Everything IS New!!

Absolutely Everything!!

A re-posting to encourage your walk...

 

Please revisit as often as you need to, as there is much to take in...

 

 

Love's Challenge

 

 

There is an epidemic of loneliness , not just here in the USA, but everywhere. Please take a minute and read this short article; http://www.joshhunt.com/mail18.htm

 

However, God has an answer for this if we but heed His call. In fact that call comes in the form of a command...and that command is the answer not only to loneliness, but also to providing the very best way to spread the gospel - by actually reaching out a hand to whomever God puts in your path.

 

Scripture says that if we are not loving others, then we do not know God. (1 John 4:7-8) Why? Because God is love, and if He is truly in your heart then He will be pulling at your heart to reach out in some form or fashion. Have you thought about this? It appears many people give it very little thought...or the plague of loneliness and the lack of the gospel being spread in the way where people are anxious to respond, would not be as much of a concern as it is.

 

 

I'm sure you notice in scripture the multitude of times that love is indirectly or directly spoken about...and how direct God is about the part love plays in our walk...even to the point of making it a command. Yet, do we take it seriously? 

 

 

 

But some how I think that if we were loving as we are supposed to then the church would be getting the similar reaction as Christ got.

 

 

People followed Him in great numbers. They would sit and listen to Him for hours. However, how hard is it to get people to go to church with us? When we are with people, do they see something different in us...something that attracts them - instead of repelling them...or causing no reaction at all?

 

 

I believe that God's love, is a sacrificial, powerful love that does not show favoritism. It is not man's kind of love that has limits and distractions and usually only hangs around as long as the feelings do.

 

 

Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

 

 



 

I submit that God's whole plan is based on His love...therefore every New Testament scripture either directly or indirectly is pointing at another way of looking at God's love...and it is His love that ties all scripture together. SO... each one is about what His love is, or what it's not...and how important it is to God for our lives. God beseeches us...

 

Ephesians 5:2 Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship.

 

  

1 Thess. 4:9
But we don't need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God Himself has taught you to love one another.

 

 

 



Fruits Of The Spirit - Peace or Conflict?

                                                                     

 

Do You Want Peace?

 2nd Posting

 

The top section of this post is re-blogged (with slight edits) from Simply Juliana http://simplyjuliana.com

 

 

 

God is vehemently against worry. It only produces stress, strain and death. Jesus preached against it. Paul preached against it. The whole Bible is against worry because Satan designed it.

 

 

Take Philippians 4:6-7 as a command. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The Amplified Bible says, “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything.” I Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

 

 

 

Casting all your care upon him….” Not 75 percent of your care. Not everything but your kids or everything but your finances. Your confession every morning should be, “I do not have a care, because it has been cast over on my Lord.” Cast out every worried thought that would trample its way into your thinking. Roll it over onto Jesus.

 

 

 

 

If I tossed an item over to someone, and they took it with them...then I no longer have it. So if you asked me for it, I would have to say, sorry! 

 

 

 

 

That’s what we need to do with our cares. We must cast them over on the Lord and not try to take them back! If Satan brings a worried thought to your mind, saying, What if…, you can tell him to talk to God about it. It is in His hands, not yours!

 

 

 

 

 

Many people want God to supernaturally remove their worry. But that’s not the way to get the peace of God. God’s peace comes by acting on His Word that says to cast all of your worry and anxiety over on Him. You must replace those thoughts with the Word. Philippians 4:8 says to think on “whatsoever things are true…honest…just…lovely…of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

 

 

 

 

You are the one who must control your mind. The Word says the peace of God will garrison and mount guard over your heart and mind (Philippians 4:7, The Amplified Bible). But you are going to have to do something. You must keep your thoughts under control.

 

 

 

 

II Corinthians 10:5 says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” People have told me they can’t quit worrying. They can! Anyone can stop worrying. The verse before that says the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but powerful through God to the pulling down of strongholds. The strongholds of Satan are in the mind. He makes suggestions like, It won’t work this time, and What if… and, But….

 

 

 

 

The power of God begins to operate when you cast your care over on Him. As long as you worry about it, you only hinder the flow of His power and tie His hands.

 

 

 

 

Meditate on these three scriptures: I Peter 5:6-7; II Corinthians 10:5 and Philippians 4:6. Joshua 1:8 says if you will meditate in the Word day and night, you will be able to see how to do it. Philippians 4:9 says, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do….” As you give your attention to these scriptures, the Holy Spirit will reveal this truth to you and you will then be able to act on it!

