The Unconditional Love of God Toward Those that Love Him

 A Better Love

Book of Hebrews Chapter 12 Verses 1 through 11

How can we describe the love of another person?

We could say that love is showing affection to that person, accompanied with an ardent desire to promote this person's happiness!

1) By abstaining from all that could cause injury to that person.

2) By doing all that can promote that person's welfare, that person's comfort, that person's interest, whether that person appreciates that effort or is indifferent to that effort.

Love must be something personal, coming from one person and directed toward another person.

A relationship develops when both these persons feel the same toward each other.

As Christians we know that God is "Love" and He portrays to us absolute, never ending, enduring, love!

God proves His love for His creation by the things He says, and He does!

1Jn 4:9  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 

1Jn 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

1Jn 4:11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 

It is because God has this love that we also should learn to love as God loves!

Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 

Joh 17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 

Joh 17:24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 

So when we begin reading this passage that talks of a race, then we must accept that our race in the will of God is a LOVE race, to promote the love of God to this unloving world.

*****Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

It is a race to know God and His love and to commune with and fellowship with God both now and forever.

If we love God as He loves us then, we will believe Him and all the Words He has given to us, and be obedient to Him and all the Word of God!

We will believe in all the promises of God, and we will believe the love He has shown us in His Son!

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

There is so much we can learn from the Word of God, but if we can just believe He has this love as described here, the rest will be easy!

There is great power in faith.

There is even great power when our faith is combined with our true love for Him.

It is the baggage of a wicked world that has lost its affection for regular people and serves only the elite and powerful, that drags down each of us, unless we can lay aside these things and strive to match the pace God has given to us in His Son Jesus.

God has provided something much better for those who love Him!

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

You see we must continue to fight that good fight of faith just as those in the previous chapter!

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

When we read of the New Testament saints, we should see them as witnesses for the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must clearly understand that anything that does not build us up, is then tearing us down!

Anything that does not improve our Christian life, is then detrimental to our Christian life and our faith!

When we attend a Church service, then it must be to hear the message God has for us that day and fellowship with our likeminded brothers and sisters, and not for entertainment.

If we miss that service, then we have missed God's message for that day and the importance of it!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Author of our salvation and without Him there would be no salvation!

*****Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

**Looking; we are to fix our eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ as the object of our "faith"!

We are to fix our eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ as "the only" means of our "salvation"!

**Author; the Lord Jesus Christ is the "Originator" and the "Preeminent Example" of a life in Christ, being obedient to our Heavenly Father.

**Finisher; the Lord Jesus Christ is our "Perfecter"! It is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that will carry us through to "perfection". 

The Lord Jesus Christ does not start something that He does not finish!

Php 1:6  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": 

**The joy; The Lord Jesus Christ got no pleasure in the pain He endured. He got no pleasure in the way the very humans He created treated Him.

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and "was heard in that he feared";

Remember the Lord was 100% man and 100% God. He absolutely did fear the scourge, because it caused the death of so many before they reached the cross. The Lord Jesus had to die on that cross!

Joh_3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

He got joy in knowing that He had completed the work of salvation for every human who has ever existed.

His work for our salvation is finished:

Joh_17:4  I have glorified thee on the earth: "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do".

The Lord Jesus Christ felt joy knowing that salvation was now in our hands for He had completed the payment for our salvation that we did not have the power to do.

Our part is to believe Him and what He has done. This is why "faith" is so critical!

God will not tolerate those who reject His Son because of the work He had to do.

There is still joy in Heaven every time some lost soul is saved.

Luk_15:10  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner "that repenteth".

You will notice that it is not just salvation that brings joy to Heaven, it is that fact of repentance!

The joy of the Lord came to Him because He had accomplished His Father's will.

What is His Father's Will?

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 

1Ti 2:4  "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth". 

**Right hand; His work completed, Our Lord Jesus returned to His place at the right hand of God, but not just as Sovereign God of all His creation, but also as the High Priest and Mediator and Intercessor for each and everyone who have now committed to having that "Saving Faith".

The right hand is the place power, authority, and honor.

Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 

Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 

Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is our example of the results of "faith" as we will also return to the Father if we can show this same "faith"!

*****Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.  

How can we survive this cruel world? By keeping our focus on the things that the Lord Jesus Christ had to accomplish so that we can have this great salvation that is for eternity!

If we compare our own suffering to the suffering of Christ Jesus, we will see that there is really no comparison to the suffering and shame of our Lord as He paid our sin debt.

This will keep us from getting weary, meaning exhausted, tired, worn out, or even just relaxing as we go about the work that the Lord Jesus has given us to do.

There is no neutral ground when we serve the Lord.

We either are or we are not !

Discouragement can ruin our testimony for Christ!

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

We must resist the temptations of this world and focus on Christ who has already defeated this world!

Most all of us can say we have not resisted until death.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

1Co 10:14  Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 

We must never count the chastisement of the Lord toward us as punishment, when it is only the Holy Spirit who is keeping us on that narrow path to victory.

We must never question the love of God for His children!

If we would just take the time to study all the things our Lord has done for us simply because of His Great Love, we would not hesitate to show Him our love.

*****Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 

We should also be clear on this issue. God will discipline His believers!

God will not discipline non-believers, they are already condemned to eternal death!

It is Satan who cause havoc in the lives of unbelievers, yet they continue to worship him.

God chastens, corrects, and rebukes believers!

God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does God tempt any human being.

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 

Notice it is lust that conceives, that brings sin into our lives.

It is the lust between a man and a woman who refuse to take responsibility that makes a need for abortion.

It is the lust between two people male or female that cause the queer life style.

It is the lust for power that ruins politicians.

It is the lust for riches that has corrupted our world!

Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

It is sin that alienates us from God!

God does not cause temptation, nor does He cause us to sin.

God does not cause devastation, accidents, destruction, sickness, death or sufferings, trials or troubles and problems.

These are all things of this world! 

God will go through these things with us if He allows them!

God does not cause terrible things to happen, nor does He cause evil!

God's concern for us is not to  cause us problems!

**God allows some of these things to happen to us to teach, to train us, and instruct us, on how to deal with these type things, to make us stronger.

We are to stand on the truth of God!

God does not want any of these things to defeat us and they will not, if we stand firm upon the Word of God, for He will be with us at all times.

Php_4:13  I can do "all" things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

There is a reason for that word "ALL".

These things will only make us stronger if we allow God the Holy Ghost to do His work of sanctification!

When we come under attack we must immediately turn to God and ask for help!

All these things are only directed at us to allow God to work in our hearts to make us stronger.

We must never lay around in self-pity.

Many things are blamed on God that are just not true.

For instance, a small innocent baby is crippled in an automobile accident by a drunk driver. This is not being chastened or corrected by God!

This happens because we live in a corrupted world full of sin.

This is the same for drive-by shootings and other such things.

God simply does not cause such things, "love" simply does not act this way!

We will not see the wrath of God during this period of the "Grace"

All of God's instruction is to teach us to trust and depend more upon the Lord Jesus Christ!

**When we fail or cave into a trial or sin, God will let us reap what we have sown!

We will always bear the results of our sin, but it does not cause God to love us any less.

When we deal with the bad and evil things of this earth, God did not cause them!

We must not despise discipline!

When we are being taught by God, we need to cherish it and know that God is using these things to make us stronger so we will be able to help others who may go through the same thing.

We must get accustomed to the tug and pull of the Holy Spirit and even the little tugs can have critical meaning.

Jer 32:33  And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.

When we endure the chastening of the Lord it shows we trust our Savior and our love will grow even stronger.

*****Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 

Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

We must understand that when we are going through a period of chastening and suffering because of it, and we see someone else going through  something similar with relative ease we must not get confused.

If God has received us as His children, we should expect our Heavenly Father to keep us straight just as we try to do to our own children.

This shows the great love that God has for us!

He may even spank us to get our attention, but it is still done in love.

It is such a great honor to know you are a child of God and many times as we go through these things, thank spanking hand feels more like a comforting hand because this is the way God is to His children.

We must endure the discipline of God.

