Dear Child of God,
I hope this letter finds you well!
Dewey asked me if I had something I could share with you today & for this Labor Day Weekend.
What I have for you is this –As I was reading in The Train Whistle yesterday, I believe it was a nudge from the Lord to share a particular part of this book with you Today. This Labor Day, let us remember that “we are Co-Labors for the Lord Together with God”, as stated in 1 Corinthians 3:9!
I hope this is a blessing to you!
And, I also would love to invite you to The Train Whistle website:
Enter to win a free copy of this book, which is “Sounding the call of God’s Love!”
https://www.hopeintoday.com/upcomingeventsmore.htm
In addition, be sure and scroll all the way to the bottom of this reading if you may be interested in requesting a special invitation to participate in learning together more about God’s love that is for you!
To God IS the glory and to HIM be the glory forevermore!
Let us begin with a Proclamation from 1 John 4:16!
Will you proclaim this Scripture with me?
1 John 4:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
And we have known and believed …the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
The Train Whistle, Sounding the call of God’s Love, by Karen Rowe, Beginning in page 105:
The Gospel of Christ
The opinion of other people is sometimes more easily heard than the quiet stillness in God’s Word. We accept man’s testimony, but God has given a greater testimony about his Son (1 John 5:9). Do not be so quick to reject your gift of knowledge because through faith in Jesus, we believe. Anyone who believes in Jesus, who is the Son of God, has this testimony in his heart, so whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (1 John 5:10; Philippians 1:27).
There is and can only be one truth. Be certain that you are following the absolute truth that is never changing—the truth that God has given us to follow. God leads us to the truth in Jesus by peace, reality that is certain, but there are people who are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:7).
Jesus did not come to condemn the world of sin; he came to save us from the penalty of sin. Following Jesus is God’s good way to live. Living well in Jesus is where peace is found. God is with us when we just do the right thing, but if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it (Genesis 4:6-7).
I Throw Away Instruction Manuals,
but Not the One to My Car or My Life
We get instruction manuals to everything. Most instruction manuals state the obvious that can leave us wondering why a manufacturer felt a need to provide simple instructions. Instructions, whether complicated or simple, are intended for the recipient to use for their own benefit. Simple as it is, an electronic device will only work if the batteries are placed correctly and according to the instructions that are written for us to know, follow, and obey.
Simple as it is, our life with God will only work if we line up according to his Word and truth and live according the standards of love that God has set for us to know. In other words, God tells us what love is, what love is not, what love does not do, and what love always does for our own benefit to know and follow. We need to be reminded and instructed.
Have you ever built a cabinet and refused to read the instructions first because you thought you were smart enough to figure it out on your own? I have. Sometimes we can think we know enough to live our lives well enough to please God, but how can we be sure unless we know the truth from God? I thought that I was smart enough to build that cabinet on my own; however, I only successfully got as far as the point that I stepped out of step with the instructions that I had not read.
Just because we do not read the instructions doesn’t change the truth of what will work and what will not work. I missed a vital step that halted my progress until I backed up and built the cabinet the only way that it would fit together. We build our lives based on the Word of God. God tells us how to move forward in our life successfully. My pride caused me more work, time, and frustration because I avoided the instructions that were written for me to know and intended to make my job easier and enjoyable.
Scripture teaches us “Love keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Is there really peace in carrying a grudge? Scripture teaches us “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15), and even if he did, would that make a difference to our peace? It is not about us; it is the way God’s pure and perfect kingdom exists.
Just as I had to go back to my instructions, we have to continually go back to God’s Word to learn his way of love to remain in Jesus so that Jesus will remain in us ( John 15:4). We are continually growing nearer to God, so we need to constantly be learning his Word. God’s Word is our instruction manual to life. God is specific about remaining in his love.
For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Hebrews 4:2
Life with God Is Attainable
I want to learn more about my cell phone’s capabilities, but I never take the time to learn. Thus, my phone’s full capabilities are of no use to me because I have no knowledge of how to use them. In our lives, our Bibles are important to us in this way. We need to be continually reading God’s Word to learn our abilities in a capable God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. The Bible is written for our benefit, but it is of no value to us unless we read it to learn and then also mix our faith to obey all that we learn.
God gives us the truth for our benefit so we can know how to live our lives well with God. My husband’s chainsaw was beyond repair because he did not know one simple maintenance step. A chainsaw cannot be stored with the fuel in it. Just as oil and gas separate in time in a chainsaw that is not used, we can be swayed from truth of God when we are not being maintained by the truth.
Separation of oil and gas in a chainsaw leaves it vulnerable to burning up the pistons when it is worked. Separation from God’s truth in his Word leaves us vulnerable to following the other wisdom that does not come down from heaven.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 (emphasis mine) And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (emphasis mine).
We can get through this life without reading the Bible or hearing the word of God, but with how much grace? God has made our instructions available to us to show us the direct way to follow him to our good lives. The Bible is our map to remaining in Jesus. Would you start driving to a place that you have never been without checking the directions to know each road to take?
Our lives are a road trip; why would we choose to go through our lives the hard way and skip knowing the navigation? Jesus, our living Word and way to understanding our written Word of God, leads us to our blessed life today and eternal life with God forevermore. Why risk arriving to the wrong designation?
Can you risk missing heaven by ignoring the truth about Jesus? My Bible is my most valuable tool in my life that I turn to for every answer in my life. My instruction manuals are available to help me with my every trouble that is foreseen by the one who knows more than me: the Creator, who created with love blessings to be enjoyed with him. I did not know that the Bible was written for me to understand until I read it with God. I did not know how useful Scriptures were to find my strength, peace, and wisdom from God until I experienced the power in the words that are written.
I did not know that I could overcome difficult situations with the power and grace of God until I experienced God’s grace come over me with such an overwhelming peace that transcends all understanding. I have spent more time and energy, overcoming situations without grace because I just did not know there was an easier way. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
REMEMBER OUR PROCLAMATION IN CHRIST JESUS?
Do you believe? The Truth shall set you free!
1 John 4:16 Living Bible (TLB)
16 We know how much God loves us because we have felt his love and because we believe him when he tells us that he loves us dearly. God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.
1 John 4:16 The Message (MSG)
13-16 This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.
I thank God for the opportunity that I had to write The Train Whistle, Sounding the call of God’s Love!
It was not always easy to find the time … but it was so worth the sacrifice that it took to get this book to you today!
It is by faith in the Name of Jesus and by the Power of the Holy Spirit that we come together Today.
Before we can “be for praise of the glory of His Grace, we need to believe God’s Love for us!
Do you know your how valuable you are?
Hope in Today Ministries is a ministry of Love that God has given me to share about God’s love!
Currently, I am very drawn to teaching about love in this way:
“Building Self Esteem by Learning about God’s Love!”
You are invited to join me on a FB page by requesting an invitation to me via FB!
I hope this is a blessing to you! … &
Don’t forget to Enter to win a free copy of this book, The Train Whistle,
which is “Sounding the call of God’s Love that is for you!”
https://www.hopeintoday.com/upcomingeventsmore.htm
Love and Prayers in Christ,
Karen Rowe, Founder of Hope in Today Ministries | Author of The Train Whistle
Sounding the Call of God’s Love
919-357-5154 (cell)
