Unbolt The Door To Your Heart

Tag: christianity

  • NEW

    All things will be made NEW!

    “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 65:17 NIV

    “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea”. Revelation 21:1 NIV

    These verses are such a profound promise.   The Promise in the Revelation verse is so important to understand. The word “sea” is not talking about water or ocean.  It is the word for separation.  God is promising that there will be no separation between heaven and earth. No separation between Him and His true followers. The complete destruction of Sin. Everything in the universe will be recreated and made again. 

    And in what form will it be made again? 

    “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him”. 1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

    If you thought the Garden of Eden was beautiful. It will not even be close to the wonders of the Universe that God is going to recreate.  The Second Creation will be of a level that we simply cannot understand or contemplate.  In simple language God is telling us that the whole universe needs to be recreated to be able to comprehend that God is true and faithful and He is bringing His faithful home. Recreated at a level that is above all imagination of everything in the universe. The greatness of God can not be comprehended.

    God promises to completely remake the universe. The “former things” refer to everything that is in existence when Jesus returns in the second coming.  This is not just talking about this world, the pain, sin, and suffering of the current world. It is talking about the whole universe, and God is even going to remake His house into a new house where He will reside with the faithful and true.  

    God is not just inviting you to come and live with him in the exciting heaven for eternity.  He has a plan that is far beyond anything we can imagine. This plan will create a new me and you to live in a new heaven and in a new world with a God.

    Everything must be created again. You must be born again to be able to reside in the new heaven and earth.

    “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again”. John 3:3 NIV

    Rev. Billy Graham said being “born again” refers to a spiritual transformation. It means undergoing an inward renewal by the Holy Spirit, turning from sin, and receiving new spiritual life and a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

    “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. John 14:6 NIV

    You want to be included in the faithful? Then you must have a relationship with Jesus. A relationship that changes you. Being born again with the Holy Spirit.

    Obeying all the commandments is not going to save you. Your church membership is not going to save you. Only those that have allowed the Holy Spirit to take total control of their lives are the ones that Jesus will find to be in a relationship with Him and He will come and pick them up and take them to meet His Father.

    I cannot wait to meet the Father.  Are you longing to meet the Father?  Jesus says He is the way.  Give everything over to the Holy Spirit and experience a new birth.

    Remember it is not a Religion, it is a Relationship.

    Prayers and Love for all.

    Larry

  • I AM

    Seven “I AM” in the bible.  Seven different descriptions of what Jesus meant when he said  “I AM” .

    The Gospel of John records this repeated phrase “I am” seven times. Each repetition adds another layer of understanding of His character until we see dimly His character and form.

    The Bread of Life

    And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” -John 6:35

    Light of the World

    Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” -John 8:12

    The Door

    “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” -John 10:9

    Good Shepherd

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” -John 10:11

    The Resurrection and Life

    Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” -John 11:25, 26

    The Way, the Truth and the Life

    Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” -John 14:6

    The Vine

    “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” -John 15:5

    If you are struggling to find out who Jesus is to you. Read repeatedly these seven “I AM’s” and one, if not all of them will speak to your heart today. Print them out and put them on your refrigerator.  The real beauty is that tomorrow it will be a different “I AM” that guides you that day in your walk with Him.

    Every Morning Donna and I experience a different “I AM” in our individual walks in the garden. 

    We have never felt more blessed and closer to God than we have ever been, and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt there is so much more to learn on our early morning walks with Him.  Every evening we go to sleep in excitement to experience God all anew in the Garden in the morning. 

    We cannot wait to share what the Holy Spirit is doing inside us.  God is and will bring those into your life that need to hear and experience what God has done for you.

    They do not need to hear your doctrine or condemnation.  They just need to hear the good news about the “I AM” in your life today.

    We can not wait to wake up every morning and experience God and His path today.

    Remember it is not a religion, it is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for all.

    Larry

  • Fulfillment

    The world provides pleasure, Jesus provides fulfillment.

     “Jesus answered and said unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life”. John 4: 13-14 KJV

    This is the very heart of the problem that started with Eve.  She was deceived into believing that there was more than just a walk with God in the Garden.  She was told that God was hiding something from her and she would be happy, content and fulfilled if she would only take a bite of the fruit that the serpent was suggesting.

    The Marlboro man suggested that if only I would smoke his brand of cigarettes I could ride off into the sunset content and be fulfilled. My life would be smooth sailing.

