Tag: #love

EPISODE 351 UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

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The title of today’s episode is: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Most of us over the age of eighteen remember our first love. At a young age you open yourself up and believe that the person you are dating is the one true love of your life. We love fully without holding back our affections. Most of us end up with our hearts broken feeling rejected. It doesn’t matter the reasons, even if they are noble, even if it is the right thing, it feels awful. No one wants to be rejected.

But Jesus gave everything for us. He laid down his life. He loves us without conditions. He believes in us and doesn’t hold back any of his love and affections for us. He is jealous for us. He wants nothing but our love and adoration in return. He desires to spend time with us.

If we are not careful, we can be guilty of pushing him away. Not even intentionally lots of times, but we get distracted by the cares of this life. Before we know it we find that we have not spent quality time with him. We have not poured out our affections on him. Leaving him feeling rejected.

Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

All through the Old Testament, God’s people would do well for a little while, then they would fail God. They were excited when he brought them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. But it didn’t take them long before they made their own god out of gold.

We cannot think that we are any different today. God will work out something in our lives and we rejoice. But a little bit of time goes by without the pressure of a trial, and we get complacent. God has to allow another trial to draw us to him. Complacency is the enemy of God’s plan in the earth.

We need to be in his presence, working to gather the harvest. Making sure that we do not leave him feeling rejected. He has poured out everything for us. All he asks is for us to love him in return.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

When trials come, they often come to draw us closer to him. They teach us how to love in a deeper way. We are not born knowing how to love God. It is a process that we learn by studying the word. We learn about his love as he guides us and leads us into deeper understanding of his truth.

Worship should not be an act of raised hands and singing a couple of times a week at church. Worship should be something we do daily to show God affection. Let him know that we love him and appreciate all that he does for us.

It is hard for people to love God sometimes because they never had anyone in their life to show them love. They may have been born with bad parents. Something may have happened that they lost them at a young age and never experienced that bond. Without the reference of good human parents, it is hard for people to grasp how much God loves us.

Roman 8:37-39: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

None of these things can separate us from his love for us. But it doesn’t say that we do not grieve his heart when we are disobedient. It breaks his heart when we ignore him unless we have a crisis. He wants us to want him and not what he can give us and do for us.

Matt 15:8-9 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

We do not want to be guilty of being Christians in name only. Walking out our faith walk like the Pharisees. We want our hearts to not just match our words of praise but to be what generates the words of praise.

God gives us unconditional love but longs and desires for us to return to him our unconditional love.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 327 DON’T BREAK THE FLOWER POTS

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: DON’T BREAK THE FLOWER POTS

Why did the father in the story of the prodigal son run to his son? We often think it is because he missed him and was glad to see him. Which I am sure would be true, but there is so much more to the story. It is hidden in Jewish customs that most do not know about unless you study their customs.

When a Jewish son would take his inheritance and go off and waste it among gentiles living wildly, against the customs of his people. The whole village would take a clay pot and set it aside for his return. At first, this sounds like they would be happy about his return. However, the custom of Kezazah is a ceremony in which the neighborhood surrounds this person and tosses the clay pot down. The breaking of the pots meant that this person was severed from the community. The ceremony of excommunication or cutting off. This meant that the person would never have any standing in the community.

The prodigal son, was planning on going to his father’s house and being a servant or slave in his house. He knew he had done wrong and wasted his future on wild parties. When he was slopping the pigs he came to himself and realized that even the servants of his father had good food and shelter. He was preparing to be a servant in the house of his father if he would allow him.

I always thought the father was watching because he desperately wanted his son to come home. But instead, he was watching to be able to get to his son and forgive him, before the people could cut him off from the community. The father saved his son from a life of slavery or servitude and restored him to a place of sonship. He ran and embraced him. He had them kill the fatted calf, and he put a robe and ring on his son. The very people who were going to cut him off were probably invited to his welcome home party.