 

 

 

 

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me.” You don’t have to worry again. The greater One dwells in you. Commit to it. You will never worry again. –Ken Copeland

 

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Spreading Peace

 

James 3:18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

 

It is NOT our job to spread conflict. Some who would disagree with this I've heard argue that Christ said that He did not come to bring peace, as in Matthew 10: 34 "Don't assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword". However, this does not mean for you and I to spread conflict...as it was Christ speaking about Himself.

 

 

 

 

Moreover, we need to realize the sword He was talking about here is the natural conflict that truth causes...and the conflict He caused merely by being here amongst us. He did not mean that He came here swinging a sword. His words, His light, His truth, His power, His reaction to the Pharisees, His love of people over rules and His utter love of sinners ALL caused conflict and division just naturally...but, this division is one that is via the Spirit, as it separates truth from lie...light from darkness...and what is inside a persons heart. Where as the conflict humans produce is fleshly and just causes trouble for the reasons of opinion and self-interest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conflict that is from the carnal nature is produced from a human's coercion of some sort...to get other people to submit to their ways and opinions for that human's sake...even if they argue their opinions stem from truth. However, in the conflict that stems from truth, human's don't have to say a word or even be present, because it is totally a work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the people for the people's sake.

 

1 Tim.6:5
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw yourself.

 

 

 

1 Cor. 3:3
For you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world?

 

 

 

 

Heb. 4:12 God's word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God's word judges a person's thoughts and intentions.

 

 

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He is the Prince of Peace Who's Spirit produces peace along with all the other luscious fruits. His Holy Spirit does NOT grow conflict! In fact if we have the Holy Spirit then any conflict that we would deliberately produce stems from self-interest and the old nature, and NOT from God. If we would be speaking the truth in love however. Truly - in love...then the truth is what will naturally cause the conflict.

 

 

 

 

Gal. 5:22 But the fruits of The Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, sweetness, goodness, faith,

 

 

 

Gal. 5:20 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious...idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions...

 

 

 

 

Let's say you are standing in the grocery line one day and because you kindly encouraged the women in back of you to go ahead of you, she starts a conversation with you. She is thankful and is obviously open to you and so you decide to say something about the Lord to her. However, when you do she automatically gets agitated and turns...then as she leaves after paying she turns around and gives you a sour look.

 

 

 

This is a natural conflict that occurred because of the truth she was faced with...like a clash of light with darkness...which can produce good things down the line in her life because she was confronted with the truth!  It was not at all because you were negligent or trying to produce conflict...as you spoke the truth with love!

 

 

 

 

Now, how about if you were in line and the person behind you had only a couple of things and you had many more items then she had. She is obviously anxious, but you kind of ignore her, but then you figure you better get your witness in for the week, so you turn to her and try to push a track into her hand and tell her that she better get right with God because the end is near.

 

 

 

Then you turn and pay....and as you are on your way out you glance over and see her roll her eyes and shack her head while fumbling to get her items on the belt without dropping them. In this instance I can say that I doubt it was the truth that caused her discomfort.

How New Is The New Covenant??

How NEW is the New Testament? Or better yet, how NEW is the New Covenant? Does New mean new? Or does it just mean a little newer? Well, then if the New Covenant is just a moderate improvement on the Old, then it isn't new and either God is lying or the writers were lying or they were trying to get us confused...and Jesus' work in ministry and on the cross would not have been able to fulfill the law like it has. However, we are now under the authority of the New Covenant because Jesus came as our forever Priest and His arrival made everything new! He came to fulfill the law, the prophets, how sin is dealt with, how sinners are viewed and sin paid for.

 

 

 

 

Christ came to pay for our complete salvation while we were still in sin, which means we are not to look at people by human standards anymore. (2 Cor. 5:16). In the OT people were stoned or put to death because they were defined by their sin...not only because of their sin nature, but because the law was punitive and sin had to be punished! Therefore the only way to deal with the sin was to punish the sinner. However, Christ's life and death gave humans back their worth...so unbelievers as well are to be viewed as people that Jesus loves and are in the process of being drawn back to Him.

 

 

 

 

The New Covenant is "New" for another reason...because now the overwhelming factor is that we are new creatures in Christ, so essentially we are just like new born babes that have never sinned. It is just-if-I'd never-sinned! Some Christians say they are, 'sinners saved by grace'...but that is not biblically true. We are not sinners anymore. We are not just bandaged up...or renewed, no...we are completely new - justified before God!!

 

 

 

 

 

The following section of scripture does not contradict the fact that we are completely saved by grace...

 

1 John 3: 4"Those who live sinful lives are disobeying God. Sin is disobedience. 5You know that Christ appeared in order to take away our sins. He isn't sinful. 6Those who live in Christ don't go on sinning. Those who go on sinning haven't seen or known Christ. 7Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you. Whoever does what God approves of has God's approval as Christ has God's approval.