We are to stand fast in our trials and troubles.

We must become soft to the feel of the Holy Spirit!

We are to follow the Word of God and the Holy Spirit will direct us by the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit will never lead us away from Jesus Christ!

Our Heavenly Father is a Loving Father!

Now that one who is going through something similar with relative ease may not even be a child of God.

God does not discipline those who do not love Him!

They too are subject to the curse upon this world and exposed to the wickedness and corruptness of it.

God does not discipline those who do not love Him because they are already subject to His "wrath" to come!

This person is the child of Satan.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

These people will act just as Satan acts!

The Bible says these are "bastards" and not sons.

Bastard used here means the offspring of non-believers who have rejected the truth of God and not taught their children the Word of God!

Pro_22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Furthermore.

*****Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 

Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

If we have grown up having a father who loves us, then we have surely been disciplined by him and maybe that mother or both and we know it was done out of love.

Much of the troubles we have today are caused because of broken families and this is the work of Satan!

What we see today is children raised without discipline and it shows up so much that it is changing this entire world.

In fact, many of them have grown up to become leaders who now have no respect for the law and choose to not discipline those who break the law.

Living in this world of today we see that love of life has truly little meaning.

Rom_1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

2Ti_3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

The discipline of God brings life and life eternal!

The discipline of this world brings death, maybe not physical death but eternal death and separation from a Holy God!

They will be delivered to this death the very moment they leave this world, whereas the child of God knows that death is just a steppingstone to eternal life in the glory world.

Pro 11:19  As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

As we were growing up, our parents only had a few days to try to get us to grow up in a righteous manner in ways they thought were good, and many times they used too much discipline for the wrong things and too little discipline when they should have been tougher.

God does not ever make this mistake and God has our lifetime after salvation to get us ready for Heaven and useful for the work He has for us in this world.

If we are not partakers of His holiness, how do we ever expect to come face to face with Him.

There are no places to hide in Heaven! We either are or we are not!

Any move we make toward sin is a good reason to see the discipline of God!

*****Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

It could be said that pain teaches us our nothingness.

We do not have it in power to stop our pain especially that mental pain for a terrible situation that is going on in our lives.

Health permits us to swell in pride and self-esteem, but pain knocks us down a level and shows us our feebleness.

Pain shows us we are not in charge even of our own bodies!

The fact of the matter is that we need solid "Grace" when we are thrown into the furnace of affliction and if Jesus is not there with us, we will be burnt to a crisp!

It is "faith and love" that teaches us to bear all things good and bad because we trust in a perfect Savior!

There is peace that comes to those who are going to the trials and temptations of this world because we know we are not alone.

There is a lot that can be said of that person who can stand and face God and say, "be merciful to me God, I am but just a sinner that loves you".

There is "Mercy and Grace" at the Throne of Love!

Amen

The Proof Is Love

Assurance of Our Salvation

Book of 1 John Chapter 3 verses 11-24

How do we know we have become a part of God's salvation plan? Because, the Holy Spirit has come to live within us!

How do we know the Holy Spirit lives in inside us? The proof is that we begin to love and to show the love that our God has shown to us!

We ended last week’s lesson with Chapter 3 and verse 10.

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

How are God's children made known to the world?

We are to be the ones who are doing things right while the world does things wrong!

We are to be the ones who love all others like our Heavenly Father loves us, who are so unworthy of His love!

This is the message God has had since the first day of Creation!

What is love?

Love is a great desire to promote peace and happiness and have true affections for all others.

Love is refusing to do anything that could prove injurious to others.

Love is doing things to promote the welfare, and the comfort, and the interests of others whether they appreciate it or not.

Love is personal and will show the real worth of that person who is so loved.

Love is taking action to show this love to all others.

This is the love God has shown to those who live throughout His creation!

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Let this sink in for a moment.

This is the message of the Bible that we have learned from the beginning!

*****1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

This is the very first lesson we need to learn after receiving our Savior!

For those who do not understand why God does what He does, then this is His reason!

We live in a world where it seems that almost everyone is looking for love.

Those not looking for love are looking to instill hatred, because they have never known what love means.

