HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FIRST LOVE?

EVIDENCE YOU HAVE LEFT MY “FIRST LOVE” OF THE LORD

1) When you are unable to forgive another for offending you… 1 John 4:20 “If a man says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar…”

2) When you become complacent to sinful conditions around you… Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will wax cold.”

3) When you delight in someone or something else more than the Lord Mark 12:30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…”

4) When your soul does not long for rich fellowship in God’s Word and in conversation with Him. Mark 12:30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your…soul…”

5) When your thoughts are not centered upon the Lord. Mark 12:30 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your…mind…” Psalm 10:4 “The wicked…God is in none of his thoughts.”

6) When your life purpose or focus is no longer centered on His plans, purposes and pursuits…Mark 12:30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your…strength.”

7) When you give in easily to those things which you know displease the Lord. John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Both written & spoken)

8) When you do not willingly give to God’s work or invest in the needs of others. 1 John 3:17 “ Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion for him, how can the love of God dwell in him?”

9) When you do not view the commands of Christ as expressions of His love, instead as oppressive and restricting. John 14:21 “ He who has my commands and keeps them, it is he that loves me…”

10) When you strive for the recognition of the world rather than the approval of the Lord. 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If any man loves the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.”

IN LOVE WITH GOD!

Matthew 22: 37-38 "Jesus said to him, you shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."

The Bible plainly tells us that loving God is the greatest principle contained within it's pages. Loving God is the reason you were created. To live within a love relationship with Him is the highest of all life purpose and without this intimacy we will live a life that remains frustrated, meaningless, stagnant, empty and without purpose!

So many people do not know the very basics of Loving God. Let's keep in mind we are commanded (it's not optional) to love Him with "all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind." We are so often concerned that if we love God in this manner that we won't have any time or affections left for others in our lives. The opposite is true. We are told in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God "first" and the affairs of His "Kingdom" and "righteousness" then all the "things" of life are taken care of!

Let's think for a moment about some of the principles we employ when we set our affections on others close to us. If we apply these same tactics to our relationship with God, we will be off to a good start in loving Him, as well.

1) Set aside time to spend with Him. I remember when I first met my wife, Debbie, I believe that I invested enough in fuel taxes to repave all of Richie highway as I traveled back and forth between Pasadena & Annapolis. She became a priority on my daily schedule. it was amazing how much time I had for her when I re-prioritized my life and other interests. You cannot build a relationship by remaining separated or without spending good quality time together.
Time chatting while eating or riding down the road is good, but true intimacy only develops when our sole focus of the moment is on the one we love. Set two or three times a week, initially and have a date with God. Do not cancel, it may harm your relationship!

2) Good love relationships are not easy to develop. They take a lot of effort and good old fashioned work. "...Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 Another translation says He rewards those who "diligently seek Him." Sincerely seeking and diligently seeking, both speak of working to build relationship with God. After all the years of relationship with the world, it takes a concentrated effort to focus on God.

3) Communication is essential! Most of us have no problems bombarding God with our problems and needs, but when it comes to listening to his heart, we need to employ the skills the prophet Samuel learned. "...Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 1 Samuel 3:10

We need to learn to be open and honest with God (He knows all of our thoughts anyway), and we need to allow God to be open and honest with us! This is one of the biggest obstacles to developing intimacy with Him. We don't want to hear what He has to say and oftentimes when He does begin to speak into our hearts correction or conviction, we begin to shout Him down with our religious banter! Sometimes heart exchanges with our loved ones can be painful! However, if we wish the relationship to deepen these exchanges of truth need to be allowed in our time together.

4) We willingly and affectionately lay down our own self centered desires to reap a harvest of love from our loved one. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..." Ephesians 5:21 We become givers as a result of our new natures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ..." 2 Cor 5:17-18 We remain givers by the continual oversight and review of our will.We, as a result of our continued, deepening relationship with God, commence to take on the character and nature of God, Himself. " For God so loved the world, that he gave...: John 3:16

We too become givers as we spend time with Him.

