Month: September 2009

by

In Tune

O Lord, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you. (Psalm 125:4, NLT)

I don’t exactly remember how this thought process started, but the other day I was thinking about tuning forks.

Tuning forks resonate at a particular, constant pitch. They don’t waver. They are stable. You can rely on getting the right pitch when you match yours to it.

I thought about God next, and I thought, He is constant. He is stable. He doesn’t vary or waver. He changes not. His Son Jesus is just like Him, the same yesterday, today and forever. And His pitch, His tone, His constant resonance is Love.

David, who was a man after God’s own heart, spoke of those whose hearts are in tune with God, Who is love.

If the pitch that we listen for, watch for and order our lives by is His Love, our hearts will be in tune with His.

I think of tuning in a radio station. Tune into the frequency of love, God’s love, agape, checed, God’s unfailing, unconditional love and your heart will be in tune with His. And your life will become a song of love that draws the lost and broken to Love Himself.

by

Aware of His Love

…I am always aware of your unfailing love… (Psalm 26:3, NLT)

…I never lose sight of your love… (Psalm 26:3, Message)

When something really good happens I often say, “My Father loves me.” I recognize His working in my life and around me. When I see a beautiful sight, like a beautiful sunset, I say to Him, “You did that just for me.” I try not to take things for granted. And in everything I see His love.

When something really bad happens, what do I say? “My Father loves me.” Why? Do I think He allowed it or did it in some way. Absolutely not! No, I say, “My Father loves me. And it’s going to be okay.” In hard times I stay aware of His love and know that He will see to it that I am taken care of in the midst of it. And He will see to it that I come through victoriously.

When I make a mistake, I am aware of His love. In Lamentations 3 we are told that His mercies are new every morning. The Hebrew word translated mercies is the word checed. The same word is translated as ‘unfailing love’ in Psalm 26:3. He is merciful, because He is love. He is merciful because of His unfailing love.

So at those times that I want to be upset with myself, or could even feel like drawing back from Him, I run to Him. Instead of being aware of myself and my faults, I turn my attention to His love and thank Him that His mercies are new every morning. He knew I was going to mess up that day and even before I got out of bed, His mercies were already there waiting on me. Because He loves me.

When someone hurts me, rejects me, wrongs me in some way, what do I do? Once again, I turn my attention away from the pain and potential offense and I say, “My Father loves me. Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” It’s because of His love that He forgave us. It’s because of His love that we forgive others.

Begin to practice being aware of His love all day. No matter what the situation turn your attention to His love and watch the fear, offense, and confusion melt away. See how you are engulfed in love, sweet peace, joy and wisdom. He loves you every moment of every day, so begin to say, “My Father loves me.”

by

Walk in the Light

…God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7, KJV)

I’d like to revisit an area I blogged on last November in light of some things I learned just last week. I attended a meeting in which Billye Brim was teaching on a Jewish concept called halacha. Billye Brim learned the Hebrew language and Jewish customs in the land of Israel among the Israeli people.

She said that the term halacha is a term that means, “how to walk it out”. She took us through the Book of Ephesians and showed us the glorious things that the first few chapters say about us, the church, in Him. And then she showed us that beginning in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, Paul begins to give us the halacha, or the instructions on how to walk it out.

It reminded me of what the Lord said to me concerning the commandment of love. I blogged on this in depth on November 25, 2008 in a post entitled “Walking in the Light”.

I had asked the Lord to teach me about the commandment of love. I asked Him late one evening as I was drifting off to sleep. As I awakened the next morning, I heard Him say, “I am teaching you how to walk in the light”.

First John 1:7 tells us that we are to walk in the light as He is in the light. To be quite honest, I don’t know what all that means yet, but I do know that just a few verses before we are told that “God is light.” Walking in the Light would be walking in Him. It’s in Him that we are more than conquerors. It is in Him that we are seated in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers. It is in Him where the impossible becomes possible. But how do we walk it out?

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light… (Proverbs 6:23, KJV)

The commandment of Love: “I’m teaching you how to walk in the light”.