    And so, it has been going on since Eve.  Everywhere I turn it is suggested that I will find contentment and fulfillment and be full of peace and happiness if only I do it the world’s way. I just need to work harder, or smarter and acquire more possessions. I just need to drink more of the world’s water.

    We are being consumed by influencers on every social media about what brings happiness and joy.

    “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions”.  Luke 12:15 NIV

    In Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Solomon is telling you that he had everything money, wisdom, beauty could obtain and yet he said, “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun”. Ecclesiastes 2:11 NIV

    “Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel”. Proverbs 20: 17 NIV

    The Serpent pointed out that the fruit from the tree was pleasing to the eye. How could something so beautiful not be good for you? And so, the pull of the world’s pleasures took mankind in.

    The prodigal son drank heavily from this lie and woke up to find himself covered in pig dung and eating rotten food. What life he thought was wonderful and pleasing turned very sour.

    Jesus says you will always be empty and unsatisfied with anything the world has to offer.

    Spiritual fulfillment is a state of inner peace, lasting satisfaction that occurs when your life aligns with God’s will.  It transcends material success, offering a sustained feeling of purpose, wholeness, and connection to something larger than yourself.

    You should never desire contentment and fulfillment in this world.  It is not your home!

    I only need to keep my eyes on what is above. What brings true fulfillment.

    St. Teresa of Avila said: “Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices”.

    “Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. 1 John 2 15-17 The Message

    Today, go stand and look into a mirror, ask yourself where is your treasure?  Am I putting all my effort into what the world considers a healthy, contented, life or am I focused on putting my treasures where they can never be destroyed?

    “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances”. Philippians 4:11 NIV. Rather than depending on material wealth or comfortable living, Paul found deep, unshakeable peace through his faith in Jesus Christ.

    Paul knew where to find true fulfillment and happiness for eternity. Are you drawn to short term water that will never quench your thirst or are you drinking from the everlasting cup of Jesus?

    Remember it is not about religion; it is about a relationship.

    Prayers and love for all.

    Larry

  • Relationship

    A Harvard study on Health and Wellness.

    The project has followed 724 men since they were teenagers in 1938. (Approximately 60 men, now in their 90s, are still left.) The group consisted of men from various economic and social backgrounds, from Boston’s poorest neighborhoods to Harvard undergrads. Over the years, the researchers have collected all kinds of health information, and every two years they ask members questions about their lives and their mental and emotional wellness. They even interview family members.

    Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, says one of the biggest surprises they encountered was that what makes people happy is also what helps keep them healthy — relationships. We started wondering whether we could look back at our participants’ lives in middle age and see what the biggest predictors were of who’s going to be happy and healthy by age 80. We thought that cholesterol level or blood pressure at age 50 would be more important. They were not. It was satisfaction in their relationships, particularly in their marriages, that was the best predictor of a happy and healthy life.

    The Harvard Study has found a strong association between happiness and close relationships like spouses, family, friends, and social circles. “Personal connection creates mental and emotional stimulation, which are automatic mood boosters, while isolation is a mood buster,” says Dr. Waldinger.

    The Study goes on to talk about increase in all aspects of health and happiness, living longer and better mentally and physically. Why? Because of healthy relationships.

    This study is just confirming what God’s word has been trying to teach since it was written. It is about your relationship with Jesus that saves you and increases your lifespan to eternity. 

    It is very important to live a healthy life, eat right, exercise, etc. Yet those that did it in social isolation did not have the same benefits as those that did it in a loving relationship. It was good to follow all the rules of healthy living, but it did not bring about the same results as living with a relationship that is filled with Love.

    Keeping all of Jesus’s teaching, the laws and commandments are very beneficial to your life.  Yet they have no association with the greatest benefit, which is eternal life.  Only a relationship with Jesus can get you that benefit.

    “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” Ephesians 1: 3-8 NIV

    Oh, what peace these verses bring to my life today.  I was chosen to be holy, blameless, and forgiven for my sins before the world was ever created. How you ask?  “blessing in Christ” and “in Him”.   Because of Jesus, God the Father has chosen me to be forgiven of my sins, blameless before the throne and holy.  I am wearing a white robe that has been washed in the Blood of Jesus.

    My name is written in the book of Life.  It did not get there by any action, behavior, habit, law keeping, or being perfect.  The only thing I can do is accept this free gift and to start living a life that shows I value this free gift.  Start living in a relationship that shows I appreciate that He loved me before I was born.

