For God So Loved...

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed." (Luke 4:18)

"Jesus."

His name means salvation. "He will save His people from their sins."

A loving Savior only comes to save people who need saving—and that is all of us. The whole of humanity was or is dead in their sins.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." (John 3:16-21)

Jesus came in love to save you.

But you have to let Him.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Living in the Mystery of God's Will

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

"You won't understand it—let it go."

That was the most memorable line from a favorite song of mine many years ago.

And it has rung true, loud and clear, as each year passes, as I continue on this journey with the Lord. 

Today, I learned of a friend who has cancer and is soon facing their day of departure. None of us know our final day on earth. Another friend of ours lost her significant other just a few weeks ago. Like me, he was only 55 years old. He woke up one day, and later had a massive stroke. Went into a deep coma, and was taken off life support several days later.

We live our normal life, day to day, enjoying life, or, far too often, merely going through the motions. No one ever expects to have an instant heart attack or stroke when they wake up one morning.

So live each day as it is your last.

I believe God allows us to suffer through life's tragedies and disappointments to constantly remind us that this earth is not where it's at. We are only passing through this world. It is not our home. We are aliens here.

Jesus left this fallen, sin-sick world to go and prepare an eternal dwelling for each of us, and that eternal dwelling place will be with Him.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)

The longer I walk on this earth, day by day, it loses its pull on me. The temporal things of this life are passing away. And after fifty five years on this planet, it has become painfully and abundantly clear that the superficial things of earth do not bring any lasting peace, happiness or satisfaction.

Knowing beforehand that we will not be able to understand why bad things happen to us, why things don't turn out the way we had hoped, and that life on this fallen planet is extremely difficult and painful, Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled."

He knew that our hearts will be troubled at times. He knew that we would experience painful suffering, searing loss of loved ones, and disappointments in this life. So He pointed us to Him, and to our everlasting future with Him in a place so incredible, that our hearts cannot currently imagine all that it will be.

Heaven with Jesus is where it's at. In this life we have no continuing residence.

"For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come." (Hebrews 13:14)

So as you feel the weight and sadness of failure, disappointment and loss in this difficult life, please remember that the short time we have here on earth is only temporary.

Treasure and love those who God has placed in your life. Make every moment count.

Love completely. Trust in God for all things, and in every situation, no matter how difficult. And choose to set your heart and your mind on the glorious things of eternity, and not on the things of this earth which is passing away.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth shall grow faintly dim. In the light of His glory and grace."

"Looking unto Jesus; the Author and Finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails

Almost Home

"Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." (Luke 21:28)

In these dark, depressing, and perilous times—The Last Days—as described in the Bible; a culture was foretold over 2,500 years ago by the Prophet Isaiah, of a perverse and corrupt people who will call evil good, and good evil. I doubt there is anyone who follows Christ today, who would disagree that we are living in those times.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)

Almost daily, I hear of something or someone who accuses godliness of being wicked, and the perverse as being good or normal. I know I am not alone in my great distress in the continual shift of the entire culture towards darkness, perversity and corruption.

Today, as I heard yet one more example of just how sick and twisted our culture and society have become, I nearly lost it. A righteous anger boils up within me that cries out, “How much longer is this sick lawlessness going to continue?”

But then I turned my heart and focus to Christ and sought to encourage myself in the Lord. And He graciously led me to the Book of Revelation.

The Book of Revelation is the only book which specifically has its own special blessing attached, for all those who read, hear and keep the things written in that prophetic book in the Bible.

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)

And as I have so many other times, today I needed that encouraging reminder again from the promises of God’s Word, that this twisted, fallen world will not continue for much longer. Evil shall not triumph. Satan was defeated at the Cross of Christ. And God will soon put all this evil and corruption under His feet, once and for all.

All the signposts have been put in place. We see events happening every day that signal the end is near. The second coming of Christ is imminent. The evidence and promises are all throughout the Bible, and it culminates in the unveiling of Jesus Christ—the Book of Revelation. There is far too much material to try and write an overview here. So I encourage you to do what God led me to do today, and that is to read the Book of Revelation for yourself. The blessing of doing so is promised in the book.

And blessed we are.

Jesus is coming soon for His own special people whom He called to be His own; those people who freely chose to turn from their sin and turn to God, through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.

A time is coming when we will be with Him face-to-face. No longer will ours be a relationship by faith alone. Sometimes it feels like a long distance relationship, because now, we cannot physically see, hear, or touch Jesus Christ.

Soon we will physically be with Him and we will never be apart. We will be with God Himself, and there never again be any pain, sorrow, sickness, sin, or death. No evil shall ever again reside. Satan and all the wicked ones who served him will be cast into the Lake of Fire, where they will be tormented forever and ever.

