hardship

July 20, 2015

True Love

even smaller bug light

1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. — 1 Cor. 13:1-3 NIV

​Anyone can do good works and have good intentions. You can help people without getting involved in their lives. It seems that in today’s society, that is the preferred way to help. If we just throw some money at the issue, maybe it will go away. But, our example, Jesus, got involved. He knew and we are learning that money is not the cure for a sinful world. We can take vows of poverty and give away all we have, but if we don’t love, it is a useless endeavor. Our churches can exercise all the God-given gifts, but if we don’t show love, it will not bring others to Jesus. We tend to show others “love” when it is convenient and cost us very little in terms of investing time and touch. Before anyone can really show love, they must have the love of God in their hearts. True love comes only from God.

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.– 1 John 4:16 NIV

Post 07-20-2015
January 18, 2015

My Grace Is All You Need

God is waiting to show you the Way.

God is waiting to show you the Way.

28 Father, bring glory to your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have brought glory to it, and I will do it again.” 29 The crowd standing there, who heard the voice, said it was thunder. But others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus said, “That voice was for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the time for the world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be thrown down.—John 12:28-31 (NCV)
​God the Father​ confirms that what is planned will bring glory to His name and that Jesus is doing what He has come to earth to accomplish. Even after hearing the voice that some thought sounded like thunder and others thought was the voice of an angel. they still did not understand and believe. Jesus tells them that the voice was for their sake, not His. He is completely confident that He is doing exactly what He is supposed to do. The world was judged to be sinful and all that sin was put on Jesus. The very moment that Jesus dies, God accepts His sacrificial death as payment for all of our sins. The master plan of satan has been defeated. Now it is up to each of us to believe this and accept it. God made the plan of salvation simple enough for a child to understand and accept. But that acceptance is just the first step on a journey with our Savior and Lord. The journey might get rough in spots, but His grace is more than sufficient to carry us.
9 Each time he said,“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong​.​—2 Cor.12:9,10 (NLT)
Post 01-17-2015