| | | |  | Merry Hearts Ministries | | Proverbs 17:22 |
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Do they know?
by: Teresa Allen
John 13:35...by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Have you ever asked yourself, "Do people know to whom I am a disciple or follower of?" If I were to leave this world today...would they have to wonder where I would spend eternity?
When Jesus was about to be arrested and ultimately crucified, he made this statement to his disciples..."by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, IF ye have love one to another." He also told them in John 14:23 that if we love him we will keep his words and the Father will love us. This is the best part...it says that they will come and make their abode (their home) with us!
The God of this universe...living in me! Wow! You know, you can tell a lot about someone by they way they love...or don't love.
Love is defined in a familiar passage beginning in I Corinthians 13:3 where Paul said that love suffers long...it is patient. In order to show people Jesus, we must love them and be patient with them...especially when they are unloveable. Remember...He loved YOU when you were unloveable. The Bible says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!
Often when a lost person does not accept Jesus right away, we get impatient and frustrated and pretty much, just give up on them. Oh Lord...I pray that you help me love like you do and to be patient with people.
Love is also defined as being kind. One thing I realized recently as I was studying the Word of God is that sinners, during the time of Christ, were treated with amazing kindness by the Lord and he even went so far as to come to their defense when the religious folks attacked them. These examples can be found with the woman caught in adultery and the woman with the alabaster box.
That kind of love, true Agape love in the Lord Jesus allowed Him to display the kind of love and compassion that this world does not give. Just think...He has given us the opportunity to be fillled with that kind of love and to display it as a light to this lost world. But...we must be emptied of self first!
Paul went on to say that love does not seek to have its own way. Hmmmm...now that is hard to find in our churches today. Don't believe me? Have you been to a church business meeting lately? I have never seen people, professing Christians, disagree so passionately to try to get things done their way!
I think we all need to read that passage again from time to time to remind us of what love really looks like. Love is really a choice when you come right down to it.
Paul also said that love does not act unseemingly. That means that when you are filled with the love of Christ, you will not be rude to people. You will not get upset and tell visitors that they have to move because they are sitting in "your" seat! When you are filled with the love of Christ...you are thankful that there are people there to fill your seat because they will be hearing the Word of God. You think of others first!
My friend, are you known today as one of His own by the way that you love? Or...do people wonder? You can be filled with God's amazing love today...just ask Him!
A Prayer From Prison
by: Teresa Allen
Philippians 1:9-11 As this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
As I read this passage in the early morning hours...these verses just jumped out at me. Paul was in prison at the time he wrote this letter to the church at Philippi. Yet, he was praying for THEM! I love that he prayed that their love would abound yet more and more! Oh, that believers could just really learn to love the Lord and each other!
I can only imagine how much different our church services would be! I laughed also as I read it thinking..."Yep...he knows us church folks!"
I thought that it was wonderful that he prayed that the church would be without offense and be filled with the fruits of righteousness and plainly told them that these things would be attained ONLY BY CHRIST JESUS!
Oh, if we could ever really grasp the love of God. I know that once I did, it changed my life. I never knew real love until I knew the Lord Jesus Christ in saving grace. His presence is so very real. It is a precious thing to walk and talk with him.
I know that it was this same love that Paul was experiencing while in that prison. He so wanted the people at Philippi to know this love and to share it with each other and the world.
Just like Paul, I am praying for you as you read this, that you would be filled with the fruits of righteousness and the love of God. I know that when God fills someone with His love, it shows! He just seems to ooze out all over you!
Paul knew that this love could be attained...but only by Christ Jesus. We cannot just decide to do better, to be nicer...it must come from within and be rooted in the love of Jesus Christ. God is always honored when his Son, Jesus Christ is exalted!
I also like verse six of that same chapter of Philippians, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Praise the Lord for His promises...we are not on our own! Paul knew that in that jail, he was not alone. I am so thankful that all of God's promises are still true and are for me and you to rest upon. Paul knew this too...that's why he wrote this letter and why a couple of thousands of years later...we are still reading it and receiving encouragement from it.
Just recently, I found a card that a precious friend at church wrote to me. It was a card of encouragement from several years ago. As I read the card again...I was blessed all over again!
