The basis of love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Sometimes I feel as followers we do things to protect ourselves because were afraid to show love to others. Sometimes I feel that when we do reach out to people they may feel that your doing it out of pity, or because we think they feel unattached. So, us trying to be that attachment.  We're doing it out of love, and showing Jesus's love to people. I guess my initial thought is this.

How do you get people that are separate from the church to join the church, how do you get people that are perfectly okay by themselves to not be by themselves and to join the place, or the group? The simple answer is this, you do not. In my last post, I said choosing God and choosing to follow him was a choice, same with a youth group, or church you can simply open the doors out of love, and doing what God has asked for you. The guest are the ones who have to choose to stay or to go.

Doing things out of love. Jesus died for us out of love, we do not deserve what he did for us on the cross and us trying to show that kind of love is important  to not only the ones we serve, but the way we conduct our lives. Jesus was the example of a servant he served us by dying for us. When he was up conducting the last supper, he washed the disciples feet, he was showing them that this is what we are supposed to do, help and serve each other because he served us.

In Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  If the spirit flows within us this as a church, and as a follower exhibit these qualities to people and for people.
Sometimes how we present ourselves, and show others who we are, they can know we follow Christ and not want to even be apart of his kingdom by that one confrontation. I am going to end with this, sometimes we are the only bible, the only example of church, the example of Jesus someone will ever see.

The Choice

        I feel like as people spend time learning about Jesus, and trying to understand more about him I feel like they miss a big part, and one of the most important, and that's how much Jesus loves you. I can sit here and say yeah Jesus died for us, took our place and he gave us the one and only way to join him in heaven, my initial question is what does this mean?



John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

Lots of people know this verse, but what does this mean. I feel like it’s the ultimate testament of God's love for us because he gives us the opportunity to choose him. It is by his grace, that he is able to forgive us, and allow us to go and join him in heaven. In Ephesians 2:10 it says that you are a masterpiece for God, he died for you. He died, he was beaten and broken, and he was scared, but because he loved us he died for us.

Luke 22:42-45

42“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.

           

            So where this takes place is the garden of gethsemane, hours before he was to make the ultimate sacrifice, and to take the place for our sins. Jesus shows us several things that he knows what is to come, that he is terrified to take this next step, and he prays before he does anything. It also shows that Jesus by himself, couldn’t have done and made this sacrifice, the angel for heaven comes to help him, similarly Jesus puts people in your life to help you. The amount of pressure, stress that was on him in this moment was just the beginning because he knew he was going to be broken, but he also knew the purpose behind it. That with Jesus dying for us, that the war between heaven and hell would be won.

Why I named this post the choice: Jesus did it for us, he sacrificed himself for us, so that we can go live with him forever. In John 3:16 at the top of the page, it says that whoever believes in him. What this means is it is a choice, it’s your choice no one on earth can force you to except Jesus he made the ultimate testament of love, he did all of this for you. You have to except it, it’s your decision, and a decision between you and God.

  

My Story:

I was born in New Mexico. My biological mother couldn’t take care of me, so my sister and I moved in with my aunt and uncle in Georgia. A few years later, family friends in Kentucky adopted my sister, and one year later adopted me. It took me a long time to trust my parents now. I felt like I had to do everything alone and by myself. I felt like I had to take care of my sister on my own. I was always stressed, depressed, tired, grieving, sad, worried, and angry. I didn’t seem to feel anything, but I felt unloved, and wondered why my biological mother didn’t want me. For a long time, my sister and I were all each other had. In 2002 I was baptized, but I didn’t feel anything, and I didn’t do it for me. From there, my life went downhill. I coped with my stress and anger through different sports, but the more I tried to cope, the worse I felt. I felt betrayed, why wasn’t I good enough? I kept making bad decisions and hurt the people I love the most.

I hit rock bottom, and was too tired to keep carrying all my baggage. So, I sent a text to Jake Fouts, and asked him for help. He invited me to a UK basketball game, and then later took me into the prayer room. I told him I needed help, and that I was missing something. Jake told me the missing piece was Jesus, but that I had to find Him myself. I finally realized in that moment, that Jesus was the missing piece, and that I needed Him. Jake led me in a prayer to ask Jesus into my heart. In that moment, I felt everything that was weighing me down, leave my body. It was all gone. This lyric kept going through my head ‘Take a load off Fanny, take a load off me’ because that is how I felt. I felt joy, relief, and lifted.

Before I met Christ I felt like I was hiding behind a mask, now I have removed the mask. This is me, this is who I was created to be. The transition isn’t easy, and when the old me tries to come back, Jesus is with me. I am not alone. He picks me up and guides all of my steps. I am getting baptized today because I am loved by Jesus.

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The pain, The hurt, The revival

Proverbs 27:19
As water reflects the face,  so one’s life reflects the heart.

