How Does Love Behave?

All that we need to know about life and living, we can learn from the Scriptures. God gives us direct instructions as well as practical guidelines for every area of life. This includes understanding how to demonstrate genuine love.

Here are several Scriptures on the topic:

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant . . . (1 Cor 13:4 ESV)

. . . but rejoices in the truth . . . (1 Cor 13:6b MEV)

It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Cor 13:7 NIV)

When we love someone, the greatest gift that we can give them is to love them the way that God loves each and every one of us. Some key points the Bible teaches about love is that LOVE:

Is patient,
Is kind,
Rejoices in the truth,
Always protects,
Always trusts,
Always hopes, and
Always perseveres.

If we FIRST consider each of these statements in light of God’s love for each and every one of us, we will feel humbled and honored by the unconditional love that God offers to each and every believer. Let us rejoice in His love and give Him praise and thanksgiving for it.

Now, we need to look at this truth in relation to how we act toward those whom we love. Do we display these traits with our relatives, our children, our friends? Do we give this kind of love unfailingly to our spouse? We need to take the time to meditate upon this from time to time to make any necessary adjustments to our thinking and our actions.

Let us follow the example that our Lord Jesus gave to us. He loved us so much that He sacrificed everything to reconcile each one of us back to a loving relationship with our heavenly Father God. Praise the Lord!

We Are Eternally Redeemed

It’s an interesting truth to realize that we are redeemed for all eternity! Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our own, personal Savior, He is committed to bringing us “to glory.” Let’s review some pertinent Scriptures:

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Heb 5:9 ESV)

Jesus became the SOURCE of eternal salvation to all who obey Him and follow Him.

For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest]. (Heb 2:10 AMP)

Jesus is committed to every believer, because He is perfectly equipped for His role as our High Priest.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he went into the Most Holy Place once for all and secured our eternal redemption. (Heb 9:12 ISV)

Jesus poured out His own, sacrificial blood upon the heavenly mercy set, in so doing has guaranteed our eternal redemption [salvation, deliverance, emancipation].

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Eccl 3:11 NIV, emphasis added)

God, our creator, has set eternity in the human heart. Even in our imperfect, human condition, we have an aversion to the concept of death. I believe this is due to the fact that we’ve been made in the image of God, who is an eternal being. Our human hearts, whether we know it or not, resonate with the concept of living eternally. Jesus has made that possible for us because He IS the SOURCE of our eternal salvation. Hallelujah!

Rejoice! Your Name is Written in Heaven

Are you aware that once a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior & Redeemer, their name is written in Heaven in the book of life? It’s a wonderful truth that is encouraging and enlightening.

Let’s see what the Bible says on this subject:

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. (Lk 10:20 NKJV)

Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Phil 4:3 NIV)

Everyone who has power and wins will wear white clothes. I will not take his name from the book of life. I will speak of his name before My Father and His angels. (Rev 3:5 NLV)

When your name is written in heaven in the book of life, it means that you can rest in your salvation. It doesn’t mean that you should allow yourself to get spiritually sluggish, though. We all need to grow and continue to mature in our spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. Several ways to do this are to:

read the Bible faithfully and regularly;
memorize and meditate upon Bible passages;
attend a fellowship of believers regularly to receive teaching from a Pastor and to be encouraged in your faith; and
turn to and trust the Lord in every life circumstance.

The fact that you—as a blood-washed believer—have authority over devils and demons should be a reality to you. It should not be something you take lightly or for granted, but something that is an established fact in your life and in your walk and in your talk. Meditate on the Scriptures that are the source of your authority in Jesus Christ. Don’t rejoice that demons are subject to you – but rejoice that you are washed in the blood of Jesus; that you are saved; that your name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life! (Source: https://www.revival.com/a/970-rejoice-that-your-name-is-written-in-the-lamb-s-book-of-life#gsc.tab=0)

Rejoice that you are born again and on your way to heaven for all eternity!

