Love

The subject of love has been so powerfully communicated in music. Think of loves songs you remember. Every genre of music has its songs that tell the story of love in some form or another. How about a couple of songs from the past?

Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley

Love Is a Many Splendored Thing – Andy Williams

From the Book of Ruth, God gives us some practical ways to show love. This short, but, powerful story about Ruth’s love for her mother-in-law, Naomi, illustrates to us not only down-to-earth principles, but it also shows us a clear picture of God’s divine love.

In the story, Naomi lost her husband and two sons, who were the husbands of Orpah and Ruth. All three women had suffered great loss, but Naomi the most.

And she (Naomi) said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said:

“ Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you;
for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

Let’s look at some practical ways to show love to each other from this passage in Ruth 1:15-18.

1. I show my love by sticking with someone through tough times. Love can best be shown in crisis. The valleys of life separate the fickle from the committed. One of the basic elements of love is “sticking power.” Ruth stuck with Naomi.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

God himself models tenacious love!

Have you ever bailed on someone who needed you to stick with them? If so, how did it make you feel? Have you stuck with someone in tough times? How did that make you feel?

2. I show love by adjusting to others. Ruth illustrated this so well! She made drastic adjustments in her life so she could follow her mother-in-law and ultimately, Naomi’s God. Adjusting says, in a most powerful way, “I love you!”

What are some practical ways we can adjust our lives to the ones we love? Where is God asking you to adjust your life so you can better show love to someone?

3. I show love by offering encouraging words. Some things must be said! Ruth’s words to Naomi not only demonstrated her willingness to act in the future, but were a source of great encouragement as she spoke them.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue… Proverbs 18:21

How have you been guilty of offering "words of death" to a loved one? What words or encouragement do you plan to share this week?

4. I show love by putting the needs of others above mine. Not only did Ruth say it, she acted on her words, by making Naomi’s needs a priority. As the story progresses we see Ruth being rewarded for this act of selflessness. She found love with a man named Boaz.

What needs of someone else can you put above yours today? What are you waiting on? Do it! You will be blessed by your sacrifice.

This story of love in The Book of Ruth, as we mentioned earlier, gives us a clear picture of God’s divine love.

1. God will stick with us in tough times.

2. God adjusted to us. We sinned; He provided the sinless sacrifice for sin.

3. God’s Word encourages us.

4. God put our needs above His.

God is not a cosmic bully who waits for us to mess up. He is, rather, a loving Father who wants us to know His love and share it with others.

What's The Big Deal About Repentance?

Repentance is a word that you don’t often hear in the workplace or in casual conversations outside of the church. So what is repentance? What does it really mean? If we are to repent, as the Bible has instructed, we must make sure that we have turned from our sin and have not offered God a mere apology.

Jonah 1:1-15 tells us the all-too-familiar story of Jonah. The occurrence of a man, called by the Lord to minister to Nineveh, a place of sin so great, that it needed some serious attention. Jonah was that man, and he was aware of Nineveh, and its ways. So instead of following the command of God, Jonah got on the first boat going as far away from Nineveh as he could get! He paid his fare, and to Tarshish Jonah sailed.

One could ask; “What caused Jonah to run and completely disobey God’s will?" could it be what they would say of this stranger coming to their homeland and telling them they live in a state of such terrible wickedness? God’s calling on our lives, as with Jonah, will push us from our comfort zones, into a place where we can fully trust Him. We must obey God to please God. Even if those times of obedience are not to our liking.

As the story continues, a great wind comes across the seas, rocking the boat is which Jonah was fast asleep. (1:5) The mariners began crying out to their gods, and woke Jonah asking him to pray to his God and maybe he would save them. The mariners knew Jonah was a Hebrew, and that he was running from the presence of the Lord because Jonah had told them so. In the fear of perishing in the storm, the mariners asked Jonah what could they do so the seas would be calmed.(1:8-11) God found a way to get Jonah’s attention. We learn that God’s purpose and will for lost people will be accomplished; even if he has to send a torrential storm to get our attention.

Jonah became very aware of what needed to be done to save those around him. He told the mariners to cast him into the sea, and it would be calmed. So, despite their own good judgment and attempts to get to dry land, the mariners did as Jonah instructed, and cast him overboard. (1:13-15) Jonah knew his environment had to change to put himself in a position for God to show up.