We walk in the light when we walk in love. We walk in the Spirit when we walk in love. We walk in Him when we walk in love. We walk in victory when we walk in love. We walk it all out when we walk in love!

by

Calling You

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24, KJV)

Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]. (1 Thessalonians 5:24, Amplified)

We speak much of the calling on our lives. Called to teach. Called to preach. Called to heal. Called to serve. But this scripture is not speaking of what you were called to do, but a calling from God where He is calling you to Himself.

When the scriptures refer to our calling it is the Greek word klesis. The Greek word translated calleth or calling in the scripture above is the Greek word kaleo. Some of the definitions of this word are: to call, to invite.

Faithful is He Who is inviting you to Himself. Yes, we are here to serve, but the call that should be the loudest in your life, is the call to be with Him.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8, NKJV)

Come close to God and He will come close to you. (James 4:8, Amplified)

Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Solomon 2:13, KJV)

I am close to God, but I daily hear His call to come even closer. To trust more of my heart, more of life, more of myself to Him. To put all else aside and just be with Him.

Jesus heard that call and Jesus answered that call.

And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone. (Matthew 14:23, Amplified)

I tell the things which I have seen and learned at My Father’s side… (John 8:38, Amplified)

He is calling us to Himself. Calling us to His side. Calling us to spend time in His Presence.

God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship… with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9, Amplified)

Get still. Get quiet. Listen and you will hear the call, the invitation. Then answer that call. Draw closer to Him. Just be with Him. You will be changed in His Presence. You will be blessed in His Presence. He’s calling you to Himself even now.

by

Abound in Love

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, KJV)

And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you. (1 Thessalonians 3:12, Amplified)

Abound in love. Overflow in love.

I looked up the Greek word translated abound. I found other scriptures where it was used. Here are some of those scriptures.

And they did all eat, and were filled and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. (Matthew 15:37, KJV)

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had even all her living. (Mark 12:44, KJV)

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger! (Luke 15:17, KJV)

Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. (John 6:13, KJV)

I love the picture these scriptures paint of the meaning of that word abound. It means in abundance, enough to spare, over and above what is needed. Not just squeaking by, but overflowing with love. Enough love for the given situation and much, much more.

Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]. (1 Peter 4:8, Amplified)

I think about the times I have sensed His love overflow in me. When a situation required forgiveness, but what came out of my heart, by His grace, was not only Father forgive them, but also, what can I do to bless them. Not just forgive them, but forgive them and bless them. How can I empower this person to prosper.

Let’s take another look at our main scripture.

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you… (1 Thessalonians 3:12, KJV)

And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you. (1 Thessalonians 3:12, Amplified)

Abound in love. Overflow in love towards who? Towards one another and towards all men. Towards our fellow Christians, but also towards all men, all people. Not just the one’s we think we are supposed to love, but every man, woman and child we encounter. We are to overflow in love toward all men.

Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself. (1 John 2:6, Amplified)

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him… Then said Jesus, Father forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:33-34, KJV)

Jesus loved those that loved Him. And Jesus overflowed with love towards those that did not love Him. Let Him be your example and follow in His footsteps… overflow with love towards all men. All means all. Selah.

by

Prayer

I hear His voice and He hears mine.

I made this statement the other day and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I was speaking of prayer. That communion between God and man. It’s not just about making your wants known. It’s about talking not to Him, but with Him. And it’s very important to know that He said that we do hear His voice and He says He hears ours.

Today, I want to share some scriptures to help build your faith in this area.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17, KJV)

I originally included this scripture to encourage you that the scriptures would build your faith. However, as you can see it also mentions your hearing. Hearing comes by the Word of God. How do you know you’ve heard God’s voice? Ask yourself, “Does it agree with His Word?”

Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck. When you go, they [the words of your parents’ God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you. (Proverbs 6:21-22, Amplified)

Know His Word and you will know His voice.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. (John 10:3-5, KJV)

…You have given me the capacity to hear and obey… (Psalm 40:6, Amplified)

His sheep hear his voice. He said so. That makes it so. Believe and receive. Don’t say, “I can’t hear God”. Agree with God, by agreeing with His Word. “Thank You Father that I do hear Your voice.”

