Jesus is our example

Why are there some people who think and thereby believe once they have accepted Christ they are above reproach?

They can do no wrong. They can accuse and judge. They can condemn another for their wrongdoing. They can proclaim, You Are Wrong.

And that makes Mr./Mrs./Miss High and Mighty right?

We are all one, assuming the "we" is those who have come to know Christ, have accepted Him as their personal Savior, have a walk of love and obedience with and to the Lord.

Love -- that means everybody, not just those you personally select.

Obedience -- total commitment to the Lord.  ... But do we always know all that entails?

Jesus gives us instructions, but because of our imperfections, our discernment is not always right on the mark.

Yet, perhaps you think it is. You know right from wrong. But it's not all about what or who is right and what or who is wrong.

It's about Him -- His relationship with you, your relationship with Him.

It is not your responsibility to remind a fellow Christian of their faults, their shortcomings, to continually point out to them what they cannot do, where they cannot go. We hinder God's work when we take things upon ourselves.

Jesus shows us how to live and be responsible. He is our example. If we do not follow him, but our own thoughts, we are not being ALL that God has called us to be.

Even as Christians we are not above getting off the path. We still have sin in our lives. The Lord Jesus knows us and wants to show us how to stay on His path and not wander off. But we do stray. ALL OF US.

We seek God's love, His forgiveness.

He gives. He is. Love. He does not condemn. He saves us from condemnation, for unrighteousness. We are reborn, renewed.

To do what?!

To be and do as Christ
To love as Christ
To suffer as Christ

If/when/since God has forgiven me, why do you still hold over my head my guilt? Should not you also, whom God has forgiven, forgive another?

We must show love
compassion
gentleness
patience
forgiveness
to each other, every one.
We must show Jesus.

Remember -- it is to Jesus we belong. It is not to ourselves we are to strive, but to Jesus. We are His children, His disciples.

We must walk in the Word. Our mission must be to Christ toward all, unbeliever AND believer.

"Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." (Philippians 2:14-16 NKJV)

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:12-17)

Without Jesus there is no unity, no peace, no promise, no hope.

"With Him (God), all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

Let us live as believers.

More of God's Love

God's Love took me through the week and into another, through worship services, exploring the Scriptures, stopping to reflect on all He is and all He did and does and all He continues to do and be. My verse may seem simple, but its more than simple. Yet not complicated. We are living in God's Love. Even you who do not know or do not care. We are living proof of God's Love. (This is an updated post of God's Love that was published Oct. 30, which has been deleted.)

God's Love
is patient, kind

Not envious
Not jealous
Not proud
Not selfish
Not in a hurry
Not bearing grudges
Not rude

is passionate

Rejoices In the Truth
Not wrongdoing
Not a falsehood
Not a lie
(not even a little white one)

Sees clearly

Not with malice

is faithful

Not dependent on our courage or lack thereof
Not giving in when we fail

is miraculous
is mighty and strong, powerful
Not weary
Not weak

is perfect
Not to be feared

is complete
Not separated from the frenzied hurriedness,
busyness of our lives

Shares with others
Moves you to live righteously,
not as sinners

is gentle and compassionate

Not angry
Not quarrelsome
Not forceful

is supportive
Always concerned about the well-being of His children

Never fails

is like a lamb
Not a roaring lion.

is for us
undeserving,
without any thought of return

is calming

Pursues us
Not to punish,
but to have a relationship
because of love …
God’s Love.

God’s Love
is a reminder -
He is Pure and Holy,
without blemish
Not flawed

Not the deceiver
Not the enemy

God’s Love
is invisible, yet not
Surrounds you
Embraces you
Reveals His Son to you and reveals Himself as your Holy Father

is the Holy Spirit,
living within your heart
when you have accepted His Son
as your Savior.