One group looks for love in the wrong places, and the other group denies that there can be such love yet, God's only answer is that we must love one another.

When the Apostle John became so weak, he could hardly preach, he had only one message that he repeated over and over until his church got tired of hearing about the love of God.

The church of today has become tired of hearing John 3:16!

How did John respond? John said it is the Lord's first command and that is a good enough reason to keep preaching about the love of God.

After all, when we obey the commandments of God, we show we love Him.

If we grow tired of God's love, then how can see say He is our Father?

How could we ever grow tired of the love of our Heavenly Father?

Love is God's message and love is the message God gave to His Son!

What happens when love ceases to exist?

*****1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

The truth is, those who live of hatred are of the wicked one! The wicked one is the Devil, Satan, the Deceiver, the evil one, the Antichrist!

It was Cain who committed the very first murder upon this earth!

It was Cain who first spilled the blood of an innocent human being!

It was Cain who first showed the results of hatred, to a world who had never seen such a thing!

It was Cain who showed the results of evil works from the mind of a human being!

Why was Abel chosen by Cain to show this hatred? Because Abel had tried his best to be obedient to God and Cain openly showed his parents that he was not going to believe what God had to say!

You see Adam had allowed sin into this world and Satan immediately found his first follower!

Cain was the first one to reject the truth of God!

Cain was the first child of the devil!

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Cain was the very first one who decided to try to put an end to the good works of those who love the Lord God Almighty!

As humans we cannot give life so in reality, we have no right to take a life, but according to the Word of God!

As humans we do have the ability to reproduce and those who hate life so much, have decided that they have the power to end these lives!

Reminds us of those innocent babies who are murdered everyday who have done nothing to harm anyone!

These things are the results of Satan inspired hatred!

These things are the results of a people who hate to see other people try to do good!

We should also see that Cain started down a path that he could see no means of escape, and we can be sure that Satan was feeding him these lies, and Cain never asked God for forgiveness.

Cain began a life of envy and we see these same things today in our societies, our politics, our sports and in Hollywood.

Envy leads to strife, and division and hatred and sometimes murder, as it did with Cain.

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

If we are filled with God the Holy Spirit, it will show, and the world will hate us also!

*****1Jn 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

We see all these things today in our world and though we mostly mind our own business, the world will treat us as the enemy and the truth is, if the world is our enemy, then obviously we are enemies to the world even if we go about our business not bothering anyone!

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Our world is not interested in any form of salvation that does not come by powerful men who live in this world!

Our world is not interested in remedies that do not come from some man who are said to have great scientific minds, or great in philosophy, though they are only men.

Our world will not be satisfied until we renounce God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and join the world in unbelief.

But we have a Savior who will not give up on the world and this is the message that we are to give the world!

Jesus has explained all these things to us, and the Apostle John is just reminding us that this situation came about when love was rejected, and hatred began!

These things can bring a blessing from our Heavenly Father if we stick by the stuff of Jesus Christ!

Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

Luk 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

When we cling to the love of God and show that love to others no matter what the world is doing, then we can understand why the Scriptures gives us these words!

*****1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

First: The first proof that we have passed from "physical death" to "spiritual life" (Born Again) is because we love all the brethren of the Church!

Adam represents all those in the physical world and Jesus represents all those in the spiritual world, of which every believer has become a part of!

We are no longer bound by the law of death, but live by the law of life that is in Christ Jesus!

We have left that state of condemnation and live by in the state of justification!

If we cannot now love all our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we have not made this change and the Holy Spirit does not live in us!

It takes a regeneration by the Holy Spirit to know the true love of God!

We cannot even please God, until His Spirit of life lives within us!

Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

And we must count it a privilege to be a part of the family of God and have so many brothers and sisters in Christ!

The early church began with this understanding!

Act 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Though circumstance were far different in the days of the early church, we must remember, our God does not ever change!

All those who do great religious works, but do the wrong works are still dead!

Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

We may think God is not paying attention to us, but we will be fooled when the Lord returns!

If we retain any hatred for our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter where they are or what denomination they abide in, how can we say we belong to the Lord ourselves?