I feel like a lot of people say something is bad for them, and then do whatever it was that was or is bad for them, and saying they want to quit, and are taking the steps to beat whatever it is, but something is keeping them to take the first step. This could be fear, or timidity, it could also be the enemy saying no, you cannot do it, and he is becoming desperate so he is trying to get you to circum to whatever it is you feeling and not following Jesus the most effectively as you feel you could. This issue I feel is what people are dealing with, and is a constant battle, and the battle can include anything, from lust, to depression, to thoughts and acts of suicide, to smoking.   

 

The water reflects the face,

These things are impactful to your life, Jesus says you are a masterpiece, and how he wants a personal relationship with you. He keeps an eye on you, and desires a relationship with you. I feel like we have stages in our lives, from the beginning, from birth where we grow up in church with no connection to Jesus, and are told he is real but not really understanding, or really gaining a grasp to and the concept of what he is or who he is, and knowing that you inviting him into your life is the biggest decision of your life but not fully understanding why. Maybe your the person who family is broken up, your called on this earth for a purpose but not fully understanding what that purpose is and you blame yourself for the broken family, for the broken hearts and you feel like everything is your fault. Maybe your the person who is so beaten down with depression, and thoughts of suicide that you can not think straight, and that you may be reading this thinking about taking your life or crying yourself to sleep, acting like you do not have a point to your life. Jesus says you are beautiful and made in Gods image, to him your perfect he never makes a mistake, and he loves you from everything from your hair down to your stinky feet.

¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10

Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:7

  Jesus's has a great purposes for your life, and desires a relationship, a personal relationship with you.  

So ones life reflects the heart.

This part is hard to write, and here is why, because I can tell you the great things Jesus has done for me, but I feel that doesn't always do it justice. Your life from beginning to end from where you beginning making your decisions, and leaning on yourself, feeling hurt and being broken, knowing where you are at trying to find things to escape reality, to take a break, and be free for even if it is just a moment. I know what you are thinking that I do not know what I am talking about, and  here is where your wrong, I have been there, I have been depressed and have had thoughts of suicide, I still have the scares to prove it. It's still a battle and a choice that I choose and let Jesus fight for me, and I ask you to pray for me in this, to help me keep the enemy away from my heart, and not to tempt me with depression, and I pray this over the people reading this as well.  

So life reflects your heart, here is why, because the decisions you make and the places and people you hurt may feel that your heart is light but you hurt more people and more, the weight of the few turns into the weight of the many. That weight begins to effect the decisions you make and the people around you. Jesus can take it away, that he can wipe the slate clean, if you want the slate to be clean, and Jesus to come into your life, and you want to live your life according to him, to his grace to his power. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light Matthew 11:30.  

 

Dear Jesus  

I am a sinner, I want you to come into my life, to forgive me for my sins to wipe my heart clean by your blood, I believe that you died on the cross for me, to take the punishment for my sins, I ask you to come into my heart, and into my life, and I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Jesus for taking my sins, and your overwhelming mercy.

Amen

When you accept Jesus into your life, it changes, your heart changes. Your able to live a life and having God direct it, It is not a cake walk, he will test your faith, and he wants to be able to have a relationship with you in every aspect in every part of your life, in everything you do, and in everything you accomplish. He will change you and the way he changes you can impact others, because your no longer living by yourself, and in your own way. Your living in the way that Jesus provides.

  

Thorns

What are thorns? Thorns are the pointed part of a plant, that stay in your skin that you have to be willing to remove, why do you remove them? because it hurts.


 ⁶ Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2nd Corinthians 12:6-10  



When Paul was writing to the church in Corinth he was explaining to them about a thorn. A thorn in a biblical aspect is about something keeping you humble, something keeping you in your place so you do not become prideful. Peter was called to build a bunch of these churches to expand Gods plan and to spread God's kingdom.

I feel like If I were in Paul's place that I would need to find my strength in what God had for me. A thorn is something that simply keeps you grounded to not rely on yourself and more on what God has for you. If you read in 1 Kings about Elijah ( chapter 17-19 ) he stands up for faith and defeats Baal's profits, and not only stands up for God, he commands fire to come and destroy them. So If I were Elijah I would feel like wow I am top notch ( go ahead dust your shoulders off) But then in 19 he is fleeing because one of Baal's followers has threatened him. He is scared.

So my question is, you can do so much with God guiding you and defending you, but when it comes to small things such as being scared, after just defending the faith, where is your faith? Or is there a purpose behind it, to keep you from becoming more then yourself, and having a big head. I know for me I help teach the bible study for my campus ministry as well as help lead the VSM ( Vineyard Student Ministries) however I do not find security in the words that I speak, and I sometimes feel conflicted, because I think I am doing what Jesus asks me to, but I feel like I do not explain things  to the best, and that would be my thorn.

My thorn I can get through whatever knowing that Jesus is there, In verse 9 it says " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." being weak, and knowing when things are a struggle for you is perfectly okay. Its when you say you did it on your own then it becomes an issue, and your head begins to swell.

Jeremiah 9 : 23-24
 ²³ This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches,²⁴ but let the one who boasts boast about this:that they have the understanding to know me,that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.