In love with you...

Isn't it good to know that even when we don't love with a perfect love, Jesus does? Flat out from work but on my book mark it wrote: But seek first His kingdom & His righteousness, & ALL these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 Just blog on, leave the work for just a moment...

When it comes to love, feeling rule the day. Emotions guide the ship. Goose bumps call the shots. But should they? Can feelings be trusted? Can a relationship feel right but be wrong? Heads are nodding. A single mum is nodding. A college kid with a broken heart is nodding. Feelings can fool you. Teenage girl who is puzzled by the lack of feelings she has for a guy. Before they started dating, she was wild about him. The minute he showed interest in her, however she lost interest...ever been there?

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth" 1 Cor. 13:6 [NIV] In this verse lies a test for love. Do I encourage this person to do what is right? For true love "takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth" 1 Cor. 13:6 [JB]. If you find yourself prompting evil in others, heed the alarm. This is not love. And if others prompt evil in you, be alert. Check the room key.

Classic example. A young couple are on a date. His affection goes beyond her comfort zone. She resists. But he tries to persuade her with the oldest line in the book: "But I love you. I just want to be near you. If you loved me..." That siren you hear? It's the phony-love detector. This guy doesn't love her. He may love having sex with her. He may love her body. He may love boasting to his buddies about his conquest. But he doesn't love her. True love will never ask the "beloved" to do what her or she thinks is wrong. Love doesn't tear down the conviction of others. Quite contrary. "Love builds up" 1 Cor. 8:1 "Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light & will not cause anyone to stumble" 1 John 2:10

Love never celebrates misfortune. You know your love is real when you weep with those who weep & rejoice with those who rejoice. You know your love is real when you feel for others. Real love changes people. Didn't God's love change you? Weren't you, like the prisoner, blind? You couldn't see beyond the grave. You couldn't see your purpose in life until He showed you. And you couldn't hear either. Oh, your ears functioned but, your heart didn't understand. You'd never heard of such love & kindness, & you never would have heard of it, but God spoke in your language. And, most of all, He set you free. You are free! Free to run away. Free to harden your heart. Free to duck down side streets & hide behind trash cans. But you don't. Or if you do, you come back. Why? Because you've never been loved like this before...

And does Christ rejoice when you do what is right? Certainly. "The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love" Psalm 147:11 [NIV] Does He weep when you do? Absolutely! He is the "God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times 2 Cor. 1:3-4 [MSG]. Do you want to know what love is? "This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God's love for us in sending his Son to be the way to take away our sins" 1 John 4:10 Isn't that good news?!!

When it comes to love:

Be careful: Make sure you're in the right hotel. Before you walk down the aisle, take a good long look around. Make sure this is God's intended place for you. And, if you suspect it isn't, get out. Don't force what is wrong to be right. And until love is stirred, let God's love be enough for you. There are seasons when God allows us to feel the frailty of human love so we'll appreciate the strength of His love. David wrote these words in the desert: "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you...My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods." Psalm 63:3,5 [NIV]

Be prayerful: What if it's too late? Specifically, what if we're married to someone we don't love - or who doesn't love us? Many choose to leave. That may be the step you take. But if it is, take at least a thousand others first. And bathe every one of those steps in prayer. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Ask Christ to help you love as He loves. "God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with His love" Roman 5:5 [CEV]. Ask everyone you know to pray for you. Your friends. Your family. Your church leaders. Get your name on every prayer list available. And, most of all, pray for &, if possible, with your spouse. Ask the same God who raised the dead to resurrect the embers of your love.

Be grateful: Be grateful to those who love us. Be grateful for those who have encouraged us to do what is right & applauded when we did. Do you have people like that in your World? If so, you are doubly blessed. Be grateful for them. And be grateful for our Father in Heaven. He passes the test with ease.

Christ always nourishes what is right. He always applauds what is right. He has never done wrong, led one person to do wrong, or rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For He is love, & love "does not rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For He is love, love "does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. 1 Cor. 1:6 [NASB].

Inspired by:

Max Lucado & a dear sister in Christ

H2O vs. Jesus Love

H2O the Chemical representation for Water. No one really know how much water is there on earth. We use it, depend upon it, would perish without it...but measure it? We can't. Ever thought about it before you drink a glass of water...

H2O bring to mind another unmeasured pool? It might. Not a pool of water but a pool of love. God's love. Aquifer fresh. Pure as April snow. One swallow slackens the thirsty throat & softens the crusty heart. Immerse a life in God's love, & watch it emerge cleansed & changed. We know the impact of God's love. But the volume? No person has ever measured it. I failed to measure it during my recent weeks of trials where Christ embraces me with His love daily...

Want to see the size of God's love? "Ascend the winding path outside of Jerusalem. Follow the dots of bloody dirt until you crest the hill. Before look up, pause & hear me whisper, "This is how much I love you."

Whip-ripped muscles drape His back. Blood rivulets over His face. His eyes & lips are swollen shut. Pain rages at wildfire intensity. As He sinks to relieve the agony of His legs, His airway closes. At the edge of suffocation, He shoves pierced muscles against the spike & inches up the cross. He does this for hours. Painfully up & down until His strength & our doubts are gone...

Does God love you? Behold the cross & behold your answer. God the Son died for you. Who could have imagined such a gift? The though that Abba in Heaven will give anything moved me daily from fear to joy. I pray for Christ's ways to be in me daily. "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; & walk in love, just as Christ also loved you & gave Himself up for us, an offering & a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." Eph 5:2 [NASB] What species of devotion is this? Find the answer under the category "unfailing". The holiness of God demanded a sinless sacrifice, & the only sinless sacrifice was God & the Son. And since God's love never fails to pay the price, Christ did. God loves you with an unfailing love...

