Longing for God.

      Throughout the scriptures we find instances of individuals with a hunger for God. Read David's words, "One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4) It is the presence of the LORD that David desires above all things, and that which he determines to seek. 

     Consider the longing for God portrayed in verses like these,

     As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1-2)

     O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. ( Psalm 63:1-2)

     How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2)

     A common theme in these verses is that of the tabernacle. It was here under the old covenant, that the presence of God "tabernacled", or dwelled. These psalms tell of instances such as David's flight from king Saul, or his fleeing from Absalom, where access to the tabernacle was impossible. Later on it was a similar thing during the Babylonian captivity when the temple was destroyed and the nation was carried away, far from the sacrifices and offerings prescribed in the law. Part of Daniel's prayer of repentance (Daniel 9:1-19), is a plea for God to shine His face once more upon His sanctuary that lies desolate (Daniel 9:17).

     Ultimately, God does not live in man made temples (Isaiah 66:1-2), but dwells within those who are surrendered to Him. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). We can carry His presence with us no matter what we face in life. And, like the examples old the old covenant saints, we are called to be strangers and aliens on this earth (Heb 11:9-10, 13-16).  To live this way, seeking nothing in this world, but looking to that which is to come should sharpen our hunger, increase our thirst, our longings after God. We are warned not to lay up material treasures in this life, but rather treasure in heaven. To pursue material things, and yet attempt to serve God is an impossibility. One pursuit must eliminate the other (see Matthew 6:19-33).  Much like a child "spoiling" their supper by sneaking an afternoon snack, we too can destroy our hunger for God by focusing on material things. 

     Picture a husband and wife, who through some circumstance find themselves absent from each other. If they are truly in love, they will long for each other, counting the days until they are reunited. Every letter, phone call, message, will be precious, giving them encouragement and hope until they see each other once again. What about our relationship with Christ? We are in this world, absent from His physical presence. It is true that by the Spirit we have fellowship with Him now. We can sense in a very real way His presence in our lives, but someday we will see Him face to face. The bible states that someday Jesus will return for those who love His appearing (2 Tim 4:8), and for those who eagerly await Him (Hebrews 9:28). 

     So do we long for His appearing like a wife longing for her husband to return from an extended trip? Are we eagerly awaiting His return? I do not mean in some abstract way, such as agreeing to the fact of Jesus' return someday and how wonderful it will be, but an actual longing for Him, an ardent desire to see Him face to face.

     I fear so many of us are going through life busily wrapped up in our day to day lives. Our jobs, hobbies, pursuits and possessions are taking up the space in our lives, and "spoiling our spiritual hunger for Jesus. Can we say with an honest heart that we are eagerly awaiting Him, longing for His second coming? Do our hearts and flesh cry out for the living God? Can we agree with the sons of Korah that a day in thy courts is better than a thousand (Psalm 84:10)? Or, has life treated us so well that we are no longer strangers here, but have settled in?  

     

Victory Over the World.

It is impossible to be a worldly Christian, as the values of this world are in opposition to the values of Christ and His kingdom.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

(James 4:4 KJV)

Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters. Our allegiance cannot be divided (Matt 6:24). Likewise, friendship with the world puts us at odds with God. The things that this world esteems make it impossible to serve Christ with the wholehearted devotion that He demands of His followers. We read in 1 John,

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

(1 John 2:15-17 KJV)

Once again, it is impossible to love the things of this world and God at the same time. Those who claim to love God and yet live in the pursuit of worldly pleasures and accomplishments show that they neither love, or even know God.

Love towards God requires obedience. To truly love someone is to desire the highest good of that person, even to the giving of ourselves to meet the needs, and promote the well being of that individual. To truly love God requires that we seek His will and kingdom (Matt 6:33); it is to do all in His name, and for His glory (Col 3:17; 1 Cor 6:20, 10:31). Obedience to the commandments of Jesus Christ will flow naturally from the disciple who truly loves Him (John 14:21-24; 1 John 5:2-3). 

