Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law - Romans 13:8
If I learned anything in Finance, I most certainly took away from that class that taking out a loan would cost me WAY more than I ever could think. The interest on those things are outrageous! You could end up paying it back more than twice over before you are "debt free". Thanks to that class, I now have a perpetual fear of debt. Not the gripping kind, but the good kind that makes me want to steer clear of it. Before I got off on a nerdy business babble, this verse super convicted me and I hope it convicts you too!
I have an ongoing debt to everyone to love them because I owe them that love. You and I owe everyone an exceeding amount of love during our lifetime. That means loving people when they're unfair, backstabbing, hateful, different, insert word here, and so on. That should make you think about loving people so differently! Love them like you OWE them that love and that you owe an outstanding amount of it. You can never love anyone too much. Like the verse says, by doing so, we fulfill the law or, we are obeying His calling for each one of our lives.
So to put it in "business terms" which I so often love to do :) A transaction involves an exchange between two people who are informed about the offer, agree on the terms, and exchange something of fair and real value. When you accept Christ, He has paid for the sins of the past, present, and future. He paid our "debt" to sin. Because this debt was so large, we owe back an outstanding amount of well, something. Paul is saying that we owe it back in love.
I definitely can be the first to admit that it is so hard to love people like that. I slip into the mindset that tells me that it's okay for me not to love them and that I'm better than them. How completely wrong that is! Yes, Jesus came to die for me but he came to die for soo many more! I have absolutely no authority to decide who can be loved by Jesus. So who am I to limit Christ's love within me for others?
So, love the heck out of people today! You owe it, and will never stop owing it to them.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wake Up!
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. - 1 Peter 5:8-10
This has been such a powerful verse for me for the past week. I think (no, I know) that as Christians, myself included, it is so easy to forget who our battle is against--Satan. It's hard to remember how much he absolutely hates that we know Jesus, and that he is using every trick up his sleeve to try and ruin that relationship. The fact that we DO forget this is in itself a tactic of the Devil. It's weird to think that forgetfulness is something that Satan uses to his advantage, but why wouldn't he use it? Our minds slip so easily into being ignorant of the forces that want to rip us away from Christ. We need a wake up call from this! At least I do...
This is why we MUST not be forgetful. We MUST train our minds to think of Christ. No, it's not natural, that is why it's a process. A process of becoming more Christ-like. We CANNOT afford to forget the truths, promises, and hopes that Christ offers us. I mean think about it...the Devil chases hardcore after those who are saved. He doesn't have to focus his efforts as much on those who are already not saved because they are already "won" to his side in a sense. This is why he is persistent, ruthless, and will not let up on those who are saved. He wants us to turn from Christ. Satan knows he has lost, he knows his final destiny, and he will not rest until he can take as many people down with him as possible.
Brothers and sisters, it takes effort. A lot of effort. But the ultimate reward is there. Restoration is around the corner. You have been called; called to eternal glory and called to daily resist the devil. Wake up! There is a battle going on for your heart! Do not rest, do not be complacent, do not yield because he is waiting for you to do just that. Equip your minds with scripture daily, encourage your brothers and sisters daily, and guard your mind daily. Ultimately, put forth effort. Effort to oppose the devil on all sides. And know that you have victory through Christ, praise Jesus we have victory!
Love you all!
This has been such a powerful verse for me for the past week. I think (no, I know) that as Christians, myself included, it is so easy to forget who our battle is against--Satan. It's hard to remember how much he absolutely hates that we know Jesus, and that he is using every trick up his sleeve to try and ruin that relationship. The fact that we DO forget this is in itself a tactic of the Devil. It's weird to think that forgetfulness is something that Satan uses to his advantage, but why wouldn't he use it? Our minds slip so easily into being ignorant of the forces that want to rip us away from Christ. We need a wake up call from this! At least I do...
This is why we MUST not be forgetful. We MUST train our minds to think of Christ. No, it's not natural, that is why it's a process. A process of becoming more Christ-like. We CANNOT afford to forget the truths, promises, and hopes that Christ offers us. I mean think about it...the Devil chases hardcore after those who are saved. He doesn't have to focus his efforts as much on those who are already not saved because they are already "won" to his side in a sense. This is why he is persistent, ruthless, and will not let up on those who are saved. He wants us to turn from Christ. Satan knows he has lost, he knows his final destiny, and he will not rest until he can take as many people down with him as possible.