*****1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

The truth is "love does not hate"!

This does not mean we have to agree with everyone because we must stick to the truth of God!

When we have all sorts of negative feelings against others in the church, then we are not expressing the love of God!

Some of these negative feelings would be things like, dislike, anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, resentment, irritability.

When we hate, we are in the same class of people as murderers!

We could say, well John is going just a little too far, but what did Jesus say?

Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

We see Jesus went a little further and said God the Father will not hear your prayers, and the Lord our Advocate will not defend us, as long as we are guilty of any sort of hatred!

Love is the only security against hatred!

Pro 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

What is our greatest example of the love of God?

*****1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Unless we forget, we were all dirty rotten sinners when the Lord died for our sins.

We could say well, we were not even born at that time of the Cross.

Then we would be limiting the Omniscience of God, who knew us all before we were even born!

I know that the Lord Jesus Christ would have died just for me!

Think upon that for a moment!

Jesus the Messiah took all sin upon Himself and took it to Hell where it all belongs!

If we love God, then we will follow His Son. We will love other people just as He did!

This does not mean we will love their sinful ways. In fact we must place all our hatred upon sin without placing hatred upon that person!

Even when a sinner rejects the Lord Jesus Christ it does not change the love God has for them!

God will just honor the choices we make because He loves us!

This we must do also!

We must plead and beg and teach our children and grandchildren, and then honor their choices, but we must never stop loving them!

We must still not be a part of their sinful lifestyle!

If we cannot love those that oppose us, then how can we say we have the love of Jesus Christ?

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Before we go home to be with the Lord can we truly say, " Father, I will give you my life for my children or for my grandchildren"!

Jesus has already given us the power to lay our life down and the power to pick it back up again.

Now this does not mean anything about suicide or any such thing as that. It does mean are we spiritually willing to go to the extreme to save our children and our family!

Do we have that sacrificial love for our family?

Are we willing to pick our cross up daily and follow the Lord in all circumstances?

Are we truly in the will of our heavenly Father?

Are we considerate of the needs of others?

*****1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

What is one of the greatest traits of love? Compassion! (Pity)

What are "the world's good"? Notice this does not say the world’s “goods”, though it would include some of the world’s goods which make up the necessities of life.

The "good" things of the world are those things that comply with moral law.

The world, in its own way can show compassion at many times such as in the devastation of the recent hurricanes.

Today, it is not so much in sharing the things you have, but for the most part, the requests are for money to specific agencies who will keep more of that money than they will use.

For us of the Church it remains better to give to the Church and such Church agencies that can be trusted.

There will always be the poor amongst us, and these are those who are poor in worldly good!

The world's "good" could be said to be things that are useful, things that produce a good effect, things that have a value to life and things that are valuable to life.

These things could be said to be the basic needs for life!

God says:

Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Isa 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Is there a benefit to doing these things?

Isa 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

You see this is another form of laying down your life for someone else!

So these may not be spiritual things, but they may lead to us being able to share spiritual things!

Or how can we look upon the face of God, if we turn our faces away from those who have a need that we are able to supply?

We know that John is preaching to the Church and certainly those should come first, but God's love extends to all those in His creation!

We wonder why God does not answer our prayers sometimes, and John gives us another reason and another lesson in, Are We Who We Say We Are?

1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

1Ti 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

So the question remains, Do We Really Love God, As He Loves Us?

Are we expected to empty the Church coffers to help all those in our area? I believe the monies we give are for the maintenance of the church, the salaries of those who are needed, and for the church outreach. I believe we owe it to the Lord to use every means possible to spread the Gospel and make disciples. I also believe we need some monies in place for hard times just as all good stewards.

I also believe it would not hurt to have some monies and some people, set aside to help those in need especially those of the church and according to the Word of God those needs are the necessities of life and not cars and not homes and not, other worldly things.

In other words strictly monitored!

If we are to follow all the Word of God, then certainly we must show the love that God has shown to us, in giving us His Son the Giver of Life and Life Eternal!

Are we following the Gospel truth?