We are required to Love God with the entirety of our beings (Deut 6:4-9). This is upheld by the words of our Lord Jesus as well (Matt 22:36-40). Love is something that cannot be legislated; it cannot be coerced, it must come from the heart willingly, and unrestrained. Jesus demands this love, as the Highest good in the universe. How can we measure up? How can we overcome this world with all of its vain trappings; with all of the things that would steal our hearts from the One who truly deserves our highest affections? 

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory thst overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God? 

(1 John 5:4-5 KJV)

If we are not overcoming the world, it is overcoming us! We overcome by faith in the risen Christ, Jesus the son of God. When we trust, we will obey, with a faith that works by love (Gal 5:6).

Investment Principles According To Jesus

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be  also.

Matthew 6:19-21 KJV

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:32-34 KJV

Grieving the Spirit.

    And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption
     Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
     And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
                                               Ephesians 4:30-32 KJV

     Many Christians find themselves in a rut. Their lives seem dry and empty. Many struggle to pray; it seems the heavens are like brass, and no prayer can get through. For many, church has become a mere routine. Worship has lost the life that it once had. Instead of sensing the nearness of the presence of God, He now seems distant, and silent. What has happened? The Christian life that was once vibrant is now strangely stagnant.
     There are many Christians who have allowed bitterness and anger to slip into their lives. Something has caused an offense, and instead of gracefully letting it go, it has been allowed to fester deep within the heart. Others have fallen into the habit of gossip and slander. It seems so harmless to talk about what is happening in the life of someone else. What happens when we gossip and backbite; when we become bitter and unforgiving, is that we grieve the Holy Spirit. We have ceased to walk in love, the very thing the Holy Spirit desires to form in us.
     To grieve the Spirit is to cause Him deep sorrow and pain. We are no longer keeping in step with the Spirit's leading, but are in opposition to the unity He is striving for among brethren. We are walking in the flesh! We block the flow of the Spirit's presence and power by our sin. This is why Jesus tells us to first go and be reconciled to our brother (Matt 5:23-24). This is why Jesus tells us to forgive, if we would be forgiven (Matt 6:14-15). Bitterness will shut out our prayers (Mark 11:25-26). We often take our Christian life for granted. We do not always notice the coolness slipping into our spiritual lives. We do not always sense the "silence" of the Spirit.
     If we would have Him back in real presence and power, we must repent! We must go back and find where we have been angry, where we have harbored bitterness. We must search it out and be reconciled to those we have offended, and forgive those who have offended us. We must let it go! Why not be wronged, as Paul states (1 Cor 6:7)? We must look at the gossip and slander that we have partaken of, and if necessary, go and undo the damage that we have caused, to the best of our ability. These are hard words, but unless we are willing to do what we can to make things right, we have not really repented.
     We are called to walk worthy of the call of God in our lives. This is to be done in humility, meekness, and patience. We are to put up with one another in love, striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3). As Christians we are to work hard, with much patience, and much grace, to walk in true unity. This means that we must be kind, we must be humble, we must forgive, we must love! This is what the Holy Spirit is accomplishing in the body as we cooperate with Him. If we would desire His presence among us, and His power at work in and through us, we must walk in love!

Is Christ Enough?

     Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places.
                                  Habakkuk 3:17-19 NASB

     This passage of scripture brings us face to face with a pressing question. If I lost everything, if disaster struck my life, would God be enough?
     It is easy to read these verses, and indeed many of us often do, and think to ourselves that yes, God is enough. We feel that our faith is strong, and that we are satisfied with Him. It is one thing to watch a man push some one in a cart across a tightrope stretched high above a canyon, and believe that he could get us across, but quite another thing to actually get into the cart.
     Are we really content with God alone? Is He enough, is He all? In the hustle and bustle of life, in this age of instant gratification, is Christ enough, or are we clinging tightly to the material things of this earth? Could we say He was enough even if faced with the loss of a loved one? These are hard questions, but Christ must be all, if He is to be enthroned within our hearts.
   

