Many Christians define love the way the world does and that is as ‘a strong emotion.’ When the world says ‘I love you’ it means I have feelings towards you. For the Christian, the commandment to love is not about emotion, it is about action. Romans 5:8 says this about God’s love for us, “…God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” For the Christian, love is not how you feel about someone it’s what you do in a relationship with them. It may take many forms, like spousal love, parental love, love of ones family, love of fellow believers, and even love for our enemies. No matter what the relationship of love we may be talking about, the emotion may differ, but the demonstration of love is the same.
Love is how we treat one another. All the many ‘facets’ of love are to be employed in that treatment, no matter who the object of that love may be. When we say we love one person more than another, we are talking about our emotional feelings for them. But, in God’s eyes, we cannot love one person more than another in demonstrating our love to them. This might explain to some how you can love someone you don’t like. In the monthly publication of “From the Heart” we are going to be examining these facets as found in 1 Corinthians 13. Pick up the September issue or view it online.
Looking for Churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
SEEING IS BELIEVING! by Ray Eddy
This is a saying that supposedly originated in Missouri, the “Show Me” State. Having never seen an ocean, they were skeptical and said, “Seeing is believing.” In our day and age, there are few things that require ‘seeing’ to believe. With the media and world-wide coverage, we’ve just about seen everything - everything, that is, except God.
When it comes to God, many people still have a ‘Show Me’ attitude. When a Russian Cosmonaut went into space, he reported that he did not see God. The skeptical astronomer, as he looks into the starry heavens says, “I do not see God.” Others, observing the wonders of nature with all of its intricacies, say, “We do not see God.” A man, sitting in a stained glass house of worship, listening to a sermon says, “I do not see God.” All of these have adopted the attitude that “Seeing is believing.”
It is true that the ‘visible’ God cannot be seen by man. But, does a man have to see in order to believe? There are many things in life we believe that we have not seen. We accepted the testimony, either written or oral, as proof positive. Why is it we cannot do the same with our belief in God?
Our belief in God is not “Seeing is believing.” It is “Believing is seeing.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “…he who comes to God must believe that He is…”
BELIEVE THAT HE IS AND YOU WILL SEE HIM!
Checking out Santa Clarita Churches?
When it comes to God, many people still have a ‘Show Me’ attitude. When a Russian Cosmonaut went into space, he reported that he did not see God. The skeptical astronomer, as he looks into the starry heavens says, “I do not see God.” Others, observing the wonders of nature with all of its intricacies, say, “We do not see God.” A man, sitting in a stained glass house of worship, listening to a sermon says, “I do not see God.” All of these have adopted the attitude that “Seeing is believing.”
It is true that the ‘visible’ God cannot be seen by man. But, does a man have to see in order to believe? There are many things in life we believe that we have not seen. We accepted the testimony, either written or oral, as proof positive. Why is it we cannot do the same with our belief in God?
Our belief in God is not “Seeing is believing.” It is “Believing is seeing.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “…he who comes to God must believe that He is…”
BELIEVE THAT HE IS AND YOU WILL SEE HIM!
Checking out Santa Clarita Churches?
Friday, August 20, 2010
RESISTING THE DEVIL! by Ray Eddy
James 4:7 tells us to “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” That sounds all well and good, but what is involved in resisting? Are we to simply say “Get out of here Old Slew Foot!” or perhaps we ought to hold up a replica of the cross and wave it in his face. Someone may tell you that you simply have to pray harder and maybe fast. Still others may say, “You just don’t have enough faith.”
But why speculate when the Bible tells us quite simply how we are to resist the devil. In fact it is found in this same verse in James. The verse begins with these words: “Therefore submit to God.” The ‘therefore’ is based on verse 6. Quoting from Proverbs 3:34 James says: “God resists the proud’ but gives grace to the humble.”
Submission to God is the pathway to resisting the devil. You can’t say “No” to the devil until you’ve said “Yes” to God. Ephesians 6:10-18; says that we are to fight with spiritual weapons, but we still fight. There is not only passive submission, but also active resistance.
Saying “Yes” to God is the first step of learning submission. If we haven’t submitted to God how then can we submit to one another? God gives grace, His enabling power, to those who are willing to humble themselves before Him.
Of course if you haven’t submitted to God, the devil probably won’t bother you anyway!
Looking for Churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons!
But why speculate when the Bible tells us quite simply how we are to resist the devil. In fact it is found in this same verse in James. The verse begins with these words: “Therefore submit to God.” The ‘therefore’ is based on verse 6. Quoting from Proverbs 3:34 James says: “God resists the proud’ but gives grace to the humble.”
Submission to God is the pathway to resisting the devil. You can’t say “No” to the devil until you’ve said “Yes” to God. Ephesians 6:10-18; says that we are to fight with spiritual weapons, but we still fight. There is not only passive submission, but also active resistance.
Saying “Yes” to God is the first step of learning submission. If we haven’t submitted to God how then can we submit to one another? God gives grace, His enabling power, to those who are willing to humble themselves before Him.
Of course if you haven’t submitted to God, the devil probably won’t bother you anyway!