Our Heavenly High Priest

What is the role of a High Priest? In the Old Testament, the High Priest played a key role in the religious system of the Israelites. He was the intercessor between God and His people, acting as their representative before God. The priest offered sacrifices and gifts on behalf of the people to reconcile them to God.

Jesus Christ intercedes for every believer right now in the Heavenlies before the throne of God. Jesus offered the one, holy, perfect, righteous sacrifice of Himself to God the Father. Jesus Christ is the only human being who perfectly fulfilled the Law, and He accepted and experienced the punishment that every sinful human being deserves.

Then, to prove that He was righteous, Jesus rose from the dead and escaped the pains of hell. After some days on earth with His disciples, He ascended into Heaven to sit on the Heavenly throne that was prepared for Him, at the right hand of God.

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. (Lk 24:50-51 ESV)

In this Bible verse from Luke 24, above, we see Jesus ascending into Heaven, after He had risen from the grave.

After the Lord Jesus had said these things to the disciples, he was taken back up to heaven where he sat down at the right side of God. (Mk 16:19 CEV)

The gospel of Mark (above verse) testifies to the same truth.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us live our lives consistent with our confession of faith. (Heb 4:14 ISV) In the book of Hebrews, chapter 4, we’re reminded that Jesus, our High Priest, is in Heaven right now so that we may be filled with confidence and joy. Jesus always intercedes for us. This truth gives our faith and our lives stability and endurance. Thank You, Jesus!

God’s Mercy & Cleansing Power

Our topic today is about the mercy and cleansing power of our God and Savior. It’s an awe-inspiring subject. As always, let’s see what the Bible says about it.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (Ps 51:1-2 KJV)

Just as soap and water will remove dirt and stains, the powerful blood of Jesus has spiritual cleansing ability that blesses every believer. God’s forgiveness and cleansing power come through His mercy.

I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isa 44:22 ESV)

The above verse in Isaiah is the Lord speaking to His people. It is clear that God has the power to erase all evidence of our sins.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Joh 1:9 NASB)

The book of 1 John 1 reminds us that God cleanses us from ALL wrongdoing and sin. Again, we must remember that the Lord’s mercy has made everything available to the Christian.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us . . . (Eph 2:4 NKJV) God’s love has provided salvation, mercy, forgiveness, cleansing, and a multitude of other blessings upon us. Glory to God!

Don’t Repay Evil for Evil but Repay with a Blessing

Good day and welcome! We’re encouraged by the Scripture to avoid seeking revenge or holding a grudge.

God’s Spirit indwells each and every believer and follower of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit can be relied upon to lead us in the paths of righteousness and holiness.

Here are some Bible verses to consider on this subject:

Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good. (Ps 38:20 ESV)

When we follow after the Lord, we follow after and seek GOOD solutions and good outcomes. We choose to pursue the path of peace and not strife.

“You are not to seek vengeance or hold a grudge against the descendants of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (Lev 19:18 ISV)

We are reminded by the Lord to love our neighbor (which means: any other human being on earth) as we love ourselves.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. (1 Thes 5:15 NLT)

Rather than repaying evil for evil, we are urged to do good to each other and to all people. Only the grace of God, which He pours out upon us every day, enables us to follow the Lord’s teachings.

Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing; instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when he called you. (1 Pet 3:9 GNT)

Don’t repay cursing with cursing or wickedness with wickedness, but instead, respond with a blessing. Rely upon the grace of God.

Our Lord, who is holy, promised to give each one of us a blessing when He called us and introduced us to the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It’s for our benefit that we learn to control our emotions and our responses. Self-control is a genuine fruit of the Spirit. It is a privilege to serve the Lord, and to bring Him all of the glory and honor and the praise as we pursue righteous living through Jesus Christ. God bless you!

Jesus Knows the Father

This title may seem a little self-evident, but if you stop to think about it, it’s pretty meaningful. With human beings, not every son can say that he knows his father well, understanding their Dad’s nature, motivations, and ultimate plans. But Jesus did know all those things about His Father.

