As Christians, who do we speak for in times of trouble and temptation, and who speaks for us? Is there someone in our lives we can turn to for intercession? Is there not one righteous soul who will place his hand upon us, and intercede in prayer when we are in a bad way? Think on this today; who do you turn to in such times, and are you steady enough in your prayers and faith that others would consider turning to you?
Intercessory prayer has always been important, and I would be surprised if you haven’t already prayed personally for the sick, or someone in need around you. Maybe it was one of your children, a spouse, a close friend, or then again, you might have seen a prayer list at church, or felt the need to say a quick prayer for someone you work with. In each of these situations you are filling the role of an intercessor. When we are sick, hurting, or in need it is equally important to ask others to pray for us. Perhaps your church has a team of Saints who have been identified as having a special spiritual gift when it comes to praying for others, but whatever the case may be, when we are personally in need of prayer then it is important for us to seek out another to join with us in lifting our concerns before God… find an intercessor.
Are you bothered and upset when men take the Word of God and twist it to suit their own purposes? Do you feel a sense of betrayal in their actions, and a loss of fidelity? God’s Word is more than a simple account written by man for his amusement, it is God Himself being revealed to us. So why is it that we think that we can treat it like the grass that we trod under our feet, as we disregard its Holy, and proper, use? A lawyer searches and guards the meaning of every one of man’s words when making his defense, yet the theologian often approaches God’s Holy Word by looking for loopholes, or any means he can to cloud its meaning, to gain advantage, a living, or notoriety among men, by justifying sin. Woe be to them.
As modern day Christians we tend to look at the world around us and fret over the sinful condition it is in, how it is set against us as a people of faith, and has such disdain for God’s Church. We become worried about what will happen to us in the face of such terrible adversity. Yet things are not as bad as they seem, and if we will pray in absolute faith for God to send us help, and that our eyes be opened so that we can see what is spiritually arrayed about us, we would stop fretting, and praise God with all joy, and in absolute confidence, and security.
When we seek God, and Jesus Christ we find them. They do not hide from us, nor do they shield us from the knowledge of them, but when we come to know who they are we must accept the truth that we receive. In the world there are many who twist the truth of not only worldly things, but they deny and twist heavenly truths as well. In this way they doom themselves, and attempt to lead others astray, but for those who fully accept the true knowledge of God and Jesus there lies an abundance of grace and peace.
How much grace have we each received through Jesus Christ? How much will we eventually receive before He finally says “that should be enough!”? The answer is that we will never receive enough because it is one of those spiritual blessings that flows, along with living water to cover our sins, and it isn’t determined by our capacity to receive it, but Christ’s ability to give it.
From the moment we first believe, when Jesus comes to dwell in us, we receive a new and abundant ability to love, but for it to reach its full capacity we must nurture our faith, and gain day by day a greater understanding of the heart of Christ. As we know Him better, and He increases in us, so does the fullness of God. In this way we are blessed, and those around us come to experience God’s love for them… some realizing it for the very first time.
Do we feel like men and women born in the wrong spiritual time? Do we feel more akin to the first Christians who followed behind Jesus than with modern man? Sometimes we look around ourselves and see what is happening in the world, and Church, and our hearts ache exceedingly for His return; we long for His coming, and a renewal of faith around the world. Well we are not alone in feeling this way because Paul felt just as many of us do… born out of due time!
As Christians we often ask God about our calling. We ask about what it is, how we can remain in obedience to Him in it, and in our daily prayers we ask what the Lord would have us do today. Our individually tailored calling, and His will for us are coupled tightly together, and both have one thing in common… they involve winning, and working with, souls for His kingdom. We might be called to be pastors, build cathedrals, or simply to witness to the poor, but however grand, or meager, God will place us in His service.
Sadness and happiness can dictate how we feel and move through life, both physically and spiritually. Our approach to the throne of God when we are happy, and feeling loved, is one of celebration and joy, but if we are distraught, and made sad by our sinfulness… not feeling loved by God, or loving Him as we should, then we hang our head, and find ourselves reluctant to come into His presence. How do we recognize this, and overcome it?
How do we respond when Jesus asks us if we love Him? Do we simply answer yes without a second thought, or are we grieved that He would have to ask us this at all? Jesus knows us, and He already knows the answer to this question before He asks, so what is the point of it? His point is to reveal to us the degree to which we love Him. How many times must He ask us before we think deeply about our answer, and respond to Him from our heart? Perhaps we don’t grieve at all, and if this is the case then doesn’t that tell us a great deal about our faith as well?
Jesus gave us a new commandment; that we are to love one another, and we are not simply to love them as one man loves another, but with a divine love, an agape love. Jesus tells us this when He says “just as I have loved you.” Are we capable of this? We know that this is how we love God, and how He loves us, but can we step into His shoes and love another human being as we are loved by Him? Can we step out of our world and love each other in an entirely new and wonderful way?
Do we say that we love the Lord our God, and His Son Jesus Christ? Do we speak of our faith, and of loving others, and feel righteous because of it? Do we know and profess the commandments of God, and Jesus? Well saying these things, and knowing these things, is not enough, because we will be judged by the deeds in love, and faith that we perform, and the truth that is made evident by these, our actions. Are we simply sayers of love, and faith, or doers?
It is far easier to love God who always loves us so perfectly, and who is good to us in every way, than it is to love those around us. Are we able to love one another as He loves us? Can we accept the world’s fallen creatures that we call brothers and sisters, and love them enough that we will get into the cesspool of life, hold them to us, and honestly care about their wellbeing and salvation? Can we look past their imperfection, and ignore the stench of sin on them as we not only forgive them from afar, but embrace them, and lead them step by step into a righteous relationship with God? Can we love each other as Jesus is loves us?
Three times in short succession the Apostle John records the words of Jesus as He tells us what it means to love Him, and what He will do for us if we truly obey His commandments. There are other biblical references to loving God, and Jesus Christ, but these three references promise us that the Holy Spirit will be given to us, Jesus will manifest Himself in us, and that God will allow us to come to Him, and make our home with Him… all of these incredible blessings if we will love Jesus, and obey His commandments. Do we love Him in this way? Are we obedient as we should be?