Ameliorations 1.0

In 1 Cor 13:13 we are told what the greatest of the three most precious gifts are, but do we really live a life that expresses that gift in all the fullness that it entails?

I can honestly say I don’t. There was a time where I would have said, yes, I love everyone equally. That just isn’t true anymore, if it was ever true then. Should I love everyone equally? Yes. The Bible is very clear on the matter. Christ himself said that you should love your neighbor as yourself. Your neighbor, of course, isn’t just the person who lives next to you. As we see in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), your neighbor is the person who is going to be there for you in your time of need. Christ called on the person who questioned him, once he had answered the question of who the neighbor was, to go and do the same (Luke 10:36-37).

I believe that is the kind of love that is being spoken of in 1 Cor 13. Let’s examine the passage verse by verse.

1 Cor 13:1

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. (NKJV)

You could be full of any of the spiritual gifts, but if you are not teaching out of love you’re doing nothing more then committing recital of facts. In this verse, Paul is using exaggeration and symbolism (sounding brass or a clanging symbol were tools of the Corinthians former pagan worship) to make the following point: Those gifts are useless if there isn’t love. I don’t believe Paul to be talking about human love, but the love God showed us when he allowed his Son to become a sacrifice to wash our sins away. A love for his Creation that continues to stay his wrath at our sin. If you have love, than all that you do is blessed and those who receive from you are blessed.

1 Cor 13:2

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, an though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Here Paul alludes to Christ’s telling the disciples that if you even have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can tell the mountains to move and they will (Matthew 17:20). Can you imagine what could be done if you had all faith (and not just the faith the size of a mustard seed)? Yet Paul lets us know that without love, we are nothing.

1 Cor 13:3

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Here Paul is talking about charity, the gift of giving to others because God has blessed you with possessions. You can give what you have to feed or clothe others, you can make yourself a sacrifice for someone else, but if you do this without love what good is it? The next several verses show what love isn’t and go back to the first three verses as further illustration of why without love, whatever you do is of no value.

1 Cor 13:4-7

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in inequity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Long suffering, not envious, is not prideful, is not rude, is not self-important, isn’t angered, has no evil thoughts, only rejoices in truth and not in misfortune, has the strength to make it through any trial, is trusting, hopeful and enduring. That’s the kind of love Christ showed for us, the kind of love God and Christ are still showing for us every single moment of our lives. Maybe you don’t believe in God, or are angry at Him for some reason.That’s ok. He still loves you and wants you to be with Him in eternity. This is the kind of love Paul is talking about here.

1 Cor 13:8

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, the will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Whoa. Hold on a minute. Aren’t those all gifts from God? Yes, they are. Eventually though, there will be no need for them. According to the NKJV Study Bible from Thomas Nelson, the Greek for will fail and will vanish are both translated as meaning something will happen to cause them to stop, while no external cause is indicated for the cessation of speaking in tongues. What does this all mean? Simply enough, while all other spiritual gifts will cease to be needed, love will always be needed so God himself made sure it would never cease. If you have a true, Godly love in your life, you can count on it always being there. Even past death. It was Christ’s love for God, and God’s love for Man, that allowed Christ to conquer death. I’m choked up just thinking about how powerful that sort of love is and how much I want all of that sort of love that He will give me.

1 Cor 13:9-10

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

Here Paul gives us an explanation of the previous verse. We know in part and we prophesy in part. Yes, God gives us those gifts, but he only reveals as much as we need to know to grow closer to Him, to grow in faith. Paul also teaches that, when that which is perfect has come, when Christ comes again all that was only partial will be taken away because then all will be revealed and made known. Such partial knowledge will no longer be needed. We know that Christ will come again because He has already said so. We know that God, and in turn Christ, has kept all of his promises already. It is faith with which we trust in Him to continue to keep his promises and this is no different. Christ will come again. When that time comes, all that God had planned will be revealed to us in His perfect knowledge.

1 Cor 13:11

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

I believe this to be one of the more important passages in this short chapter. Here Paul is calling us, I believe, to stop acting like children and to start acting like adults, at least spiritually. When we were kids, it was okay to be naive, but as we mature into adults we need to start growing in understanding.