*****1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

This is something that we need to settle in our hearts. We must know that we are of the truth, and that truth is Jesus Christ!

You see God cannot be fooled because He can see deep into our heart and He knows if we are real or not!

We can be sure that He that created all things, also knows all things!

God has a perfect knowledge and we do not have a clue what perfect really means, because we base perfection on the things of this world and there is nothing perfect in this world beyond that Saint of God who has departed this world to go home and the perfect Word of God!

But we need to strive for perfection and the regular attendance to a Bible believing Church is one way to do this!

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

When our hearts are pure and striving for perfection, God will always be there to walk with us in the cool of the day, but also in the heat of the day!

*****1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

If deep down in our heart, we know what we do is wrong, then how can we expect God to believe that we are right?

If our own conscience condemns us, how can we expect God not to condemn the things we do?

There is nothing that we can hide from God! Absolutely nothing!

And for those who are just playing Church, they need to wake up and get real with God and our Savior!

All those who think they can cling to their sin and get prayers answered, need to wake up!

At the same time, when we are deep into our own unworthiness and still possess the love of God for all our brethren, then God will give us the confidence that we are lacking because God can see into our heart knowing the truth of our being!

We can also know that we will have periods of doubts and fears, and God will never condemn us even of these things!

You see God certainly can see our sins, but God also knows our temptations, our struggles, our sorrows and our love.

God knows what we go through in our life and in our Christian life.

Heb_2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

God knows how to deliver us from every obstacle we face in all our lifetime!

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

It is when we do all these things as best that we know how, that when we pray, we can expect an answer to the prayer, if what we ask is within the will of God for our lives.

There is nothing God is not prepared to give His children, When We Please Him!

*****1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

The way to obtain a clean heart, is to walk in the commandments of God!

The way to get prayers answered, is to do things that are pleasing to God!

Things that please God must include our faith in the works of Jesus Christ!

Things that please God, is faith that he is God and there is no other!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

To please God we must join the Army of God!

2Ti_2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

To please God then we must be more like His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh_8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

These are all simple things, but they all require that we give up our old life.

None of these things are available to us until we have been "Born Again" into new life!

None of these things will work for us until we accept the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

All those who say they do not know what God expects from us, just need to read this passage.

Every Church in every denomination that would allow evil men to dictate lies, need to read this passage to know the truth.

Every soul that has doubts about their salvation, need to read this passage.

All those who want to know the truth of the Holy Spirit, need to read this passage.

All those who trust in the Lord can have assurance, if we read this passage!

All those who want a clean heart, can only have one by and thru the Holy Spirit, which comes only by Jesus Christ!

Are there other ways to please God? No!

Amen

Let's Pray!

Jesus Christ The Example Of God's Love

Wisdom Exemplifies The Love Of Christ

Proverbs 24-27


To exemplify means to show by example!

God has shown us by the life story of Lord Jesus Christ!

God has shown us by the truth of the Word of God!

God is showing us daily, if we have allowed the Holy Spirit to be our Guide!

God is showing us by His chastising of us when we do wrong.

God has shown us example after example of what He will do when certain things are done or are not done in the stories in the Bible.

The theme of the Bible is the love of God!

1Jn 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

If we are God's children and are led by Christ's example then we will also show the Love of God!

Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

There is no excuse for our ignorance on these matters!

In the very first Book of the Bible it says:

Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

God takes us throughout the Scriptures to show us His image.

God is love and this is the most important part of His image and the example we are to show to all those who cross our paths in this life time!

*****Pro 24:1  Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Pro 24:2  For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

We are to witness to those who cross our path if at all possible but we are never to associate ourselves with those who are evil or that do evil!

1Co 15:33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

In this day and time it is a fact that we cannot move away from evilness.

In all walks of life there are people who prey on others.

Today the story is terrorism throughout the world.

This thing distracts us from those, our own politicians and leaders, who are trying to destroy our nation from within.

There are also the local criminals who destroy everything they touch.

And then there are also those who preach and teach a false gospel.

All these not only destroy the innocent but in the end they destroy themselves!

Because their thoughts and conversations are always on evil things and their lips always speak of mischief.