5) We discover and share each others giftings and talents. The more time we spend in reading His Word and in discovery of His character and nature, the more we fall in love with Him. The more time we spend basking in His presence the more He begins to reveal Himself to us. (In our own relationships, we DO NOT reveal our innermost thoughts, impressions, motivations and desires to those who are mere acquaintances.)

When we first encounter a loved one , we simply "love" them based on first impressions and external observations. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to observe the intangibles which form the very foundation for any long lasting, intimate relationship. (loyalty, faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc...)The more you know Him, the more your heart goes out to Him and the deeper relationship you develop. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord..." 2 Peter 1:2

Here's the way it develops...
The More you know Him, the More you love Him!
The More you love Him, the more you trust Him!
The more you trust Him, the more you obey Him!

6) Finally as your intimacy progresses, you couple together to produce offspring.When you spend time with Him, you discover that His heart goes out for other hearts who desire to be with Him. 2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him."

His desire is that you remain so intimate and connected to Him (Two operating as one) that your life is filled with much fruit. John 15:5 in The Message says it this way. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. "

Then out of our Love relationship, and having laid down our own interests and desires, we begin to pursue the desires of His heart. We allow His Holy Spirit to influence others through our lives and the anointing which flows out of us. Out of His love for us and our love for Him, we obey Him and He manifests Himself to us and others.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21

Do we really love God with all all your heart, soul, strength and your mind, as He desires and commands?
I Think Not!

Let's begin or intensify (Whichever place you're at) the journey into the heart of God.
Begin Today.

DOING WHAT IS RIGHT!

JOHN 3:13-15 “Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John didn’t want to baptize him. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It must be done, because we must do everything that is right.” So then John baptized him.”

Many people believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about avoiding the pitfalls of going to hell. As we mature in Christ that focus eventually begins to turn towards an eye on heaven. In the Scripture above, Jesus is talking about the real reason for our existence on this earth…WALKING HOLY…Doing that which pleases our Father in heaven, because then He can direct and orchestrate a lifestyle that will demonstrate what He can accomplish with a man or woman who becomes totally committed to His way of living.

Jesus was to be baptized in order to fully commit his entire life; spirit, soul and body, to the Will of God forever! He was making a bold proclamation for all to hear. He had purposed in His heart to manifest the Righteousness of God in His life. In other words, he was going to manifest, or model, in this world the very Character and Nature of His Father.

Listen carefully…this is also your purpose as a Born Again Christian…to live a Holy life and model the Character of God to a hopeless, lost and dying world. Heaven and all the rewards are simply a natural outgrowth of this loving and obedient relationship in which we walk with Him.
Ephesians 4: 13-14 “until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. Then we will no longer be like children…”

The Words that Jesus spoke had a way about them that uncovered the soul of men. It didn’t matter whether He was speaking to the hardest of sinners or those who already followed Him, His Words stirred the hearts of men!
Matthew 22:33 “You serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
John 15:13 “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

These Words spoken as a result of the Father’s command uncovered the Character and nature of Almighty God so that man could love Him. The more you know God the more you are able to love Him! His grace and peace are multiplied many times over as we grow in the knowledge of Him. 2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord…”

His message was not simply a list of commands which demanded negative obedience or else. His Words were constructive and filled with positive righteousness. John 10:10 “I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly..”

He came to reveal a new Name for God. In the Old Testament the various Prophets called Him Jehovah, Yahweh, Warrior, healer, Righteousness, and Ruler of the Universe, but Jesus introduced Him as our FATHER! MATTHEW 6:32 “…for your heavenly Father knows that you need of all these things.”

Our goal in life is to be “mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.” Let His Words stir your heart today. Life was never meant to be boring or mundane. Every day is to be an adventure. Every moment is to bring a Divine Opportunity. Every encounter is to have Eternal significance. What a life He has given us!

In today’s text Jesus issues us a resounding challenge “…we must do everything that is right.” When you accept His grace to walk righteous and do that which is right (holy), He will grab hold of your heart and your life and you will be a tool in the Master’s hand!