         

Falling Out of Love

     Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
                                 Revelation 2:4 KJV

     Revelation 2:1-7

     A man passionately in love with Jesus will labor for the Lord with an untiring zeal. He will endure hardship and tribulation for the sake of Christ with joy. He will carefully guard the truth, and contend for the faith, lest the name of Christ be reproached, and His glorious gospel misrepresented. All of this flows from his love for Christ, as love will constrain a man to do great things for the sake of another.
     There is a subtle danger however. After a lifetime of tireless work for the Lord, a man may find to his sorrow, that his passion for Christ has departed. He has tirelessly endured labors and hardships, he still earnestly stands for truth, he has fearlessly warned others of false teachers and doctrines, but these things, now, are the things he loves, in place of Christ.

    

Go After Your Brother!

     "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?
     "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
     "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."
                                       Matthew 18:12-14 NASB

     Jesus continues the theme of true greatness (Matt 18:4). We see, in this portion of scripture (Matt 18:1-35), that we have a responsibility toward our brother; to watch over him, to ensure that we do not cause him to stumble, and to see that if he does, we do what we can to bring him back. This requires great humility. The common reaction is to let others do as they will, we will only worry about ourselves.
     We see from the above verses, that Christ is concerned for the individual who has gone astray. This illustration of a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine, to search for the one, leads us to His teaching on restoring a brother caught in sin.
     The Apostle Paul gives us similar instruction as well.

     Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted."
                                              Galatians 6:1 NASB

     James has this to say,

     My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,
     let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
                                             James 5:19-20 NASB

     We have this very important principle confirmed in the New Testament by the mouth of two or three witnesses (2 Cor 13:1), so why do we fail to put it into practice in so many instances today?`
     Jesus gives us a pattern to follow in the event a brother sins against us (Matt 18:15-20). The objective is the restoration of the sinning brother, and the healing of the broken relationship.
     In the event of a brother sinning against you, first go to him in private. At this point, this is between you, and the person who offended you. I believe that if people would gently, but honestly confront an individual, in a true spirit of love, it would go a long way to restoring fellowship, and in keeping a brother from straying from the faith.
     If however, your efforts do not reclaim your brother; he will not hear you, bring one or two others along with you, and try again. By bringing others in to help, it enforces the seriousness of the situation, and also ensures that things are done lovingly, and in truth.
     Sadly, sometimes it takes a little more effort to reclaim a sinning brother, and if he will not hear the two or three, then the Church must become involved. By this point things are more serious. The problem is no longer between you and another. The Church is also affected, because the refusal of the sinning brother to repent, also brings a reproach upon the body of Christ. True Christian fellowship and unity is dependent upon our submission to Christ, and our submission to, and love for each other (Phil 2:2; Col 3:12-14; 1 Peter 5:5; 1 John 1:7). Once again, the objective is to see a brother who has gone astray restored to fellowship. If he now sees the error of his ways, and humbly confesses his sin, turning from it, he has been reclaimed.
     If, at this point, he will still not turn from his sin, the only recourse is to break fellowship with the unrepentant individual. This seems harsh to many, but once again, the goal is restoration. This is actually tough love, with the intent that a "shunned" individual will come to the realization of his need of reconciliation. It would be important for the church to be in prayer for this individual, seeking that God would turn his heart back to the truth.
     The Apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthian Church for failing to go through this process with an individual who was in sexual sin. He called them arrogant for their acceptance of this unrepentant brother, and commanded them to turn the man out of fellowship. His goal was twofold. He desired that the individual would come to his senses and repent, and he was also jealously guarding the Church from further corruption (1 Cor 5:1-13).
     Again, this seems harsh to many. People view this as being judgmental, and are quick to point out that Jesus tells us not to judge (Matt 7:1). We are told in this Passage in First Corinthians, that we are to judge those within the Church (1 Cor 5:11-13). We must be careful however, that our judgment is not harsh or critical; it must be done in love, and that we judge ourselves first, before we judge another (Matt 7:1-5).
     If we would take the time to go after our Christian brothers and sisters when they stray, it would go a long way in promoting the unity and purity of the body of Christ.
     The Apostle Paul encourages the Corinthian believers to bring back a repentant individual, who had been turned out by the Church (2 Cor 2:1-11). Perhaps this was the same individual mentioned before, but the point is, a sinning brother was restored: to God, and to fellowship within the body of believers. This is how it is to work, if we would take the time, and make the effort, to see a brother restored.
    