1 Cor 13:12

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Verse 12 gives us further explanation on 11. Paul most likely is alluding to the Word of God when he speaks of seeing in a mirror while letting us know that it is only a pale reflection of full understanding (which comes when we meet God Himself). He reiterates in the next part of the verse. Right now even he (like us) knows only in part but when Christ comes again and we meet God face to face we will know as fully as God already knows us. All will be revealed.

1 Cor 13:13

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

My favorite verse in this chapter, Paul tells us that we need all three to grow in God and that we should abide (or to stand fast; remain; go on being or to stay; reside (in or at)) in faith, hope, and love. They are all important. Without faith we wouldn’t have our relationship with Christ and God. Without hope, there would be nothing to look forward to. The reason for love is explained previously. His final remark on love is that it is indeed the greatest of those three. Without love there would be no faith. Without love there would be no hope. It doesn’t take faith to believe in evil. It doesn’t take hope to await destruction. Love overcomes evil. It overcomes even death. So what good is faith and hope without love? None at all. It is faith in God that saves, and love that enables us to imitate him.

Remember, God’s two greatest commandments were about love (You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your being and you shall have no other gods before Him and you shall love your neighbor as yourself). Yet over 2,000 years after Christ’s ultimate act of love (which was several hundred years after the Ten Commandments were handed down) we still have trouble expressing this sort of love to each other (I’m just as guilty at times, after all, only Christ is perfect).

Technorati Tags: religion, hope, love

Current Mood:  accomplished

Is it possible to talk about God and Christ and the Holy Spirit and the truth of their existence without being a witness to their glory? Without reaffirming our faith in Him? NO! And that is as it should be! If you are just arguing for arguments sake then it is nothing but division and that is not what we are called to do, that is not what God wants! He wants us all to be of one mind, one body through Him so that in us all good works may be done! Praise Jesus’ name!

Romans 16:17-18 “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Do not force your beliefs on anyone, though. We do not need to harden their hearts to a message that the Spirit might lead someone to give to them when the time is right. If you find yourself unable to witness directly to an unbeliever because their hearts are hardened to the message, then the best thing we as Christians can do is to truly live as Christ intended us for that is the greatest witness of all! If they see us living what they preach and see our passion and see our utmost devotion to the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ and it will give the Spirit a chance to soften their hearts to the message and bring them to salvation! We cannot do this if we divide. We cannot do this in the flesh but only in the Word!

Galatians 5:16 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Live by example so that the world may see that we are really who we say we are and give God all due glory and praise! I pray that I can live that life and be that example for I have been down the broad path, I was heading down the road to destruction and GOD saved me! I knew the wretchedness that was my life and I hated it, but I didn’t know what else to do because all that time I spent as a Catholic, no one told me what I needed to do to be saved. No one told me that baptism was just an outward sign of an inward change (how can a babe change when all a babe knows to do is to eat and defecate and be taken care of)! No one told me that partaking in communion was more then just a ritual to celebrate the Lord’s last supper with his followers! Sure they showed me in the bible, and I went to Sunday school to learn this, but I had no /understanding/! It took 8 years as an dissatisfied heathen and 3 years of looking for a new home in the Church (I mean as part of the body of Christ) to finally get that understanding! Along the way I made many mistakes and got discouraged more then once. I even tried killing myself because I felt worthless and alone, but God had other plans for me. He saved me from myself, but even then I didn’t fully understand.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 “See that no one renders evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”

Philippians 2:12-18 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”

Now hear I am, sharing my faith with others, but only as I am led (like I am now) by the Spirit to do so.

I love you, my friends. My prayer for who are saved is that you aren’t discouraged by the enemy, for he is attacking us all. He still attacks me, probably even more after these next few days are past, but I have the tools with which to rebuke him and send him running! Everything I need is in the HOLY BIBLE, the greatest book ever given to man kind. All I need to do is believe and to study the word and be ready to be corrected and accept that correction with the same grace that Christ has shown me. After all, I am just flesh and blood and prone to mistake. A wretched, sinful creature who doesn’t deserve the salvation I have been given!

