Love Fulfilled Ministry

for I am convinced because neither death nor life nor angels nor leaders nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing has the power to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord . * God loved me enough to send Jesus. * This is good news, God loved us so much He would send a Savior. We could spend a lifetime talking about the blessings we have in Him. We see also in the scriptures God loves me enough to discipline me. *  Discipline at the time seems unpleasant, so we do not talk much about how God disciplines the ones he loves. Now, what if I told you God loves us enough to allow spiritual warfare, that he allows the devil and evil forces to attack me. I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me so that I am not exalted. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness....

The Lord your God in your midst, the mighty warrior, he is happy to save, concerning you he is glad to, stilling you with His love, joyfully before you with a warrior's cry . * The Lord is a refugee in times of trouble, "whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." * He is our salvation in whom we put our trust and have confidence. The scriptures tell us He is a refuge for His people, " my soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us " * Surely, for me to say it is well with my soul is to know He is a refuge. He is more than just a refugee, he will go before you like a mighty warrior to fight your battles. Our Lord is happy to sav...

to the extent of this we offer pray at all times so that our God esteems you worthy of calling and in power brings to fulfillment all goodness, good pleasure, and work of faith in order that the name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in you and you in Him according to grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. * Paul is offering prayer so that God esteems us worthy to call us, and if he does he will bring to fulfillment all according to His good pleasure, and the work of faith and power in us so that Jesus is glorfied in us and we in Him. God chose us in Jesus, according to the good pleasure of His will, before he created the world to be holy, in his presense in love. * How is He accomplishing such a goal? According to that he purpose in Christ, that according to His good pleasure; he chose us and called us and is working out all goodness (through the work of faith and grace and his power) to whom he esteems worthy of calling (to those chosen, loved, blessed, favored in the Belove...

now, the one looking intently into the perfect law, the one providing freedom and continues not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer he will be blessed in his doing . * The perfect law is the word of God, who is Jesus, the truth, who provides freedom. The word of God is sown in our hearts. It can be snatched away by the devil so it doesn't grow at all. Or we can hear and receive it with joy on one day but not think about it again, in which case it doesn't grow up to bear fruit. The soils that do not bear fruit have this in common; they hear and receive the word with joy but they either do not grow deep roots so they fall away or they are choked out by the thorns and do not endure. A double-minded person, who goes back and forth between faith and doubt, fits into the soils that do not bear fruit. *  Let's look at how to overcome doubt. James explains the growth process of bearing fruit, which we see in the parable of the soils, as maturity, which he associates ...

and other seed fell onto the good soil and it grew up producing fruit a hundredfold. After He said this he cried out, 'the ones having ears to hear, hear.' * My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me. The scriptures mention Jesus crying out like this only a few times. *  It puts emphasis on what Jesus is saying. A sower went out to sow his seed. But some fell on the path and the birds of heaven devoured it and some were trampled underfoot. Other seed fell on the rocks and because it had no moisture, having no depth of soil to grow roots, when the sun came up it withered away, scorched by the sun. Other seed fell in the middle of thorns and when the thorns came up they choked it out so it did not produce fruit. But other seed fell onto the good soil and it grew up producing fruit. *  As Jesus said these things he cried out, 'the ones having ears to hear, hear.' * There is understanding into this parable that Jesus gives us. The seed is the word of God. Satan ...

You will make known to me the path of life; the fullness of joy in your presence; pleasures at your right hand forevermore. * There is a path of life, one that Jesus came to give us, which brings us into His presence in which is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. Being in his presence is that which God purposed in Christ Jesus, a way for us to come near to a holy God and be in his presence loved, we were chosen to be in his presence. *  But why does this path of life often seem so difficult and hard to find? Jesus said, "how narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to that life and few are those who find it." * Wondrously show Your loving kindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand.* What is the path to life? Is it helping orphans and widows? Is it giving and serving? Is it what the prophet of old said, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and...

Now, asking in faith without doubting, for the doubter is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and blown about. For that person must not think that way because he will not receive anything from the Lord. *    The word doubt is διακρίνω, diakrínō , from diá, "thoroughly back-and-forth," which intensifies krínō, "to judge." With this definition, what is a double-minded man? James writes it is one who can not prove or discern the will of God because he is tossed about, going back and forth. *  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth if having faith and not doubting,  diakrínō , he will do that to the fig tree but even if saying to this mountain be lifted up and thrown into the sea, it will happen." *  So the double-minded man James speaks about sees the truth but goes back and forth, between belief and unbelief. What type of man can not discern the will of God? the natural man, which means that pertaining to the earthly life or soul; as distinguished f...

Be still, and know that I am God... * God is Love. * Therefore to know God, one must know His love. So to be still and know him is to know His love. Why is it so important that we know the love of God? That God wants to reveal himself, his love to us? Paul prays, not just that, he falls on his knees to the Father praying that we may " have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. *   Paul really, really wants us to get this, to know the love of Christ, so that we may be filled to the fullness of God. * If you love me keep my Commandments. * What does this scripture mean? that love is tied directly to obedience or obedience is tied directly to love. Jesus goes on to say, " the one having my commandments and keeping them exists the one loving me. Now, the one loving me is loved by my Father and loving him and revealing myself to him. " *  How do you love Jesus? have and keep his commands. The one...

Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous so that he might bring us to God, putting to death the flesh, now, making alive the spirit. * Why did Jesus suffer and die? So that he might bring us to God. To bring to; to approach, come near. *  This was what God purposed in Christ, Paul writes, " even as he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy, in his presence, in love, he predestined us for adoption as his own in Jesus Christ... which He purposed in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time bringing together all in Christ, in heaven and on earth in Christ. We have obtained an inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of the one accomplishing all according to the counsel of His will ." *  This was God's plan, that purposed in Christ, to bring us to God, so we could approach Him, be in His presence, he planned this before he created the world. This was what we were made for, to be in His presence, ...

that Christ dwells in your heart through faith, rooted and grounded in love. *  Rooted and built up in him, and established of faith . * Previously I wrote about two men from the Old Testament, both are like a tree planted by the waters who send out its roots. One man puts his trust and confidence in God. * The second man meditates on God's word. *  Paul writes of another man in the New Testament, he is rooted and grounded in love and faith. He is being established, grounded and as such will not shift from the hope of the gospel. *  The word grounded means to found, to lay a foundation; to make steadfast; to establish, render firm, and unwavering. Peter writes the true grace of God establishes, grounds. *  The word rooted means to root, cause to take root; firmly rooted, strengthened with roots; met. firm, constant, firmly fixed. All of these men will prosper and yield fruit in season because they are firmly planted, rooted, and grounded. rooted and ...

Therefore if raised along with Christ, seek that above where Christ exists, enthroned at the right hand of God. Mind of that above, not that of the earth, for you died and your life is laid up together with Christ in God. When Christ your life is brought to light then you also will be brought to light with him . * If you are raised with Christ, Paul writes, then seek that above. Paul writes part of me is raised and seated with Christ, He made us alive "and raised us up and seated us in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus," *  What part of me has been raised with Christ? Surely, not my body, not until I die or Christ returns will my body be raised, resurrected. We are awaiting this salvation; the redemption of our bodies. *  Is it my soul? Peter writes there is a salvation of my soul, and this is the goal of faith that we are obtaining this salvation. *  So it is not our body or soul. In context, Paul is talking about putting off the old man and putting on the ne...