True Greatness.

     Jesus teaches us a lesson on true greatness in Matthew 18:1-10. Our human nature craves attention. In the flesh, we desire the praises of man. We often esteem ourselves more important than we ought, and in the process, we neglect those around us. This is how the world system runs. It is all about self. Everything is geared towards building up me and my little kingdom.
     Jesus tells us that if we would be truly great in His kingdom, we must humble ourselves as a little child (Matt 18:3-4). On another occasion, parents were bringing their children to Jesus so that He could bless them. The disciples were indignant, and rebuked them (Luke 18:15-18). The disciples no doubt, thought that Jesus had more important things to do, than to be bothered by little children. In their mindset children were insignificant. They had big things to do, important things, and could not waste time on something that they saw as insignificant.
     That is how it is in the adult world today as well. We tend to get busy, wrapped up in our pursuits, at the expense of those we consider insignificant.
     Jesus is telling us that if we would be truly great, we must become insignificant ourselves! We must become small in our own eyes. Just as the disciples despised the little ones coming to Jesus, we too must be willing to be despised by the world. It is not about us, our desires, our agendas, or our craving for attention and praise. Pride has got to go.
     James tells us that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the Humble (James 4:5-10). He tells us that we must submit ourselves to God, humbling ourselves in His presence. Peter also tells us to submit to each other in humility, casting all of our care upon Him, because God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-7). It takes humility to get along with each other. Where we fail is when we demand our way, and our rights. This is a huge reason why we see so much division, and so little power in many Churches today. 
     Paul exhorts us to empty ourselves of pride and selfish ambition. Instead, we are to put others first. We are called to look out for each other, meeting the needs of one another, instead of living merely for ourselves. We have the example of Jesus who emptied Himself for us, taking on humanity, being obedient to death (Philippians 2:2-8). We are called to unity as brothers and sisters in Christ. We share a common bond as those who worship the living God. We have a common goal in advancing the kingdom of God. Let us lay aside all pride and selfish ambition, and truly love one another through the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:2-3; Col 3:14). It is when we are walking in brotherly love in all humility, that we will see the presence and power of God at work in and work through us.

Do This And You Will Live.

     On one occasion a lawyer, desiring to put Jesus to the test, Asked Him, what he must do to inherit eternal life. (Luke 10:25-37).
     Jesus answered him with the question, "What is written in the law? How does it read to you?"
     The lawyer replied back, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
     Listen to the answer that Jesus gives this man. It may surprise you. "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
     Understand very carefully what Jesus is saying here. He is not preaching a works based salvation. We cannot take what He is saying here, and claim that it is not applicable to us today because we are not under law, but under grace.
      Read through the epistles and you will find numerous passages exhorting us to live with a selfless love. We are to put others first, look out for the needs of others, be at peace with others, love deeply from the heart, do no wrong to our neighbor, be careful not to stumble a brother weak in the faith, forgive, and so forth.
     John tells us that if we shut up our hearts against a needy brother, the love of God is not in us. He also equates hatred with murder and reminds us that no murderer has eternal life (1 John 3:15-18). This is grace. It is found in the new covenant. 
     Consider faith. If we believe in Christ, that He is the Son of God, that He is alive, and is Lord, we will follow Him in obedience to His commands. If we see that He walked in love, and calls us to walk in love, we will love as He did. That is how faith works out in the lives of those who truly possess it.
     Consider the new birth. Through the new birth, we become new persons through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. We were once selfish and uncaring. A truly born again person has been recreated, by God, to be compassionate, to love others. If we are hard hearted, selfish individuals, we have need of the new birth.
     Consider the fact that the Spirit of Christ dwells in the believer. How can one who has Christ living in them refuse to show compassion. While on this earth, Jesus loved others to the uttermost. If He is living within us, we cannot help but love in the same way that He did.
     Look at what Jesus has to say about the Judgment.

