It's so easy to start something (like starting a blog), but its another thing trying to see it through to its completion.
This is the same when it comes to showing love to one another.
So often we do a good deed here and another there, we helped someone in need once, and we talked to someone who needed a friend. We tend to think that this is sufficient, that this is all we need to do, however, we need to persevere and continue in love all the time. No matter how difficult it may be and how little love we receive in return, we must continue to love in all things.
As the author of Hebrews says: "Let brotherly love continue." (Hebrews 13:1) May it never cease.
The chapter on love, 1 Corinthians 13, states this clearly too. "Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will fail; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away." (13:8)
If love will not fail, then we must not fail in loving.
Sunday 31 July 2011
Friday 29 July 2011
Day 11: Labour of Love
"We thank God always for you...remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ..." (1 Thess 1:3)
Loving is not always easy. It does not come naturally. However, we are required to do it. So we must work to show love, the love of God that is within us.
But how must we work to show this love? What sort of things must we do?
The love of God within must generate love and hope within our hearts when He has taken control over our lives. This love must generate us to care for other people who are lonely, to be aware of people who we know are engaged in spiritual battles, and to support those with financial needs. This list could go on and on, but the point I want to make is that we cannot just expect all these things to happen. For they won't just happen on their own.
We need to work against our sinful inclination of just backing off when someone has a need, for leaving them is easier for us. But rather we must always look out for others, look out for needs and be willing to help. This does not mean that we have to be a stickybeak and know everything about everyone, but we must be aware of the people around us and be willing to lend a hand (or more) where ever it is needed.
And another important aspect is prayer. We need to pray that God will work in us this love for our neighbour and the desire to help and labour for our neighbours needs. When we rely on God for this He will hear us and in His time will answer.
Loving is not always easy. It does not come naturally. However, we are required to do it. So we must work to show love, the love of God that is within us.
But how must we work to show this love? What sort of things must we do?
The love of God within must generate love and hope within our hearts when He has taken control over our lives. This love must generate us to care for other people who are lonely, to be aware of people who we know are engaged in spiritual battles, and to support those with financial needs. This list could go on and on, but the point I want to make is that we cannot just expect all these things to happen. For they won't just happen on their own.
We need to work against our sinful inclination of just backing off when someone has a need, for leaving them is easier for us. But rather we must always look out for others, look out for needs and be willing to help. This does not mean that we have to be a stickybeak and know everything about everyone, but we must be aware of the people around us and be willing to lend a hand (or more) where ever it is needed.
And another important aspect is prayer. We need to pray that God will work in us this love for our neighbour and the desire to help and labour for our neighbours needs. When we rely on God for this He will hear us and in His time will answer.
Thursday 28 July 2011
Day 10: Loving God
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Yesterday was about loving our neighbour, today about how we love God. God has done so much for us: He sent His only begotten Son into this world as a man, where He suffered, was crucified and rose again so that we might be saved. God did this all for us. For you. For me.
I think we really need to make this personal and understand this individually. Its something I find that I need to understand in my own mind that God has given His son for me. FOR ME. And I don't deserve it one bit. I think of all sins and evil things I've done, and I know before I even count them all, that I am not worthy of God's love.
When I think all this through then my heart overflows with love for God. And I'll be honest, I don't always feel this way. Often I'm too worried about the things in life that I don't spend time with God and I don't allow myself to think of what God has done for me so that I can live my life in thankfulness to Him. So that's why I pray for strength, for perseverance and also for forgiveness for the many, many times I fail in loving God. And what's so wonderful about all this is that God does hear my prayers; He does forgive, and I am made as one without sin before His eyes. That is just amazing! I love it!
Yesterday was about loving our neighbour, today about how we love God. God has done so much for us: He sent His only begotten Son into this world as a man, where He suffered, was crucified and rose again so that we might be saved. God did this all for us. For you. For me.
I think we really need to make this personal and understand this individually. Its something I find that I need to understand in my own mind that God has given His son for me. FOR ME. And I don't deserve it one bit. I think of all sins and evil things I've done, and I know before I even count them all, that I am not worthy of God's love.
When I think all this through then my heart overflows with love for God. And I'll be honest, I don't always feel this way. Often I'm too worried about the things in life that I don't spend time with God and I don't allow myself to think of what God has done for me so that I can live my life in thankfulness to Him. So that's why I pray for strength, for perseverance and also for forgiveness for the many, many times I fail in loving God. And what's so wonderful about all this is that God does hear my prayers; He does forgive, and I am made as one without sin before His eyes. That is just amazing! I love it!
