All posts tagged: love

Nelson Mandela

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Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people… Nelson Mandela Today the world lay to rest a great man, my hero – Nelson Mandela. There are many reasons why I greatly admire Mandela, but I would like to share just one with you today as I remember this fearless and selfless fighter for justice, human rights and democracy. On June 11, 1964, Nelson Mandela was found guilty of four charges of sabotage and was sentenced to life imprisonment. In a statement given in his own defense at the start of the trial in Pretoria on April 20, 1964, Mr. Mandela said these words: During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to see realized. But, my lord, if needs be …

Your Grace Finds me

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There in the darkest night of the soul There in the sweetest songs of victory Your grace finds me Matt Redman has released another powerful song about the never ending, always constant and accessible grace of God. The song is geared toward helping us find God’s grace in the every season of life. Grace that is “there in the light of the sunrise, or in a newborn cry – on your wedding day – in the weeping by the graveside. A grace that is the same for the rich and the poor, the same for the saint in the sinner.” The grace of God finds us in the valleys, on the mountain tops and in the mundane. It finds us in times of great celebration and joy, yet in the hustle and bustle of life. Your grace finds me is the title cut from a great album that I think will impact your daily walk with Christ. Check out this album on iTunes Your Grace Finds Me (Live) [Deluxe Edition] Matt Redman Christian & Gospel …

The test of love is obedience, and the reward of obedience is a self-manifestation of Christ

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Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21). How do we prove our love for Jesus? Is there a reward for loving obedience? In the passage above we learn that the only way to prove we love Christ is by our obedience. We can give ourselves up to be burned, but, it wouldn’t mean that we love him. We could give all our possessions to the poor, but it still wouldn’t prove that we love him at all. The only way to prove we love Christ is by our obedience. This is one of those commands that come with a promise. If we love him, he will love us and will show himself to us. That is an amazing promise. I hear about Christians who still doubt that they are saved. They have no assurance at all about their relationship with the Lord. They …

Hear my cry oh Lord

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Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. I imagine that some reading this prayer today could be in all manner of places (the end of the earth) and in all manner of circumstances (when my heart is faint). But no matter where you are and no matter the circumstance there are three places you can always run to: His presence: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, The rock that is higher than I is an image of safety. The safest place to run is to God when you are overwhelmed and stressed – “he will hide you in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal you under the cover of his tent; he will lift you high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5 His presence: Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings The shelter of your wings is an image of protection. Deuteronomy 32:11 says, “he encircles you, he cares for you, he keeps you as …

7 Signs of Authentic ongoing transformation

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1. Getting Better When a man is getting better, he understands more and more clearly the evil that’s left in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less. C. S. Lewis 2. Obedience not Sacrifice When a man makes obedience, not the lifting up of sacrifices, the thing to pursue – he is on the path to transformation. “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23 3. Uses Grace as Empowerment When a man no longer sees grace as a big cover up, he is on the path to transformation. ”Grace  is not to cover up our weaknesses but to empower us to lead a life pleasing to God.” John Bevere 4. Feeds the Spirit and not the Flesh When a man spends all his energies not on activities to feed the flesh, but on spiritual disciplines that edify, built up, encourage and sanctify, he is on the path to transformation. ”For if you live according …

What My Soul Needs is God

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Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. This is one of my most favored Psalms of all-time. It has a humble and longing posture that is most important to anyone who truly wants to know and experience God. The idea of running after or seeking after God is exciting and adventurous. To me, His ways are past finding out, and you might be surprise about what you might discover about Him as you attempt to seek more of Him. Therefore, for the soul to truly live and thrive, and experience God in meaningful ways, one must understand the things that keep the soul alive and thriving and fight the things that try to hinder it. Because the soul is easily cast down. It easily loses hope and is easily troubled. So here are a few things to consider: A sustained hunger and thirst for God through shouts of worship and praise (verse 1 and …

How to Excel in Pleasing God

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In this first letter to the Thessalonians Paul begins in chapter 1:4 by recounting how the gospel – preached with the Holy Spirit’s power and full conviction – had touched and transformed the lives of many. This transformation was so plain to Paul that he declared in 1 Thess. 2:1 that “our coming to you was not in vain” and how in 1 Thess. 1:9, “they had turned from idols to the living God.” He calls them imitators of God in 1 Thess. 1:6, and boasted about how their testimony had gone forth not only in their immediate surroundings, but also to far away places (1 Thess. 1:8). Paul also called them his hope and joy, the crown of exultation, and glory (1 Thess. 2:19, 20),  and broke out in ecstatic praise when he got news that they were doing great in their walk with the Lord even though he had not visited to impart what he thought they were lacking in their walk with the Lord. Even after hearing how great they were doing – Paul still continued to pray for them to increase and abound in their walk with the Lord. He admonished …

Like a fire burning in my bones

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You’ve been here before, searching, looking, burning the midnight oil, tossing and turning on your bed, searching for answers and still can’t come up with anything. You are looking for that one thing that will turn your life around. You feel stuck and life is dull. You’ve tried everything, yet, you are still bored to death. Your 9 to 5 or 5 -9 isn’t cutting it for you. You want more. You are hoping that something will click inside of you, wake you up and propel you toward your destiny. But, the only thing missing is your definition of the one thing that moves you, the one thing that makes sense, that one thing that gets you fired up. When Michael Jordan turned 50, ESPN Magazine ran an extended essay/interview about Jordan’s continuing obsession (or idolatry) with the best days of his basketball career. The article stated: [Jordan’s] self-esteem has always been, as he says, “tied directly to the game.” Without it, he feels adrift. Who am I? What am I doing? For the past 10 years, since …

The Day God Ran

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… But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him… There are four things about God you can rest assure about: you are never beyond God’s reach… you can not out run God… God will never stop pursuing you… His love for you is vast beyond all measure… Meditation: Luke 15:1-3. 13-32 Prayer: Lord help me to see you just as you are – full of love and compassion. Help me to respond with absolute trust that you will receive me just as I am. Amen!

To Love is to be vulnerable

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“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” C.S. Lewis (The Four Loves)