     "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
     "And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
     "and He will put the sheep on His right , and the goats on the left.
     "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
     'For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
     naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
     "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?
     'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
     'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to you?
     "The king will answer and say to them 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even to the least of them, you did it to Me.'
     "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
     for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink;
     I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'
     "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'
     "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
     "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
                           Matthew 25:31-46 NASB

     Once again, Jesus is not telling us to go out and try to do as many good deeds as we can, so we can go to heaven. That itself would be selfishness. Any deed done for ourselves, no matter how good it may appear to others, is still a deed only done for ourselves. Love is not self seeking, it looks out for the best interests of others, with no regard for self. 
     Jesus calls selfish sinners to be reborn into a new, Spirit led life of love. He desires to live His life through us. We are now His hands and feet upon this earth. The things that He did while on this earth, are the things that He has called us to do as His disciples. This is what normal Christianity is supposed to look like. 
     Jesus teaches us that anybody we come upon with a need, is our neighbor. It does not matter who that person is. We have an obligation to do what we can, by His grace, to help that person. To reject this, is to reject Him.
     
     
     

The Royal Law.

      If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well.
                                 James 2:8 NASB

     Jesus sums up the law and prophets with what we call the golden rule. We are to treat others as we would have them treat us (Matthew 7:12). When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus replied that it was to love God with all of the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second was to love one's neighbor as one's self (Mark 12:28-31).
     Likewise, the Apostle Paul shows us that the law is fulfilled as we love our neighbor, as love does no wrong to those we love (Romans 13:8-10).
     Sadly we see so many who call themselves Christians who show little or no love towards their fellow brothers and sisters within the body of Christ. Is it any wonder that the world looks at the visible church with contempt? They see very little difference between themselves and so called believers. James in confronting prejudice among brethren, exhorts us to love one another, referring to love, as the royal law.
     You see, this is what we are called to live out in our lives. It validates Jesus Christ, as the world beholds Christians living in selfless love (John 17:23). It validates the message of the gospel, by the miracle of a transformed life.
     What would happen if we loved one another as Jesus has called us to do; if we loved each other with the same unselfish, sacrificial love that Jesus calls us to (John 15:12-17)?

Grieving the Spirit.

     Many people live devoid of the Spirit's power in their lives. They wonder why their prayer lives seem dull and listless. Others seem to have no victory in their lives. They struggle with besetting sins. We wonder that there is no convicting power in our preaching and witnessing.
     The word of God tells us to be filled with the Spirit continually (Ephesians 5:18). This is the source of the Christian's power. Many Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit, and experience His power and presence in their lives, only to find out at some point that they are empty, powerless.
     We are warned against grieving The Spirit of God in Ephesians 4:30-32 (NASB).

     Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
     Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

     You can see that it is our anger, our wrath, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc, that grieves the Holy Spirit, and causes us to lose His power and presence in our lives. Our fellowship with God through His Spirit in us, can be broken by our lack of love for our fellow human beings.
     When we explode in anger we grieve the Spirit. When we slander someone we grieve Him. To be bitter, to refuse to forgive, to be argumentative, will grieve the Holy Spirit, and shut off the flow of His power in our lives.
     What do we do to get back His presence and power in our lives? REPENT! confess it to God, and go back to the one you have offended, and make it right. Jesus tells us to first be reconciled to our brother, then offer our gift on the altar (Matt 5:23-25). What good is it to tell God we are sorry, but never apologize to one we have hurt with our anger or by slandering their name. We must make it right if we would desire to open up the flow of the Spirit's life and power once again.
     Jesus tells us to forgive in the same way He forgives us. He tells us that when we stand praying, we are to forgive others (Mark 11:24-26). Our prayers will be hindered otherwise. In fact we can not be forgiven if we will not forgive. God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
     You see it is all about love. We are to love our fellow man as Christ has loved us. Our relationship with Christ hinges upon our love for Him, and each other. We cannot say we love Him if we hate our brother (1 John 4:20). It is all bound together.
     In Colossians we read that love is the bond of unity among Christian brethren. We are to be kind, compassionate, forgiving, humble, gentle, and patient (Col 3:12-14). This is what the Holy spirit works to accomplish within the body of Christ. He strives to bring about unity, in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3). When we let our anger get the best of us, or allow bitterness to spring up and fester, we find ourselves fighting the Holy Spirit's work in us. Anything that we would do that selfishly hurts another believer chips away at the unity that God desires among brethren. There is a serious warning for those who would destroy the temple of the Holy Spirit by causing strife (1 Cor 3:16-18).
     We have a high and holy calling as followers of Christ. Let us love one another as Christ has loved us. This is how the world will know that we are Christians, by our love (John 17: 22-23).