    I worship on the sabbath because I value what Jesus did for me.  I do not worship or go to church because it earns me any salvation. Not everyone in your church understands this free gift.  You can tell it by how they are praising Jesus for the gift of salvation. Are they singing and praising God uncontrollably or barely whispering the words.

    King David sang, danced and praised God, like no one was watching.  “Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might”. 2 Samuel 6:14 NIV

    God is watching how you praise and worship Him for saving you through Jesus.  Are you singing, dancing and praising Him like no one is watching? Does God know by your enthusiasm of worship every day that you appreciate what He has done?

    A simple thank-you is not going to work.  A life that is living in a relationship with Jesus is the only way to show your appreciation for what God did.

    There are people that are living by the law, living it perfectly, and they will list off all the times they went to church and did what they felt would get God’s attention, and yet on that Judgement Day Jesus will look at them with tears in His eyes and say “I do not know You”.  Matthew 7:22-33.

    Remember it is not a religion, It is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for all.

    Larry 

  • Weakness

    “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength”. Philippians 4:13 NIV

    This Verse is quoted by many people but is probably one of the most misunderstood and misquoted verses in the bible.

    The first word is what messes up most people. It starts with the letter “I” and that leads most to think of themselves. Then they just quote the first part of this verse. “I can do all things through Him”.  Again, they are emphasizing the “I”.

    The Trap is that you are putting the emphasis on you and your wisdom, your skill, your intelligence, your ability.  If you just use your skills in what you believe you received from God, then you can accomplish anything.  You are giving yourself all the credit.

    The Second trap is people think this verse is about worldly accomplishments. I can gain everything in this world if I just work hard at it and do it through God.

    This all-sounds good but the verse has nothing to do with your accomplishments.

    The Second part of that verse tells you who gave you the strength.  It is only accomplished through the Strength of God. 

    The Verse is about your weaknesses. We do not like to talk about our weaknesses. Yet it is only through our weaknesses that the Glory of God can shine forth.

    “Therefore, I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses, because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ. I can even enjoy weaknesses, suffering, privations, persecutions and difficulties for Christ’s sake. For my very weakness makes me strong in him”. 2 Corinthians 12:10 JB Phillips New Testament

    “For where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely”. 2 Corinthians 12:9 JB Phillips New Testament

    I personally like this translation of the verse better. 

    “I am ready for anything through the strength of the one who lives within me”. Phillippians 4:13 JB Phillips New Testament

    Ultimately, Philippians 4:13 is an assurance that no matter what life throws at you—whether it be loss, frustration, disappointment, or prosperity—you can face it with peace, resilience and contentment by relying on the continual strength that Christ provides.

    God is reminding you that through His strength and power anything is possible.  Nothing is impossible.

    On your own you cannot accomplish anything but death. The ultimate accomplishment is eternal life!  That can only be accomplished through total trust in God.

    It is your weakness that is bringing Glory to God.  Not your strength

    Stop asking that the thorn in your side be removed and start living in the strength of God.

    Remember it’s not a religion it is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for All.

    Larry

  • Awe

    Living in AWE of God.

    Webster’s definition of Awe is a complex emotion characterized by a deep blend of wonder, admiration, and respect, often combined with a touch of reverence. It is typically triggered when encountering something overwhelmingly vast, powerful, beautiful, or mysterious that challenges your understanding of the world.

    Living in awe of God means holding deep, reverent respect for His greatness. It is a posture of humility and wonder that transforms how we live, worship, and interact with the world around us. It makes you feel small in the presence of greatness, leading to a sense of connection to something larger than yourself.  It is a deep, humbling acknowledgment of God’s supreme holiness, majesty, and power, which inspires worship, obedience.

    “Frankly, I stand amazed at the unfathomable complexity of God’s wisdom and God’s knowledge. How could man ever understand his reasons for action, or explain his methods of working? For: ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become his counsellor?’ ‘Or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him?”. Romans 11:33 JB Phillips New Testament

    “Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes”. Romans 11:33 The Message

    I remember as a young boy my family was traveling, and we stopped at the Grand Canyon.  I still remember the feeling of “Awe” when we walked up to the edge of the Grand Canyon on the south rim lookout.  There were no words to describe what my eyes saw and the vastness my senses felt.  Yes, you can feel the Grand Canyon.