Looking for Churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
IT'S NO SECRET! by Ray Eddy
I love the commercials for Bush’s Beans. People want to know what makes them taste so good. Bush’s makes the claim that there is a secret ingredient that makes them taste as good as they do. Of course they have to watch out for the dog. He always seems on the verge of giving the secret away, spilling the beans so to speak. Lately the wife doesn’t even want her husband to reveal that they are Bush’s Beans because she wants people to think that she made them herself in her kitchen.
If you are living a life of peace and contentment because of your relationship with God, people will want to know what the secret ingredient is in your life. Of course it’s not a secret we want to hide. 1 Peter 3:15 says: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to every one who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
What is the secret ingredient? Psalms 25:14 says: “The secret of the Lord is with them who fear Him.” Proverbs 3:32 tells us that: “His secret is with the righteous.” The secret of a life of peace and contentment is that it is a product of our salvation which has been made possible by our faith in God’s Son.
Bush’s Beans may keep their secret but God wants us to share ours.
Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.
If you are living a life of peace and contentment because of your relationship with God, people will want to know what the secret ingredient is in your life. Of course it’s not a secret we want to hide. 1 Peter 3:15 says: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to every one who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
What is the secret ingredient? Psalms 25:14 says: “The secret of the Lord is with them who fear Him.” Proverbs 3:32 tells us that: “His secret is with the righteous.” The secret of a life of peace and contentment is that it is a product of our salvation which has been made possible by our faith in God’s Son.
Bush’s Beans may keep their secret but God wants us to share ours.
Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.
Friday, August 6, 2010
I SAW WHAT YOU DID! by Ray Eddy
Did anyone ever catch you doing something that was illegal, immoral or just plain stupid? How did you feel? Were you embarrassed?
When we fail to obey God, we sin. If we do anything which God forbids, we sin and must repent.
If we fail the second time we are not smart. We are like the two fellows watching a western. The first says, “See that posse chasing that robber? Watch, in just a minute he is going to get knocked off his horse by a low-hanging branch.” “No way,” said the other fellow, “I’ll bet you ten dollars it won’t happen.” Sure enough the robber rode under a tree and was knocked off his horse. “Looks like I owe you ten dollars,” said the second fellow. “That’s all right,” said the first, “I saw this movie before.” “Well so did I,” the second fellow replied. “But I didn’t think he was dumb enough to do it again.”
If we do it the third time we are an addict. We need to be treated for our addiction.
If we do it a forth time, God help us. Nothing we do can be hidden from God. Remember, God is watching us, not to punish, but to forgive.
Psalms 103:1-2 says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul…who forgives all your iniquities.” There’s a song that says “God Is Watching Us From Afar.” That’s not true. “Immanuel” is God with us!
Looking for Santa Clarita Churches?
When we fail to obey God, we sin. If we do anything which God forbids, we sin and must repent.
If we fail the second time we are not smart. We are like the two fellows watching a western. The first says, “See that posse chasing that robber? Watch, in just a minute he is going to get knocked off his horse by a low-hanging branch.” “No way,” said the other fellow, “I’ll bet you ten dollars it won’t happen.” Sure enough the robber rode under a tree and was knocked off his horse. “Looks like I owe you ten dollars,” said the second fellow. “That’s all right,” said the first, “I saw this movie before.” “Well so did I,” the second fellow replied. “But I didn’t think he was dumb enough to do it again.”
If we do it the third time we are an addict. We need to be treated for our addiction.
If we do it a forth time, God help us. Nothing we do can be hidden from God. Remember, God is watching us, not to punish, but to forgive.
Psalms 103:1-2 says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul…who forgives all your iniquities.” There’s a song that says “God Is Watching Us From Afar.” That’s not true. “Immanuel” is God with us!
Looking for Santa Clarita Churches?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
CHEESE AND CRACKER CHRISTIANS by Ray Eddy
There is an old story about a passenger who booked passage on a ship bound for England. During the voyage he scrounged the ships galley and was able to live on cheese and crackers all the way to England. It was only after leaving the ship that he discovered that his ticket had not only provided passage but also included all his meals.
This passenger is like a lot of Christians who purchased their ticket to heaven through salvation and are living on crackers and cheese during the journey. Salvation includes a whole lot more than just safe passage. Jesus said in John 10:10 that his sheep “…can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (The Message) Real and eternal life is not just for the future, it also includes the present.
Matthew 6:34 tells us, in The Message, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”
Salvation includes all that we’ll need on the journey to heaven. Jesus is not only our Savior; He is the Supplier of all our daily needs. Throw away your crackers and cheese and eat daily in the main dinning room He has provided for you. 1 Corinthians 3:21 reminds us, “For all things are yours.”
This passenger is like a lot of Christians who purchased their ticket to heaven through salvation and are living on crackers and cheese during the journey. Salvation includes a whole lot more than just safe passage. Jesus said in John 10:10 that his sheep “…can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (The Message) Real and eternal life is not just for the future, it also includes the present.
Matthew 6:34 tells us, in The Message, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”
Salvation includes all that we’ll need on the journey to heaven. Jesus is not only our Savior; He is the Supplier of all our daily needs. Throw away your crackers and cheese and eat daily in the main dinning room He has provided for you. 1 Corinthians 3:21 reminds us, “For all things are yours.”
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