More Than Love

 

The words “I love you” have little more meaning unless they are followed up by evidence of that love through actions.

If the saying is only a way to improve one’s status in another’s eyes it is deceptive and meaningless. When you look into someone eyes and say; “I love you” is it real or just meaningless words?

At the point of saying it; do you intend on following those words with actions that support them and give real meaning to them.

1 John 3:18 International Standard Version

“Little children, we must stop expressing love merely by our words and manner of speech; we must love also in action and in truth.”

This has a double application; it means in our interrelationship with others and also our relationship with GOD.  It isn’t enough to say we love GOD we must honor Him by our actions.

1 John 2:5        New Living Translation

But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.

Whether it is a person or GOD saying “I love,” it isn’t enough. We must take the second step and follow through with actions that prove the words spoken.

1 Corinthians 13:1  Aramaic Bible in Plain English

If I shall speak with every human and Angelic language and have no love in me, I shall be clanging brass or a noise-making cymbal.

Do I really love ?

CALEB- THE PROACTIVE

We are Able said Caleb

 

Joshua and Caleb had a vision of what they could do with GOD’S help.

After the ten spies gave their grasshopper report, the men who had gone with them said, “We can’t attack those people! They’re too strong for us!”  So they began to spread lies among the Israelites about the land they had explored.

They said, “The land we explored is one that devours those who live there.  All the people we saw there are very tall.   We saw Nephilim there. (The descendants of Anak are Nephilim.) We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that’s how we must have looked to them.

CALEB and JOSHUA saw things differently; Caleb said, “Let’s go now and take possession of the land. We should be more than able to conquer it.

Because the people rejected GOD’S command to take the land for a possession He declared that they would not go into their possession. Joshua and Caleb were stuck in the wilderness with the faithless Israelites who were operating under the allusion of being able to return to Egypt.

How often are men of GOD hamstrung by the lack of faith of others? Finally after forty years and the faithless ones died off Joshua and Caleb took a greater part of their inheritance promised to Abraham. Then stepped forth Caleb who said he wished to get his part of the Promised Land. In theory it was his but in reality it wasn’t.

Such is the state many Christians today. In theory the promises of GOD are theirs but the reality is they do not possess them. Caleb went forth and fought for what was his and won the battles (which were many) and took the land for him and his descendants. 

Numbers 14:24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to and his descendants will inherit it.

A couple of points to consider here; Caleb took what was promised to him not that which was promised to someone else. Trying to claim what belongs to someone else will lead to failure.

While reading the promises in scripture and having a desire to claim them there is still one more step to take before you engage into battle for them. Ask yourself does this apply to my situation or do I meet the requirements for receiving this promise.

Some pray for power to minister in areas they have not been called to. Others pray for things they don’t have faith to receive them.

Mark 11:23-24"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

Keep this in mind that asking without faith (belief) is just talking to yourself.  Each and every answer to prayer is a spiritual battle won. It can only be won by having unfettered faith. It involves the whole Spirit, Soul and Body wholly being committed to the task at hand.

Matthew 26:41Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  In the midst of the battle it is possible to be deterred from task at hand.

If there is no struggle for victory in the prayer you are praying then what you are praying for isn’t worth the effort for you will be resisted by the enemy of your soul if your prayer has merit.

When you pray, keep Caleb in mind.  He had a direct promise, he put actions to his words by doing his part and he was victorious both for himself and his descendants. He allowed GOD to prepare him for the battles of life by obeying the words GOD spoke both corporately to the nation and to him personally.

Romans 6:13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

Do not be too judgmental when others pray but if you sense they are “just talking” instead of fighting the battle for victory then you have an opportunity add your faith to the need for help.

This post is shared at “Tell Me a True Story.”

 

Praying by the rules

 

One of the last things we want to hear about when we pray is you must pray according to the rules.

Most time when we pray it is a situation where we need an answer and want it now. yet GOD has specifically laid out the rules for answered prayer. Mark 11:23-24 is an example of what I am saying;

Mark 11:23-24 King James Version (KJV)  

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 

24 Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Do not Doubt - and Believe - - 

John 15:7 King James Version (KJV)

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 

It is important to Abide in Christ and allow His words to be in you - -

 

Matthew 18:19 King James Version (KJV)

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

It is a good thing to have someone agree with you in prayer - -

So what shall we do?

Since faith is an issue and faith comes by hearing the Word of GOD; find scripture that increases your faith; and then follow the rules attached to the promises of GOD.

Commitment??? NO WAY

Commitment - No Turning Back

 

The sixties and the philosophies of the educators that grew out of that generation created a spiral downward of commitment.

The rejection of the mores of society perhaps was the beginning but the spiral continued until today a large segment of supposed rational people can’t even commit to themselves. They constantly do things that they know is harmful to themselves.

We are far beyond committing to career, marriage, or faith and have substituted fantasy and prolonged adolescence in commitments place.

Charles Colson says an uncommitted Christian is an oxymoron or self-contradictory individual. While this doctrine is gaining in popularity the result is the ten commandments is little more than suggestions and one is free to make up their own list of conduct that is acceptable to them. Of course the lists vary from one individual to another but they give the listener some sense of spirituality.

On the whole they feel no sense of spiritual or social obligation to anything or anybody. This self-focus leads to obsession over ourselves and leaves no room for a relationship which is the crux of the Christian experience.

The anti-war protestors of the sixties theme was; “After all, if nothing is worth dying for then nothing is worth living for.”

The Christian experience demands total commitment to Christ Jesus and his commandments. It is continuous from the new birth until our seating in heaven with Christ. There are no blank spaces.

Contrary to the Hippie generations summary of life there IS something worth dying for and in turn worth living for.  It is to live for Christ. One is to commit themselves totally to Christ holding nothing back.

I hate to add this but are you still hanging onto something you should give up?

Release it for your sake and for Christ sake for he is being judged by your conduct.

Time to commit.

Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This post is shared at “Tell Me a True Story.”