Paul knew the importance of writing words of encouragement and I do too...even when we are in prison. Paul knew that we could still have complete joy in the Lord Jesus Christ even when everything around us seems to be falling apart.
I know this too...because although I have never been in a "physical" prison, I have been imprisoned and in bondage by sin. I have had the enemy come against me in my mind and even during these times...I determined in my heart and spirit that I will praise the Lord and allow Him to guide me!
I have determined that I will still go and proclaim the precious Gospel of Jesus Christ...because He has called me to do so and I must follow.
While I am not sure some days what the next step will be with the Lord, I, like Paul, am confident that He who began this work in me will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus and that is all I really need to know.
All Talk and No Action
by: Teresa Allen
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God but in works they deny him, being abominable.
I once read a quote that has now become my "ministry motto" so to speak. It says, "Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, use words only if absolutely necessary!" Amen! I just love that!
I am a firm believer that the way people live their everyday lives is an outward expression of what they really are inwardly.
For example, for a Christian, kindness, real joy and godly love should be as natural as breathing. Galatians 2:20 tells us that we have been crucified with Christ and it is now Christ that lives within us and that it is the power of God that enables us to live a life full of kindness and and love towards others.
The Word of God tells us that the world (those that don't know God) will know that we are the Children of God IF we have love one for another. How we treat others is a direct reflection of WHO we belong to.
I sing a song that is entitled: "Do they see Jesus in me?" The chorus says, "Do they see Jesus in me? Do they recognize your face? Do I communicate your love and your grace? Do I reflect who you are, in the way I choose to be? Oh do they see...Jesus in me?"
Our daily acts of kindness and love are a direct reflection of Him living in us. We choose to show mercy because of His great mercy towards us. We love Him because He first loved us. Because we are so full of His love, it naturally overflows to those around us.
In this dark world today we have a wonderful opportunity to reflect the light of Jesus Christ. Our actions really do speak louder than words to a world that is lost today without the Lord Jesus. Will you choose today to "reflect HIM" by your actions?
Will you join me today friend as we go preach the Gospel to every creature and use words but only if absolutely necessary!
Transformed By Jesus Christ
by: Teresa Allen
II Corinthians 5:17...Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
I am so thankful that I know that when we come to Jesus Christ by faith, He doesn’t just patch us up and say, "Well, that's as good as I can do...just go out and do the best you can!" Oh no my friend! I have great news from the Word of God for you today. He makes you a brand new creature! He doesn’t just save you from your sins. He saves you and changes you!
He doesn’t just reform you. He transforms you by His power. This power brings about real conversion and conversion is a deep and life changing work that comes only from the Lord.
His power goes throughout your entire being, throughout your mind, throughout the members of your body, throughout your life—your social life, your business life, your family life, your neighborhood life. You become a partaker of God’s divine nature.
You can’t inherit it. God gives it to you as an individual. Being born to Christian parents and raised in a Christian home doesn't make you or me a Christian. I could be born in a garage, but that doesn’t make me an automobile. Going to church doesn't make me a Christian either. No more than going to McDonalds makes me a hamburger! Make sure that you really know Christ, that Christ really lives in you.
Ask yourself the question, "Do I really long to know Him in a more intimate way?" "Do I long for more of God's presence?"
When you really love someone, you long to be with them. When was the last time really sensed His presence? He is waiting for you to seek Him. Will you call out to Him today?
The greatest danger many people face today is to believe that they can change if they just try harder. My friend, if you depend on that, you will fail. In fact, the Apostle Paul teaches that the entire reason behind the Ten Commandments and the Old Testament law was to set a standard so all would learn that no matter how hard we try, we can’t reach it, and we would have to turn to God for mercy and grace. It is all about HIM!
How does God change us?
First, real change is a work of the Holy Spirit. If you try to do it yourself, it doesn’t work.
Second, real change is a by-product of a personal, accurate and deepening relationship with God. If you really want to change, get to know God deeply.
Third, change occurs from the inside out. Finally, change for a Christian is a progressive, ongoing process. We call it sanctification, the process of becoming more and more righteous or holy in daily experience.
Be encouraged today and know that real change, real "transformation" is a work of God and He is waiting for you to surrender to Him today so that the greatest change you could ever experience may begin.
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| | | A Merry Heart doeth good like a medicine... | |
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