I was crying and then your love so beautiful, wrapped around me. I was lonely but your love filled me. There was so much pain, but You took that pain away. You replaced that pain with Your beautiful love. A love that never hurts. Your promises are true. And no one can take those promises away. Your love is so beautiful. Your love is for always. Some say I am a fool for trusting Your love. But Your Spirit is so beautiful. Your Spirit is like a river that always flows in me. How can I not love You, my Lord, my Jesus? Your love is so beautiful.
Luke 6:22 (NAS) Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
Spock of “Star Trek” would say this is illogical. I am to be happy if people hate me? The answer is yes if it is “for the Son of Man’s sake. Beloved, remember that you have the Holy Spirit to help bring you joy in these situations and all of heaven standing behind you.
This week in Bible Study Fellowship, we studied Genesis 25. In verse 34, tells of Esau selling is birthright. Esau put no value on his birthright. His birthright gave him a double portion of everything. He sold it for a bowl of stew and bread.
Many of God’s Children, do not know the value of the Holy Spirit. God sent the Holy Spirit to guide us, give us peace, Inspire us, reveals the truth, regenerates, indwells, convicts us of truth, teaches scripture, and fills Christians and indwells Christians to bring the presences of God. God sent Him to His children as a promise that someday He will return in all His glory. Beloved, God’s spark lives within each of His children. As to how big that flame is within us depends on you. We can quench that flame.
We put up walls within us and quench the Holy Spirit. Take these walls down and let the Holy Spirit flood your soul. This world feeds the flesh. This world wants your heart to beat with it. It puts wrong desires in your heart. The Holy Spirit must cry when He sees these desires. They will put up walls. The Holy Spirit is with you in the shadows of your life. Thus, more walls. You can trust that God the Holy Spirit is within your soul no matter where you go.
We can have that spark become a flame that consumes us. When it does, we call it the presence of God. Fan that flame daily with praises, songs of worship and Psalms.
You have only one life in this world. You don’t have to beg the Holy Spirit to come to you. The Holy Spirit is already within you. This world can weigh you down. The Holy Spirit can comfort you. He can give you rest and peace. Do what you can to allow the Holy Spirit to rise up within you. There you will find love and peace. He will reveal things to you, regenerate, indwell, and convicts us of Truth. The Holy Spirit gives each of us Spiritual gifts and teaches scripture. Believers may lose the filling but not the indwelling. The Holy Spirit brings the presence of God.
Have you ever thought about God before He created the world? Can you see a Spirit of Love with glory flowing outward?
With His first thought of us, He fell in love with each of us and wanted to bathe us in that love for eternity. God knew in those first thoughts, that He would have to leave His throne. He would leave His throne, come to Earth to sacrifice Himself for us. With these thoughts He hovered over the waters of the Earth with such love while preparing our nursery.
He knew we would want to play in darkness instead of living in His glory of love.
So He came to Earth and died on a cross we made. He looked across the Earth and the future where he saw each of us. While His blood fell to Earth, He wrote our names on His nail hands. Then He rose from the dead and returned to His throne.
But His love for us did not die. That Love was put in His Spirit. God sent this Spirit of Love back to Earth to dwell in those who loved Him. This Holy Spirit of Love will dwell in His children as His engagement ring to us. His engagement ring of promise that we will be in His loving glory for eternity.
Proverbs 15: 29 The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
So ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins. Tell Jesus you want a relationship with Him. Surrender your All to Him. Give your life to Jesus and ask Him to come within you so that you will have a relationship with Him. Do not just accept Jesus in your mind, but let the desire to walk with Jesus and to know Him come from your heart.
Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil., For our struggles is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore, (a command) take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done, everything to stand firm.
Stand firm, (dig in) therefore, Having Girded your loins with Truth (belt of truth of the Word of God, which holds your integrity and faithfulness, which comes from being in the Word constantly) and having put on the breast plate of righteousness (a relationship with God which protects your chest against Satan’s darts. Peace comes from standing firm. Christ, holy righteousness is to be practice by all believers} and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace (knowing you are with God and being stable} in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish ALL the flaming missiles of the evil one (not some but all). And take the Helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (security of the believer). With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, (the armor is put on in prayer) with this in view, be on alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Your prayer life is to be intense. Also read “Enter the Throne Room of God under Prayer.
Beloved, be so full of the Spirit of God and with His Word, so that you can fight the evil around you. Christ gave us examples in Matthew 4:1-11.
Know the Word and stand. We are to pray for people we will give the gospel to before we go to them. Satan’s demons will be there so you must prepare before hand and send the Holy Spirit before you. Put on the full armor of God. This will help us when we go forth in the world in love with faith. Our love for the Lord Jesus is to be pure, meaning that our motives are to be loyal to Christ.