Purpose in your heart and life right now to do “everything that is right!”

NUMBER ONE PRINCIPLE OF GOD!

Matthew 22: 37-38 "Jesus said to him, you shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

The Bible plainly tells us that loving God is the greatest principle contained within it's pages. Loving God is the reason you were created. To live within a love relationship with Him is the highest of all life purpose and without this intimacy we will live a life that remains frustrated, meaningless, stagnant, empty and without purpose!

So many people do not know the very basics of Loving God. Let's keep in mind we are commanded (it's not optional) to love Him with "all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind."

We are so often concerned that if we love God in this manner that we won't have any time or affections left for others in our lives. The opposite is true. We are told in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God "first" and the affairs of His "Kingdom" and "righteousness" then all the "things" of life are taken care of!

Let's think for a moment about some of the principles we employ when we set our affections on others close to us. If we apply these same tactics to our relationship with God, we will be off to a good start in loving Him, as well.

1) Set aside time to spend with Him. I remember when I first met my wife, Debbie, I believe that I invested enough in fuel taxes to repave all of Richie highway as I traveled back and forth between Pasadena & Annapolis. She became a priority on my daily schedule. it was amazing how much time I had for her when I re-prioritized my life and other interests. You cannot build a relationship by remaining separated or without spending good quality time together.

Time chatting while eating or riding down the road is good, but true intimacy only develops when our sole focus of the moment is on the one we love. Set two or three times a week, initially and have a date with God. Do not cancel, it may harm your relationship!

2) Good love relationships are not easy to develop. They take a lot of effort and good old fashioned work. "...Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 Another translation says He rewards those who "diligently seek Him." Sincerely seeking and diligently seeking, both speak of working to build relationship with God. After all the years of relationship with the world, it takes a concentrated effort to focus on God.

3) Communication is essential! Most of us have no problems bombarding God with our problems and needs, but when it comes to listening to his heart, we need to employ the skills the prophet Samuel learned. "...Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 1 Samuel 3:10

We need to learn to be open and honest with God (He knows all of our thoughts anyway), and we need to allow God to be open and honest with us! This is one of the biggest obstacles to developing intimacy with Him. We don't want to hear what He has to say and oftentimes when He does begin to speak into our hearts correction or conviction, we begin to shout Him down with our religious banter! Sometimes heart exchanges with our loved ones can be painful! However, if we wish the relationship to deepen these exchanges of truth need to be allowed in our time together.

4) We willingly and affectionately lay down our own self centered desires to reap a harvest of love from our loved one. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..." Ephesians 5:21 We become givers as a result of our new natures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ..." 2 Cor 5:17-18 We remain givers by the continual oversight and review of our will.

We, as a result of our continued, deepening relationship with God, commence to take on the character and nature of God, Himself. " For God so loved the world, that he gave...: John 3:16 We too become givers as we spend time with Him.

5) We discover and share each others giftings and talents. The more time we spend in reading His Word and in discovery of His character and nature, the more we fall in love with Him. The more time we spend basking in His presence the more He begins to reveal Himself to us. (In our own relationships, we DO NOT reveal our innermost thoughts, impressions, motivations and desires to those who are mere acquaintances.) When we first encounter a loved one , we simply "love" them based on first impressions and external observations. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to observe the intangibles which form the very foundation for any long lasting, intimate relationship. (loyalty, faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc...)

The more you know Him, the more your heart goes out to Him and the deeper relationship you develop. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord..." 2 Peter 1:2 Here's the way it develops...The More you know Him, the More you love Him!The More you love Him, the more you trust Him!The more you trust Him, the more you obey Him!

