HE EMPTIED HIMSELF OF ALL, EXCEPT LOVE

                                                     

Charles Wesley wrote such beautiful hymns during his life (1707-1788). One of my favorites is “Amazing Love,” in which he emphasizes the mystery of Jesus’s death.  The third verse of that hymn goes like this: “He left His Father’s throne above – so free, so infinite His grace - Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race (mankind).”

Jesus, being God, is immortal and has all power and authority, but for our sake he temporarily and willingly gave up immortality, power, dignity, and authority.  He washed his servants’ feet, allowed Himself to be insulted, ridiculed, beaten, dis-robed, and crucified; He died like a criminal, although He had done nothing wrong. How many of our present-day leaders (kings, ministers, presidents, etc.) would accept anything less than what their positions allow them? 

Have you ever had an argument with someone who asked if you knew who he or she was? When people express themselves that way, they are really saying, “I am a very important and powerful person. I deserve to be respected, and don’t you mess with me.” Many people in positions of authority expect everybody else to recognize that, and respect them accordingly. They get highly indignant if they sense they’ve been denied that respect in any way. 

Jesus, on the other hand, emptied Himself of everything, except love. Jesus’s love for us and His obedience to His Father were His reasons for becoming flesh and dwelling among men. Love and obedience sent Him to the cross, and held Him there until He died! Had He allowed His immortality, power, authority, and the respect due Him to affect His decision, you and I would still be in our sins, not forgiven, and on the way to a Christ-less eternity. He emptied Himself of all except love!

If you are an unbeliever, understand that Jesus died in your place. He gave up everything so He could die to save you.  He died so you don’t have to.  The Scripture puts it this way, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe in him stands condemned already.” (John 3:16-18 NIV) 

God wants you to respond to His sacrifice of love with a, “Yes Lord, I accept the death of your Son in my place. Please forgive my sins, and make me your child.” The Bible tells us, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NIV)

On the other hand, if you are a Christian, you already understand salvation, but are you walking in humility and selflessness as Jesus walked? Jesus emptied Himself of all, except love. He instructs us, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8 NIV) 

Yes, salvation is free, but it sure cost Him everything, and for that reason, let’s love Him through obedience.  He said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” (John 14:21 NIV) 

GOD IS ABOUT TO SPIT YOU OUT

Child of God, what have you been up to? You became a beloved child of God, and got placed in the family of God, the Church, by placing your faith in His Son, Jesus. What has happened so far, since you fell in love with Jesus? Are you allowing the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you, and are you following their lead, and allowing them to transform you into the image of God? That’s the only way you’re going to grow in your relationship with God. Like the Hymn-writer puts it, “There’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

God wants you to grow in your faith through feeding on His Word (see 1 Peter 2:2), seeking His face in prayer (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16), fellow-shipping with other believers (see Hebrews 10:25), and sharing your faith with others (see Philemon 5:6). Have you been doing those things, and do you see any difference as a result? As you obey the Word of God, transformation becomes evident in your life, but if you don’t, although you claim to be a Christian, your old nature is what others will see, and their response to you and your faith will bring shame to the name of the Lord and the Church. Listen, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you” (Romans 2:24 NLT).

God doesn’t coerce anyone into becoming a Christian; He just wants people to know: 1) He loves them; 2) they’re free to accept His love; and 3) the cost of choices they make. He is not willing that any should perish, but would rather they come to faith in Him (see 2 Peter 3:9). As a demonstration of what He wills for us, He rejoices over all who repent, and come into a personal relationship with Him (see Luke 15:10). You have chosen to be His child, great, but there are responsibilities that come with that choice. You can’t place faith in Him and continue to live to satisfy yourself and the devil. Doing so means one of two things, one—you never really believed, or two, you misunderstood God’s requirements. The Bible says, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT).

Also, the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Is your new life evident in any way? If you claim to be a child of God, but live like the devil’s, here’s what God says to you. “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16 NLT).

If you are a Christian living in sin, and think nobody knows, well think again—God knows! He is displeased and is about to “spit” you out! Is that what you want? Make up your mind; serve only one Master, and serve Him faithfully. Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, said to the Israelites, “Choose today whom you will serve. … But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15 NLT). Similarly, Elijah, the prophet, had the occasion to challenge the Israelites, because they frequently got sucked into idol-worship like their neighbors. He said to them, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God then follow him!” (1 Kings 18:21 NLT). In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said to the disciples, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.” Are you getting the point? Make up your mind, and stick with it; don’t claim to be a Christian, while living like the devil. Are you, or are you not a Christian?

Whomever you choose to serve has responsibilities for you in this life, and rewards in the future. Your option is between God and Satan. Compare the responsibilities and rewards of the two, and choose carefully, because your life depends on it!

  Being a Christian will not be an easy road to travel in your human strength. Jesus made it clear when He said: “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT); “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NLT). Assuredly, the Christian life is not a walk in the park, it’s difficult, and sometimes leads to loss of life, but God provides the strength that enables those who lean on Him to be victorious in what they do in this life! What rewards does He promise at the end of this life? He promises eternal life with the Father in heaven, “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:2-3 NLT).

Now how about Satan, what does he require of you? In short, he wants you to do the exact opposite of what God requires. Listen, “Those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT).  What is his reward in the end? Being eternal-acquaintances in hell! Consider this, “Then the King will turn to those on his left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons’” (Matthew 25:41 NLT).

If you’re a Christian but not being obedient to the Word of God, you need to repent, and He will forgive you, and restore your relationship! Don't cause Him to spit you out! If you’ve never trusted Jesus for forgiveness, please do that! He loves you and does not want you to perish in hell, but He’ll not force you one way or the other. Time is running out; decide today!