Day 9: Loving unconditionally
When we love someone we usually do it on the basis of something good that they have done to us, or something that we like about that person. We love them, usually because they also love us in return. But what would it be like to give the ultimate sacrifice of love to someone which they could never return, and more often then not that turn away from you instead of towards you.
Well that is what Christ has done for us. He loves us, not because we turned to God and believed in Him. But He loves us because that is God's good will. We, the subject of His love, are not better than anyone else, we sin and fall short of what God requires of us, and yet, He loves us. And what a blessing it is that we have God's unconditional love.
But what does this mean for us. We are required to love our neighbour as God has loved us. What does that mean? That we must love him unconditionally. We must love him even if he doesn't return our love. We must show love to him even though he may reject you. This is not easy. Often even the love we show to our 'loved ones' goes unnoticed. Nevertheless we must continue to love them because by loving them we love God. We cannot love God if we do not love our neighbour.
"If someone says 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" (1 John 4:20)
So even though it is hard, very hard, for us to love unconditionally, remember that this is what God has done to you. With this in mind move forward to love your neighbour unconditionally and through the strength of the Holy Spirit you will be enabled to do so.
Tuesday 26 July 2011
Day 8: Love and Humility
"Behold your King is coming to you, He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 9:9)
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was one of peace and love. By riding a donkey into the city he represented love and peace. He could have come in on a might horse, however that would have symbolised battle and hate. But Jesus wanted to stress the important aspects of love and humility in the Christian faith. Jesus entire life on earth was characterised by humility; He left behind His heavenly glory and came to earth as man to save mankind from their own sins. This in itself is an act of love.
For us as Christians we cannot truly show love if we are not humble about it at the same time. We need to have a humble attitude, for we do not even deserve to have the love of God within us. It is a gift and we must always remember that. And when we give our love to another we must not do this to receive praise from men, or satisfaction within ourselves that we have done a good deed. For then, we are really conceited. Pure love is humility.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was one of peace and love. By riding a donkey into the city he represented love and peace. He could have come in on a might horse, however that would have symbolised battle and hate. But Jesus wanted to stress the important aspects of love and humility in the Christian faith. Jesus entire life on earth was characterised by humility; He left behind His heavenly glory and came to earth as man to save mankind from their own sins. This in itself is an act of love.
For us as Christians we cannot truly show love if we are not humble about it at the same time. We need to have a humble attitude, for we do not even deserve to have the love of God within us. It is a gift and we must always remember that. And when we give our love to another we must not do this to receive praise from men, or satisfaction within ourselves that we have done a good deed. For then, we are really conceited. Pure love is humility.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.
Monday 25 July 2011
Day 7: What is love?
Here's my first post on a series of posts of the topic of love.
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
We all seem to have our own definition of what love is. The world today defines love as a mixture of awe, pity, lust compassion and sacrifice. However, if we want to know true love, we need to know God. For God is love, and in Him we are able to love one another.
God manifested His love by sending His Son to pay for our sins. But His love is more than that. He loved us before we were born, before our parents were born, and before the entire human race was born. And when man through Adam fell into sin, God did not stop loving us. Rather, because of His love for us, He sacrificed His only begotten Son that we might have eternal life. This is love!
When I begin to understand that God has adopted me, a fallen sinner, I myself am filled with this same love. And when the love of God is within me then I can begin to see how it changes me. It changes the way I view life, the way I interact with other people and the way I deal with problems in life. God's love is amazing, and its even more amazing that I am allowed to experience it personally.
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
We all seem to have our own definition of what love is. The world today defines love as a mixture of awe, pity, lust compassion and sacrifice. However, if we want to know true love, we need to know God. For God is love, and in Him we are able to love one another.
God manifested His love by sending His Son to pay for our sins. But His love is more than that. He loved us before we were born, before our parents were born, and before the entire human race was born. And when man through Adam fell into sin, God did not stop loving us. Rather, because of His love for us, He sacrificed His only begotten Son that we might have eternal life. This is love!
When I begin to understand that God has adopted me, a fallen sinner, I myself am filled with this same love. And when the love of God is within me then I can begin to see how it changes me. It changes the way I view life, the way I interact with other people and the way I deal with problems in life. God's love is amazing, and its even more amazing that I am allowed to experience it personally.
Sunday 24 July 2011
Day 6: Be aware of the power of prayer.
Her main theme was that prayer changes people. I personally had never really thought so much on the power of prayer.