6) Finally as your intimacy progresses, you couple together to produce offspring.When you spend time with Him, you discover that His heart goes out for other hearts who desire to be with Him. 2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him." His desire is that you remain so intimate and connected to Him (Two operating as one) that your life is filled with much fruit. John 15:5 in The Message says it this way. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. "

Then out of our Love relationship, and having laid down our own interests and desires, we begin to pursue the desires of His heart. We allow His Holy Spirit to influence others through our lives and the anointing which flows out of us. Out of His love for us and our love for Him, we obey Him and He manifests Himself to us and others.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21

Do we really love God with all all your heart, soul, strength and your mind, as He desires and commands?

I Think Not!

Let's begin or intensify (Whichever place you're at) the journey into the heart of God.
Begin Today.

WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT?

Phil 3:8-9 “…all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him…”

There was a time in my life that, by the standards of the world, I pretty much had all that this world could offer. I had a house on the river, boats, toys, cars, women, money, party goods, parties, athletic abilities, awards, scholastic achievements and much more. I was not a happy person!

I began a personal journey to discover real happiness and satisfaction. I searched for it in every venue that this world has to offer without any success. You name it, I tried it! Each of those experiences simply left me empty and without meaning, purpose or personal fulfillment. Believe me when I say “I tried it all!”

As I observed others, to order to assist me in the discovery of what real life should be all about, I noticed a special group of people, who even though they weren’t exempt from the trials of life, lived life in a very vibrant sort of fashion. These people had a zest for life and compassion seemed to be the order of the day. They didn’t have to medicate to rest at night or to awake and face each new day. They always had a smile on their face, and it wasn’t the numb, contrived look that worldly people paint on each new morning.

As I began to dig around in their lives, I discovered that it wasn’t what they had accumulated in the way of material possessions, (Some had them, others didn’t) finances, conquests, business accolades or awards. They all had one thing in common…they had entered into a relationship with this one they called Jesus. One of these “weird” people introduced me to Him and that was all it took. John 10:10 “I came that you might have life (The God kind of Life) and live it more abundantly!”

Paul continues on in the next verse…Phillipians 3:9ff “ I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness. I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, and experience his resurrection power…”

This describes my life perfectly…I literally gave up on all that “inferior stuff” so that I could allow “His resurrection power…” to come into my life and bring me into the place where He could lead me into a life that brought me to the fulfillment of my dreams.

One by one, He began to transform the individual areas of my life that had suffered from a lack of life through His Resurrection Power! I challenge you today to allow Him to breathe fresh life back into the areas of your life that have fizzled & died...Relationship with God, Hopes, dreams, futures, finances, physical & emotional health, relationships, faith, ability to love others and yourself, purpose, sanity, marriage, feelings, temperance, and victory.

He is looking for relationship with you-not religion. Invite Him into the areas of your life today that are lifeless. Take a moment with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to be honest with you. Ask Him to show you the areas that need a dose of resurrection Power. When He reveals them to you…be honest with him and tell Him you need His Power to bring new life into that area!

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, Whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.” If you really desire from the depths of your heart, a fresh breath of Resurrection Power, He will give it to you!

“I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, and experience his resurrection power…” Phillipians 3:10

STUFF IS JUST STUFF NO MATTER HOW YOU DRESS IT!

THE SONFLOWER!

Sunflowers are amazing flowers. Have you ever considered that they grow larger and higher than all the other flowers in the garden?

Then they begin to unfold glorious yellow petals with a wealth of tightly packed seeds in their center...these seeds one day will feed birds, animals and people. They will also produce hundreds more sunflower plants.

Did you know that it is called the sunflower becuse of it's great love for the sun? After it grows tall enough to be free of the threat of any shade...it's face follows the course of the sun throughout the entire day...leaning and turning as it follows the course of the sun's circuit.
THE SUNFLOWER SEEKS TO BE AT ALL TIMES FULLY BATHED IN SUNLIGHT!

We need to follow the Lord(THE SON) the way the sunflower follows the sunshine. Seek Him First every morning and the last at night. Practice focusing on Him throughout the day!

