love – Page 7 – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: March 8

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Every one who confesses Me before men, I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32

Jesus is saying, “if you show the world that you know Me, I will show you that you belong to the Father.” Only Jesus can make it known to us that we truly belong to the Father; He is our pathway into the knowledge of His love. The reason is, He knows intimately all things concerning the Father, but His will is to make known to us what He knows. None can reach the grand and mountainous heights of knowledge on their own. All need Him to raise us to a greater level of understanding that never can be found on our own. We are then “found in Him” as the Apostle Paul states it, “No longer on a quest of trying to find ourselves but rather found in a new and glorious place in Christ with His visibility and no longer seeing things as we once saw them.” He gives a peek into glory and we see the Father in Him. To see Him is to love Him and to love Him is to have knowledge of His love. May we grow in that knowledge and increase in His love.

06 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: March 6

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

Is it possible for a faithful servant of God to be tempted? Experience provides evidence that all are tempted on occasion. Yet temptations do not have to overtake you. The objective of the Tempter is to overtake the lives of those who do not deliberately fight against what has come to mind. When it becomes a thought that is difficult to erase from the memory, it is easy to yield to the temptation exclusively tailored for you. Yet there is a way of freedom to cancel thoughts that would otherwise translate into actions. It does not lie on the surface but must be sought after. He reveals His sacrifice of life and love in contrast to the current offer. Only then will you be provoked to respond rightly. On the other side of the temptation is the evidence of true love expressed from your heart as a sign of gratitude. When you bear under the pressure of temptation, you are providing evidence that you love Jesus more than any object of affection or attraction that is there to replace what He alone can give.

01 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: March 1

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34

A new commandment is given because a new power is made known. It is a power that existed in eternity but now is being revealed in time through Jesus Christ. He makes known to humanity a selfless love with the power to transform lives. It begins with the willingness to receive the love of Jesus Christ. He loved us first, but that love does us no good unless we first receive it. Allowing ourselves to be loved by the Lord is the first step. Then we are empowered to love one another as we are loved. It is a matter of allowing His love to flow through us along with His strength to do so. Those who are loved can be released from the bondage of self and Satan. They experience the presence of the Lord when we are instruments in His hands fulfilling the Lord’s command.

26 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 26

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28-29

A healthy fear is necessary for a balanced life. It helps one avoid carelessness and reckless living. Yes God is love and He initiates the process by loving us first. But unless we first fear Him, it is impossible to appreciate how far down He had to reach in order to save us. We are saved from the wrath of God. His wrath is measured against all ungodliness among those who suppress the truth. They are within the aim of His wrath. A healthy fear would cause concern as to whether we are in God’s will or out of it. It is when we receive His forgiveness are we able to respond in pure love. It flows to us and from us as it is received from the Lord. The assumptions of many lead to a brazen attitude interpreted as boldness or worldly wisdom. But the wise consider their state and desire to walk worthy of their calling.

24 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 24

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness,
The Lord will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8

There is a future after a fall. There is life and victory on the other side of apparent defeat. It is the enemy who has devised the plans and set the traps for my failure. He has studied my weaknesses and mocks at my strength when I take pride in them. Yes, it is too easy to believe that I have the strength to stand alone. But when I fall God who is my sufficiency, is there to pick me up. Do not rejoice over me when I fall. There is much I have yet to learn but now I will learn in humility, trusting God to show me what I was unable to see. My victory is merely delayed and not denied. I will arise from this place as the light of God’s love shines upon my path guiding me in the direction of His will.

22 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 22

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“And yet I show you a more excellent way.” 1 Corinthians 12:31

The order of the Church and our lives is to be arranged by the Holy Spirit. He guides us through the gifts that were given to the Church on the Day of Pentecost. Though many gifted people have not fully understood what it would take in order to get the most out of what was left after Jesus’ ascent into heaven. We are to earnestly desire to be endowed with the blessings, which are the extension of His work on the earth. He works through His Body, which is the Church. When gifts are given, the potential for change is present. The gifted are the called, which are endowed to be a blessing to others. But the way they are used may be to the best of their abilities yet they may still fall short of the intended results of God. When the gifts are given, the way to exercise them must be shown. A way that is more excellent than the best we are within ourselves able to offer. It is the way of love. Only then can we flow in the gifts without trying to take ownership of them. It is then God working in us to do what He alone is able to do. He loves through us and reaches the hearts and lives of people that He is willing to touch. There are ways known and unknown to us, but we must allow ourselves to be shown a more excellent way.

18 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 18

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Sit here while I pray.” Mark 14:32

When Jesus was facing the most agonizing moment in His life, He needed to be alone with the Father. He was away from the multitudes with pressing needs thus seeking Him out for assistance. Now He was with that small select group of disciples with whom He felt the liberty to be transparent. Yet His instruction to them was to sit as guards rather than participate with Him in that moment when He needed to talk to His Father. There are times when we need to pour out our hearts and express those deep feelings with God that only He is to hear. It is because only He is able to understand what we are not always able to fully articulate in words. On other occasions He would teach them to pray and corporately approach God as “Our Father.” Now He wanted to speak to His as “My Father” because no other could understand the deep longings of His heart other than the One who knew Him best and love Him the most. We too need some alone time with God. Out of those times we are able to cultivate an intimate and personal relationship with Him.

16 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 16

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. (14) Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.” John 14:13-14 (MSG)

Out of the personhood of Jesus, He does what only He alone is able to do. It is the character of Christ to love unconditionally. Every act was an act motivated by love and an expression of love. His objective is to free those who have sought the authentic but have settled for a substitute. Too many seekers have succumbed to merely settling for a level far beneath the level established by Christ. Therefore the requests are restricted to their limited understanding. The only prayer that the Father is obligated to answer is the prayer of His Son, as His passion burns deep within our hearts. He honors His Son through hearing His prayers through yielded vessels whose lives are fully engaged in the works of Jesus. They are His sons brought to glory. Through them, the works of God continue.

13 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 13

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10

The household of faith is the instrument in God’s hands to bring sinners to salvation. They are the carriers of the Gospel message with the potential of setting the captives free. To do good concerning those who are of faith is participating in the expansion of faith. Our practice must be to do good to all. Benevolence must be practiced until it becomes a habit. But special care must be given to those who are of the household of faith. It frees the hands to work and the soul from unnecessary burdens so that it may be extended to those to whom God will to reach. The world is awaiting the release of love bestowed from God that is free from pretense and selfish ambition. Therefore we must take care in prayerfully considering those who are faithful within the household assisting them so that they may distribute to others what they so desperately need. Where should we lend a helping hand, and where should we direct our giving? God unites our hearts to a household of faith where charity must first begin.

12 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 12

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God’s concerns, and he will take care of them. We’ve warned you about this before. (7) God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful — as beautiful on the inside as the outside.” 1 Thessalonians 4:6-7 (MSG)

The care and concern we share with the brethren reflects the character of Christ that we possess. We share with them the love so richly bestowed upon us that is now demonstrated through us as an extension of God’s love. Our love must be intentional. Unless we are deliberate in our lifestyles to share the life of Jesus, the message would be shrouded by our careless living. We have been transformed into a vessel of honor. The riches of His grace reside within us as a priceless treasure. What more could we ever want other than a complete and glorious expression of life brought forth through us by way of His Spirit? Therefore we live for Him and He lives through us touching and changing all things by His renewing power. Praise God for the beauty of holiness!