EARNING RETURNS ON GOD'S RESOURCES

  

What does it mean to earn returns? To earn returns means to gain or receive profit on a committed capital (an investment). Usually, the capital and the gains earned belong to the individual who provided the capital. 

Although whatever we own belongs to God (we are simply stewards – see Psalm 24:1), we can legally and rightfully earn returns on it for ourselves. You might ask, “How in the world can anyone gain returns on what belongs to another person?” Well, in God’s economy, it is very simple. Spend God’s money and resources wisely and generously: don’t be stingy, and the returns will pile up for you in heaven (see Luke 18:22). What a brilliant idea! After all, earthly riches are temporary; we do not take our possessions in moving trucks with us when we die.

Paul says to the young preacher Timothy, “Command them (the rich) to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:18-19 NIV).   

In the parable of the shrewd manager, for instance (see Luke 16:1-9), the manager falsified debtors’ records that cost his employer lots of money. He came up with a scheme in preparation for his future, thinking these debtors would be kind to him when he was broke after being fired by his employer. But in our case as Christians, we don’t have to falsify anything; we have God’s permission to use all that He has entrusted to us for His glory and for our benefit (see Matthew 6:19-20).   

         

So Christian, what are you doing with what God has entrusted to you? Are you holding onto it tightly? Remember, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV). So let it go. It is not yours anyway; allow it to work for your future!

“How?” You  might ask. Meet the needs you see around you, give to God’s work, and Jesus’ response to you will be, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:35-36 NIV). 

If we don’t invest what God has entrusted to us now, we cannot hope for any future returns. If you’d like to hear God say to you, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness” (Matthew 25:21 NIV), then do this: START TODAY PUTTING GOD’S RESOURCES TO WORK to benefit others!

Please leave a comment., Thank you!  

Copy 1-19-14, Pearl

Pearlkumi.com

GOD’S RECOMMENDATION FOR ENDURING SUFFERING

The Webster’s Concise Dictionary defines suffering as undergoing pain or
unpleasantness. Pain could be physical or emotional; it is common to both
Christians and non-Christians. Synonyms for suffering include misery, grief,
distress, and anguish.

Suffering is neither fun nor desirable, regardless of its source, and the average
person will do whatever it takes to get rid of it. If that is the case, why would
anyone want to endure pain, and what does it really mean to do so? Merriam-
Webster explains enduring suffering as undergoing suffering without giving in,
which of course is countercultural. Since it is so undesirable, enduring suffering
has to either be by choice or by default due to having no other options.

In which ways do we suffer as Christians? We suffer in three distinct ways: 1) we
suffer punishment or retribution when we break rules in society that come with
consequences (For example, driving beyond the stated speed limit could incur a
fine if caught); 2) we could suffer persecution at the hands of others for our
Christian faith-standing for what we believe to be right; and 3) we suffer when
God disciplines us for wrongdoing, in order to correct us and make us more like
Himself.

Right from the start, God knew His children would go through periods of suffering,
because we would be the target of His enemy, Satan. There’s no surprise there,
because he has been after us since the Garden of Eden, where God pronounced his
doom (Genesis 3:15). He goes around like a roaring lion seeking to devour us; he
is still tripping us up, he is behind our present sufferings. He’ll do anything to
cause us to doubt God, interest us in fighting each other, distracting us, and you
name it. Rightly Jesus warned us, “Here on earth you will have many trials and
sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT).

The kind of suffering Jesus was referring to above has nothing to do with suffering
for doing something wrong, because in that situation, we would have brought the
suffering on ourselves. His admonition has to do with instances when we are
persecuted for our faith. He said to the disciples, “If the world hates you, remember
that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged
to it, but you are no longer a part of the world. I chose you to come out of the
world so it hates you” (John 15:18-19 NLT).

For our benefit, as well as the benefit of Christians from the first century who were
facing so much persecution that they were considering giving up, the author of
Hebrews encourages us to focus our gaze on Jesus Christ. “And let us run with
endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT).

The author also calls our attention to the degree of suffering Jesus endured: “Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin” (Hebrews 12:3 NLT). But why did Jesus put up with all that suffering? Because He was looking forward to the prize: “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame” (verse 3). The Scripture says, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13 NLT). This verse alone should have been a good reason not to die on a cross, but Jesus looked beyond the stigma of the cross to the joy of eternity with us!

As we see, Jesus’ focus was on the joy of accomplishing the purpose for which He came. He was looking forward to presenting us faultless to the Father, and that made the suffering worth it. So let us, like Jesus, set our focus on the prize that no one can take away from us—our eternal home with God, where there’ll be no more pain or suffering. There in heaven, the Scriptures tell us, He’ll wipe away all tears (see Revelation 7:17; 21:4). The assurance that we’re going to see God face to face, never again being separated from Him, should keep us pressing on when we go through hardships.

Are you suffering for your faith in any way? How have you been responding? Are you discouraged, thinking it’s not worth it? Please don’t throw in the towel; let me encourage you with the Scriptures. “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:2-4 NLT).

In addition, let’s remember that the Holy Spirit is our comforter; call on Him 24/7, and He will gladly give you the courage, strength, and peace you need to endure. Don’t take your eyes off the prize—eternity with God, Jesus, the Church, and the angels. The moment we enter heaven, suffering, pain, and tears will be behind us. Let’s walk together, encouraging and praying for each other, one day at a time, until we see our Lord face to face! In addition to the prize, let’s also keep our eyes on Jesus, who as stated before, is the champion who initiates and perfects our faith (see Hebrews 12:2). Amen!