THE SONFLOWER SEEKS TO BE AT ALL TIMES FULLY BATHED IN SONLIGHT!
Joh 8:12 ¶ Then Jesus said to them, "I am the light of the world: he that follows me will not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

His Promise here is this....That if we follow Him...hear His Word and do His Will...darkness will not overcome us...but our lives will be flooded with His Life...His truth...His directives...THE SON SHINING IN AND THOUGH OUR LIVES!

In order to grow above and beyond all of the other flowers(especially the weeds in life) we need to keep focused on the SONSHINE!

When we stay focused on the Son, then others can feed off of the fruit in our lives just like birds and animals feed off the Sunflower. We also produce other offspring for God as we plant our seeds into other peoples lives!

Follow the SON all day today!

CRAZY JOHN

Mark 1:6 “And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey...”

Crazy John…What kind of deacon Board would select John to be the preacher in their church today? His message was as rough as the clothing he wore. He preached a bold, uncompromised, simple message. “Repent, because God is arriving on the scene.” It didn’t matter to whom John was speaking, his message was always the same, “Repent!”

John never made a lot of friends but he did gain a lot of enemies and converts. Mark 1:5 “And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.” What was it about the crazy man, in the weird attire and the simple, but tough message, that pricked their hearts? Everything about him centered on his purpose and he lived right before their eyes. There was no preaching on message and living another in John’s life.

It has been said that you don’t have to live like the world to have an impact on the world. You don’t have to be like the crowd to change the crowd and you don’t have to lower yourself down to their level to lift them up to yours! I can tell you right now, that if you live like the world, they will have no respect for you or your message!

If you want to make a difference in the world, then live you life so that it lines up with Godliness. Let the world see a clear distinction in the way you live and they will listen to your message, just like they did to John. We call this living HOLY!

Be the person who doesn’t join in the gossip and the crude jokes.
Be faithful to your spouse.
Love your children enough to stand up for what is right and Godly. Exercise correction and punishment when necessary!
Be the employee who put’s in a full days work without complaining. Be the best you can be!
Be the neighbor who cares about the other neighbor. Listen to them. Love them and pray for them.
Be the Believer who refuses to take a drink in public necause it may confuse or offend those who view your life!
Respect the Sabbath and take time apart for the Lord and for your personal rest.
Be a Champion for the oppressed, bruised and crushed who live among us. Love always!
Refuse to compromise on Christ!
DO NOT SPEAK ONE MESSAGE AND LIVE ANOTHER!

What if John’s life had not lined up with the words he spoke? What if he had preached holiness and lived an immoral life? What if he preached repentance and away from the crowds he joined in with the worldly bunch and their questionable practices? If John’s life had not matched his message, they would never have listened to him!

Is there anything in your life that does not line of with God’s Word and Ways? If you live a Holy and Godly life, they will flock to you for help and meaning in life! Jesus said that we “… are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14

To call yourself a child of God is one thing. To be called a child of God by those who are watching our lives is another thing altogether! What are they secretly saying about you?

CHECK ME OUT LORD!

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

One of my Spiritual mentors taught me from the beginning, a very simple secret to walking closely with God. He taught me always to be honest with God and also to always let God be honest with me. I never had a problem with being honest with God because I knew that He already knew all about me. Job 21:27 “Behold, I know your thoughts…” Psalm 94:11 “The LORD knows the thoughts of man…” It was easy for me to be honest with Him because He was the one that I could not fool. Knowing that, it was easy for me to bare my soul, openly share my feelings with Him, and expose my weaknesses, inabilities and insufficiencies.

This was a safe place to be, because I knew He cared for me even when I was a miserable sinner, desperately seeking satisfaction everywhere else but the source. Romans 5:8 “But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” If you have never realized this fact, it’s time to have a heart to heart conversation with the One Who formed you and called you into existence. He desires for you to unload your burdens, trials and tribulations on Him! His heart calls out to yours, “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me… and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

His heart speaks that if we simply come to Him, He will give us rest. In addition, if we hitch (yoke) ourselves to Him and His Promises, we will find rest for our souls as well. (Our minds, emotions, imaginations, intellect, etc.) Today spend time with him and see His love and peace flowing into your being.

