Love…not for the faint of heart!

Where does love begin?
If love does not begin at the right place what do you have - a worldly love that is self-focused, conditional and easily takes offense!
‘Love is a many splendored thing’ as a song writer once said yet in our world real, true love (as God has defined it) takes work, can be very messy at times and is very hands-on. Love is a voluntary act of giving of one’s self that can only be enabled by the grace and mercy of its Author, empowered by His Holy Spirit. It can take a toll on our spirit; it costs us something to love as love is truly meant to be. And love can leave one seemingly empty when it is not returned. But loved poured out is the work that we are called to accomplish. For the servant is not above his Master and the Master loves exceedingly abundantly more than we can ever know while we are on this earth.
We are called to love because He first loved us.
And this is love poured out:
- It is a redemptive and restoring love.
- It is a love that saves us and sets us free.
- It is a love that freely gives even when nothing is given back.
- It is a love that created yet places no demands upon its object.
- It is a love that is unconditional in its nature – a full and complete love that nurtures as well as admonishes.
- It is a love that longs for the restoration of an intimate relationship – a relationship that was broken by its intended object but was miraculously restored just as He promised.
- A love that cost Him everything yet is freely given to those who are its object.
Where does love begin – it begins with the Lord…and if we abide in Him His love will be poured out through us to a lost and dying world.

May I be...

May I be a humble man, Lord
that my words would encourage and edify

May I be a steadfast man, Lord
that my walk with You would be faithful

May I be a patient man, Lord
that my actions might witness unto You

May I be a man of perseverance, Lord
that all may see that I trust in You

May I be a man filled with Your grace and truth, Lord
that You would be glorified in my life

As a believer in Christ Jesus our Lord

As a believer in Christ Jesus our Lord;

We are called to daily pick up our cross -

Our cross is an outward sign of our dying to self, crucifying our flesh, letting the Lord lead us in all that we say and do, giving way to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives - not my will but Thy will be done

We are called to follow Him-

Not just on Sunday and Wednesday nights, not just at fellowships and Bible studies, but in everything that we do, in everything that we are, whether it is comfortable or not, whether you feel like it or not - you have a call on your life and Jesus says ‘Follow me”

We are called and blessed with a testimony-

We must be prepared and we must be willing to share what the Lord has done and is doing in our lives - we overcome the world by the word of our testimony

We are called to preach the gospel-

The preaching of the gospel is a command of the Lord Jesus Christ to everyone that calls upon His name and has been born again from above, it is not an option, it is not just for the ‘pastoral staff’ - we are all called to ‘preach the good news’ of the kingdom of God

We are called to make disciples of all nations-

The making of disciples is another command that the believer is called to participate in, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Word of God we must seek to be obedient to assist the Lord in the process of maturing the body - this is discipleship

We are called to love as He has loved us-

Without the love of Christ shining forth through us none of the above will matter. . . .

If we speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing......we love because He first loved us.....

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35)

God of my praise

O God of my praise,

May my walk be encouraged
May my faith be strengthened
May my heart be steadfast
May my mind be renewed

For I am a man of iniquities and sin
And I am afflicted and needy

But I hunger and thirst after You
By Your loving kindness deliver me
By Your mighty Right Hand uphold me

Psalms 109:30
With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; And in the midst of many I will praise Him.