Brothers and sisters, it takes effort. A lot of effort. But the ultimate reward is there. Restoration is around the corner. You have been called; called to eternal glory and called to daily resist the devil. Wake up! There is a battle going on for your heart! Do not rest, do not be complacent, do not yield because he is waiting for you to do just that. Equip your minds with scripture daily, encourage your brothers and sisters daily, and guard your mind daily. Ultimately, put forth effort. Effort to oppose the devil on all sides. And know that you have victory through Christ, praise Jesus we have victory!
Love you all!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Forgiven & Loved
If anyone listens to Jimmy Needham, you'll understand where I got this blog title from. I love the music that Jimmy (who I like to refer to in first person, pretending that I actually know him personally) writes. One of my all time favorites is a song called "Forgiven and Loved". It's a song that reminds me frequently that I can't earn the salvation that Christ gave me. I am physically unable to repay the debt that Christ paid for me on my behalf. Not only did he die to give me eternal life but he also died to set me free from the bondage of sin. I find that I often need to be reminded of both: that I am both forgiven and loved. So here I am reminding both myself and anybody else :)
Forgiven
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace" - Ephesians 1:7
I can be the first to admit that I am imperfect and sinful. My favorite part of Jimmy's song goes like this: And His blood commands my guilt to leave/Now on Calvary I stand/ Empty pockets, open hands/ Oh there is no condemnation for me. Aren't those words so freeing? Christ's death has the authority to command any guilt over sin to flee because he forgave all of those sins. Seriously, praise God! That God would look at me and see me not as sin-filled but Christ-filled and pure. Even when you don't feel worthy of that forgiveness, you are still forgiven. When you can't understand why you're forgiven, you are. When you don't want to believe that you are forgiven, you are. His forgiveness is abounding and grace is abundant.
Loved
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8
Isn't it sooo awesome that the Creator of the world, the One who knows exactly how big this universe is, and how many hairs are on your head, loves you and I? Not only does he tell us that he loves us but he proved it--by dying in our stead. Even though we will continually mess up and prove just how unworthy we are of saving, he still died because he loved. Um yes, that should blow your mind. I hope you know and feel the intensity of that kind of love!
Soooo with all that said, I hope you realize how mind boggling it is that our God both forgives and loves sinful man. I know I need reminding constantly. Know that this is the God we serve! Relish in it because you can. Tell yourself when you don't want to believe it. And live the forgiven and loved life out so that others can see the complete and true joy it offers. Love you all!
Forgiven
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace" - Ephesians 1:7
I can be the first to admit that I am imperfect and sinful. My favorite part of Jimmy's song goes like this: And His blood commands my guilt to leave/Now on Calvary I stand/ Empty pockets, open hands/ Oh there is no condemnation for me. Aren't those words so freeing? Christ's death has the authority to command any guilt over sin to flee because he forgave all of those sins. Seriously, praise God! That God would look at me and see me not as sin-filled but Christ-filled and pure. Even when you don't feel worthy of that forgiveness, you are still forgiven. When you can't understand why you're forgiven, you are. When you don't want to believe that you are forgiven, you are. His forgiveness is abounding and grace is abundant.
Loved
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8
Isn't it sooo awesome that the Creator of the world, the One who knows exactly how big this universe is, and how many hairs are on your head, loves you and I? Not only does he tell us that he loves us but he proved it--by dying in our stead. Even though we will continually mess up and prove just how unworthy we are of saving, he still died because he loved. Um yes, that should blow your mind. I hope you know and feel the intensity of that kind of love!
Soooo with all that said, I hope you realize how mind boggling it is that our God both forgives and loves sinful man. I know I need reminding constantly. Know that this is the God we serve! Relish in it because you can. Tell yourself when you don't want to believe it. And live the forgiven and loved life out so that others can see the complete and true joy it offers. Love you all!
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