That part of the deal is pretty easy; but now it’s time to get on with the difficult part. For me, it was not easy to allow God to be honest with me, because then the enemy of my soul would always trick me into thinking that God was harping on all of my imperfections. I would thank Him, Praise Him, and Worship into His Presence and every time I would stop to hear His response and allow Him to speak into my life, He would tell me of His great love, care and desire to provide for me. I could listen to that all day long, but then He wanted to get even more honest and would focus my attention on an area of my life that needed cleaning up.

Precisely, at that point in the conversation, I would begin to shout Him down with praise or something like it. When he started to get real with me about me, I did not want to hear it! When I was young, I was taught that God was simply a matter of “You can’t do this. You can’t do that. You won’t do this and you won’t do that. You don’t do this and you don’t do that.” No more commandments from anyone, even God! Then I experienced a breakthrough! I discovered that His Commandments were not a burden; BUT A BREAKTHROUGH! 1John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

I discovered that in these quiet times when I allowed Him to speak to me, my faith came alive. (Romans 10:17) In these times of quiet, He would reveal Himself and His ways to me.(Psalm 46:10) His still small voice would speak to me and inject His Life into the darkest of my circumstances. His Word sprung forth in healing for my body and soul in these precious moments when I listened. (Proverbs 4:20-22) The directives, corrections and orchestrations He gave me in those quiet times literally revolutionized my life. (Proverbs 3:6, Matthew 4:4)

Go ahead Lord, Have your way! “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:24 When He points out that which offends Him, He is seeking only your good. His desire is that you would respond in loving obedience and be led along the “path of everlasting life.”

It is no coincidence that you have two ears and only one mouth. You should listen to the Voice of God twice as much as you speak to Him! How about right now! Listen to Him and allow Him to be honest with you! It’s for your own good! Thanks Pastor Anthony Spero for one of the many times you’ve been used by the Holy Spirit to change my life!

THE MOST POWERFUL FORCE IN THE UNIVERSE!

The Bible says that we live and exist by faith. (Hebrews 10:38, Galatians 3:11, Romans 1:17) The Bible goes on to state that faith works, or is fueled and energized by love. (Galatians 5:6) Ephesians 4:15 proclaims that we should always speak the truth encapsulated in the attitudes and actions of love. 1 John 4:18 instructs us that perfect love, or love that is mature, casts out and destroys all fear.

Isn’t it amazing that the force of love can literally drive all fear out of our lives? We all know about the Biblical characteristics of Hope and Faith, but the Bible declares that Love is a greater force! “These are the three things that will endure; faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love” 1 Corinthians 13:13 Love is a more powerful force than Faith. Without love, your faith has no power!

Paul tells us that you can prophesy and speak in tongues; have the greatest understanding of all the mysteries and knowledge of God; have the highest level of faith possible; do some of the greatest works for God; If you don’t have love…they all amount to nothing! 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

The most powerful force in the universe will never fail you! The perfect way to success in all that we do is specified in 1 Corinthians 13:8. “Love never fails…” Nothing will affect your own life and touch people more deeply than the Love of God flowing through you.

We are commanded to love God, self, family, friends, neighbors and enemies. (Those who have hurt you!) “That’s impossible!” you say! In our own ability, it is impossible.

Now here’s where the real problem begins…Attempting to love others with the limited, imperfect love we already have, will never get the job done, either to our satisfaction or to God’s. Jesus said in John 15:5 “Apart from me you can do nothing.” You will never be able to love anyone according to the definition assigned love in 1 Corinthians 13, unless you are loving them with the Love of God; not your own ability!

Catch this…. YOU CAN NOT GIVE WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE!

How can I love with the Love of God? Good question! It all begins with knowing the source of Gods Love; what God’s Love really is; and how to release the Love of God through your life!

The first step in walking in the most powerful force in the universe is confessing your own inability to love like He commands.

Paul recognizes this truth when he proclaims “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 1 Corinthians 12:9 Paul recognized that when he would begin to confess his own inabilities, the Ability of God could begin to take over!