In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for you to speak to my heart]. (Psalm 5:3, Amplified)

I have called upon You, O God, for You will hear me… (Psalm 17:6, Amplified)

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. (Psalm 55:17, KJV)

God will hear… (Psalm 55:19, Amplified)

O You Who hear prayer… (Psalm 65:2, Amplified)

He Who planted the ear, shall He not hear? (Psalm 94:9, Amplified)

He hears your voice. He hears your prayers. How awesome is that!

…Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. [So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. (Song of Solomon 2:13-14, Amplified)

“Do I take time to meet my Good Shepherd each day, letting Him tell me of His love…” (footnote to Song of Solomon 2:13, Amplified)

“Do I realize that my voice… is sweet to Him…” (footnote to Song of Solomon 2:14, Amplified)

I hear His voice and He hears mine.

by

For You

I heard a testimony today where a father was speaking about a time when he found out his daughter was diagnosed with cancer. The Lord said to him, “If you as… [her] earthly father could take her place you would.” The father responded, “Absolutely.” God then said to this earthly father, “You can’t. I can. And I did.” *

I was reminded of this scripture.

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. (Romans 5:8, Amplified)

He died for us. That one little three letter word seems so powerful today. He died for us.

When’s the last time you looked that word up in the dictionary. It’s a little word we might be tempted to read over. We’ve heard it. We’ve seen it. We know what it means. But have you thought about it lately.

Here are some definitions from my American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster 1828.

For: in the place of; as a substitute; instead of.

He died for us. He died in our place. He died as our substitute. As a well-known Christian song says, “I should have been crucified. I should have suffered and died.” But He died instead of you and me.

…it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people… (Johm 11:50, KJV)

…it is expedient and better for your own welfare that one man should die on behalf of the people… (John 11:50, Amplified)

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18, KJV)

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, KJV)

He took it all upon Himself for us. On our behalf. So we wouldn’t have to. Our sins, our sicknesses. (1 Peter 2:24, Psalm 103:3)

That three letter word has other meanings too.

For: in favor of; on the part or side of; towards or inclined to. (Webster’s 1828)

What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] (Romans 8:31, Amplified)

You need no further proof that God is for you than the fact that He sent His Son to die for you. Selah.

One last definition for this amazing little word.

For: because. (Webster’s 1828)

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross… (Hebrews 11:2, KJV)

He is for you. He did what He did for you. He died for you. Selah.

(* The testimony quoted above is an actual testimony of healing taken from the healing resource “Healing & Wellness: Your 10-Day Spiritual Action Plan” by Kenneth & Gloria Copeland)

by

Raise the Standard

I love you.

Three little words that every person on this planet has longed to hear. Three little words that fill hearts with joy whenever they are spoken. But what do they really mean.

Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” Peter’s response, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Then He asked him yet again with the same response. Then a third time.

When we take a deeper look into this account in John 21 we find that Jesus and Peter may seem to be saying the same thing, but they were not.

Jesus asked, “Do you love Me?” The word translated as love here is the Greek word agape. Peter’s response, “You know that I love You.” The Greek word translated as love here is the word phileo. Both translated as the word love, but they are not saying the same thing.

Agape refers to the God-kind of love. It is God’s unfailing, unconditional love. It is completely self-less.

Phileo refers to an affection that “is based on mutual satisfaction and can feel disappointed.” (Rick Renner, Sparkling Gems from the Greek). Why can this love feel disappointed? Because “self” is a part of the equation. I love you, but what have you done for me lately.

Not so with agape.

Jesus came and He introduced to us to the God-kind of love. A love that would send His Son to suffer and die in your place. A love that is never selfish, but always thinking of others and looking for a way to give, not take. Looking to meet others’ needs. Not looking to have it’s own needs met. (Don’t just think of material needs, this can include emotional needs.) With His teachings and demonstration of the God-kind of love, Jesus raised the bar on love.

I was thinking about this today. I was thinking about those three little words and what they truly mean. What do they mean when I speak them to another? What do they mean when I say I love another?

I say, “I love you”. But am I patient and kind or am I rude and unmannerly? Am I looking for a way to give or a way to get. How far will I go in laying down my life for you?