2 Corinthians 1:5-7 “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.”

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

I love you, my friends. My prayer for those who aren’t saved is that the Holy Spirit moves in your hearts when the Lord is ready to reveal Himself to you. I pray that when he does you do not harden your hearts but welcome him wholeheartedly! The price to pay for choosing non-belief or just rejecting salvation is too great. I want to see you all in heaven, I want to see you with all the saints and martyrs and prophets! How great it would be, a giant block party with one object in mind of giving praise to the One True God!

Romans 5:1-11 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinner, Christ died for us. Much more hen, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, whe shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

I believe the most important part of that verse is the following:

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Can you imagine that? It’s hard isn’t it, but the reward of following Christ is worth it all.

Acts 2:21 “And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.”

I love you, my friends. My prayer for all of you is that we meet in heaven and have the greatest time worshiping God and fellowshipping with all the other believers from the time the world was created until the end times when God passes his final judgement on the world and sends Satan to hell to burn there for his crimes against God along with all the unrepentant heathens. Don’t be separated from God. Don’t choose eternal separation from the Creator of all that is good and whole and just. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Technorati Tags: religion, faith

Current Mood:  accomplished

I know I don’t write in this very much these days, with my attention being drawn to Facebook, Twitter and Evony I leave very little time for this blog.

Now though something better then any website has come along that is taking even more of my attention and time, and that’s my renewed relationship with God and Jesus Christ, my personal Lord and Savior. I recently posted my testimony on Facebook, and I’m going to repost it here just because I want everyone to know just how much God has moved in my life, how much He has changed me and is still changing me. I truly cannot get enough of Him. I’m reading and studying the Bible more, I’m in a Life Group (some might call it a devotional group), and a discipleship class. For those of you who have known me a long time, you’ll probably think it’s a big change from where I used to be and you’d be right. I used to be a practising pagan, one of my friends last night described me as a hard core pagan but you know something? I was never satisfied. I knew that something wasn’t right and I could never figure out what it was until these past months that I’ve been going to church at Bridges of Hope Fellowship. Now I know why I wasn’t satisfied, and where that feeling of not-right-ness was coming from.

God was working on my heart, wanting me to come to Him like a lost child that is making his way home. I was a lost child, lost to the wicked lies and perversions of the Evil One. He had me in his grasp and fought hard to hold on. Even now he tempts me into stumbling but that is only ever more reason to sing the praises of my Lord Jesus Christ, who is always there with me to help me if I just ask for it, and now I ask for His help every day because every day is a struggle to keep Satan at bay.

When Charles first invited me to Bridges of Hope, I was rather recalcitrant on going. I was already going to my old church, St. Catherines, and a friends church on the Sunday’s I couldn’t go to mine. I was also nervous that it was going to be another “dead” church. I hated going to churches like that (and I still do). In a “dead” church people here the message of God, but you can tell God’s presence is not with them because the people aren’t living it for one reason or another. Then I started going to Charles with his church in a three week rotation (I forget why, but I think now it’s because God was calling me home) and am I ever glad I did. I was welcomed with such open arms, even before I stepped in the door I could feel God moving in their midst. Since then I’ve been saved and have even joined Bridges of Hope Fellowship. The people there are great. Tammie Sue and Mike, Tim and Jenny, David and Cathy, David and Jennifer, Hugh and Joan, Wade, Carol and Heather and especially Natalie, DeWayne and Dwight. God has put me in touch with so many wonderful people that I can’t help but sing Him praises for using BOHF to open my eyes to His awesomeness. Now I’m in a wonderful Life Group headed up by David and Jennifer and I’m even more touched by His greatness. I just know He has great things in store for me if only I’m patient and open to His life-changing influence. The Spirit has definitely lit a fire in me that can never be quenched! Praise God!

If God can and will do all that for me, imagine — no pray for — what He can do for you!

