The scriptures for today are:
Judges 4:1-5:31
Psalm 94:1-23
Proverbs 14:7-8
Luke 23:13-43
I have read the above scriptures and find nothing wrong with them and they are certainly worthy of meditation and thought, but the message in church this morning was just too good to not meditate and listen to God about. It was good. If you are reading this and would like to listen to the message, you can download an audio version of it at http://www.brookside.net It is worth a listen.
I often have trouble being truly happy for people when good things happen to them. We can call these good things blessing. Even if the person who is being blessed does not believe in or follow Christ, it is still a blessing. It is a major flaw I have. I don't know that I am jealous, becuase most of the things that happen I wouldn't want to happen to me or would do if I was given a choice. I would hope that I am not an unhappy person but there are moments when I am truly not happy for other people. This is not what God wants for me. As I sit there listening to the message I keep asking myself: "Am I displaying God's love by loving other?" The honest answer is: NO. Not like I should be. God also showed me something that is most likely no secret almost every other God follower, but it was news to me. The greatest weapon, we as Christ-followers have is not the Bible, or Prayer, or Faith, the greatest weapon we as Christ-Followers have if LOVE. Love is the very thing that can bring your enemies to tears. Love is hard to ignore. Some people don't even know how to act in a loving relationship or how to respond to being loved.
We are called to love those we do not know, those who hate us and those we deal with on a day to day basis. We are called to live a life of love.
I was asked today what kind of legacy I am going to leave the people that I leave behind when I enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I could not say that I would leave a legacy of love. I want to be the guy that leaves a legacy of love and humility. Real Love cares. That sounds like an obvious thing to most, but it is rarely lived out. I don't want to be that guy anymore. I will no longer take joy in grief and will be joyous for all people and I will try to care as much and as often as appropriate.
It was a great message and I am glad that I was able to hear it. I think God really had something in there for me and I am happy that I was able to pick it up and dwell on it.
Father God, thank you for your numerous revelations to me. help me to never forget what I learned today and give me the opportunity to apply it to my life. Let me never forget that Real Love, Really Cares. Help me to leave a legacy of Love and Humility. help me to find the Joy in other peoples blessings and take no joy in grief. Give me a compassionate heart. I love you Jesus. In your name I pray, Amen.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
2 comments:
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well, the new testament tells us that of all the gifts, the greatest of these is love and that others will know that we are Christians by our love. love is the key, to be sure. Jesus did everything he did for us because he loves us. everytime God took the israelites back it was because he loved them. God is always taking me back! the laws in the o.t. are there not just to keep the israelite in line or show them how imperfect they are and that there was no way to live a flawless life without a savior - they were also to protect them. God protects us because he loves us. we have rules to protect our kids because we love them - not because we're obligated to do that (well, parents do it out of love). God being perfect, he was and is motivated by his love for us in everything he does for us. everything. i cna't always see this when i am in the middle of a struggle with myself to be obedient, but it's still there. i have to choose to see it. and i have to choose to show it to other people, just like you were saying. good post.
ReplyDeleteGood post honey. I think you are dead on, love is the greatest weapon and it can indeed bring our enemy to tears. I love Ephesians 3:19, "..and to know this love that surpasses knowledge..". Short verse, but I love it. Love is more powerful and has a greater impact than any knowledge we could fill our brains up with, including "religious" knowledge. Will be praying with you that I too am compelled to love like Christ. :)
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