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

If we are truly wise we will not be associated with sinful evil people.

*****Pro 24:3  Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

That word "house" not only means a place to live such as a structure but it also means the people that live inside that structure.

A strong home does not just automatically exist!

A strong home is the product of wise planning and hard work!

We have already established that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.

A strong home must be built on a solid foundation!

Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

There is only one foundation that can be built on today in this world, that can survive the evils of it!

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

This is the foundation of salvation!

Act 4:11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

This is a home built by obeying the Word of God!

Deu 6:6  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

A strong home is built when we follow these principles in this Book of Proverbs!

Pro 22:17  Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Pro 22:18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

We can see that wisdom involves the proper treatment of not only our friends but also our enemies but wisdom also shows us how to treat ourselves.

There is no better example that Jesus Christ.

*****Pro 24:15  Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
Pro 24:16  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Pro 24:17  Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Pro 24:18  Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

This cursed world has made men to be enemies of men. This was never God's intention!

But God warns all those who would cause harm to His children!

To spoil is to rob and plunder.

Those who are wicked may cause a just man to fall but those who are justified will not stay down.

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Those that are justified, need only to repent to be raised back up!

But the same is not said of the wicked, they will fall without a remedy!

For all those who are interested, this means that the wicked will never be able to totally destroy God's people!

Those that are justified are on the winning side!

2Ti 4:18  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Since we know all these things it would be easy for us to gloat over our victory.

We are never to gloat over God's judgment over our enemies!

We are to hate sin but we are never to hate the sinner!

The truth is that seeing God's judgment served should cause us all to fear the Lord even more!

We are never to forget we serve a powerful God!

Jer 10:12  He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

Nothing much displeases God more than when His children rejoice over God's judgment on those who are lost!

Many of those will be some of our own family members!

Verse 18 does not mean that God's wrath may be turned from the enemy and toward that righteous person who is rejoicing but it certainly can mean that He will execute judgement on both.

It is true, that as we recover from some evil thing it is hard not to rejoice when God's justice is served.

But this is the reason Jesus said we must love our enemies as we love ourselves.

We will never rejoice over those we love when we see God's justice!

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

There is a reason God will wipe away all our tears in Heaven and this may be one of those reasons!

*****Pro 24:19  Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Pro 24:20  For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Again the Lord teaches us not to worry about things we cannot control.

We are not to be jealous of the prosperity or in any way envious of those who are evil and wicked.

We must not become angry with God because of these things.

Why? Those who are wicked have no hope beyond this life, they are condemned!

There is no prospect of future happiness or fulfillment!

They will be eternally separated from God!

They will suffer the wrath of God throughout eternity!

There is no reward for those who are evil!

Instead of worry, we should trust in the Lord.

We must remain committed to the Lord.

We can rest in the Lord.

We can wait patiently for the Lord's return!

God does not want us to worry!

God certainly does not want us to strike out in anger.

God does not want us to be their judge.

Pro 23:17  Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Pro 23:18  For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

How do we describe the world we live in today?

*****Pro 24:24  He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

Our legal system has faltered in the name of politics, personal relationships, favor, bribery and even fear and the wicked are defended while the innocent are forgotten or even punished!

Even our own Supreme Court bows at the whims of politicians!

They forget that they all will answer to the Supreme Judge of this earth!

Gen 18:25  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right"?

It is only those that judge b y being faithful to justice that will be esteemed by those who know the truth and the knowledge of God!

And there is no Scripture that approves of the Sharia Law of the Muslim!

Pro 17:15  He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

America and her leaders have fallen into this trap along with most of the world!

And people wonder why God allows such evil to happen.

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Even many who claim to know God but their actions do not show that truth.

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

God is nowhere near this sort of justice!

What is the first thing we need to do in America?

*****Pro 25:5  Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

The greatest responsibility of any leader is to protect their nation.

They must also protect that nation from the influence of wicked people.

Any leader that brings to his council such evilness is no leader at all!

2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

The leader that rejects the Word of God is an unfaithful man and should be regarded as such!

