I LOVE MY CHURCH

        I LOVE MY CHURCH 

You will experience a love for the church when you intentionally love the church. You will have a deep sense of love for the church when you actively and intentionally practice love for the church. The opposite is also true: When you don’t intentionally love the church, then you will not experience a love for the church. We’ll love the church when it is about relationships, not when it is like a restaurant.

Love by connecting. Being in community—in fellowship, in relationship—with each 

other is more than knowing people’s names and where they sit on a Sunday morning. We love one another when we stand alongside one another. Being connected with one another is ensuring no one stands alone.

Love by serving. God has given each of His followers supernaturally empowered abilities to encourage and help one another and the community. Did you know you have superpowers? We’re going to talk about that.

Love by giving. Yes, we’re going to talk about giving. But probably not in the way you’d expect. In fact, we won’t talk at all about tithing or percentages. We won’t even try any ill-planned guilt trips to get you to give more. We’ll simply talk about giving as an indicator of love.

Love by sharing. The love that Jesus gives to us and that we can have for one another isn’t to be hoarded within the walls of the church. The love that we are to have for one another is also meant to show our community what the love of Jesus looks like. If we aren’t sharing the love of God with our words and deeds, then we aren’t truly loving. We’ll talk about this as well.

““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”” John‬ ‭13:34-35‬ ‭NIV‬

Don’t make it Harder

 DON'T MAKE IT HARDER THAN IT IS!!! This morning, I received a thought.  I, was raised very strict.  In her day church members judged others by their outward appearance (dress, hair, makeup and jewelry).  If you looked wrong, in their eyes, then you were condemned to hell.  I always though I  was not "good enough" for the Lord to accept us . 

 

       I think at times, the church's man made traditions and doctrinal opinions have hindered many from approaching the kingdom. How hard is it to be saved or restored?  Samson needed restoration.  He broke his Nazarite vows, and lost his anointing. Eventually, he cried out, "Remember me," and in that moment took out 3,000 Philistines at once. He is mentioned in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11. If he were living today, some would have told him he would be bound to a grinder the rest of his life, as punishment for his failures.  God thought different because God operates off of covenant and not condemnation. 

 

       The thief on the cross needed salvation and not restoration.  Yet he said, "Lord, remember me when you enter your kingdom."  Jesus said, "Today, you will be with me i paradise." Notice - no long prayers, no "repeat after me" prayers, just faith in Christ and a sincere, "Remember me."  In both cases, forgiveness and salvation happened instantly!! Forgiveness and salvation occur when with the heart you believe and with your mouth you confess (Rom. 10:10). Salvation is instant - but spiritual growth is progressive and takes time.

 

      People's opinion of you do not define you.  After 27 years, I  have as many enemies as  I do friends.  I never try to win over enemies and critics.  My friends don't need long explanations and enemies won't accept what you say.  I'm seriously getting to old and not interested in trying to impress people and perform in some spiritual circus to gain applause from a crowd - that like Christ saw - can turn on  dime and reach for a hammer and nails. 

 

      If you need salvation or restoration, look in one direction - to Golgotha and the cross of Christ, and allow his blood to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Let no man judge your heart - as none except the Father can see your thoughts and intents.  Get His favor and ignore the doubt peddlers and the joy killers - including a few sitting around sipping coffee, looking for the next knife to throw! Be Thankful for God, country and family.  What you may have done wrong during a generation of time, Christ can wash in a moments time.  Just ask Saul of Tarsus!! 

 

 

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalms 51:10-12 NIV

      

Pauls Endurance

 (8-12) The suffering in Paul’s ministry brought forth life.

1 Corinthians 4:8-12

 

We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.

 

a.We are hard pressed: This has the idea of “hunted.” Paul was a wanted, hunted man because of what he was for Jesus. In Acts 23:12, 40 men conspired together to not eat or drink until they had murdered Paul. Paul knew what it was like to be hunted.

 

b. Yet not crushed: Living as a wanted, hunted man means terrible stress, experienced every moment of the day. Yet Paul was not crushed by this stress. He could still serve the Lord gloriously.

 

c. Hard pressed… perplexed… persecuted… struck down: Paul’s life was hard, and it was hard because of his passionate devotion to Jesus Christ and His gospel. Yet look at the triumph of Jesus in Paul’s life: not crushed… not in despair… not forsaken… not destroyed. 

 

Paul knew the power and victory of Jesus in his life because he was continually in situations where only the power and victory of Jesus could meet his need.

 

i. When we talk about suffering like this today, it is easy to think we are just saying “spiritual things,” because some of us live very comfortable lives and do not suffer much at all. Nevertheless, we should remember that everything Paul said about suffering, he said as a man who probably suffered more than you or anyone you will ever meet. This was not theory to Paul but real life experience.

 

d. Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested: Paul, like any Christian, wanted the life of Jesus evident in him. Paul knew this could only happen if he also carried about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. There are some aspects of God’s great work in our lives that only happen through trials and suffering.