I Peter 2: 15 “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.” When we go into the world, we will meet others that do not understand spiritual things. We must pray every day for the Holy Spirit to go before us and we are to be so full of the Spirit that He will open their minds to spiritual things. Our spiritual knowledge needs to find a resting place in other people’s hearts and mind.. Our Prayer with the Spirit is essential in going out before us.
Matthew 10:16 Jesus says “Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. Then in verse 19 Jesus says, “But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak.” Do you trust God to do these things.
Romans 5:5 says, “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
You are standing in your church and praises are being sung. Praises you have sung so many times. They are sung without much thought. Then someone is asked to pray. You listen without much thought.
Remember that I told you that you were a precious treasure to God. A jewel inscribed in His hand where the spikes held Him to the cross. Is that jewel in our Lord Jesus’s crown stating that we will share in His kingdom? We should echo words that someone wrote while being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Beloved, with this being said, how can you sing hymns aimlessly. Why do you not allow your heart to echo the words with returned love. Do not quench the Holy Spirit that God gave to you, so your heart could overflow with love. We are to sing praises with a heart full of love.
Our heart is to echo prayers prayed in church. We are to intercede with a heart full of love for others. We are to meet the Holy Spirit and to plea their case. We are to remain close to the Holy Spirit because He knows the Father’s will. Many cringe when you say, “I will search the Father’s will for you.” Those that cringe will remain weak Christians.
Prayer brings faith. Studying scripture matures ones faith. How else can you walk boldly with confidence. Prayer brings hope with so much joy. In that joy, we are to pray without ceasing.
II Thessalonians 5:16-19 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.
All at once you stop in mid-step. Your engagement ring is not on your finger. Your engagement ring is precious to you. You panic! Your mind is racing. Where could it be? Your finger can still feel the ring.
Beloved, you have another engagement ring that is more precious than your physical engagement ring. But when you no longer feel it most do not panic! Most know why they can not feel this ring of promise but do nothing.
This ring of promise, your engagement ring is worn on your heart. It protects and moves your heart. When you no longer feel Him, it means you have pushed Him far down into your heart and chose not to listen to Him. By your choice, He may not fully protect you. You have grieved Him.
In Ephesians, chapter one, is a beautiful love story you can read. This chapter tells who you are engaged to and tells of God’s promise to you. When you accept God’s proposal, He seals you with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit is given to you as a pledge of your inheritance with Jesus Christ.
When you decided to accept Jesus as your Savior and to follow His teachings, you are given the Holy Spirit to live within you. He is to teach you, to guide and to give you a commission (Acts 13:4). He commands you (Acts 8:29), restrains evil and He intercedes (Romans 8:26) for us to Jesus and Jesus will talk to the Father God concerning us. It brings peace to us because Jesus talks to God about your situation. The Holy Spirit bears witness of God (John 15:26 and 2 Peter 1:21). We can cause the Holy Spirit to Grieve (Ephesians 4:30).
The Holy Spirit is our foundation. This Spirit of God will write things on your heart. He will help you to love more.
When we are living in heaven’s eternity, the Lord will bring our love story to each of us. Beloved, we will see and feel His glory that He shared with us to its fullest. We have this to look forward to and it will never be taken away. We will not find the words to say to Jesus. There will be tears of love that He will collect and put in His heart. Your tears, my tears, He collects for His heart. What words can be spoken that carries what we will feel in that moment. This moment and for eternity is why we were created. We will see and understand God’s grace and mercy that He shared with us. With eternity on His mind, God gave us our engagement ring. Then our hearts and knees will bow and we shall say, “Here are your Beloved for eternity. We love you.
A man must pursue God goodness, holiness, direction in order to lead his family on this journey. A man must have the inner strength to lead his family through the hardships of this world. If a man developes inner strength, fuel by worldly things, one will fail at some point in time. Inner strength given by God will bring about confidence will cause the man be gentle and will do things in love (I Corinthians 11:16:13-14) He will have a spiritual backbone for leading his family. Today’s paths are filled with adversaries. A man must have wisdom and have self-control. In Proverbs 22:24-25, it says not to even associate with a man given to anger, lest you learn his ways.
A man must have a prayer life, (I suggest a prayer life title, “Enter The Throne Room of God) in order to lead his family and the church he attends. He should at times pray with others, especially with his wife. A wife feels more secured and loved with her praying husband and as she walks through life. If she becomes afraid, she not only finds strength in the Lord, but runs to her husband for security an strength. This is a new trinty of Christ, man and woman ( I Peter 3:1-6). Being frighten will only last a moment if she is filled with the Holy Spirit. But she may need to have just a little more, and seeing Jesus within you will help to melt away her fears. She will gladly submit to her husband. (I Perter 3:1). This verse says, “you husbands likewise, live with your wives, in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she a woman, and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayer may not be hindered.”
The first scary thing about this verse is the last, “that your prayer may not be hindered.” If a wife does not see Christ in you, she may feel insecured. She may become afraid and scared to submit to you.