*****Pro 25:19  Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

An unfaithful leader will cause us pain as that of a toothache and be as useless as a runner with a broke foot.

Those that are wise know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!

This wisdom will make them dependable and trustworthy!

This wisdom will make them do the right thing!

We should not put confidence in any man unless our confidence is already in the Lord, so we can discern right from wrong!

*****Pro 25:20  As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

We should never be insensitive in trying to cheer up someone with a heavy heart!

When sympathy is needed, cheerfulness can sometimes cause harm!

When our neighbor or our friend are hurting, they do not need jokes or merry songs, they need loving sympathy.

Sometimes there are no words of comfort and they just need a silent friend by their side!

Job 2:12  And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
Job 2:13  So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

When these so called friends of Job did begin to speak they ruined all the good they had done by their silence.

Nitre is like baking soda and when vinegar is poured on baking soda, it produces a terrible reaction!

Sometimes our words, even though well intended, can produce a terrible reaction to those with a heavy heart!

*****Pro 25:21  If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
Pro 25:22  For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

It is in the Old Testament where God laid down His basic principles of building human relationships!

Doing good to an enemy is a difficult thing to do!

We cannot defeat our enemies by being good to them but we must never sink to their level of wickedness.

We are to treat our enemies no different than we would treat the poor.

If he is hungry feed him.

If he is thirsty then provide him with water.

In the days of Solomon, people used a fire to cook and to eat and even other purposes.

If for some reason you had allowed your fire to go out it was necessary to borrow some coals from your neighbor.

Giving some coals, in a coal pan to carry home on his head was a kind and a neighborly act!

"Coals of fire" are a metaphor for remorse and repentance and symbolizes overcoming evil with good!

Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

This is also a specific place where the Lord said a reward could be earned, here on earth and also in Heaven!

Pro 11:18  The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

There is never a place in the Scriptures where God says it is alright to do wrong even to our enemies!

*****Pro 27:2  Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

We must always be aware of self-pride!

Bragging is thinking we are better than others!

Being humble prompts others to think more highly of us!

God's eyes are on us at all times and we are always to be humble before Him!

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

If we are truly wise in the ways of the Lord, then we will also know the example that our Lord set when He walked among us.

Jesus said:

Joh 8:54  Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

If we are truly wise, we will let others praise us.

It is far better for a stranger to approach us and say "you seem to be a Christian" than for us to brag about it.

It is far better to be known for actions than for what we say.

Paul said "I am what I am but only by the Grace of God".

If we are not praised by others then we should be satisfied with no praise!

If we cling to the Word of God and wise in the fear of the Lord, then God Himself will praise us.

1Co 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: "and then shall every man have praise of God".

It is far better to patiently wait on the Lord and stay busy in the work that He has given us to do, for that will also bring His praise and that should be all our goal!

*****Pro 27:11  My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

As wise children of God, we can bring great joy and gladness to the Lord.

It should be our goal to be a testimony to the wisdom and the character of the Lord.

Everything we say and do will reflect on our testimony of the Lord!

We can earn the trust of the Lord by being obedient to His commandments, always being truthful, and making good decisions.

We can earn the trust of the Lord by never being ashamed of the Lord nor being ashamed of the Word of God!

Proper behavior is based on keeping the commandments of King Jesus!

Jesus said:

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

In other words "Wisdom Exemplifies The Love Of Christ"!

We are the representatives of the Lord and we need to act in His best interest.

It is the will of God that none would perish but the truth of our world is, that so many of this world will never respond to the "Gospel" but it is still our job to take the "Gospel" to all that cross our path!

*****Pro 27:20  Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Hell is the place of the dead and destruction will come to all those in Hell when they face the Lord at the White Throne of Judgement.

Hell is always hungry and is always craving for another soul.

All those that reject the Word of God are never satisfied to stand alone and they will take as many others with them to Hell as they possibly can.

It is the Church that stands in the gap and it is us who know the truth of the Lord that need to take our stand on that truth.

True satisfaction can only come by the "Fear of the Lord" and a close, and a personal, and a loving relationship with Him!

If we truly love the Lord, He knows it!

Questions?

Let's Pray!