The passage continues that God had prepared a great fish- one that the Lord had planned in advance for the rescue of Jonah from the sea.(1:17) Despite Jonah’s disobedience and his flight from the God. It is here, in the belly of the great fish, that Jonah repents for his sin. Jonah prays: (2:2-9)

“ I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
“ Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
³ For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
⁴ Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
⁵ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
⁶ I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O LORD, my God.
⁷ “ When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.
⁸ “ Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
⁹ But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD.”

God then commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.

Acts 17:30 states, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” The time to repent is NOW. In the midst of our storm, we need to repent and return to His calling. 1 John 1:9 instructs us to confess our sins and forsake our sins! To turn 180 degrees toward God, to where we are facing Him. If we can recognize God in our situation then we can change our lives and potentially the lives of others.

So, have you repented today?

Praise God that in our times of disobedience, he still prepares our rescue!

The Truth About Hell

Like most other countries, here in America we have laws that help govern us and our land. Some laws we see frequently, like those that say “Speed Limit 45” or “REDUCE SPEED WORK ZONE”. Hopefully we take heed and obey them, knowing the principle of action and consequences if we choose to ignore them. While the laws of our land are significantly important; there is something far greater and of utmost importance to us...that something is the Truth about Hell.

What do you know about Hell?

What types of people will go to Hell?

What do you think about Judgment?

If you were to ask others these questions, you will probably find a variation of responses. Hell is often misunderstood, feared and ignored. What really matters is WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT HELL?

Psalm 9:17 shows us that the Lord is known by the judgment He executes.

In the New Testament, for every single time Jesus references Heaven, He makes mention of Hell double the amount of times.

Proverbs 7:27 refers to immorality as the pathway to Hell, the transgression of God’s moral laws is a sure road to an eternity in Hell.

Proverbs 27:20 lets us know that Hell is never full—the vacancy sign is always on.

Isaiah tells us that Hell has enlarged itself.

Have you ever been asked the question, “If God so loves, then why is there a Hell?” God’s WORD gives us the answer. John 8:44 says that God will deal righteously with the devil. Matt 25:41 tells us that Hell was originally prepared for Satan and his angels. Those who are unrepentant, those who are non-obedient to the Gospel are just punching their own ticket to enter Hell.

The Scriptures allows us to see WHY there is a Hell, and the PATH that leads to Hell and also, the all consuming NATURE of Hell; along with these it gives us further insight to four other characteristics of Hell.

a. Utter DARKNESS will entirely cover Hell… Absolutely no light of any kind…total blackness and beyond for ever and ever.

John 8:12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Jude 12, 13, Matthew 8, 22, 25

b. Consuming FILTH will inhabit Hell…worse than any city dump…wasted lives, garbage filled minds, hearts consumed by wickedness. Hell will be a dwelling place for the garbage of disobedience, unrepentant, rebellious people. This is hard for us to really comprehend as Christians, because we have the Holy Ghost as a buffet to ward off the demonic and wickedness of this world. Consuming filth…that’s why we must avoid Hell at any cost.

Mark 9:43 warns us, whatever it takes…MAKE HEAVEN and AVOID HELL.

c. Unimaginable FEAR…the unknown of Hell. Matt. Chapters 8, 22, and 25 give us an analogy of the unrepentant, unprofitable people that were cast into Hell. There was whaling, weeping and gnashing of teeth there. Fear controls their emotions, anger is dominate because they missed out on Paradise, they are angry at themselves, God and others. No relief from this fear and anger.

d. Complete and total HOPELESSNESS…Rev. 20:10-14 “…day and night for ever and ever.”

There will be no rest, no relief, no better tomorrow, no comfort, no change, and no hope in anything. Never…Never…Never

For the Christian, we are not dominated by the fear of Hell; rather, we are motivated by Jesus Christ our Redeemer in Heaven. Here are some questions to consider:

Am I wise in my knowledge of Hell?

Am I confronting eternity?

Am I obedient to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Am I being mature with the actions of my life-doing all to avoid Hell?

Am I ready to face judgment with God…what have I done with what I know?

Am I teaching my family and sharing with others God’s plan of salvation? In Acts chapters 1, 2, the Bible says I must be obedient to the Gospel. Not only by hearing, but also by actions. I must repent, I must be baptized in His name, and I must be filled with His Spirit.

The TRUTH about HELL helps me understand the TRUTH about ETERNITY!

Whatever I’m doing with the GOSPEL determines my destiny!