Jesus confirmed this Spiritual principle when He began His sermon on the beatitudes with the following declaration. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:5 Those who recognized their own inabilities became the perfect candidates for an infilling of the Presence and Power of God!

Tell Him right now that you are unable to Love like He wants you to. Tell Him you need His Love flowing out of you, and watch what He will begin to do. If you will begin today, you will access the most powerful force in all the universe; the very essence of God Himself, on your behalf!

Next Blog: What is Love really like? Where do I begin?

FOR MEN ONLY! It's OK for ladies to peek.

WE have a responsibility to lead the congregation into the Presence of the Lord…to be bold and unashamed in undertaking this leadership role. People will never rise above the level of their leadership. God has given us that role and right now He is calling us to lead others into the presence of the Lord…

In this time..what could be more important than resting in His presence and His might?

2 Samuel 6 speaks …

¹Then David mobilized thirty thousand special troops. He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring home the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals....

12 So David went there and brought the Ark to the City of David with a great celebration…. ¹⁴And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly tunic.(Linen undergarment) So David and all Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with much shouting and blowing of trumpets.

¹⁶But as the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she was filled with contempt for him….

²⁰When David returned home to bless his family, Michal came out to meet him and said in disgust, “How glorious the king of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the servant girls like any indecent person might do!”

²¹David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD. So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the LORD. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, but I will be held in honor by the girls of whom you have spoken!” ²³So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her life

David knew what was the most important calling in His life…to restore the Presence to the people. He was not ashamed…He proclaimed that if others thought he was a fool…then let them think that. WHO CARES what other people think. It’s what God thinks that matters. In times of crisis they will come to those who are fools in and for Christ!

Jesus said Mt 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”

I think it’s time we start a revolution! Let’s get violent in the Spirit of God. Stop fearing man and what they think and start fearing God!

Let’s start killing the flesh (self) and all of it’s self centered desires!

Let’s put God’s priorities first!

Let’s begin to praise God unashamedly…out loud…in front of the congregation!

Let’s lead them into the presence of God!

Let’s begin to pray what God speaks to us to birth into this earth and it’s sickened atmosphere!

Let’s begin to recapture our families by pursuing God first!

Let’s begin to connect with other Christian men and use them as accountability partners!

Let’s get holy!

Let’s read our Bibles like never before!

Let’s believe our Bibles like never before!

Let’s act on the commands and promises contained in our Bibles!

Let’s pursue the knowledge of God like never before!

Let’s obey God like never before!

Let’s love our spouses like never before!

Let’s Love our children like never before1

Let’s clear away the meaningless things of this world and allow time for Kingdom work!

Let’s re-establish our priorities and put Him & His Kingdom first!

Let’s actually love (sacrifice) our neighbors like never before!

Let’s get involved in Kingdom work!

Let’s get involved in other people’s lives, hurts & problems!

Let’s be bold as lions because we are righteous!

Let’s release the power and authority of God!

Let’s get to Church a half hour early and get our spirits & the environment ready for His appearance!

Can I count on YOU to get violent?

Rest in His Presence!

LIVING EPISTLE?

2 Corinthians 3:2 “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men…”

People are watching the way you act and live more than listening to the words you are speaking .

There is a story told of Saint Francis of Assisi as he invited one of the novice monks to accompany him into town to preach. Obviously the novice was excited to have the opportunity to hear the revered Francis preach. The two walked throughout the town visiting main streets and back streets along the way. They conversed with assorted street vendors and standard citizens along the way and after having spent a good portion of the day mingling with the citizenry, they headed back to the abbey.

Upon their return, they younger man reminded Francis that he had neglected to preach while in town. Francis replied. “My son, we have preached. We have been seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. Our attitudes were closely measured. Our words have been overheard. It was by these that we preached our sermons.”

