Posts Tagged ‘God’s love’
Scripture reading for October 15th: 2nd Thessalonians 3:1-18
God created man to work and work is honorable. One of the results of a wrong view of the second coming of Christ in Thessalonica was a number of the church members quitting their jobs and living off of others in the church. This created strife and hard feelings. Satan is always out to divide the church!
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked day and night, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.” (2nd Thessalonians 3:6-8) Paul had set a godly example for these believers. He now warned them to stay away from those who were idle. Avoiding work was not proper for Christians. They were to work and provide for themselves and their families.
Paul had a rule that he always used and taught: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2nd Thessalonians 3:20) Laziness is a sin that displeases God and causes strife in the body. Idleness allows too much time to gossip and interfere with the business of others. Paul commanded those who were idle to settle down and work so this problem would be taken care of.
In dealing with those involved, believers were to not have fellowship with them. They were to warn them as brothers, but not go so far as to treat them like enemies. (2nd Thessalonians 3:14-15) In looking at Proverbs, there are more warnings against idleness and laziness that about drunkenness. (Proverbs 12:27, 13:4, 19:15, 24:30-34) Christians should set examples of hard work and financial propriety. They should be the best givers and not just takers. Jesus, Himself, taught that it was more blessed to give than receive! (Acts 20:35)
If we are lazy in our daily work, we often will lack diligence to seek the Lord as well. Spiritually luke-warm people make God want to spit! (Revelation 3:15-16) Let it not be said of any Christian that they are lazy! We all want to eat, physically and spiritually!
Dear Friends and Lovers of Jesus Christ,
“I love Jesus Christ!” I can say that without shame or fear today because of a secure relationship with God through Jesus! I know Him and trust His Holy Word! It is wonderful to have a love relationship based on truth and trust. This relationship that I have has been growing for many years and is stronger today than yesterday. It is because I am constantly seeking to know Him better and to understand His love for me as expressed in His Word and by the Holy Spirit. (1st John 4:13-16)
Because of my relationship with Christ, I can also love others. I am growing in my ability to be a loving husband and father as I learn and experience Christ’s love for me. I am learning to love in truth as well as in deed. (1st John 3:16-18) Christ demonstrated His love for us by dying for us! (Romans 5:8) (1st John 4:10)
In our reading this past week, God demonstrated His love for His people by counting each one of them and giving them work to do. God showed His love for His people by living in the center of their camp and manifesting His glory to them. He showed His love by giving them leaders like Moses and Aaron who would model obedience and pray for them. He loved the people by leading them and then by giving them rest. He loved them by placing His Name on them by the blessing of Aaron spoken over them! He loved them by feeding them manna each day and providing water from the Rock! What a caring God we come to know as we read His word!
I love you! Thanks for being my friend! Take time on this day celebrating love, to tell those you love how much you care for them. Be sure to tell God how thankful you are for His love, the source of all true love! In His Love, Pastor John
Scripture reading for June 24th: Psalms 104-106
One of the attributes of God is that He is good! Thankfully, God has been good to me and I have personally experienced that goodness for over 60 years! In these last three psalms, the psalmist reflects on the goodness of God to His people because of who He is. Let’s reflect with this psalmist about God, the greatest subject that the human mind could contemplate!
Psalm 104 begins with the praise of God who wraps Himself with light as a garment! This is the God who is light and in Him is no darkness at all or shadow of turning! This God is clothed in splendor and majesty! (Psalm 104:1-2) He by His great power has stretched out the heavens like a tent canopy and decorated the sky with jewels of light. He is the one who uses the winds as His messengers and the lightening bolts as His servants. (Psalm 104:4) He set the earth on its foundations and formed it’s surface, covering it with water and setting boundaries for that water. He created the plants and animals and the birds of the air and fish of the sea. (Psalm 104:24-25) This majestic God is the source of all food, breath, and life! He is worthy of continual praise for His goodness! (Psalm 104:33-35)
In Psalm 105 God is worshiped for His faithfulness to His covenant with His people! (Psalm 105:8-9) History is filled with the record of God’s miracles and deliverance on behalf of His people. The people of God have been cared for by God’s power and wisdom throughout their history, from saving them from famine through Joseph to the deliverance from Egypt through Moses and the miracles wrought through his hands. God brought the people out of slavery, loaded down with silver and gold. He fed them and watered them on their journey (Psalm 105:37-41). This was because of His promises to Abraham and the covenant that God was faithful to keep! He is worthy of praise!
Psalm 106 begins with a declaration of the goodness and love of God! (Psalm 106:1) This is but an attempt to proclaim what is an infinite subject! God’s goodness is without limit and His love goes from everlasting to everlasting! Now that’s a broad subject! God’s love also includes His loving discipline! God only disciplines those He loves! Some of the judgments recorded here include the wilderness experience where a generation that would not believe died! God dealt with unbelief, rebellion, idolatry, grumbling and disobedience! (Psalm 106: 32-39) God’s people have a history of unfaithfulness, but God has remained faithful! Even when He handed them over to the nations, He heard their cry and because of His great love, he relented! (Psalm 106:44-46) This good and ever-loving God deserves praise from everlasting to everlasting!
Take a moment today to remember God and His faithfulness to you personally. Look back over your life and offer thanks and worship for God’s creation, provision, healing, deliverance and discipline that you have experienced! Remember, we will worship Him for eternity!