Without the father running to him, they would have gotten to him and cut him off from their village. He would have had no rights of sonship. This is why we cannot stand in the way of others with judgment. Only God is the judge.

When I heard about the ceremony of Kezazah. I found the story of the prodigal son even more amazing. The people of the church are often like the community, ready to judge and cut ties with those who have done wrong. But our Lord, being our heavenly father, runs to greet them with open arms. His love cancels any judgment of people trying to cut off ties.

The church needs to throw away their clay pots or plant flowers in them and do something nice with them, instead of casting down the clay pots in judgment. We will never win people if we treat them like they have a plague.

We will never win the lost and backslider to Christ, by treating them badly. I know there are places in the word that says not to be unequally yoked with people that are living a sinful life. We are not to have fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness. This does not mean that we are to avoid them completely.

I know of several preachers who tells you to cut off all ties with those who do not believe in God. They are afraid that if you are around people that they will cause you to fall into sin. However, what if you stand firm on what you believe, you can be a light to those people.

We are called to love the sinners and hate the sin. There has to be a separation in our minds that they are a soul that needs Jesus. We do not approve of their choices, but we have to love them the same.

I personally struggled with a choice a family member of mine made a few years ago. It took me a little bit of time to separate the fact that she needed me to be kind and loving toward her, even if she did wrong. It is not always easy to not throw the clay pot or, as in Jesus’ day, the stone.

But we all have come short and deserved the stone to be thrown. The word teaches that if you are guilty of one sin you are guilty of all. We cannot judge therefore that someone else is worse than we were, before we gave our lives to Christ. The ground is level and there is no room for judging. We all deserved to be cut off from the father or eternity. But instead, when we came to Him he openly embraced us.

Luke 15:7-10 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

If the angels rejoice over one lost soul repenting. How much more should we embrace them? It is time to set aside judgmental shunning of those who are not perfect. It is time for the body to pour out love on the prodigals and allow them a safe place to return to Christ. It is time to check the one in the mirror for any flaws. Make sure the one looking back is on the straight and narrow. Then go plant flowers of love in the flowerpot, instead of breaking it in judgment.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 283 HAPPY DAY OF LOVE

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: HAPPY DAY OF LOVE

I want to say, Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone. This holiday was started by people wanting to honor a man named St. Valentine for his amazing show of love. I want to share with you the meaning of love.

Popular television and movies have shaped our idea of love. We grow up thinking it is a feeling of butterflies and suddenly the birds start singing. You see fireworks and are so full of joy that you think you may burst.

Real love is not fireworks but quiet times. The trips to the store for you when you are sick. The trips one takes even when they want to sleep because the one, they are with wants to go somewhere. True love is sitting quietly in your recliners reading quietly, just being together.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus is our example of what real love is the word is full of his love story to redeem something that is lost. Earlier this week I wrote about Hosea and how God used his marriage to teach him about God’s love for the people of Israel. We have all sinned against God and his laws, this is why Jesus came in the first place. He came to redeem us from the choices we made, a life of sin and rebellion.

Marketers would like to tell you that Valentines Day is about flowers, diamonds and candy. But real love is sharing Jesus to the world. We as Christian have been given the most amazing gift ever experienced by human beings. We understand a little bit about God’s love. Although I do not think that we will fully understand until we shake off this mortal body and are with Jesus in heaven. Then and only then will we be able to understand what a price he paid and will understand fully his love.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

When we are disobedient, we are not walking in the love of God. To say we are a Christian and not show it with our lives can cause those who are watching to justify their sin, by claiming to be as good as the Christian not fully walking in his commandment. That will not be an excuse on judgement day for them, but we need to not be stumbling blocks for those around us.

None of us are perfect me included. We need to strive to do the right thing in every situation. We want the love of God, the peace he gives to show in our lives.

Many think that charity is an organization that you donate money to that does things for the community. But charity means Love. This word was adopted by organizations trying at one time to show God’s love and over time became a blanket word for any non-profit organization that supposedly does good.

