Love is the Answer

 From his birth in Bethlehem to his death on the cross, Jesus was surrounded by conflict and rejection. He was born in a stable. Mary and Joseph had to flee to Egypt to save their child from being killed.

When Jesus began his ministry, he was opposed and persecuted by the religious leaders for three years until they had him executed on false charges.

His country was occupied by brutal Roman soldiers. The Jewish people were divided into religious and political factions. There were religious legalists, violent freedom fighters, and corrupt collaborators who worked for the Roman occupiers.

In this chaotic environment, Jesus loved people, cared for them, practised and taught forgiveness, and loved his enemies.

The world we live in today is catastrophically chaotic. 

Our environment is stressful. There are conflicts in families, communities, and Facebook groups because of different political or religious views, gender identity, and all kinds of difficult issues. 

We see Jesus as a role model in the Bible. He also lived in an extremely stressful time. He loved Jews and non-Jews, Roman officers and cared for prostitutes. 

Paul was a true disciple and also a wonderful role model. He loved and respected men and women, slaves and intellectuals. 

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:28 NIV

In the lives of Jesus and then Paul, we always see kindness. Of course, kindness was not always possible. Jesus and Paul could also confront people, but they wanted to treat everyone with kindness as much as possible.
 
Kindness is often lost in this day and age. So many people are overwhelmed by stress and hurt. Rejection has become an epidemic. So many people are rejected, and then they become increasingly defensive. 

Many people hate themselves. How can they love their fellow human beings?

The antidote is not culture war, but kindness and love.

In the daily news and on social media, we see war, culture wars, hatred, and violence, murder, and corruption over and over again. Of course, we often react with outrage, but then we are in danger of becoming habitually horrified.

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 
for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:1–4 NIV

… “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” Lk 10:27 NIV

The antidote we need is not culture war, but love. You cannot love God without receiving God's love.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 Jn 4:10–11 NIV

But if you hate yourself, you cannot receive God's love, nor can you love your neighbour. 

We need spiritual therapy. Think of beautiful memories. Thank God for people who have loved or helped you. Don't let the horrors of this world take away the blessings God has given you in your life. 

Emergency Landing? Safe in God's Hands.

I had spent five weeks in Germany with great friends and acquaintances. The long flight home was almost over. We were approaching the airport in Perth, Australia, at midnight.

About three seconds before landing, the plane wobbled dramatically and everyone was stunned.

The rear wheels made a fleeting contact with the runway and in a rush we zoomed back up.

Then we had time to think.

There was a shocked silence in the plane, but I felt completely safe and relaxed.

Of course, an unexpected gust of crosswind had disrupted the landing, but I was happy that we had such a brilliant pilot.

I was grateful that God was at work, that I was totally protected and safe in God's love and power.

It was only five minutes later that the captain reported that a crosswind had hindered the landing and that we would land again in a few minutes.

Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. Ps 16:9 NASB95

Are you in danger? You can rely on God.
God will not let you down.

Emergency in Intensive Care. Safe in God's Hands

 I am now 75. Nearly four years ago I had an emergency life saving operation. After the operation, my blood pressure suddenly dropped to 60/45 and my pulse to 29, so it was an emergency, but I thank God for good doctors and nurses and effective medication.

I did not feel panic. I trusted Jesus. I was completely safe in God's hands.

My life with Jesus is eternal, but my mortal body is perishable.

What can I do this week that will make a difference to those around me?

How can I make God's love and truth known today?

“Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. Ps 39:4 NIV

Your life is really very short, but God has planned a purpose for your life.

What is the goal of your life? Do you already know?

If not, have you asked God seriously? He loves you. He wants to answer. He is not deaf and not dumb.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. Jn 10:27 NRSV

Experiencing God Personally

There are Christians who hold on to biblical truths, but they are not enthusiastic about spiritual experiences or strong emotions.

It is true that our feelings cannot be a reliable basis for our faith, but God is love. Without strong feelings, love is just an abstract theological idea.

The foundation of our faith is the Bible. The Holy Scriptures are from God himself. We must understand the clear theological statements in the Bible as authoritative, but it is a big mistake to focus only on theological statements.

In the Bible we also find the experiences of faithful Jews and Christians who loved God. These experiences are just as important as theological statements. They belong together, like flesh and blood, like truth and love, like light and life.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Ps 42:1–2 NIV

When we try to separate feelings and experience from truth, we go completely wrong.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control… Gal 5:22–23 NIV

This is a theological statement. Kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are not feelings, but virtues.

Love is also a virtue, but not just a virtue. Love without feelings is not love.
Peace without feelings is not peace. Joy without feelings is not joy.

In Psalm 42, the psalmist speaks of his longing for God's presence in the services in the tabernacle or in the temple. Where God reveals his holy presence, we experience something.

There is a big difference between a map and a beautiful fertile landscape. Theological statements are our indispensable map, but God's direct presence is our promised land.