Technorati Tags: religion

I don’t feel that I’m ready for one yet, but at the same time I’m strongly drawn toward two different women. One who is local and significantly older and one who is about the same age as I am but lives across the Atlantic. I find myself asking the same questions of God over and over again. Who is the most right for me, who is it you would rather me be with? I don’t know if I’m just not listening or not asking loud or long enough but I find myself unable to choose to be just friends with one and not the other. The local woman is mature, spiritual, and I believe to Godly whose kids have grown and moved out on their own a while ago. The one who lives across the Atlantic is a single mother looking for God in all the right spots, I think, and for all the right reasons. When I compare myself to them, though, I find myself lacking in many areas. I don’t feel as mature, or Godly (although I am working on that), or secure not just in my sense of self but in my ability to keep a job and the like. I know what it’s like to take care of a child. I’ve been helping, in one way or another, to do so for almost 3 years.

I don’t want to close myself off completely to relationship possibilities completely, but I definitely do not want to enter into one prematurely, especially if it’s with the wrong person for me. I want my next relationship to be for keeps.

Technorati Tags: religion, self, relationships

Current Mood:  lonely

My brother-in-law got me to thinking about something several days ago that I’m now ready to talk about here, and maybe see if I can write up a more serious entry at A2.0, that being the history of hate.

His example focused on religion, but it can be applied to any group that can be formed.

He said, rather correctly, that every “minority” group that has been discriminated against and then rose to power has turned around and done the same to some other “minority” group, or even the group that previously discriminated against it. Jews and Pagans did it to the early Christians, especially the apostles and disciples of Christ. Then when the Christians gained power they pretty much began a reign of terror on Pagans, Jews, Muslims, and others who didn’t follow their beliefs. There were inquisitions, Crusades, the complete wiping out of indigenous peoples (which were as racially and ethnically motivated as much as religiously) all in the name of religion. That isn’t to say all Christians are bigots, but religiously speaking I’d almost guarantee that most are whether they realize it or not.

Now the Muslims are becoming a dominant religion (worldwide) and their most radical factions are beginning a reign of persecution of those that aren’t Muslim or Islamic for no other reason than they finally have the power to do so and cannot see past their own xenophobia. Just like the Jews, Pagans and Christians before them, they are taking up a mantle of hate — whether or not their religion really calls for it against non-Muslims is beyond my knowledge at the moment — and persecution and doing the same thing for which they are wanting retribution for, yet they wonder why the “West” keeps interfering in the Middle East.

And now Christians (and certain other groups), especially in the U.S., are lining up to start a new round of persecution. This time on same-sex couples who want to marry. What should be just a legal contract between consenting adults — if even that if they so choose — is being used as a weapon in a new holy war, one endorsed by many religious dominations against the mostly secular same sex couples. Unfortunately many states are allowing such decisions to be made in hate, to hurt and discriminate and push away the GBLT community much like the Jim Crow laws pushed away black people and tried to marginalize them for no other reason then the color of their skin. California is an example of why democratically enacting any law is a horrible idea. There is a reason you elect senators and representatives (or whatever you call them) to your state’s governing body. To enact laws fueled by hate and mistrust is immoral at best and unethical at worst. So who should decide what a marriage legally is? The adults entering into it consentingly and no one else. That doesn’t take away the issue of persecution, though.

Now we have a prominent minister claiming that all those who are part of the GBLT community are pedophiles, likened them to incest and other such depravities, delivering the inaugural prayer for President-elect Obama.

Don’t forget the KKK, Neo-nazi’s and <insert–race/etchnicity/religion–here> supremacists of all stripes who go on hating because they haven’t been taught any other way. For some it’s too late to stop the hate, for others there is still a chance for change. Lets take a moment to reflect on what Christmas is supposed to mean. Peace on Terra and Good Will Toward Men. Stop hating because you don’t agree and start loving because of what we share. If Christ were here, I think he’d be disheartened by what’s going on in California. Not because of homosexual marriage, but because marriage is being used as a weapon of hate.

He’d also be disappointed about what’s going on in the Middle East. If Muhammad is a real prophet of the God of Abraham, then I’m most certain that he and Christ are kicking it around up there and shaking their heads at their respective followers. Hate isn’t a family value. Ignorance of the unknown shouldn’t be passed on like a commodity.

When you go to pray today, if you pray, take a moment to reflect on God and Christ’s message of love, peace and tolerance. Then try to live that message every day remaining in this year and of the new year. If even only 1 person in 1 million could do that, this world would be a much better place for it.

Technorati Tags: religion, politics