    The only other time I approached this sense of Awe was the first time I saw my wife, Donna. There were no words to describe the radiant beauty that was walking toward me. I was even in greater Awe when she said Hi to me. I did not have any words to respond. 

    Yet, all this awesomeness is pale when compared to what I experience daily from God. When I walk through the Garden and take in the vastness of colors, shapes, textures and scents.  When I look up at night and see the milky way, the stars and planets all moving in the path that God has put them in.

    When I see the face of complete Joy or happiness on one of my grandsons faces when they experience something new to them.  When I stop to contemplate that through Donna and I, God brought into this world three awesome Children and so far, eight grandsons. 

    David Platt serves as a lead pastor of the Mclean Bible Church.  He has written some mighty books that have affected how I live my daily life.  The one that affected me the most is “Radical, Taking back your faith from the American Dream”.

    This is a prayer that he suggests we pray every day.

    God, we bow our heads, our hearts, before you. Even on our knees right now, just saying, you are greater that we can fathom. Forgive me for oftentimes being so quick to speak, and not stopping and pausing and realizing who I’m talking to when I’m praying, not realizing, or just forgetting, the wonder of the One whose Word I’m reading. God, we praise You. We stand in awe of who You are. You are unsearchable, Your ways inscrutable, the depths of Your riches, wisdom, and knowledge unimaginable. We can’t even begin to comprehend Your greatness, Your glory, Your might, Your majesty, Your justice, Your wrath, Your mercy, Your love. All of these attributes in You are beyond our broadest, widest imagination. God, we worship You. We bow before You in awe of who You are, and we pray to help us to live in fear of You, in reverence before You. Help us to live every facet of our lives just in awe of You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

    Today, ask the Holy Spirit to grow inside you the reverence of the Awesomeness of God.

    Remember it is not a religion, it is a relationship.

    Prayers and Love for All.

    Larry

  • Where is Your Desire

    “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the Lord”. Hosea 5:4 NIV

    “The wicked things that the people have done keep them from returning to their God. They have a spirit of prostitution, and they don’t know the Lord”. Hosea 5:4 God’s Word Translation.

    This explains that the people of Israel could not return to God because their sinful habits and love for idols controlled their hearts. They ignored God’s ways and chose a “spirit of prostitution,” meaning they chased after worldly things instead of knowing and obeying the Lord.

    Can someone lose their Salvation? Can someone lose God? Maybe we are considering the wrong question.

    What if the real danger isn’t losing God, but losing your desire to return to Him?

    While I fully believe that God never shuts the door of Salvation. The Gate is always open, and the Shepherd will always let into the fold any sheep that knows His voice.

    This verse is telling you that your habits and desires may get you to a time where you do not desire to hear the voice of the Shephard.

    This doesn’t mean that the Shepherd shut the gate on their salvation. It means their actions were the result of their choices and those choices changed their desires and changed them. The sheep stop desiring to come into the fold.

    Even when the Shepherd left the flock and went to find the one that was lost.  That Sheep did not want to return to the fold because it thought the grass was greener where it was. It said, “I am fine on my own”.  I don’t need a Shepherd. I can find green grass and nice water on my own.

    The desire to listen to the Shepherds voice was no longer there. 

    This is how sin works.  What begins as a decision slowly becomes a pattern. Patterns begin to shape desires. And over time, those desires change our identity.

    You have heard me say that you cannot eat one Lays Potato Chip.  One chip leads to eating a whole bag.  Once you start you are destined to eat them all.

    Once you have eaten the bag you no longer want the fruit of the Spirit. You are full of what the world has to offer, and you no longer have room for the guidance of the Shepherd.

    This is the sin against the Holy Spirit.  Constantly not listening, not acknowledging the prompts and nudges from the Holy Spirit.

    This does not mean that God is unwilling to forgive or offer Salvation. Both are always available. What this describes is an attitude of permanent, unrepentant rejection of God.  The Voice of the Shepherd is no longer reaching the internal parts of the brain.   

    You keep wanting Control and will not listen the Shepards voice.

    If you constantly choose to look for satisfaction in the wrong places, you cannot experience a close relationship with God. God wants a heart that acknowledges its mistakes and actively seeks Him.

    Keep your eyes and ears on things above.  Not on worldly desires, news shows and the draw of social media and the internet.  You cannot hear the Holy Spirit when the noise of this world is drowning it out.

    Shut it off! Be honest with yourself and ask what your desires are today.  The World or the Voice of the Spirit?