 

 

 

 

8The person who lives a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has been committing sin since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God appeared was to destroy what the devil does. 9Those who have been born from God don't live sinful lives. What God has said lives in them, and they can't live sinful lives. They have been born from God. 10This is the way God's children are distinguished from the devil's children. Everyone who doesn't do what is right and love other believers isn't God's child."

 

 

 

 

We are saved by grace!! The above scripture does not contradict that...altho many Christians still think that even tho we are saved by grace we still have to work hard at not sinning so we are accepted by God. However, they are misinformed. BTW, God does not contradict Himself, so if we ever come across a contradiction, then there is something we don't understand. So, the problem is with us, not Him...so this would be the time to seek God and do further study.  

 

 

 

Believers have been cleansed of sin and are now completely new people, with the Holy Spirit living inside! Therefore what we all need to learn is that when scripture either speaks about the believer having a new nature or the indwelling Holy Spirit, it is the same thing as saying that a believer does not keep on sinning. In fact they can be interchanged.

 

 

It is just like if you were talking about a butterfly. You could call it a butterfly, or an insect that does not perpetually crawl on it's belly any longer. Each would be equally true!!

 

 

 

A believer could not keep on sinning without being convicted by the Holy Spirit. Then the conviction would begin a change in the opposite direction via the power and guidance from the Holy Spirit. However, if a person does not have a new nature as well as the Holy Spirit, then their sin would not be interrupted by conviction and therefore the desire and power to begin a change would not occur...which means they could easily keep on sinning.

 

 

Blessings!!

The Masked Christian?

I remember what a Pastor once said, "We have to learn to be good at being wrong." David in the Psalms was called a man after God's own heart because he was good at being wrong.(Psalm 51) His fight to keep his sin from being exposed was fairly short lived, and then he was open and honest about his wrong doings...which makes me think he knew something about God that many of us don't. We hide and blame and get defensive...then argue and become self-righteous, all to cover up that we are insecure about the possibility that we may not be right. 

 

Our will is quite stubborn. There are people that remind me of a 2 year old child...as I've seen two year olds hold their breath till they literally pass out! I guess I would say that the typical 2 year old is the epitome of the human nature. Do you know of any perpetual '2 year olds'? 

 

We were born with a nature that at it's heart is self-centered. Therefore, because of pride, we have a hard time admitting that we are imperfect and very possibly wrong. This is however one of those things we must conquer in order to grow.

 

 

 

We have to take off the mask of pride, as it is imperative for us to humble ourselves and allow God to change the way we think, so we are OK with being an imperfect person in an imperfect body, among imperfect people in a world that is also imperfect...otherwise it will be very hard to embrace all of God's love (including loving God and neighbor as oneself), His ways and discipline...and therefore find any success in this Christian life. 

 

 

Another big reason we quickly put on our mask of pride, is shame. Just as Adam and Eve ran from God and hid themselves out of disgrace, this is why we try and put up our defenses as well. However, Jesus also bore our shame and then ignored it, and by His example we can count it as nil too. Take  time in Heb. 12-  http://nlt.scripturetext.com/hebrews/12.htm 

YES! We have His written word so we can feed on truth, the truth of God that sets us free. However, because we have a tendency to look at things very black and white as well as punitively because of the human nature we still battle with...we must read scripture in the light of Christ's life, grace and His Holy Spirit...other wise, we will have a tendency to read it as a rule book and feel condemned and shamed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Words and Testimonies....

Be richly blessed by these words and testimonies.....

Words From the Heart, by Maria Rachinskaya from Russia ~

    *Why Do People...

    *Faith In Russia...

 

Testimony By Kevin Adams ~

    *Awesome Testimony...

 

My Life and Testimony ~

 

     *Navy Brat...

Every Thread Of Scripture

 

The first and most important thing that I've learned in my Christian life and what I'd like to share is that God's written word is not a book of theory,  a religious rule book or a collection of secret coded messages. No. In the eyes of a scholar, they may see it differently...but in lay terms...or human terms, it is a collection of God's thoughts about His character, His power and the desires He has for the people He created. All well put together in a beautiful quilt, with every single piece and every strand of thread having it's own unique importance to the over all story...from the God of the Universe Who patiently is bringing His creation back to Himself.   

My Father reminds me that He didn't Author a book that I must find time to read - as though I'd better know His rules or else! NO. He who has His very own collection of wonderful stories and eternal truths, invites me to crawl up onto His lap, and snuggle into that quilt He lovingly pieced together for me a long time ago...then tells me about His plan, and helps me see a little at a time, how every single word comes together in Jesus.