What would lead God to do something greater? Love. Trace the greatest action of God to the greatest attribute of God - His love. "It's not about me." If it's not about me, does God care for me? God's priority is His glory. He occupies center stage; I carry props. He's the message; I'm but a word of His love? No doubt. Do you really want the World to revolve around you? If it's all about you, then it's all up to you. Your Daddy rescues you from such a burden. While you are valuable, you aren't essential. You're important but no indispensable. Still don't think that's good news?

Our Father knows our limitations. He's well aware of our weaknesses. You can no more die for your own sins than you can solve World hunger. And, according to Him, that's fine. The World doesn't reply on us, yet God loves us too much to say it's all about you. He keeps the cosmos humming. We sprinkle sawdust on oil spots & thank Him for the privilege. We don't know what it takes to run the World, & wise are we who leave the work to His hands. To say that "It's not about you" is not to say you aren't loved; quite contrary. It's because Abba loves us that it's not about us!

And, oh, what a love this is. It's "too wonderful to be measured" Eph 3:19 [CEV] But though we cannot measure it, may I urge you to trust it? Some of us are so hungry for such love. Those who should have loved you didn't. Those who could have loved you wouldn't. We were left at the hospital. Left at the altar. Left with an empty bed. Left with a broken heart. Left with your question, "Does anybody love me?" Please listen to heaven's answer. As you ponder Him on the cross, hear Jesus assure, "I do". Amen?!

When it comes to water, we'll find the limit. But when it comes to His love. We never will...

Inspired by:

Max Lucado

The Tongue Is a Fire

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have it's perfect result, so that you may be perfect & complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-3 [NASB] For the past few weeks, our family have been encountering various trials after my younger sister was discharged from the hospital, I watched her going through painful medical tests, I felt deeply hurt in my heart, though I put up a strong face. The doctor will review her, this coming Tuesday, 3rd of October, pray with us for the good news that we expect to hear & thank all of you for the prayers that comfort us through...

I never thought I will be unwell but near to 2 weeks ago, out of a sudden night, I went on high fever & flu. The physician diagnosed me as viral flu, kept me at very high dose of anti-biotic. I went back to the same physician twice with really bad tummy pain & I was diagnosed with Viral & Stomach flu that takes 2 to even 4 weeks to recover. Problems arise from work, I have to bear with my pain to bring my sister for medical checkups, and I would say it is one of the biggest trials I endured so far this year. The stomach flu, viral infection, my sister complex medical conditions are simply pure deceptions of satan as in the book of James, we are promised, endurance have it's perfect result, so that we may be perfect & complete, lacking nothing! No medical! No financial lack! Complete as Jesus said it is finished! Amen?!

I want to share a short testimony surely it will bless you: I was fellowshipping with a sister in Christ over a conversation. I can't clearly remembered how we hit on the topics on installing air-conditioners at home as Singapore is a hot & humid country, her mum objected it for years as she thought the condensing unit for the air-conditioners will be near her room, the noise will affect her. We pray about it and a few days later, her mum actually suggested getting air conditioner units for the house! Halleluiah! When we speak, Jesus is in our midst as He said when two or more are gathered, my presence will be felt! It is written in the Bible as well, when two shall agrees, it shall happen on earth as it is in Heaven. Godwyn, so what's the big deal? The 'big deal': our God we serve is a good God who can do the impossible! If you are praying, pray big as we are children of most high God, Jesus will make it happen, at the right time, right place...Amen?!

Let's go into the words of God. Remember the two criminals on the cross with Jesus? One of them punches on Christ: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself & us!" The words thrown that day were meant to wound. And there is nothing more painful than words meant to hurt. That is why James called the tongue the fire. Its burns are every bit as destructive & disastrous as those of a blow touch. I'm not telling you anything new. No doubt you've had your fair share of words that wound. Perhaps the words were intended to hurt you, perhaps not; but that doesn't matter. The wound is deep. The injuries are internal. broken heart, wounded pride, bruised feelings.

Or it maybe your wound is old. Though the arrow was extracted long ago, the arrowhead is still lodged...hidden under your skin. The old pain flares unpredictably & decisively, reminding you of harsh words yet forgiven. If you have suffered or are suffering because of someone else's words, you'll be glad to know that there is a balm for this laceration. Meditate on Words from 1 Peter 2:23

When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; When He suffered, He made no threats, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Did you see what Jesus did not do? He did not retaliate. He did not bite back. He did not say, "I'll get you" "come on up here & say that to my face!" "Just wait until resurrection, Buddy!" No, these statements were not found on Christ's lips. Did you see What Jesus did do? He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. Or said more simply, He left the judging to God. He did not take on the task of seeking revenge. He demanded no apology. He hired no bounty hunters & sent out no posse. He, to the astounding contrary, spoke on their defense. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing"...

Yes, the dialogue that Friday morning was bitter. The verbal stones meant to sting. How Jesus, with a body wracked with pain, eyes blinded by His own blood, & lungs yearning for air, could speak on behalf of some heartless thus is beyond my comprehension. Never, never have I seen such love. If ever a person deserved a shot at revenge, Jesus did. But He didn't take it. Instead He died for them. How could He do it? I don't know. But I do know that all of a sudden my wounds seem very painless. My grudges & hard feelings are suddenly childish...

Sometimes I wonder if we don't see Christ's love as much in the people He tolerated as in the pain He endured. Amazing Grace...

Inspired by:

Max Lucado