Be like the Light out of the darkness.
Jesus is the One True Light.
2 Peter 3 (KJV)
“3 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?
… Verse 9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance…”
Good day to you dear friends.
I hope this day finds you well. May I share what the Lord has delivered to me? This is a blessing to me; and, I hope this is an encouragement to you to fight the good fight of faith.
We can know we are growing in Christ, when we experience being set free from what used to bother us –and from our old ways of thinking. Taking on the Mind of Christ means we are continually learning; and growing stronger still through even our mistakes. Don’t count your self out friend! And, don’t count yourself high either. Count on God and Glory in the Love of Jesus. God sees with Compassion! Many times, man gets caught up in looking at the law and the knowledge we gain …
Learning to love each other is our purpose on this earth; I do believe this. And, who are we, who are spiritual, to judge? If you are breathing, God is the source of your air and HE knows your human nature, but God also is teaching us the eternal nature: Spiritual eyes of God sees mankind (yes, sinners) with compassion; the same compassion God has on me. Remembering that God’s job is Judge, our’s is to pray, love, live forgiven and also to forgive and live in Peace with Joy in Christ Jesus, whom is our Savior and Lord.
As far as I believe, we can build into each other’s lives with encouragement by our faith. I hope this is an encouragement to you.
Life is a gift from God!
Life is not about the “I’s” in the world –and, life is not about me; life is about God, Jesus and the Trinity! We all need Jesus. “There is no “I” in Team, but there is an “I & U” in Unity. Peace and Grace be with us in the Name of Jesus Christ.
God’s standard of Grace is HIM;
NOT What I discover about God.
Teaching as a learner means that all we have to do is meet God’s standard of Grace; and remember that we all make mistakes. God gives us various gifts; and all He expects from each of us is to speak with the humility and spirit of learners –that is to say to speak with the grace of God in the Spirit of God; according to that measure of light he gives.
If I am going to serve God today well, I have learned that need to first pray, trust, follow and obey –by my faith; yet there is one more thing we all are held accountable to is our sentiment of faith must be of God; and not of high position like a blinding stadium light, but one of grace and of a soft glow in the love of Jesus. A Faith that is Not of opinion, but of love and truth in Christ Jesus.
The love of Jesus is as majestic as the majesty in all of Creation; and when we discover this miraculous love, we know God’s love is bigger than we are. And, yet it is a miracle that we can comprehend just how great is the love of God for us. For God SO Loved the world … Sometimes, when we are like a child learning, we can behave like a child driving a car, before we really know and understand all that goes into driving. And, so it is with ministry.
The Bible teaches us how to pray like a disciple of Jesus in His very own words. “Forgive me … as I also forgive those who have offended me (emphasis mine). The point is don’t hold a grudge and don’t judge. Don’t self-condemn either. This is an eye-opener to me that God can use us even in our imperfect ways that are learning and growing in Christ…not perfect yet in the natural, but still made perfect in Christ Jesus. Does this make since?
“12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV).”
For the law of the Spirit of Life hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Let’s live free in the love of Jesus! Let’s live NOT to resurrect the dead to sin carnal man
The Apostle who wrote James reproves ambition; and an arrogant magisterial tongue –and gives us the knowledge that we have a DUTY to bridle our tongue. It is not what goes in a man that defiles him, it is what comes out … We are to be avoiders of strife and envy; and love each other in the forgiveness of grace –Judge NOT; Condemn NOT; Forgive and we are forgiven.
By Grace, I write to you today to encourage you NOT to give up because you are in position of growing to a new level in Christ!
Do not let guilt hold you down –Let go of the natural things that cause judgement and bring human condemnation of others and yourself; and live free in the love of Jesus; whom is the Christ the Son of the Living God.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. The instructions are that therefore, now there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus who walk NOT after the flesh, but after the Spirit of Life! [Emphasis Mine –Romans 8:1-3] + Romans 8:4 “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Believe God
Righteousness was credited to Abraham; why? Abraham believed God. Follow me a minute: He lied about Sarah being his sister to protect his life? Imagine Abraham in this day, would man judge and condemn him according to the law of imputed sin (the commandments); when God credited him righteousness according to the law of Grace?
Oh, if we can get this, we will never be the same!
Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
He listened to his wife and had Ishmael to another woman, other than his God Ordained wife, Sarah –and, yet in spite of how man may view Abraham’s life -God allowed; And, God credited Abraham Righteousness! Why, my friends? Because He believed God.
Oh, my friends, surely if we can get this, we will never be the same! Sure, Abraham (and so do we all) made mistakes. Let’s not get caught up on judging if it was a sin or not / or if it was a lie or not –Or, if it was a mistake or not. The point is, I am simply painting a picture of God’s Grace.
The Love of Jesus Imputed Righteousness to whosoever will believe!
The love of Jesus (WISDOM) is 1st of all pure, which doesn’t leave us double-minded about ANYTHING; nor double-minded about wanting God’s help to change. It is God’s mission on this earth; not our mission. I am one mission of God -I belong to God and so does His gift in me. We are simply learning and growing together by God’s wonderful and powerful grace.
Obviously, we need God; and He tells us, Do not be conformed to the ways of thinking in this world, but be transformed into the image of God’s Son. God’s sees things differently than man sees things. God looks at Jesus and has Compassion. Man many times looks still today at the law; more that at the Son.