As the twisted culture of earth continues to circle the drain, be encouraged that our time here on earth is drawing to an end. And aren’t you thankful for that!

I sure am.

Lately my wife and I have felt like what Lot must have felt like when he witnessed the twisted perversity of Sodom and Gomorrah every day. And just when the cultural pendulum seems like it could not swing any further left, perversity and wickedness smacks you in the face with an increased intensity everywhere you turn. It seems like there is no escaping it.

But rest assured—evils’ days are numbered. And God will deliver us out of this perverse world.

“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment—especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness…” (2 Peter 2:4-10)

We have been placed in this dark world to shine as lights for Christ—to point people to Him. Those who want to believe in Him will. Those who don’t want to believe won’t. Ours is to love those who hate us, and invite them to come and drink freely of the water of life. But only God can bring the increase.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)

Our time here is not even a blink of an eye, compared to eternity.

Heaven awaits.

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.” (Revelation 22:12-16)



—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Priorities

"Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12)



What are your priorities in your marriage?

Or rather, who is your priority?

For many, our priority is ourselves. We seek after personal satisfaction and fulfillment in marriage, always trying to get what we want out of the relationship. 

We tend to be takers more than givers.

Many people today think that the secret of having a good marriage is about "finding the right person."

While it's true that your marriage likely won't succeed if you are with someone who really is the 'wrong' person, the truth is, having a good marriage is much more about being the right person.

How can we do that?

First, the question needs to be asked, "What are you seeking?"

If your main focus is having all of your needs met by your wife or husband, then you are in for major disappointment.  And that is because you are looking to another imperfect human being to do and be everything that you need them to be in your life for you to be happy.

No human being can possibly fulfill that role.

If you profess to be a follower of Christ, is He your number one priority in life? 

Closely examine the triangle diagram above. God is at the top. 

As we seek Him first, and the closer we get to Him, the closer we will grow together in our marriage. 

However, in many marriages we tend to put our spouse at the top, and we seek them first, and place God off to one side... only seeking Him when things in our life fall apart.

This a recipe for failure.

Because when we place our spouse over God at the top of our list of priorities, we in effect make them an idol—which is anything or anyone that becomes more important to us than God.

Don't get me wrong, my wife is a wonderful gift from God and I am thankful to Him every day for placing her in my life, to love her and serve her.  But if I am seeking her first as my primary source of happiness and fulfillment, while demoting God to a lesser place in my heart, then I am guilty of making my wife and marriage an idol.

A timely passage from the Bible that my wife and I are both reading right now is from the book of Revelation, chapter 2, verses 1-4:

"These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;  and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you... you have left your first love." 

Jesus Himself spoke these words to a church who was doing all the right things; patiently laboring to be good Christians.  But He said they have "left their first love." They put religious duty, identifying apostates and righteous living above a loving, personal relationship with Jesus.

Notice it doesn't say they lost their first love.

No, they left their first love.

When Jesus willingly went to die on a cross to save us, His primary goal was to restore us to a relationship with God. He loves us and desires that we love Him and always place Him first in our hearts.

However, so often we place other people, such as our spouse, above Him by looking to them first for our happiness and fulfillment instead of surrendering all of our needs and desires to Christ.   He alone can fill the empty spaces in our hearts that we look to others to fill who cannot possibly meet that expectation.

Looking again at the triangle diagram, as we seek first Jesus and a closer, spiritually intimate relationship with Him, the closer we will be to Him, and then the closer we will be with our spouse.  Because as we grow closer to God, loving Him and seeking His heart, the more He will change us to have His heart, and in so doing we become more and more the right person for our spouse. 

The longer that I am with my wife, and God matures her spiritually as she seeks to love Him and desires His presence and leading in her life, the more I see Jesus in her. God demonstrates His love and goodness to me through my wife.

Do you want a closer and more loving marriage?

Then seek and draw near to Jesus as your First Love.

And as you love Him and spend time with Him, taking on more of His character, the more you will become the right person, and your spouse will desire to be closer to you because they see more of Jesus in you.

There is nothing more wonderful than when husband and wife are seeking Jesus first together as their First Love. The Bible illustrates this kind of marriage with Christ as the center as a 'threefold cord that is not quickly or easily broken.'

Make note that it doesn't say the threefold cord cannot be broken.

It says it is not easily broken.

This threefold marriage relationship can be broken... if we choose to leave Jesus, our First Love, and place all of our need for love and fulfillment in our spouse, or in something or someone else.

If you have left your First Love... return to Him and make Him first in your heart. Jesus alone deserves all of our heart, our worship, and our love.

And as you and your spouse seek Him first together as your First Love, the closer you will become to each other.

Guaranteed.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.