Jesus said that “You are the light of the world!” Matthew 5:14 If you want to make a difference in your life, begin with living a holy life. Live a life that is set apart and dedicated to living as an Ambassador of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Be Faithful to, and honor your spouse.
Be the one at your job who always gives their best, doesn’t cheat and refuses to complain!
Be a neighbor who is loving and caring.
Pay your bills.
Don’t get involved in crude jokes or obscene movies and entertainment.
Refuse to be under the influence of anything other than the Holy Spirit.
Don’t speak one message and live another.
Keep the Lord’s day as a special day.
Live a life of integrity and keep your word.
Invest in other’s lives.
Spend time in the presence of the Lord so you go into the world with His Power and Wisdom.

Take a few moments today, and reflect on your lifestyle. What is the epistle of your life, telling others about Jesus?

WHEN YOU ARE IN LOVE...

Mark 12:30 “And you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.”

I’m sure that each of you reading these thoughts today has been in love, in some form or other. The command that is above all commands that God has given us, is to love Him. Hosea 6:6 in one translation states it this way. “I don’t want your sacrifices, I want your love. I don’t want your offerings, I want you to know me.” TLB. Matthew 6:33 summarizes the benefits associated with our putting God first in our lives. “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”

In summary, here is what God says about the way it works… "I have created you to know Me and to love Me. If you will make our love relationship first in your life, I will provide everything for you!” Such an awesome deal for us… our response should be, “We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

The question then remains to be answered… “How do we love someone?”

When you love someone you want to be with them all the time. Everywhere they go you want to go with them and wherever you go you feel empty unless they go too!

The object of our love consumes our thoughts. We can’t get them off our minds. We have reminders, love letters and pictures hanging all over our home. Maybe their favorite perfume is still clinging ever so slightly on your shirt where they last hugged you. Somehow that shirt doesn’t make it to the laundry so soon.

We purposely arrange to spend time with them. Perhaps a quick, unexpected visit to their office, or a thirty minute drive to their apartment just to say good night. You have to remember those days. When I first met my wife, I spent enough money in gasoline taxes, just driving back and forth between Pasadena and Annapolis to repave Richie Highway.

We are intentional in communicating with them. We spend hours on the smallest things; favorite colors, foods and hobbies. We explore their dreams, goals, fears and strengths. We talk. We listen, and share each other’s hearts. When we first fall in love, we really display the art of listening, because we care what they think and we want to hear it again and again.

The relationship begins to develop and we put them first; their wants, needs, and desires are our first and foremost goals. Our needs and desires become secondary and just don’t seem so important anymore. It’s all about the one we love!

We think of them the first thought in the morning, and often go to sleep with their name the last word on our breath. Multiple times throughout the day, just the passing thought is enough to lift us out of the doldrums of the day and motivate us to finish the day strong.

When we love someone, we actually do the things they like to do. I don’t like chick flicks, but every once in a while, I’ll fight my way through one, just to pleasure my wife! It’s the little things!

We are liberal in our spending when we first meet the “One.” It doesn’t matter how much, we are willing to spend what it takes to capture their heart. We tell everyone we know about the new person in our lives. We describe them in poetic terms, full of romance and adventure. All of our conversations revolve around the one we have chosen to love.

By now I’m sure you have the picture. Go back and review everything about loving someone and maybe even add some of your own thoughts in the comment section.

The question is, “Do you love Jesus?” I know we used to, especially when we first met Him in all His radiant glory. Is it any wonder that we continue to struggle in the daily affairs of our lives? He said “IF we loved Him first, He would take care of everything!” Matthew 6:33

If we have lost our first love and are treating the relationship with him on a casual basis; hot and cold; taking Him for granted; ignoring the reason for our creation, relationship with Him, then here is what He wants you to know right now. Revelation 2:4-5 “Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works…”

Jesus is saying “GO BACK TO THE BASICS...THE THINGS YOU DID WHEN YOU FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH ME. RECAPTURE THE LOVE…THE FIRST LOVE!” It’s a great day to rekindle your first love with Jesus…He’s waiting for you! Re-read the basics above and get started again!

The Love of Jesus to all of you!