We couldn’t talk about love without going to the love chapter I Cor 13

I Cor. 13 1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

We often feel like having faith is the greatest thing. But if we have faith that we can move mountains and do not have love we are nothing. We could give everything we have to the poor but if we are not walking in love it will be in vain. Because God is love, we have to strive to be full of His love toward mankind. It is a process of learning how to walk in love.

Verses 4 through seven explain in more detail what it means to walk in love.

I Cor. 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Love is longsuffering. That is interesting because long suffering is also a fruit of the spirit. As we grow on our journey, the more of the fruit of the spirit we will have in our lives. This fruit will show in our lives and so will God’s love.

Gal. 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Paul wrote about the fruit of the Spirit and he told us to put on the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6. Because you can do whatever you want to the outside, but if the fruit is not inside you will never be a warrior in God’s army. Now is a time of warfare with our enemy, so we have to be all we can be inside.

Love is not just a mushy feeling. It is an action word, we have to go and do the things God’s Spirit leads us to do, even if it is difficult. It is for a greater purpose.

Jesus has promised to never leave us, nor forsake us. He has promised he will protect us and provide for our needs. He is our healer and our deliverer. I cannot think of a better Valentine than him.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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EPISODE 230 LOVE ONE ANOTHER

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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: “Love One Another”

I John 3:11-24 –

11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

The message of the gospel is to love one another. This is often misconstrued that we should embrace people’s sin. We can love the sinner and hate the sin. That is what God does, He loves the sinner and hates the sin.

12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Cain slew able because of jealousy and hatred. Able was righteous and did what was good in the sight of God. Cain killed his brother because he chose a path of evil. This says that we know that have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. In other words, when we are in sin, we are spiritually dead. We do not really care about anyone but ourselves. When we become saved or have passed unto life, we have love for the people of God.

15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

God is so full of love that he considers hate equivalent to murder. The word says if we have hate in our hearts God cannot be there, because God is love. That doesn’t mean we cannot be attacked by the emotion that we feel might be hate. We can hate a person’s ways and actions, but still not hate them. If we hate them, we will want only bad for them and want to see them dead, knowing that in their evil state, they will end up in hell. If we don’t care about their soul, then God is not in us, he cannot be within us.

It is hard at times to separate things out. There have been people that have rubbed me the wrong way, I often call them sandpaper people. They are in our lives to help us see our flaws and remove them. Like sandpaper removes rough edges when a piece of wood has been cut.

But when the enemy puts so much hurt and offense in you toward another that you wish them dead, then it is time to do some serious praying. Because your heart and soul needs to be repaired and only God can help you.

God tells us to love one another not for his sake, but for our own. Part of becoming a mature Christian is allowing fruit to be produced in our lives. In order for fruit to grow our hearts must be full of God’s love.

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

There is an old quote that says, “Actions speak louder than words.” If we truly are Children of God, we will love people. We will show kindness when we have no reason to show it. We will share the love of God with those around us, even the sandpaper people and worse.

As children of the most high king, we have a responsibility to the kingdom to be good ambassadors. People don’t need judgmental attitudes from the Bertha Better Than You’s of the world. The love of God is not in them, they are miserable and want everyone else to be miserable. They are like the Pharisees of today. Standing in the way of those who want to be close to God. Jesus didn’t come to make us miserable but to give us an abundant life.

Letting our light shine, is not an occasional thing, but an every minute of everyday thing. We shine the brightest when we are showing God’s love to those who don’t deserve it. Just as God showed us love when we didn’t deserve it. Is it easy? No. But Jesus is with us and will give us the strength to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

Jesus used the story of the Good Samaritan to illustrate his point about how we are to treat one another. This story can be found in the book of Luke 10:27-37.

Ask yourself if there is someone that you are holding a grudge against. If there is, ask God to help you let it go, by doing this you will find freedom for yourself.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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