In her speech she had 5 main focus points which she discussed in relation to our own bible study. I will share:
1. What does this passage tell me about Jesus Christ?
Jesus not only worked in the New Testament, while He was on earth, however, we see Him through people or things that happened in the Old Testament. The prophecies tell so much about Him, and figures like David in the psalms often directed thoughts and praises too Him. Jesus is everywhere in the bible, and just thinking about this in the small passage which you can take for devotions one day helps you to understand and know that Jesus IS present everywhere. He ALWAYS hears our prayers! For me the fact of reaffirming that God is there when I pray was so reassuring. Sometimes, its like I'm just praying to my bedroom wall, at least that's the way it seems, but knowing that God is always there, and that He will always hear is so very comforting.
2. Is there a warning in the passage?
Every part of the bible has warnings for us Christians because we need those warnings. Our old nature needs that constant reprimand to keep us on track. Mrs deVisser also reminded us that hen you are too far away from God you can lose the signal and as a result you will not hear the warnings from God. And we must not ignore these warnings. The warnings must instead direct our lives; its God telling us where we should go and what we should or should not do. So we must listen to them.
3. Is there a promise in the passage?
Sometimes the Christian life appears to be a whole list of don't do this, and don't do that. When we look at life this way, there is little joy, and it can become a drag to be a Christian. But this does not need to be so because, the Christian life is not a list of dos and don'ts. Rather its about a whole lot of things which we can do to make our lives better. God's word is full of promises for us His people. Often we only think of a few promises: eternal life, that Christ will return again on the clouds of heaven ... However, start looking (I'm going to) and there are so, so many more, its just wonderful. And this brings so much more joy to the life of a Christian. We can live in the many promises of God.
And we must also use these promises in our prayers. Pray that God will fulfil the promises which He has made. For we can ask Him to do the things that He has promised. And when we know these promises our eyes are also opened to see their fulfilment.
4. What is so beautiful about this passage?
When you read your bible and prayer, your heart must always be in it. If your heart really loves the bible then prayer will be so much easier. And if your heart is present then it becomes much easier to see the beauty in the words of the bible. If you truly consider that which is the most beautiful to you in the passage you read, then your heart must be in it; then your heart will be overflowing with love for the bible and a desire to read it more and more.
She used an example from John 15 where Jesus talks about Himself being the true vine and we are the branches. The most beautiful part about all this is that we are allowed to be a branch. If you understand what God through Christ has done for you, then isn't it absolutely beautiful that you are grafted into Christ and that you can bear fruit for God (the vinedresser). When your heart understands this then it flows over in adoration and for me at least, prayer comes easily.
5. What can you use as encouragement for your prayers?
God does not require some sort of fancy speech when we pray to Him. Although He is Almighty and Holy it is not important to have big words and beautiful sentences. Rather the importance is that we have communication with God. You must not wait until you are 'professional' enough to prayer, for that time will never come. Instead just pray as you would naturally have a conversation (of course it needs to be reverent) and in this way prayer will become as a natural part of your life.
The climax of Mrs deVisser's speech was that prayer changes people.
If you prayer in connection with what you read in the bible, then you will know of the certain things that you ask and the sins you ask forgiveness for, and because you know these things you will be able to see the workings of the Lord when He tries to change you. For when you pray you become aware that you should or should not do something, and then when you move into your day you work with this new mindset to fight against a particular sin, or not do something, or do a positive thing for someone.
Isn't it just wonderful, that working of the Holy Spirit within you, and that God will indeed hear everything that you ask of Him. He knows what in our hearts and He delights when we call upon His holy name.
It's so Great! I feel so motivated!
Day 5: You are the Light of the World
"You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16)
At times I find it difficult when discussing the issue of good works and why we do them. However this text in Matthew does make it quite clear.
Firstly, we do not do good works to earn salvation. Salvation is entirely a gift of grace which we accept through faith.
Secondly, we do good works because we are saved. Good works are a fruit of our faith. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, so we can know our faith because of it's fruits.
Thirdly, we do good works out of thankfulness. Christ has paid the ultimate price for our sins. Through the sacrifice of His life, we may have life in Him. Our deliverance from sin has nothing to do with whether we are any better than others, or because we have less sin. For all have sinned and fall short daily, however, God, in His sovereign good pleasure has chosen you and me. Isn't that wonderful? And so we must show our thankfulness for this, striving to please God in all that we do. It's for this reason that we do good works.
And lastly, we do good works so that God's holy name may be glorified. We are lights in this dark world of sin, and if we so shine as a true light then our light will have an effect on those around us. If we shine as lights, and our good works testify to this, then others will see them and will be drawn to the light. They, because of the works that they see in us, will glorify our Father in heaven. How great that is!
So lets shine as true lights. Let us do good works out of thankfulness, and not for praise from men. Let us life our lives to His honour and glory in ALL that we do.
At times I find it difficult when discussing the issue of good works and why we do them. However this text in Matthew does make it quite clear.
