Love Language from God's Word

It's Happy Valentine's Day in the USA!

So, here's some of the language of the Bible when it comes to Love -- an appetizer of sorts for our hearts, I suppose:

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 5:8 "...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

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

1 John 3:1 "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

Grateful

Praying for God's World

Join me in praying for God's World. Today, I am praying for displaced Syrian refugees, and as often, all of The Middle East as well. This video story will help you to place a face in your mind as you pray:

 Click here: The Life of a Syrian Refugee on Vimeo

"For God so loved the World..."
Grateful

A White Rose, A Baby Doll And A Picture

The following is a touching Christmas story by an author who simply calls herself Annie:

I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kinda wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could through all the people to the toy department. Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys. And wondered if the grandkids would even play with them.

I found myself in the doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who the doll was for. I watched him turn to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said, “Are you sure I don’t have enough money” She replied a bit impatiently, “You know that you don’t have enough money for it. The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere that she had to go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle. The boy continued to hold the doll.

After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for. He said, “It is the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it.” I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it. He said “No, Santa can’t go where my sister is…I have to give the doll to my Momma to take to her”. I asked him where his sister was.

He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said “She has gone to be with Jesus”. My Daddy says that Momma is going to have to go be with her. My heart nearly stopped beating. Then the boy looked at me again and said, “I told my Daddy to tell Momma not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store”. Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to. He pulled out some pictures he’d had taken at the front of the store. He said “I want my Momma to take this with her so she don’t ever forget me.” “I love my Momma so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me”. “But Daddy says she will need to be with my sister.”

I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet. While he was not looking I reached into my purse and pulled out a handful of bills. I asked the little boy, “Shall we count that money one more time?” He grew excited and said “Yes, I just know it has to be enough”. So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it.

Of course it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, “Thank you Jesus for giving me enough money.” Then the boy said “I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so Momma can take it with her to give to my sister.” “And he heard my prayer”. “I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Momma a white rose, but I didn’t ask him, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Momma.” “She loves white roses so very very much”.

In a few minutes the aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and the Mother was in serious condition. The family was deciding on rather to remove the life support. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story.

Two days later I read in the paper where the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself and I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young woman was. And there she was holding a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store.

I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming. And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.

“We make a living by what we get; We make a life by what we give.”

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son...
Grateful

The Other John 3:16? Give Up?

We're all familiar with John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

But I invite you to also consider with me on this wonderful Christmas Day the similar words of the other John 3:16. THE OTHER JOHN 3:16? Yes, 1 John 3:16. Here it is: We know what real love is because Christ gave up His life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters.

Abba Father, on this Christmas Day, we give praise to You for so loving us that on that first Christmas Day You gave us Your only Son in Bethlehem's Manger. We are so grateful, too, that we know even more clearly what real love is because Your only Son gave up His life for us on Calvary's Cross. Help us to now GIVE UP our own lives for our Christian brothers and sisters so that we will prove to the world that we are Yours. Amen.

ALL.. JOY TO YOUR WORLD... All the boys and girls, now!
Grateful

Birth Comes Before Growth

A Basic Christian Commentary

A while back, I was talking on the phone with a dear friend of mine. The most basic idea of Christianity was the topic – being born again. So many people sadly seem to have the cart before the horse and the tail wagging the puppy when it comes to being a Christian. In other words there must be a spiritual birth before there can be spiritual growth. It seems that some people are trying to become fully devoted followers of Jesus without first coming to Jesus to be born again. In other words, we should never expect to grow in Christ until we first know Him as Christ! Unless we have been forgiven of our sins and are willing to forsake our lives of sin, trying to grow spiritually will only be an exercise in futility. If we have not yet been born again and are still dead in our sins, trying to grow in Christianity may only lead us to insanity.

In the New Testament Gospel account of Jesus Christ according to John the Beloved we find the most memorized verse in the Bible – John 3:16. But did you know that John 3:16 was first spoken by Jesus to a seeker who was trying to grow in godliness without first being born of God? It’s true. The seeker’s name? Nicodemus. Old not-so-saintly-Nick, was at the top of the religious ladder. He was indeed considered to be among the most intellectual guardians of Jewish law. His opinions could sway votes on the ruling council of Israel and his words were among the most quoted after each board meeting. Yet, Nick was not growing in godliness and he knew it. So in an attempt to get some answers and to avoid being noticed, Nicodemus set out in the deep shadows of his own shallow spirituality to find the Savior, Jesus Christ. Yes, he met with Jesus at night.

In reply to Nick’s question, Jesus told him the most basic idea of Christianity: I tell you the truth, Jesus said, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. The highly educated Nicodemus was confused to say the least. I must be born again? How can this happen? Jesus went on to explain that in order to grow in true godliness, one must first be born again, not born physically again, but born again spiritually by believing and by embracing these words: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. It’s simple, but profound, my friends, unless we have been born twice – once physically and once spiritually – growing in God’s salvation will only lead to our frustration. Christ came so we could experience conversion from dying as sinners to living as saints. A sinner is one who belongs exclusively to sin. Death awaits. A saint is someone who exclusively belongs to God. Life arises.

So, do you belong exclusively to God? Has there been a conversion from spiritual death to spiritual life in your eternal soul? Have you been born again? If not, if you’re sincere, it’s as simple as praying a prayer like this: Father God, I admit that I’ve been wrong. You’ve been right. I accept Your Son, as my Savior. I do not want an intellectual religion. I want an intimate relationship with You. Help me to turn from sinning and to turn to shining. I believe that You gave Jesus so that I might know You, escape eternal death and have eternal life. I confess: Jesus is the only Way to Heaven. Thank you, for loving me too much! I want to know You and grow in You and in that order. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Perhaps you would choose to print this post and sign your name:

Signed: _________________________________________________.

And, I think Nicodemus finally did become an Old Saint Nick. Read John 19:38-42 and decide for yourself. After Jesus’ death, Nick came with Joey to get the body for burial. Seems he came out of his big hiding place to be born again as a little baby in Christ! :-)