Love is Action, Love One Another

 Loving your church family

Jesus gave us the 11th Commandment.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." John 13:34

We read this in 1 John

"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20

Paul tells us that we need to?

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10

I love that. Paul said that we should "Outdo one another in showing honor." It kind of reminds me of some sort of comedy skit. "I love you, have a cupcake." "No, no, no. I love you more. Have a cupcake." No, no, no. I love you more. Have two cupcakes." You get the point.

I truly believe that if you fully understand who the church IS, this should be an easy, easy command to follow. I shared this with you before. I was in Columbus Ohio, spending some time with a pastor over there named Rod Parsely. I was standing in the World Harvest Bible College lobby, when I heard, as clear as day, "My people are a family." My response? "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now I'm trying to pay attention here." I heard it again. "My people are a family." "Yeah, I know. I get it. I understand. Now let me get back to this." One more time, "My people are a family." That was it. "OK, I'm listening. What are you trying to tell me? I mean really God. I got it. I understand that if we are all children of yours, then we are all in your family." What am I missing here?

Turns out I was missing a lot. Starting with the fact many may or may not like. We are NOT all God's children. We ARE all God's creation. However, there is only one way to become a child of God. That is Jesus. That is the Spirit of Adoption. The Holy Spirit. If you are not adopted into the family of God, you are NOT His child.

Look at this in Romans 8

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”" Romans 8:13

Once you become adopted into the family, you then receive many more brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. You are adopted into a very large family. The Family of God. Look what Jesus says here.

"Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”" Mark 10:28–31

We read this story in Luke. Jesus was teaching and there were so many people there that no one else could get in.

"Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”" Luke 8:19-21

We are a family. Let's look at a family. You sleep with, wake with, talk with, and spend time with, your family. You share your day's events and seek to help those in need of comfort, encouragement, or celebration together. Is God's family really one hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to Church?

Think about this. If you have a need, you have a challenge in your life, you can always turn to your family. Your mom or dad can help you. Your older siblings may have already been through what you are facing. They can help you. When you are sad, they try to comfort you. When they are sad, you comfort them. If you are the oldest, YOU may be the one that others look up to. Again, God's family? One hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to Church?

First, a building is a building. The church is the people. You can have a church service in the middle of a field. You can have a church service in the middle of the street. The church, that the Word talks about is always the people. A family.

Just like your earthly family, in God's family, you have babies. Those that just heard the truth and have allowed the truth to set them free. They know next to nothing and are in need of being fed, taught, ETC. You have teenagers. Those that are more knowledgeable, yet, are not yet ready to go out on their own. They can certainly help in the raising of the young. Then you have the moms and dads. Those that have grown up, put away childish things and are in a position to teach, encourage, love, and guide in the way both the children and teenagers should go. These are the elders of the church. Of course, you have the earthly father, who is the head of the church. The Pastor. The one that should be guiding the rest of the family. The one that is responsible for communicating whatsoever God himself tells him.

Look at what Jesus instructed John and Mary while on the cross.

"but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home."

John and Mary had no relationship prior to Jesus. John was a fisherman, and Mary was a teenage mother married to a Carpenter. Now many wonders whatever happened to Joseph, Jesus's "earthly father" which he really never was. The last we see him mentioned in the Bible is when Jesus was 12. The general consensus is simply that he died sometime between Jesus being 12 and the start of his ministry at age 30. This makes sense since Jesus appointed John to take care of His mother Mary and it would have also been Joseph's responsibility to take Jesus's body after the crucifixion. However, since the Bible does not tell us for certain that he died, or how or when, we can not really know for certain.

We should be looking at our church family, even more so, as important as our earthly family. Jesus even tells us that some of our own earthly families will betray us and some may even kill us. Look here.

"Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”" Luke 12: 51-53

Many people fail to hear God's Word. Many people become offended by God's Word. Just like in the rest of the world, once you accept God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and you begin to learn and grow in your faith, some in your own family may become offended and turn out to actually hate you. Look what Jesus tells us here. I know this is a hard lesson. Hard to hear. Look here.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26

What does Jesus mean that we must “hate” our father and mother? Jesus relates a metaphor about a man who builds a house without first counting the cost Luke 14:28–30. The man finds that he cannot follow through with what he set out to do. He leaves the house unfinished because he cannot pay what is required. Jesus is illustrating that we must be willing to go so far as to hate our mother, father, family, and or even our own lives, namely, we must count the cost of being a disciple. There is a cost, and that is the point of the passage. If you accept Jesus and someone in your family starts to hate you or reject you. in essence, tells you you must choose between them and Jesus, you better be willing to choose Jesus. That is the point.

However, the good news is this. Your church family is far larger than your earthly family. I can honestly say I was surprised at the words that came out of my mouth once when someone asked if I was actually related to someone. I said, without hesitation, "Not by blood, but by love."

Our church family IS by love and blood. The blood of Jesus. We need to love one another as He loved us. We must rely on one another and love one another. Support one another and always see our church family as the family we are.

Always keep in mind though, that there is another aspect to this. It is probably the hardest one to actually understand and or accept.

3- Love your enemies.