If you take time to worship the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to consume you, loving her as Christ, your wife will follow you and submit with an incredible love. That is, if she is a Christian. If she is a Christian, she will feel the presences of God with you. With this new trinty existing, you will be saturated with His glory, love and divine guidance.
Men should teach things of God to their sons. Men are commanded to do so in Deuteronomy 6:6-7. Also when they are older teach them about the family and how to bless their wives. Remind them that they should do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with them (Deuteronomy 6:18).
Father’s, do not provoke your children to anger: but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
I have seen husbands/wives, that will emotionally and mentally abuse their spouse in order to drive them out of the home. Then they say that they did no wrong because the other spouse left, in order for the church to think different about the situation.
On just about every page of the bible, one can find something on how to know God, consequences of actions, examples of Jesus and wisdom.
There is one more thing I would like to mention, and that is about the times we live. Yes, natural weather needs to be watch. But what is not mentioned often is the behavior of people. The bible states that things will be like in the “days of Noah.” I look at the wickedness of people. I have seen so called Christians become hostile to each other because they did not vote like them, or the color of carpet to be bought for their sanctuary. People are getting more wicked and accepting things that are not right in the eyes of the Lord.
The sad part is that the people have not become as wicked as they were in the days of Noah. The Christian man must be so close to the Lord in order to hear God tell him where he must go to be safe. I am not suggesting to run for the hills. I am suggesting that each on of us, especially men, to do as the Lord instructs. He might have you go on vacation on certain days to avoid a mishap. Or maybe stay home instead of going some place. Just stay close to the Lord so He can move and direct your path. Allow God to be a part of your whole being and feeling His glory.
Beloved men of God, this is the greatest gift you will ever receive. It is the greatest gift you can give your family. Your children may not know why your home brings peace and comfort to them. But they will be drawn to your home and not forget the peace.
Men, this is a high calling. Leave a legacy for your children. Allow God to breathe on you. Teach your children the things of God. Be faithful to God and meet Him daily. Repent of any wrong doing or thinking. Have a direct line to God. You and your wife were made for this moment in time. Live it to the fullness of God. Reflect God.
Dear Ones of the Lord Jesus, it is love that gives our lives the fullness with peace and joy for our journey here on this earth. Remember when you fell in love for the first time and how your heart became so full that you did not know if you could contain that love within you. We need to strive to carry within us a fullness of love for Jesus Christ. As we mature in our love for Jesus Christ, we are able to love others more fully. For when we love Jesus to the point where we cannot contain it, the love flows in such a way that others around you feels that love. That is when you carry God’s presence’s and majesty to others. It is here that you feel God’s perfect peace.
I have seen Christians become so hostile to the sins of others. They are especially hostile to other Christians. Our heart is to look at others in love. Does your heart feel the presences of God when you approach others in sin. There is a saying, and I do not know who began this but it says something like, “Don’t judge others because their sin is different than yours.”
In Matthew 18:15-20, gives further instructions on how to approach those that need Christian discipline. This is a command on how we are to do this discipline. First we are to go to them privately with deep love. If they repent,he is then restored in the fellowship of God and service. If there is no repentance, we are to take one or two more with us and speak to them. These other will be witnesses. If there is still no repentance, then you go to the church. We are to keep God’s name holy.
Beloved, in all these steps, they must be covered with deep prayer to have the Holy Spirit go before you. You must carry with you God’s love and His presences. You must feel the pain that Jesus feels over this precious wounded one. In Luke 15:4, Jesus talks about leaving 99 sheep to look for one.
Matthew 7:1-5, speaks about removing the log out of your eye before removing the speck in another’s persons eye. This must be done before you approacyh another and this must be done with scripture. The same scripture that Jesus uses to judge. Consider this passage as qualification of you judging. Christian discipline should be the highest form of Love. Any other form is sin.
I can not remember Jesus being hostile to any individual in sin. Yes, He was angry with groups of religious leaders and in the temple, but never individuals. If you know of any scripture in the New Testament, please let me know.
Let me again, state the importance of asking God daily to put more love in your heart for Him. The more you love Him, the more you are able to love others. I did not think I could love my husband, children and grandchildren any more than I did at some point in time in the past. Your love to others can grow by leaps and bounds. Then your ministry can grow by leaps and bounds. You being a servant of Jesus Christ can grow deeper. Your love can cause the Holy Spirit to move in greater power. More love can move you deeper into God’s heart. You can express God’s love to the world in ways you never imagined.
Now for the all importance of Saul’s conversion to Paul on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:4). It says, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Jesus did not say why are you persecuting my children. Jesus said, “persecuting Me.” When the Lord repeats a name twice, you better listen because He means it is very important. When the Lord brought this to my attention, I immediately thought of cross words to my husband and other Christians. It is the same as those words being said to Jesus.
I pray that your heart is so filled with love, that you remember this before the fact and not afterwards, as sometimes I do. Ask Jesus to put more love in your heart starting now.