 

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I've also learned to be more of a literalist. Meaning, that when a verse says command...then it's not a request. When it says 'all'...it means all. When a verse speaks of God's love...then I don't refer to the love I have experienced in my life as being the definition. NO!(Yikes!!) I go straight over to 1 Corinthians 13, to start out with, then Christ's life, as well as various other verses to find out what God's love is made of.

 

 

 

When God has made it clear that I am saved by grace, yet something in the bible seems to tell me that I'd better be a good girl or else! Then something is amiss with MY understanding - NOT God's word. When scripture says something is 'new', then it's new. So, if I read some passages that seem to contradict or confuse me...then the contradiction is in my own mind and not in God's word!  

 

 

1 Cor. 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

 

 

 

When a scripture uses the word fulfills or satisfies...then it means that something has been fulfilled or satisfied...and it does not have to say, 'very satisfied' in order for us to take in the true meaning. Likewise when I read the word obey and my heart feels a twinge of fear, then sadly I have been fed some very faulty information in my past...but yet, this also tells me that God desires to do more healing in my heart! (Hurray!) 

 

 

When God says in Isaiah 55: 8-9 "My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways," declares the LORD. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.",  what He means is, when we read scripture we have to keep in mind that it very often may not seem logical to our human nature...therefore, we must expect to usually have to dig deeper in order to find the true meaning.

 

 

We mustn't dismiss what we don't understand, no, of course not...instead we learn from Jesus who exemplifies God perfectly.  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls". Matt. 11: 29-30 He wants to yoke with each one of us, as the Holy Spirit helps us know what God truly means, as we follow along with Christ in the Gospels, and learn to emulate Him in this world. ~ Which could not happen if we are relying on our own finite understanding! These are the 'uniquely important threads' in the beautiful quilt that must not be overlooked, so as to better understand God's words.

 

 

  

 

John 14: 26 Jesus said, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit--the Father will send Him in My name--will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you."

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Have you ever eaten something so sweet, and so rich - that you just had to have more? Then the baker tells you that he would be glad to give you the recipe for their Honeycomb Cake? But, not being a natural at things like this, you ask if he can come over and show you how to make that wonderfully rich dessert!

 

 

This is how I've learned to see scripture as well. When I am sitting in my Father's lap, He doesn't just tell me about His Son Jesus and how He is the exact representation of Himself.  He doesn't just tell me the things Jesus said or taught...and then sends me home with the recipe book.  No. He provides me with very visual examples of how Christ related to all different kinds of people and how He handled the many situations that came His way...as well as His very real Spirit inside me. God has surely provided everything I need to not only live a more satisfying Christian life, but a fruitful life that delights my wonderful Father as well! 

 

 

God desires His words to be sweeter and sweeter on my tongue,  because in truth, that is what they are! They are sweeter than the honey in the honey comb and are worth more than fine gold!  Pls go to Psalm 19: 7-11 and follow along!

                                 

 

 

How Do People See Us??

Truly, how do people see Christians? Isn't this THE question to be asking ourselves? If I look in the face of Christ and realize that I am not reflecting Him to the world...then should I feel condemned? NO. That response is not based on grace and truth. However, if evangelism is a top priority....meaning, reproducing...making more brothers and sisters...then it is a good question we are bringing up to our Father when in prayer - then he helps us grow in this area.

 

 

Isn't reproducing what God is after? If this is so, then are we a repellent (*one that operates in the ways of the flesh) or a light that draws people to Him? (*one that operates and keeps in step with the Holy Spirit). After we become His, then the next thing we do is pass on what was passed to us. When that wonderful seed was implanted in us, then we grow and reproduce. Would it be in God's plan that He implant the seed in us, and then we  grow...but then that's it? I don't think so.

 

 

So, why did God save you?? I believe the answer is three fold. He saved you for Himself, for you, and then for those around you. He desires to create a body of people...the body of Christ. Christ was not self-centered...then of course His desire is that His body not be self-centered either.

 

 

If I am reading scripture with an open heart...with eyes to see and ears to hear...then I'll see the extreme importance of this. That God did not save me just for me, or you just for you. Now, IF you were the only person that needed redemption, then yes, He would have saved you just for you and Him.

 

 

However, it is important to God that we conduct our Christian life remembering that we are not here...as loved and saved people...just for ourselves and God. As it is God that added that 3rd element -- our neighbor/those around us.

 

 

 

How do I know this? Well, for one, it is because the command....THE command that satisfies all other commands, as well as all that the OT prophets taught and proclaimed....says to love God 1st, but then to also love our neighbor as ourselves.