I have experienced wonderful blessings in church services. Hopefully you have too, but we no longer live in the Old Covenant. In the Old Covenant, God's tangible presence was mostly found in the temple, but 50 days after his death on the cross, Jesus sent us his Holy Spirit from heaven.

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. Jn 7:38–39 NIV

It's wonderful when you experience a fresh refreshing of the Holy Spirit in a blessed worship service, but sometimes it's even better when you can feel and enjoy God's glory in your daily life at home or on a walk in the park.

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. Rev 3:20 NRSV

This is not just an invitation for the unconverted, but an invitation for Christians to enjoy a tangible communion with God in our everyday life.

You need the peace of God!

God's will for you is peace.

Peace in Hebrew is SHALOM. That includes safety, healing and complete well-being. This peace comes only from God. 

Herrmann Zaiss was a dedicated evangelist in Germany who was deeply hurt in spite of amazing success. He was full on charismatic. His ministry resulted in numerous conversions and healings, but in 1924 the resistance of the anti-charismatic Christians was much stronger than it is today.

The persecution by other Christians was very hard to take. His wife had a complete nervous breakdown and his marriage failed. His wife was apparently permanently psychotic in a psychiatric institution.

Herrmann Zaiss was a broken man despite his amazing faith.
How is that possible? In the Bible, Elijah became desperate and asked God to let him die.

Herrmann Zaiss could not take it any longer.

He did not want to have anything to do with God anymore. He still believed in God, but he did not want to live as a Christian. God could kill him, he knew that. He told God he could call him back after 20 years if He so willed. That was up to God.

Zaiss became a successful entrepreneur and married again.
In 1944 he was in Solingen and Germany was falling to pieces. In Solingen and elsewhere, allied bombs rained down day and night.

His wife told him that despite everything, he was a man of God. The time had come to re-activate his faith to encourage the suffering people around them.

Exactly twenty years after turning his back on God, he knelt with his wife, and they gave themselves completely to Jesus.

God forgave him and restored his miraculous ministry. His faith was stronger than ever.

One day they heard a bomber attack on Solingen from England was on their way. Herrmann Zaiss took to the streets and ordered the aircraft to return to England. Then they heard that the bombers had actually turned back.

His ministry increased. Hundreds of desperate Germans came to hear his message. Many were converted.

After the war, a businessman provided him with a bomb-damaged building.

People came from near and far, even from Holland. They saw amazing healings. Where despair reigned, new hope rose up.

Among the British occupation forces was a young soldier. His entire Jewish family in Germany had been wiped out by the Nazis. He was accepted as a refugee in England, and now as a British soldier he hated the Germans.

A Canadian officer was Christian and wanted to help the young Jew. He took the tormented you man to one of Herrmann Zaiss’s meetings. The broken-hearted young soldier heard the wonderful message and saw the amazing miracles. He felt the love of God and God gave him a new heart. Instead of blazing hatred, there was now a burning love.

At the same meetings there was an ex SS officer who had adored Hitler. He had been seriously wounded during the last days of the war, and he was cared for in an American hospital. He could not understand the love of American Christians, but Jesus also transformed his heart.

The young Jew and the no longer hate filled Nazi officer became close friends.

"I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "And I will heal him." Isaiah 57:19 (NKJV)

THE POWER OF PEACE

James 3:17 (ESV)   But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

The peace of God is a lovely thing. It is full of kindness and understanding. God enables us to be tolerant and reasonable with most unreasonable people. 

Jesus taught us to maintain our dignity when provoked and insulted but not to respond to arrogant aggression in the same aggressive spirit.

Matthew 5:11-12 (NLT)  “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 

• Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

The peace of God is holy. 

When you live and move in the peace of God, you are like Jesus Himself, who was and is gentle and kind but never at the expense of holiness and truth.

• There are Christians who campaign against abortion who have no peace in their hearts. They threaten abortionists with violence and right angry letters to women, accusing them of murdering their unborn babies and condemning them to hell fire.

• There are other believers who minister the peace and holiness of Jesus. 

  • An evangelist addresses women by telling them their aborted babies are in heaven and then tells them how to repent and be reconciled to God and reunited to their own children who have gone to heaven before them.

The peace of God is not weak but strong like the water of a great river, the River of God that flows from heaven and cascades down upon the thirsty earth.

Isaiah 44:3 (NKJV)   For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;

Revelation 22:1 (NLT)   Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

• In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:2 (NKJV)

This River is a manifestation of the Spirit of God Himself who is the Spirit of Jesus and the Spirit of peace.

• Galatians 5:22 (NKJV)   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace ...

John 7:37-39 (NKJV)  On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

• He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  

  • But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

To understand how the River of Life in you generates NEW LIFE, click on this link:
OUT OF YOUR BELLY WILL FLOW RIVERS ...