This is what we will be discussing next time. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!

Fear God

God is Love. Fear Him?

Wait. Hold on a second...Does the Word NOT declare "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."? Yup. That would be John 3:16-17. Fear Him.

OK. Does the Word NOT declare "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."? Did Jesus not die, or rather lay down His life for us? No greater love? Yup. John 15:13. Fear Him.

If God is a God of Love, and the Word declares that Love is the greatest of all. "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." {1 Corinthians 13:13} Then why do you keep saying Fear Him? If God is Love and He did all these things, and He tells us we can become His Children, to quote one of your favorite Chapters,

Romans 8:

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Then we become His Children and He becomes our Daddy, WHY in the world do we need to Fear Him?

Good question. Let me ask you this. You have an Earthly Father? An Earthly Daddy? Ever fall asleep in your Father's arms? When you are growing up, you come to know, just flat out know, that your Daddy loves you and has your back. My Daddy loves me. He bought me a Bike for my Birthday. He takes me to the corner store and buys me Ice Cream. He teaches me cool stuff. When I find myself in front of something that may be trying to scare me, I have no fear, because Daddy is standing right there behind me. He has got my back.

So, one day, your Daddy says, "Don't do that again." Or "Don't ever do this." Well, we start thinking, {The Enemy whispers in our ear} But that was fun. This? This looks fun too. Maybe I can try it. Maybe, just maybe, one more time will not hurt anything. Besides, if I am careful, Daddy will never know. So you do it.

Then Daddy comes home. What happens? You start feeling guilty. You start to FEAR him finding out. Or what if someone sees you do it and says "I'm going to tell your Daddy?" You instantly start to fear. Why? Is this not the same Daddy that loves you? Is this not the same Daddy that bought you that Bike, or Ice Cream. Is it not the same Daddy that was standing behind you in your trial or tribulation? Of course it is. Does he love you? Of course he does. So why are you afraid?

You are afraid because of your disobedience. Not because of his condemnation. You are afraid because of what you did. Not because of his judgement. You do not fear him because he is all powerful and always there for you. You love him because of those things. But you are afraid because you will disappoint him. You will make him angry at you for what YOU did.

You see, fear is not always terror. The Word does not tell us that we should be terrified of God. It tells us we should fear Him.

Joshua 4:

15 And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,

16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.

17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.

18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?

22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:

24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.

Then in....

Proverbs 1:

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Does your Mother and Father hate you? Do they wish harm on you? No. They love you. They tell you things you should not do out of love and for your own good. "Don't touch the hot stove." Don't play in the street." "Beware of strangers." "Do not do drugs." ETC. You Heavenly Father tells you things you should not do as well. "Have no other gods before Him. Do not commit Idolatry. Honor your Mother and Father. Do not Murder. Do not commit Adultery. Do not Steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not Covet."

Just like your Mother and Father tell you the things you should not do, your Heavenly Father tells you things you should not do, not to make your life more difficult, but for your own good. To protect you. To actually make your life more simple and more joyous. Do not fear getting caught Stealing, and the consequences of such? Don't Steal. Do not fear hurting your loved one, and possibly ending your Marriage? Don't cheat. Don't want to get burned? Don't touch the hot stove. ETC.

Proverbs 9:

1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

"The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of Wisdom." Fear, can also be used here as another word for Reverence or Worship. Wisdom begins when we recognize who God actually is. His power and His Majesty. It is not telling us that we should fear a scarey God, but rather fear disobedience. We should become humble and learn from Him the ways that are best for us instead of attempting to go our own way. Doing things the way we would chose to do them. The Wisdom of God is far superior than the wisdom of man.

Proverbs 14:

7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Job puts it this way...

Job 28:

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

In....

Ecclesiastes 12:

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Again, the Word is telling us that we should not look at God in ways of terror. Trembling in His presence. But rather fear our disobedience. That "God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." In other words? Your Daddy knows what you have done. If you have be a faithful Child, or a disobedient one. Fear His Judgement on what YOU have done.

Jesus Himself told us these things.

Luke 12:

1 In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Again, is Jesus telling us that we should fear God because He is a scary God? No. He is telling us, to fear His Judgement on us, on what we have done. He loves us. We are precious to Him. Jesus went on to say this.

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

"But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." Have you ever thought about that. Jesus never lies. He never exaggerates. He always stated the Truth and nothing but. "But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." {Psalm 139:16} God knows you better than you know yourself. He created you. You are the way you are because God said so. It really is this simple. You have Blonde Hair and Blue Eyes, Brown Hair and Brown Eyes, you are Black, White, Tall, Short, ETC, because God wrote them in a Book and Fashioned you after what He wrote.

However, also remember this...

Hebrews 12:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

When the Word tells us, when Jesus tells us, to Fear God, they are telling us that we should fear disobedience. We should fear His Judgement. Not that God is a scary God. A Tyrant. Something we should tremble before. Rather that we fear disappointing Him. Fear His final Judgement. For His final Judgement depends on our choices and our actions. Do not want God to be angry? Be obedient. Do as He says. Want Salvation? Do what He says. Be the good Child, He will be your Daddy.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord of all!