    You cannot serve and listen to both.  You can only serve one master.

    Prayers and Love for All.

    Larry

  • Who Are the Righteous

    “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again”, Proverbs 24:16 NIV

    What a wonderful promise from God to all those that strife to follow Him in this world of evil.

    First, we need to look at the biblical definition of what a Righteous man is.

    The Bible says that Abraham believed God, and it was “credited to him as righteousness”. It is a gift of God’s grace, not something a man can earn by his own strength.

    Righteousness is gifted to you.  You do not earn this by your perfection of keeping any or all religious rules.

    In the original Hebrew, the word for Righteous is tzaddik. It means to live in a right relationship with God and others. It is about trusting God and showing mercy and humility, rather than just following a set of strict rules.

    A righteous man is someone who lives in a right relationship with God and treats others with justice, mercy, and truth. He is not a flawless person, but one who genuinely trusts God, repents when he fails, and strives to obey God’s commands.

    The Bible tells us that these are the characteristics of a righteous person.

    He acts justly: He is fair, honest, and treats the poor and vulnerable with respect.

    He keeps his word: He does what is right, even when it costs him.

    He controls his tongue: He does not gossip, lie, or use his words to hurt others.

    He loves mercy: He forgives others and shows grace, just as God has shown grace to him.

    God gives another promise to the righteous person.

    “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all”, Psalm 34:19 NIV

    “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous”, Psalm 1:6 NIV

    To put it simply a righteous man is one whose focus is solely on building a relationship with God.  Trying to let the Holy Spirit control and guide his life.  Not believing that any rule keeping will ever get him to attain eternal life. The Law is very important because it points out where my relationship needs work on.  The Law in of itself has no saving power.  Only a relationship with God does.

    How do we know that God loves to save the righteous?

    Look no farther that the story of Peter.  The disciples were sent by Jesus to go across the sea by boat.  In the middle of the night while they were rowing hard against the wind and waves. Jesus came to them walking on the water.  Peter upon hearing that it was his master, teacher, and savior asked to be able to walk on the water to Jesus.  A huge step in Faith for a fisherman who knows that no one can walk on the water.  He steps out of the boat and is walking along fine, keeping his eyes on the one that can give him the ability to walk on the water.  Peter is a righteous man, trusting Jesus with everything at that moment.

    Then Peter starts letting the problems of the world confuse him about where his eyes and mind should be focused on.  He starts to see the waves and the wind, and he gets distracted and immediately starts to sink under the pressure of the moment. 

    Yet, what is the first thing Peter sees when his eyes and focus go back to his Savior.  He sees that perfect hand of Jesus reaching out to save him from the depths.

    Jesus was there immediately when Peter cried out for help.  No condemnation, just a saving hand. Jesus was there for the righteous man.

    You are going to have bad times.  The world and its evil are all around you.  Your mind may be getting distracted by the news and happenings of this world.  You may be in pain and depression.  God does not expect you to live a perfect life.

    “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again”, Proverbs 24:16 NIV

    God promises to pick you up and raise you up to Him.  To those whose eyes are on Him.

    Work on your Relationship. Nothing else matters.

    Prayers and Love for all.

    Larry

  • Show God’s Love

    “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you Love one another”. John 13:35 NIV

    What a powerful verse that has not been understood by many Christians.

    Many people were brought up and still believe that the way for people in your community, neighborhood, to see that you are a follower of Christ is by keeping certain religious rules or beliefs and habits.  Certain rules or rituals that you believe are how you show your love for God. If you keep them, people will know that you are a Christian. Then you identify the people that are not keeping the rules that you believe you got from God, as people that are outside of God’s saving grace because they are sinners and you are not.

    Yet Jesus is very clearly telling you and me that the only way to truly be seen as a disciple of Him is to have unconditional love.

    It is a call to identify a follower of Christ not by rules or rituals, but by unconditional love.

    So, let us ask ourselves what unconditional love is?  Well, I am going to give you a definition of unconditional love that I feel God shows me every day.

    “Unconditional love refers to an absolute, limitless affection that is not based on human performance, worthiness, or circumstances and is a constant, unchanging commitment to an individual’s well-being that cannot be earned. That cannot be increased or lost through their mistakes”.

    Now don’t confuse unconditional love with acceptance of behavior. God disciplines those that He loves.  God allows consequences and correction to help you mature, learn and turn away from destructive habits. But this is all done in Love!

