True Love

Do you remember that old song by Tina Turner entitled, “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” It was a secular song about sexual indiscretions, with an attempt to justify those indiscretions, by asking the question, what does love have to do with anything? However, when we look at it from the Christian perspective, love has everything to do with everything. 

It is the story of love that fills the pages of Scriptures; the most exciting and truest kind of love; the love of God for a fallen world. It is this type of love that is described in the very next line of the poem:

Line 19: God truly loves you, He sent Jesus for thee, and if you receive Him, you’ll live eternally. 

We have talked about this love in the last three or four blogs. It is an exhaustless subject. And just in case you think that this love didn’t show up until the New Testament, then read these passages from the Old Testament to prove to yourself that God has always been ‘crazy about you.

1) The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

2) Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? ² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. ³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. ⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. ⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. ⁹ And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. ¹⁰ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. ¹¹ He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. ¹² Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:1-12

(This entire chapter of Isaiah describes the cruel treatment that Jesus would receive, when He came on His mission of love for fallen humankind. He fulfilled every Scripture exactly.)

And then when you come to the New Testament, you have the classic love of God Scripture:

3)  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. John 3:16 And

4) Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace… II Thessalonians 2:16

With careful reading, it is easy to see the truth of the poetry line, which expresses God’s love and Jesus’ mission.  Then after you see that expression of love, you can’t help but to love and praise Him. I’ve learned to do just that!

All Scriptures are taken from the KJV – King James Version Bible

First posted on the Internet 12/9/16

Notice: This is copyrighted material and is intended for the sole use of this author. No part of this material may be reproduced in written, digital form, without the written consent of its originator.

The Invitation

I’m a very gregarious person; I simply love being with people. Well, let me correct that, “most people”. It doesn’t matter what the occasion is: a wedding, a birthday party, a church social or a small group meeting of any kind, I enjoy being part of the mix. It is especially nice, when an invitation is addressed personally to me, rather than a general invitation; it makes me feel special, as though the invitee, especially wanted to have me there to help the affair go well.

I know that, that might seem a little vain to feel that way, but I do and I make no apologies for it. I believe that if they don’t want me to come, then don’t send me an invitation.

When it comes to the gospel, a personal invitation has been given to you and me. Don’t be troubled by the “whosoever will” part of John 3:16. Concentrate instead on the part that says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that ‘put in your name’ might not perish, but have everlasting life.” Doesn’t that sound personal? It does to me.

In the next line of the poem, it talks about this personal invitation, which has been extended to ‘whosoever will place his/her name in the blank’. Read it:

Line 18: *So today the call is extended to you, you have heard the   message, what will you do?

The message referred to again says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

The invitee is God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Church (that’s me); each of us is extending to you, the reader, the invitation to come to Jesus Christ; to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour; to follow Him with all of your heart and to claim the promise of eternal life, which He offers. The Scripture plainly declares, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” I John 5:12

Wow! What an invitation that is: it is saying that if you accept the invitation to allow Jesus Christ into your heart, you will receive ‘eternal life’ – a life that will measure with the life of God, once Jesus returns to claim you as His own.  That is a breathtaking promise. However, on the end of telling you what you might have comes the results of refusing such an awesome invitation.  If you refuse to accept Jesus, which equals life, it will result in death for you; I’m not just talking about the temporary sleep that many of us will experience at the age of 60, 70, or 80 and to which we can die with the hope of a resurrection. I’m talking about eternal death, to which there is no resurrection.

I’ve learned to accept any and all invitations extended to me by those who care about me; it is a time for bonding and fellowship; it is usually an awesome time for everyone, when I do. Nothing will change with Jesus. He truly knows how to throw a party and I’m looking forward to attending. What will you do? Won’t you come and go with me?

All Scriptures are taken from the KJV – King James Version Bible

More: My Death Poem

Notice: This is copyrighted material and is intended for the sole use of this author. No part of this material may be reproduced in written, digital form, without the written consent of its originator.

Home At Last!

Have you ever gone on a trip, had a good time, but was anxious to get back home? Somehow, the trip going home can be gruesome, especially if you’ve experienced a bad time, while away; you’ve missed your own bed; you’ve missed your regular routine and life has seemingly gotten out of whack!

Then you look up and see a highway sign, indicating the number of miles away from home; it’s not many miles. Your heart skips a little beat; your blood races; you feel the excitement all over! Then finally, you turn into your driveway and catch a glimpse of familiarity – your own living quarters. It is then that the old axiom comes to mind: “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.”

It is with a similar joy-filled anticipation that I look forward to the coming of the Lord and to my eventual trip home with Him, to live throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity! It sometimes feels as if I can hardly wait. I watch the news, read the newspaper, follow social media and watch for the fulfillment of the prophetic signs, which indicate that time on this planet is drawing to a close and I’m nearing home. Soon, very soon, the saints of God will touch down upon the heavenly shores and life as we know it will be no more!

The following poetic line speaks to that time. Let’s look at it:

Line 17: Yes, their time for salvation will be no more, as the saved of God reach the heavenly shore.

The Scriptures tell us of the time, when those involved in the first resurrection, will reign with Christ, along with those who have been translated/changed, to meet Him in the air. The Bible calls it a blessed time -Rev. 20:6. This is the time, wherein the ‘saved’ will live and reign with Christ 1,000 years, before the wicked are raised and eternally destroyed.

Additionally, we have talked about what happens to the living wicked, who shall be alive when Christ returns – they will run to the rocks and mountains for cover (Rev. 6:15-17) and the unsaved dead will stay dead. However, the poem addresses those for whom salvation will be no more. The contrast is described in the following text - Matt 25:46.

Salvation, even the opportunity for salvation, will have come to a total end. There will be nothing left for the unsaved, but a fearful looking forward to punishment. And the sad thing about that is it really doesn’t have to be that way. The debt for salvation has already been paid. Everyone has been offered a “Get out of Hell FREE” card. Sadly, far too many will not use that free card. They will take the hard way out and pay the debt for their own sins, while the redeemed will be just beginning to enjoy the features of eternity and a life free from sin. Glorious Day! Oh what a day that will be!

The lesson that I’ve learned in all of this is to accept the FREE card. Enjoy the bliss of heaven at Christ’s expense. It doesn’t matter if there is only one, or one zillion people saying, “Yes, I’ll take a card,” and then walking through those pearly gates, exclaiming, “I’m home at last!” “Hallelujah!” The price for salvation has already been paid.

First posted on the Internet 12/5/2016

All Scriptures are taken from the KJV – King James Version Bible

More: My Death Poem

Notice: This is copyrighted material and is intended for the sole use of this author. No part of this material may be reproduced in written, digital form, without the written consent of its originator.