God’s Love
Builds you up

Not a disappointment
Not conditional

Sets you free
Not enslaved

God’s Love
grows
Not stagnant

Fills you to overflowing
Instructs, guides you
on your life’s journey of twists and turns

Created you
Gives meaning and purpose

Understands your pain and anxiety
and gives comfort

Shows you the foolishness

you give in to

God’s Love
searches high and low
for you, His lost child,
and when He finds you,
there is much rejoicing
and gladness of heart

God’s Love
gives you reason to thank Him
always, continually

Shows us how expressing
our love for His Son, Jesus,
frees us
from the burden of our guilt

Knows you,
your innermost being
your troubled heart

Helps us
to forgive others
to let go of the past

is genuine
Not a list of errors
does He keep

is always with you
Always has your best interest

God's Love
expresses joy
in the face of a believer
when we give
sacrificially
to Him alone
a single solitary act
of returning His love
for us
to Him.
to Him alone.

God's Love
a longing for more and more
of Him.

God's Love
brought us
a mediator,
a savior
Jesus!

God's Love
is sufficient

deserves our praise, our honor
Not our mocking

Invades us
our very being
enfolds us with Him
bring us to Him
one with Him .... alone without Him

is never ending.
Eternal.

Cathy Orrick Luders
Oct. 30 / Nov. 2, 2010

“... God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.”  (1 John 4:16-18)

 “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” ( 1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”        (Philippians 4:19)

“For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:15)

“And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.” (1 Corinthians 6:14)

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

“Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:35, 37)

Listen to the video below and pay attention to the words in "All I Have is Christ." Embrace God's Love.

God's grace is sufficient

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God's grace = God's power, God's love

My weakness = all of my infirmities

We can't see grace; it is not readily apparent to our being. It is there when we take that leap of faith - we pretty much disregard our brain thoughts and hone in on our heart, listening quietly, but intently, to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit -- God - the Lord Jesus Christ.

Read what Dietrich Bonhoeffer (in his devotional) has to say about it: It speaks of an event beyond all worlds and wants to draw us away from our own world to another. A dark abyss opens us, and a voice commands: Jump across. I will catch you and hold you fast. I am stretching out my hand. Now bet your life on it, and rely on me and on nothing else. My grace is sufficient for you. I am love.

"I have called you by your name; you are Mine." (Isaiah 43:1b)

God's grace, God's love, God's power is sufficient; at least it should be. If it isn't we aren't living our lives in total obedience to Him. I wonder if that is really possible, 100% total obedience to the Lord 100% of all time. It seems it is our goal, one we are always pushing toward, but not quite achieving. I think it will happen when Jesus returns again. With His arrival, we, who are believers, those long gone and those still remaining, will meet Him in the air and be homeward bound, heaven bound.

It's like it's said in 1 Corinthians 13:12, "Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."

We should continue to strive to be the person the Lord desires us to be. God's grace is sufficient.

All the accomplishments you have will not fully satisfy. All the goals you have are useless if the Lord is not at the center of your entire being.

God's grace. God's love. God's power.

I am oh so weak

And often I feel the weakness

I think I have so much power

I think I can do all

My future ... one step forward

So many steps back

My future

Shorter and shorter

The future gets.

How long

must I continue

will I continue

New avenues

paths

The journey began at birth

Our journey, my journey, your journey

Strewn with stubble, rock

One phase begins

Another ends

A continuum.

Did you hear the call?

Was that your name?

God is always calling

Some respond

Many do not.

The decisions made

Yes

No

or maybe

A new chapter begins

Another ends

Some roads lead to destruction

to financial gain - or ruin

One road leads to Jesus.

Which road do you travel?

Have you taken a new turn

in the fork of life?

"If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small." (Proverbs 24:10)

If in the struggles surrounding you, you are fearful, afraid, it is because your strength is weak. When we are with the Lord, in the Lord, our strength, through Him, is made strong.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

We are called according to His purpose, by His grace. When we wholeheartedly abide with the Lord in everything we do and everything we say, seeking His guidance all along the way, our fear will depart. His grace is sufficient ... when we let go and let Him be our guiding light.