    God Loved King David even though he had an affair with Bathsheba and then killed her husband.  There were consequences but God never lost His love for David. God called David a “man after God’s own heart”.  Why? Because David deeply valued God’s presence, sought His will, and possessed a genuine, repentant spirit rather than a life of perfection.

    I do not earn God’s love by going to church on the Sabbath day, by not eating or drinking certain foods, by not working or doing certain things on the Sabbath, or by keeping the ten commandments. 

    I do not lose God’s love by breaking any of the ten commandments or by not living my life like religion tells me I should.  

    Once I understand that I cannot lose or earn God’s Love by my behavior. It makes me Love Him even more!  When I understand what unconditional love God shows me, my love for Him increases. Then and only then do I start to represent God by showing the same love to all mankind.

    God is telling you that this is the only way for others to see a clear reflection of Him is to show unconditional love. Then when they see and feel that unconditional love the hardness of their heart cracks a little bit and the little mustard seed of the Holy Spirit can start to take root in their life.

    Condemning someone for their behavior or lifestyle does not open their heart to the Holy Spirit. Telling someone what they are doing wrong does not change their hearts and show them God.

    People were drawn to Jesus by an unseen force that drew them in. They felt loved and accepted. They were not asked to change any behavior before Jesus loved them.  After eating and drinking and listening to Jesus, He then asked them to go forth and sin no more. They were asked to repent and live a new life of Love only after they saw and experienced how much Jesus loved them.   Jesus tells us in the gospel of John that we can do even greater things that He did.

    “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father”. John 14:12 NIV

    God sent the Holy Spirit to give you fruit for others to eat.  How does that fruit taste to those around you?  Sweet like God’s Love or bitter with condemnation?

    Prayers and Love for all.

    Larry

  • Warning

    “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus”. Acts 3: 19-20 NIV

    In the original Greek, repentance (metanoeo) means to change one’s mind and heart, to think differently and to see things differently.

    Turning to God signifies a complete reorientation of life away from how you were living before repentance.

    Used in the verses above it signifies much more than just saying “I Am Sorry”. It is a heartfelt transformation of your perspective and walk in life. It is an about-face. You must abandon your previous ways, and you have to institute a new walk with God, that is visible for all to see.

    You need to have a much broader sense of what needs to be repented from.  Just not what you may consider a sin.  But how are you living daily? Are you caught up in the ways and habits that the world considers success and happiness?

     Do you consider behavior to be something that gets you into heaven? Are you totally ignoring an intimate relationship with God? You are “religious” and believe in God yet are in the group of people that God says He spits out of His mouth.

     “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked”. Revelation 3: 15-16 NIV

    You see the people in these verses are good religious people. To the world they are following God and are living a life or a Christian. Apathy will cause many good people to miss out completely on being in the group of those that are raised up to meet Jesus when He comes again.

    To me this is the life that needs to be repented from and totally walked away from.  Are you on fire for God in every minute of every day? It is not about standing up and preaching or condemning people for their behavior.  God is telling those in the Laodicea churches that if they are not representing His character in every situation and circumstance. Living a life of Love for all. If they are not on “fire” to represent Him in everyday life, then He is going to spit them out of His mouth and then they will be in the group of people that God says He does not know.

    Being “on fire for God” means having an intense, passionate, and active devotion to one’s faith. It describes a believer whose love for God is so all-consuming that it shapes every area of their life, rather than just being a casual, Sabbath only commitment.

    Spiritual Fervor: A strong, visible enthusiasm for prayer, worship, and studying the Bible.

    Boldness: An eagerness to share their faith, serve others, and stand up for their beliefs, even when it’s uncomfortable.

    Transformed Priorities: A conscious shift away from selfish or worldly desires toward living a life that reflects God’s teachings.

    The verse in Revelation is speaking directly to you!  Not to the world of non-believers. God is addressing you in your daily walk of life and telling you that He sees and knows your deeds and He considers them to be lukewarm. You consider yourself well off by worldly standards but to God you are pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

    In Verse 18 of Chapter 3 in Revelation, God gives you three things that you can buy from Him to become on fire for Him.  You must buy these three things!  He is not just giving them out for free. You can not buy these with money or success, church attendance, or good behaviors. 

    You buy them by time spent with God in an intimate relationship.  You buy them from turning from the world and turning towards God.

    You must become His character.

    Prayers for all.

    Larry