus, as well as our fellow man. Let's look at 1 John 2:3-6, where a test for knowing God is given: "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."
Just to remind you, we looked at God's love for man, and Jesus' love for man, and I began talking about how we can and must show our love for God and Jesus, as well as our fellow man. Let's look at 1 John 2:3-6, where a test for knowing God is given: "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."
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So what are these verses about? They are all about testing our geniune fellowship with God and with Christ through obedience and worship. You can call yourself a Christian--and many do--but there are proofs of Christianity which will tell your story. If you love God, you will keep His commandments. If you're a follower of Christ, you will be an obedient servant and love your fellow man. How can we show that we love our fellow man? One way is found in Mark 9:41: "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." Matthew 10:42 uses these same words. The point of these verses is that we show our love of Christ and fellow man by providing people with their needs--whether food, clothing or shelter. Our country was a better place when churches provided for the poor and needy on a larger scale.
So what are these verses about? They are all about testing our geniune fellowship with God and with Christ through obedience and worship. You can call yourself a Christian--and many do--but there are proofs of Christianity which will tell your story. If you love God, you will keep His commandments. If you're a follower of Christ, you will be an obedient servant and love your fellow man. How can we show that we love our fellow man? One way is found in Mark 9:41: "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." Matthew 10:42 uses these same words. The point of these verses is that we show our love of Christ and fellow man by providing people with their needs--whether food, clothing or shelter. Our country was a better place when churches provided for the poor and needy on a larger scale.
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And what about our own thanksgiving, which comes from a grateful heart? 1 Timothy 4:3-5 talks about receiving all food created by God "with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." In other words, we're all to be grateful for our food, which has been given to us by God. Do you say a prayer of thanksgiving before you eat? You may already know that some Jews bless their food before and after the meal. That practice takes piety a step further, but sometimes we need to shake up our idea of showing how very thankful we are.
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One of the rewards for showing love for God by keeping is commandments is that He gives us a helper. John 14:15-18 says: "If you love me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." What encouragement for all of us! I think we forget sometimes that God is very interested in us and our lives here on earth. And His promises are always fulfilled. He promised a Savior and He sent His own Son. We cannot imagine giving one of our children to save someone else. But God did it for us.
~ In fact, 1 John 4:19 reminds us: "We love Him because He first loved us." How much clearer could that message be!? It is a stunning gift from God to save us from our sins. The very least we can do is to be thankful and love Him in return. And we're told in Romans 12:1-2 that a part of that love and thankfulness is seen when we offer ourselves as living sacrifices. In these verses, Paul says: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
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To get a good picture of what that meant in Jesus' day, read Luke 9. In this chapter, the twelve are sent to preach, five thousand are fed, Peter's confession of faith is given, and before the transfiguration of Christ is described, a description of the true cost of discipleship is given. You've probably heard these words many times in your life: "Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels'."
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Hmmm...it seems to me that most folks are trying to gain the whole world! So it would seem a good idea to reflect on your life to see where your treasure lies. Hebrews 10:30-31 reminds us that we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
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It may be that we no longer fear God as we should. Only you can answer for yourself, as we all must. I am always praying that something said will touch your heart and cause you to look at God's will for us who are His children in a fresh light. Remember that 2 Corinthians 8:8 tells us that God is testing the sincerity of our love for Him. May we all meet that test!
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Blessings...Mimi
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