 

 

And how much are we to love God? With our whole heart, and our whole soul, mind and strength. This is very explanatory...it says it all.

 

 

Oh, it is interesting too, that God says to love Him with those things we can't see...the heart, soul and mind. But then He also adds to this strength....which is something we can see. I can stand here without moving a muscle or speaking a word, and love Him with all my heart, soul and mind...but it takes movement and action to love with all one's strength, yes?

 

 

I often will commune with God by merely closing my eyes...and I'm there! Since He is Spirit, I can do this. Sure, I could begin to dance or sing with everything that is within me...and that would be using my strength. (BTW, The piece of artwork above is one I did that depicts a mother and daughter {in stained glass} worshipping together) But, God says with ALL my strength...therefore, not just in worship.

 

 

 

So, even though personally He is self-sufficient and doesn't need anything at all, then it is apparent that in God's mind a part of loving Him means loving one another. He doesn't need water, but He said that when we offer a glass of water to someone we are doing it to Him.

 

 

So, even if He hadn't added the 2nd part...which is loving our neighbors as ourselves...He would still desire we love those around us whom He also loves. Therefore, it is obviously in His very character and in how He desires love to be shown to Him, for us to be mindful and proactive. To remember that we did not become Christians just for our own sake....but, for others as well...as Christ showed us by example. 

 

 

 

Romans 15: 1"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”a 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

 

 

5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs." 

 

                                So, how do people see us? 

 

  

*In Galatians 5 it tells us what is of the flesh, and what is of the Spirit.* 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oOps!! My Only Guarantees III

I apologize, for some reason I posted this without meaning to, as it was not completed....this is how 'kinda coo-coo' it's been around here lately! Ha!

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 God has told us in various places in scripture that we do not have much control over our flesh...therefore I have no guarantees that I will always do things right.  So, this is where I got my title for this 3 part study.

 

 

Let me clarify, our human nature (all by itself) does not have control over sin. If one has had a good and loving upbringing then that foundation that was laid could very well have given them the ability to have more self-control over sin. But generally and in the long run, in order to have control and victory over it we MUST allow the Spirit of God to take control. This also means that the unsaved...and even more so...have little control over the human nature.

 

 

So, this means we must be doing things GOD's way in how sin is dealt with...in how anything is dealt with! Not the way that necessarily makes sense to us.....but then we will have already known that! Especially since you and I know that His ways are not our ways...and His ways will naturally sound strange to our human nature.

 

 

1 Cor. 1 : 25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

 

 

This being said I am going to bring up what I believe is the 2nd most important thing in all of scripture...the 1st being that God loved us so much that He gave us His Son to die and rise again on our behalf so as to bring us back to God.

 

 

Love....what it is and what is it for?

 

 

For God so loved the world...to me this means what it says, that God loved us all. John 3:16

 

 

Romans 5:6-8 "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

 

 

Think about what love is made up of...patience, kindness, long-suffering. If you and I were perfect like a robot or inanimate  object that rarely if ever make mistakes....would we need patience or long-suffering? Would we need for someone to be kind to us? Would we need or want love? Would we even care?

 

 

I believe that the whole reason for love was to bridge the gap between perfection and imperfection...and between the mature and immature...otherwise, how could there ever be any way to relate or connect??

 

 

This is why, as a good parent will go through SO much for an immature, wayward or troubled child, why I believe God went through so much for us...because it is just what love does.  He showed this in so many instances. By 1st creating us. Then giving us another chance after the flood. Then giving us the law to show us our need for Christ and then of course the final and ultimate, Christ and the cross.

 

 

The love of God is amazing. It is something that God wants everyone to experience...no matter how deep into sin they have fallen. In fact, it is the only reason why someone would not want to stay in sin! Think about it...if all you've known is sin...or merely the world....then it would only be the love of God that is so different from the world that could possibly ever get your attention and sway you.

 

 

This is precisely what love is for. This is why we have to be Christ and show His love to every person, no matter their sin or station in life...as this is the primary way for them to see God and be drawn to Him...and why I believe there are so many that are not coming to Christ, as we are not being Christ to them. We have the human mind set that there are only certain people that deserve love...yet this is not God's mind set. So, who's mindset sets the standard for who deserves love?

I am thankful that the church I was saved at was patient and kind and did not endeavor to alienate me by pointing out my sin soon after walking through the church door....no, I was drawn to Christ by the love I was shown. That love that caused Christ to die for me while I was yet a sinner. Yes, I was embraced...or I would have been long gone.

So, who's mindset sets the standard for you?