Firstly, we do not do good works to earn salvation. Salvation is entirely a gift of grace which we accept through faith.
Secondly, we do good works because we are saved. Good works are a fruit of our faith. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, so we can know our faith because of it's fruits.
Thirdly, we do good works out of thankfulness. Christ has paid the ultimate price for our sins. Through the sacrifice of His life, we may have life in Him. Our deliverance from sin has nothing to do with whether we are any better than others, or because we have less sin. For all have sinned and fall short daily, however, God, in His sovereign good pleasure has chosen you and me. Isn't that wonderful? And so we must show our thankfulness for this, striving to please God in all that we do. It's for this reason that we do good works.
And lastly, we do good works so that God's holy name may be glorified. We are lights in this dark world of sin, and if we so shine as a true light then our light will have an effect on those around us. If we shine as lights, and our good works testify to this, then others will see them and will be drawn to the light. They, because of the works that they see in us, will glorify our Father in heaven. How great that is!
So lets shine as true lights. Let us do good works out of thankfulness, and not for praise from men. Let us life our lives to His honour and glory in ALL that we do.
Friday 22 July 2011
Day 4: With childlike innoncence
Oh sometimes I wish that my faith in God could be simple; that my heart would just trust God like a young child blindly trusts his/her father.
At work today I witnessed the genuine, heartfelt and simple faith of a child of God with disabilities. While listening to a 'Hymns for Little Children' CD, joy filled her entire face and she cracked the greatest smile as the words of the song I am so glad that Jesus loves Me came over the stereo. I'm not sure how well she understands songs and such, but I was very sure that she understood the words of this song in her heart. Her faced filled with complete joy as the knowledge that her Saviour loved her. Isn't that wonderful. I felt to privileged to be able to work with someone, who is unable to talk and because of this we often underestimate her comprehensive abilities.
And I think we all have so much to learn from her. That childlike reverence and awe for her saviour, is something that we all should have. What Christ has done for us is beyond our comprehension; he has chosen us out of the billions in this world to be His children. He LOVES us!
So our only response to this can be, that with childlike innocence, we may enter that glorious kingdom of heaven.
For Jesus himself said: "Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3)
At work today I witnessed the genuine, heartfelt and simple faith of a child of God with disabilities. While listening to a 'Hymns for Little Children' CD, joy filled her entire face and she cracked the greatest smile as the words of the song I am so glad that Jesus loves Me came over the stereo. I'm not sure how well she understands songs and such, but I was very sure that she understood the words of this song in her heart. Her faced filled with complete joy as the knowledge that her Saviour loved her. Isn't that wonderful. I felt to privileged to be able to work with someone, who is unable to talk and because of this we often underestimate her comprehensive abilities.
And I think we all have so much to learn from her. That childlike reverence and awe for her saviour, is something that we all should have. What Christ has done for us is beyond our comprehension; he has chosen us out of the billions in this world to be His children. He LOVES us!
So our only response to this can be, that with childlike innocence, we may enter that glorious kingdom of heaven.
For Jesus himself said: "Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3)
Thursday 21 July 2011
Day 3: How to live as citizens of His kingdom
Yesterday I mentioned that we have to 'seek the Kingdom of Heaven' and today I just want to say a little about how we are to seek this kingdom. Its always easy to say that we have to do something, but its just so much harder actually doing it.
We are called to be citizens of Christ's Kingdom. Ok, you say, that's fair enough, I'll do my bit and live my life differently than the world around me. I go to church, I do bible study, I don't go nightclubbing etc. However, there is so much more in being a citizen of the Kingdom of God, that just doing those 'expected' things.
The way that we should stand out as being different from the world is in the everyday things we do. For instance, do you join in with your mates when they criticise and demean a teacher or fellow colleague? Do you enjoy hearing the latest gossip as it spreads around your circle of friends? Do you actually stop and refrain from an activity because you know that it would not bring glory to God? Do you stand up and intervene when you hear the name of God blasphemed and trod in the mud? and the list could go on...
I'm sorry to say that so often I find myself not doing what I should. Its so much easier to just go with the flow and let things be rather than causing strife or division. Yet if God's holy name and reputation is trampled underfoot because we, as children of God who called to be His image, do not uphold His reputation, then how are we living as citizens of His kingdom. Do we portray the lifestyle of a citizen of the glorious kingdom of heaven or of the kingdom of darkness?
We are called to be citizens of Christ's Kingdom. Ok, you say, that's fair enough, I'll do my bit and live my life differently than the world around me. I go to church, I do bible study, I don't go nightclubbing etc. However, there is so much more in being a citizen of the Kingdom of God, that just doing those 'expected' things.