Agape raises the standard. Are we loving according to God’s standard or man’s standards?

God has asked us to love Him and love others the same way He loves, agape. But not only did He asks this of us, but then He sent His Holy Spirit to inhabit us and His Holy Spirit poured that very same love, the love of God in our hearts.

God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5, Amplified)

Second Corinthians 3:18 tells us that we “are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.” (Amplified) It is a process. But through this process we look more and more like Love Himself because we love more and more like Love Himself.

First John 4:19 says that we love because He first loved us.

How can you live a a life of love without your own needs on your mind? By knowing that you’re on His mind and He loves you. He’s watching out for you, while you help Him watch out for others.

Know His love for you and receive it. Know His love in you and release it. Then when you say those three little words, “I love you”, to whomever you may say them to, you can mean the same thing God means when He says them to you.

by

The Love Zone

It’s late on a Friday night. I just got home. It’s dark outside and there is no one home. Suddenly I’m reminded of Rod Serling and I hear his voice as he welcomes viewers to the Twilight Zone.

No, it wasn’t because of anything creepy. It was simply because of a sign I posted on my door leading from the garage into the house. The sign says, “You are now entering the Love Zone.” Just below this sign is a second sign with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 printed on it.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails… (NIV)

These signs are on both sides of the door, leading out of the house and leading into the house. A reminder to all who live here, that when you go out, you are to walk in love with others and when you come in you are to walk in love with others.

I got the idea from our church that has a sign posted just as you are leaving the church property. The sign says, “You are now entering the mission field.” Well the same is true of love. Going out from your home or coming into your home, you are entering the Love Zone.

I was thinking about this just now. I thought of it a little differently today. Not only am entering a “zone” where I need to demonstrate His love, I am a carrier of that love. I am a love zone.

I come in contact with a lot of hurting people and one thing I endeavor to do more than anything else, is to demonstrate to them His mercy, His love and His grace. I try to be a “safe zone” for them… a “love zone”. A place where they are safe. A place where there is healing. A place of unconditional love.

One of my favorite scriptures comes to mind.

…You have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. (Isaiah 38:17, Amplified)

He is a safe place. He is a healing place. He is a place of unconditional love. He loved back our lives. And He has loved us into wholeness. We are here as His ambassadors. Ambassadors of Love. We are here as His hands and His feet. We are the carriers of that love.

The world is a crazy place these days. We can be the place where people find answers. Where people find true unconditional love. Where people find peace. We can lead others into the arms of Love Himself, by being His place of love on this earth.

by

Count the Cost

…For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, KJV)

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:12-13, KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son… (John 3:16, KJV)

I remember reading an autobiography of a mighty man of God many years ago. The things he did for God shocked me. I remember thinking, “If this is what it takes, I quit”. Thank God that I am going from glory to glory into His image! I’m not the same person that read that book many years ago.

I also remember early on when God spoke to me about forgiveness I thought, “There’s no way”. But these days, He doesn’t even have to mention it. When something happens I am quick to forgive because of His love, His Holy Spirit, His grace in me.

There was a time many years ago, He asked me to apologize to someone. My response to Him was, “I’m going to have to meditate love a little longer for that one.” Thank God His mercies are new every morning!

The Christian life has not always been easy. It is most definitely the road less traveled. And just when I think this is getting pretty easy, He asks a little more of me and it feels like I might break.

I won’t break. It’s just part of the process that is molding me into His image. And as I yield to His Holy Spirit in me, His grace in me, His love in me, the process isn’t quite so hard.

Jesus said in Luke 12 that those who would be His disciples should count the cost.

Today, as that phrase came up in my heart, it occurred to me that God counted the cost before sending His Son.

Redeeming us, cost Him His Son. And He decided you and I were worth the cost.

Jesus when He looked toward the future and the sin, disease, death and separation that He would have to endure on the cross and in hell decided you and I were worth it.

…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross… (Hebrews 12:2, KJV)

He counted the cost and endured the cross.

Often times we consider what it will cost us to follow Him. But when the things we are asked to lay down seem just too hard, let us look back to what it cost Him.

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (The Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. (Romans 5:8, Amplified)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son… (John 3:16, KJV)