You Have Left Your First Love.

     But this I have against you, that you have left your first love.
                              Revelation 2:4 NASB

     One can be doing everything that a Christian should be doing, even love what they are doing, but still miss it.
     Pastors can be in love with their preaching, teachers can be in love with their teaching, theologians can be consumed with theology. An individual may have a passion for doing good, he or she may pour themselves out in the service of others.
     Others may be faithful in church, they may be there every service, take part in the worship, listen to the message, be on a prayer team, serve as a deacon, but only participate out of habit, even drudgery.
     What is missing is the passionate love for Jesus that motivates the child of God. Without that passion for Christ motivating us, our actions are empty, mere forms, no matter how much we enjoy them. They are mere idols, taking the place in our hearts that belongs to Christ.
     If this is you, repent and do the deeds you did at first, when all that mattered was Jesus (Rev 2:5).

Selfishness or Love.

     I have seen many people debating the issue of eternal security. While some are indeed honest seekers of truth, many appear to have selfish motives at heart.
     Sadly many individuals who claim to be Christians seem to be interested in how much sin the can be involved in, and yet remain saved. This only shows that these individuals are selfish at heart. They have had a "legal" experience with Christ, but not one that has changed the ruling preference of the heart.
     The individual who loves Christ is not concerned with how much he or she can get away with and not lose their salvation, they are concerned with staying as far away as they can from anything that would grieve the heart of the Savior, and bring reproach to His name.
     The issue with them is not self, but devotion to Christ. Love is not self seeking (1 Cor 13:5), but chooses the highest interest of Christ for His sake
     What kind of salvation do you have? A legal one that concerns itself with your own interests, or are you poured out for Christ?

     

The Greatest Commandment.

     Like the Church of Ephesus, many of us are faithful to our doctrines, zealous in routing out false teachers, and persevere steadfastly in the truth (Revelation 2:2-3). This is a lot more than we see other Christians, Churches, and Denominations doing, so we feel as though we are getting along fairly well.
     The truth is, without love being the motivating factor in what we do, it means nothing (1 Cor 13:2-3). The Church in Ephesus, for all they stood for, had forsaken it's first love (Rev 2:4). This is what the Lord Jesus Christ rebuked them for.
     An expert in the law of Moses asked Christ what was the greatest commandment in the law (Matt 22:36). Jesus told him to love God with all your heart, soul, mind. (Deut 6:5). This is the greatest commandment, followed by loving your neighbor as yourself (Lev19:18) (Matt 22:37-39).
     Paul states that what matters to God is faith that works by love (Gal 5:6). Love is the fulfilling of the law (Gal 5:14, Romans 13:8-10). When we love God with all that we are, we will find ourselves fulfilling the commandments concerning Him and our worship of Him. When we truly treat others as we want them to treat us (Matt 7:12) we will find ourselves living a life that is free from theft, dishonesty, covetousness, anger, murder, lust, etc. The law concerning our neighbor will be fulfilled by us.
     So what about you? Did you once have a passion for Jesus that led you to serve Him with all your heart? Is that passion still there motivating your actions, or has it dwindled? Are you still doing good deeds, but for the wrong reasons? Can you say you love your neighbor as yourself, and back it up with your actions, or do your actions say otherwise? Maybe you are an honest person, trying to be good all the time, but without love.
     The answer is found in Jesus, at the foot of the Cross. There you will find grace. Look back on your life and see how far you have fallen! Repent and do the deeds you did at first (Rev 2:5). Let Jesus fill you once again with His presence! Be empowered to live a life of love.