The way that we should stand out as being different from the world is in the everyday things we do. For instance, do you join in with your mates when they criticise and demean a teacher or fellow colleague? Do you enjoy hearing the latest gossip as it spreads around your circle of friends? Do you actually stop and refrain from an activity because you know that it would not bring glory to God? Do you stand up and intervene when you hear the name of God blasphemed and trod in the mud? and the list could go on...
I'm sorry to say that so often I find myself not doing what I should. Its so much easier to just go with the flow and let things be rather than causing strife or division. Yet if God's holy name and reputation is trampled underfoot because we, as children of God who called to be His image, do not uphold His reputation, then how are we living as citizens of His kingdom. Do we portray the lifestyle of a citizen of the glorious kingdom of heaven or of the kingdom of darkness?
Wednesday 20 July 2011
Day 2: Seek the Kingdom of God
"But seek the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you." (Luke 12:30)
On my road through life, amidst busy schedules, there seems little time to seek the kingdom of God. I often tend to think that by going to church twice every sunday, going to catechism classes, to bible study clubs and other church related activities that I'm certainly doing enough to 'seek the kingdom of God'.
However, I'm not.
By telling us to 'seek the kingdom of heaven' Jesus calls us to strive to live as citizens of His kingdom. We have been given the gift of His kingdom by grace through Christ, and now we ought to live as rightful citizens of this kingdom. This means that our entire focus on life needs to change. We are citizens of an eternal kingdom - what a great gift this is! We must show in our lives thankfulness for this wonderful gift; we must seek to live as holy citizens of this kingdom although we still live in this world.
In a materialistic world, it is so easy for our focus to change. It's so easy to worry about food, clothing, shelter (and if you always have these, then your worrying about your car insurance, home loan, what the next renovations to your house are going to look like etc.). But Jesus tells us:
"Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing...For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things." (Luke 12: 22-23, 29)
On my road through life, amidst busy schedules, there seems little time to seek the kingdom of God. I often tend to think that by going to church twice every sunday, going to catechism classes, to bible study clubs and other church related activities that I'm certainly doing enough to 'seek the kingdom of God'.
However, I'm not.
By telling us to 'seek the kingdom of heaven' Jesus calls us to strive to live as citizens of His kingdom. We have been given the gift of His kingdom by grace through Christ, and now we ought to live as rightful citizens of this kingdom. This means that our entire focus on life needs to change. We are citizens of an eternal kingdom - what a great gift this is! We must show in our lives thankfulness for this wonderful gift; we must seek to live as holy citizens of this kingdom although we still live in this world.
In a materialistic world, it is so easy for our focus to change. It's so easy to worry about food, clothing, shelter (and if you always have these, then your worrying about your car insurance, home loan, what the next renovations to your house are going to look like etc.). But Jesus tells us:
"Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food and the body more than clothing...For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things." (Luke 12: 22-23, 29)
Tuesday 19 July 2011
Day 1: Treasure in Heaven
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steel; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in a steel. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also." (Matt 6:19-21)
These verses always confront me whenever I read them, and I could read them over and over and still re-live the message they contain for me. When life is busy, when I rush from one thing to the next, when I don't take the time to stop and pray, my focus moves from heavenly treasures to earthly ones. I'm busy because I need to get this and that done for work, or for uni, and I don't have time (or at least that's the way it seems at times) to meditate on the eternal treasure Christ has laid up for me. My focus is on getting an outstanding mark on an assignment that will give me pleasure and a sense of satisfaction. And its times like these when I really need to stop and take the time to pray before rushing out into the day; to take time to read God's word and listen to what He has to tell me each day; for then I work towards a treasure that will last and not decay.
When I live each day of my life, no matter how busy or easy, with the focus on living for my heavenly Father, then I know that my treasure is with Him for eternity.
These verses always confront me whenever I read them, and I could read them over and over and still re-live the message they contain for me. When life is busy, when I rush from one thing to the next, when I don't take the time to stop and pray, my focus moves from heavenly treasures to earthly ones. I'm busy because I need to get this and that done for work, or for uni, and I don't have time (or at least that's the way it seems at times) to meditate on the eternal treasure Christ has laid up for me. My focus is on getting an outstanding mark on an assignment that will give me pleasure and a sense of satisfaction. And its times like these when I really need to stop and take the time to pray before rushing out into the day; to take time to read God's word and listen to what He has to tell me each day; for then I work towards a treasure that will last and not decay.
When I live each day of my life, no matter how busy or easy, with the focus on living for my heavenly Father, then I know that my treasure is with Him for eternity.
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