We see evidence … even in the church. And, I will be the first to confess; and thus the inspiration to this post. I didn’t set out; nor plan to … I didn’t even think I was wrong; I actually thought I was right, but God has revealed to me my inner nature that needed changed yet and once again! To God be the glory! Forgive me if I have ever offended you in the wrong way. The Lord is growing me up to know to do better. And, mistakes are a part of our change to help us grow stronger not to do the same things again …
“For in many things we offend all. *Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. *Behold, also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. (James 3:2-4).”
I got bogged down, but today I am set free
My friends in closing, as faith without works is dead; and faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen; and faith pleases God, but without faith it is impossible to please God –Yet, faith is apt to [brand / create] make men conceited and magisterial in their tempers and their talk to judge and condemn … which we should NOT do –Even as, we have knowledge to know the things that God calls sin, sin, in works of the flesh; we are NOT the judge and we are not to judge the person’s heart.
How do we know that God didn’t put someone in jail for a reason; like Paul and Silas?
How can we serve then by faith, with this knowledge that faith is apt to create pride (if faith has a measure of success … which it will by Grace); and stay in balance with God?
The answer is LOVE my friends! The answer is love! Don’t look at the sin; look at Jesus and hear HIM say on the Cross: Forgiven them Father, for they know not what they do. And, to the woman, neither do I condemn you, Go and sin no more.
Abide in the Love of Jesus my friends! This is my great joy today to abide in the love of God and love you as God has loved me. I didn’t have to share this today with you; I prayed and asked God for His permission. God has mercy on me about every day and He never stops loving me. Sometimes, you may feel like God has forgotten you, but remember it is a time of growing nearer to Him, which will require change; and during that change there will be a struggle. There is a war going on within the flesh. The new spiritual man will be victorious, because God is greater and Jesus has prevailed over sin and the nature to sin.
We are equipped to succeed!
John 14:6 (KJV)
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
1 John 4:16 (KJV)
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
We can only balance Spirit with Spirit and Truth with Truth. Flesh and Spirit cannot balance!
We can also identify with the fruit of the Spirit in Truth. Yes, God hates the sin, but God loves the sinner. We, who know and believe in the love God has for us –Also, know the power of secret prayer & understand it is the HOLY SPIRIT who convicts (sin in the heart of everyone, including me) … It is also the Holy Spirit who draws those near to believe in God’s love for them. Our job is to pray and love others in the love of Jesus.
The love of Jesus is the simplest way to serve we will ever know!
My husband told me that the greatest ministry he has seen me do is have a conversation about sweet potatoes and listen –The love of Jesus is sincere and takes time out of our busy day to notice that someone just needs to know they matter! How better to demonstrate the love of Jesus than to pause in the love of Jesus and be sincere to show another respect and give them a real opportunity to begin a conversation. To witness a glimmer of light turn on in a person’s eyes is the most powerful thing we can see –like the picture in the sky when we see the power of the light behind it! Jesus is the ONE true light, we are simply a reflection –if we are sincere and genuinely care abiding in the Love of Jesus.
Read also Jonah 3:2-4
The Spirit of the Lord has shown me: We do not condemn –Yet, we also do not condone; neither are helpful to God in His Kingdom work. God sent Jonah, but Jonah preferred to condemn –Yet, God was with Jonah in the belly of the fish *How else could Jonah have survived for 3 days in the belly of a fish? Once, Jonah experienced the Grace of God, he ran through Nineveh –a 3 days walk that Jonah made in one!
Here is a powerful Scripture for a Self-Examination; and a beautiful display of God’s Grace:
Matthew 5:44King James Version (KJV)
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
My faith is that this is not too long, but the words I believe God wanted said. If my human nature made a mistake, then I will still give God glory, because I will eventually learn by His Grace. I will appreciate your text to respond: 919-357-5154
The answer to life and ministry is in the power of the Spirit of Life, which is abiding in the Love of Jesus.
If you need help with Scriptural references, please reach out to someone you see evidence of Jesus living in them and ask them to help you. We are a team in Christ; and this my friend is the Church who dwells in the House of God, which is in the love of Jesus –The Kingdom Come, God’s Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
If you are really seeking humility, ask God to see through His lenses! Man sees the law of sin and death; but God sees through the lenses of His Compassion! God looks at the intent; and sees the motives and knows the potential of the heart … We need Jesus pure and simple.
We are blessed by the beauty of God’s Grace; covered in Christ’s gift of Grace and Peace with us.
I hope this is a blessing to you too. I don’t have it all figured out, BUT God does … Follow Jesus!
Life is about the Love of Jesus.
To learn more, the BIBLE is written for us; and is a gift of God.
Are we willing to sacrifice sleep or entertainment to read? Discover JOY in the love of Jesus!
The miracle in the Word is that the Word is written on a believer’s heart –We have the wonderful opportunity to discover the edification and unity in the Spirit of God that is also written: The Bible is our “Basic Instructions BEFORE Leaving Earth.”
Peace on earth is discovering the beauty in the Grace of God and living in the love of Jesus unified –as far as it depends on me.
For quickened relevant knowledge with an even much deeper understanding read aloud; or read along as you listen to the Bible app read to you like I was blessed by today:
- 2 Peter Chapter 3
- 1 John Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
Love in Christ,
Karen Rowe
Hope in Today Ministries, Inc.
The Train Whistle, Sounding the call of God’s Love