Let’s read what the Scriptures say about this subject:

. . . just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. (Joh 10:15 NASB)

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him. (Mt 11:27 NET)

Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. (Joh 17:25 NIV)

Jesus knows His Father so thoroughly and completely, that Jesus decided to come to earth in obedience to His Father’s plan of salvation for mankind.

Jesus became the perfect Lamb of God described in Revelation 13:8:

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8 NKJV)

John, the Baptist, also described Jesus eloquently in the Bible:

The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (Joh 1:29 NASB, emphasis added)

Jesus, our Savior, was destined to be the Savior who ‘takes away the sin of the world’ according to the Scriptures. He was even chosen before the world was made!

Christ was chosen before the world was made, but he was shown to the world in these last times for your sake. (1 Pet 1:20 NCV)

Not only did Jesus know His Father intimately, but He reveals His Father to each and every believer who accepts Jesus Christ as their own, personal Savior and Redeemer. Glory to God most High!

Living Through Christ

We live through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. When we accepted Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, He placed eternity in our hearts. Jesus is an eternal being and He shares His life with each and every believer.

God sent His Son to earth so that believers might learn to live through Christ.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (1 Joh 4:9 ESV)

As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. (Joh 6:57 NKJV)

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (1 Joh 5:11 NASB)

The life that we receive through Jesus Christ, and the life that resides in Him, is perfect and eternal life. It is a holy, just and righteous life.

As we feed upon the written Word of God (the Bible), and nurture our relationship with the Lord Jesus (the Living Word), we are learning and growing in maturity. We are growing in our capacity to live through Christ.

This is a worthwhile and valuable spiritual pursuit for every believer. May God give you wisdom, insight and revelation into this beautiful topic.

Approved by God

God has approved every believer: isn’t that a staggeringly beautiful thought? Approved means:

Accepted,
Favored, and
Supported.

Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. (Eccl 9:7 ESV)

In the above passage, we see that God has approved our eating our food and drinking our beverages with a merry heart. He approves this because He is the One who has blessed us with these gifts and blessings.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; ¹³moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the gift of God. (Eccl 3:12-13 NASB)

In this Bible selection above, the Lord agrees that there’s nothing better for us than to rejoice and to DO GOOD in our lives. The Lord also likes us to appreciate our food and drinks and to value our work and our jobs because they are gifts from God.

. . . but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts. (1 Thes 2:4 NET)

We have been approved (authorized and supported) by God to carry and to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout our lifetimes. We do this to please God, not people. We need to recognize that the Lord examines our hearts and will see clearly what our motives are for all of our actions. So, it’s important to have holy motivations for whatever we do in the Lord’s Name. Blessings upon you.

Receive and Accept One Another

Do you realize that the Lord Jesus has made every believer ‘accepted in the Beloved’? That means that you and I are:

Acknowledged,
Recognized and known,
Received,
Established, and
Understood—in Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer.

Let’s see what else the Bible has to say on this subject.

Those who receive you are also receiving me, and those who receive Me are receiving the one who sent Me. (Mt 10:40 CEB)

Whoever received and welcomes a believer, receives and welcomes the Lord Jesus as well as God the Father, who sent Jesus to earth.

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. (Joh 13:34 AMP)

Jesus has commanded all believers to ‘love one another.’ This is not a suggestion. It is very clear that believers should accept one another, and try to help and bless one another. We should never put any type of stumbling block in front of a brother or sister in Christ.

Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. (Rom 15:7 NKJV)

Just as our Lord and Savior has received and established each one of us, we should also do the same with one another in order to bring glory to God.

. . . having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Eph 1:5-6 NKJV, emphasis added)

It was the Lord’s good pleasure to make each one of us ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED, who is Jesus Christ our Savior. Hallelujah!

Now, turn with open arms and be a welcoming committee to others!

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