January 14, 2010

What Can I Do to Help?

When tragic situations occur near and far away, we often want to help, but we’re unsure how. Caring for the less fortunate is in line with living as a child of God (Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 10:25-37; and James 1:19-27), and we wonder how we can provide the greatest assistance.

1. Pray. There’s never a waking moment that someone in the world is without the need of prayer. Pray without ceasing throughout the day and as often as the situation or person(s) are brought to your remembrance (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

2. Connect with local organizations. Check the local newspaper, television, or radio stations for support and relief opportunities already taking place. Oftentimes, it’s easier to support organizations with ties already in the affected area than trying to make your own. However, you may discover that new ‘connections’ are needed as you pray and seek the Lord’s guidance.

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This journal entry was originally submitted as a college course assignment.

How can God, who is moral pure (and exercises justice/judgment) also be loving? There seems to be some ‘tension’ between His moral purity and love…

At first glance, it can seem there is tension between God’s moral purity and His love. But when researching the issue further, we would discover a different outcome. When God spoke to Adam and explained the consequences of eating the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17), He gave one of His first ‘commandments’ on how Adam and Eve were to live. He established a baseline for His moral purity as disobedience to His instruction would bring death (and eternal separation). When Adam disobeyed God and brought death (and sin) to mankind, God drew a line of where His moral purity began (and ended).

Throughout the Scriptures, we gain additional insight to the boundaries of God’s moral purity and the frame of our own before Him. We discover the things He hates (Proverbs 6:16-19) and learn who can stand within His holy place (Psalm 24:3-5). We also learn how righteousness and justice are the habitation of His throne, while mercy, loving-kindness, and truth goes before His face (Psalm 89:14).

How can this be? Even as our iniquities have separated us from Him – like the Israelites (Isaiah 59:2), we experience His mercy, loving-kindness, and truth. We deserve the penalty of death brought through the disobedience of Adam, yet God’s love made a way for us to live in eternal fellowship once again (Romans 6:23).

As a loving parent, God established His moral standard, yet His love abounded. His standard of moral purity has not diminished. The penalty of sin hasn’t changed. The penalty remains for those that choose not place their belief and faith in His Son, Jesus. But it was God who loved us so much that He sent His only Son (John 3:16). It was God who looked upon His creation and provided a way for the penalty to be paid – through His Son.

Throughout the Biblical record, the greatest message is God’s love for the world. In spite of our continued wickedness and sin, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). In the midst of our ‘best’ actions which seem as filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6), God’s love abounded.

To those that say there is tension, I would respectfully disagree. There is only tension for those that choose not to believe and accept God’s ability to provide appropriation for our sinful acts. Jesus is the bridge from His moral purity and the extension of His love toward mankind. God’s moral purity and love are capsulated in Jesus Christ. God sent His only Son to be born and die for people that deserved to die. That is a pure and awesome love…how can we fathom its depth and breath?

By: Spiritual Combatants   -  In: July 2008,Love   -  Tags:              

April 30, 2007

Striving Toward Love

Even though we are called to love others as ourselves (part of the GREATEST commandment – Matthew 22:37-40); be identified as Jesus’ disciples through our love for one another (John 13:35); and preach a Gospel of love, there are situations where there is little unity shown among Christians. As we carry the torch of light into a world of darkness, we must be the example for others to follow…as we follow Christ. We must strive to be peacemakers for we will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).

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By: Spiritual Combatants   -  In: April 2007,Love   - 

Scriptures

Genesis

2   3   4   9   10   12   13   15   25   28   41


Exodus

2   3   17   18   22   23   31   32


Leviticus

24


Numbers

14   15   16   19   20   21


Deuteronomy

1   6   7   17   24   27   32


Joshua

1  9  22


Judges

3


1 Samuel

1   16


2 Chronicles

20


Ezra

8


Nehemiah

9


Job

1  2  16


Psalms

1  5  9  11  15  16  18  90  19  33  34  37  39  46  51  55  63  68  78  90  91  94  101  104  103  119  121  122  139  145  146  147


Proverbs

3  4  5  6  8  9  10  11  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  21  22  23  24  25  27  29  30


Ecclesiastes

3  4  5  7  11


Isaiah

1  14  25  26  43  55  59  64


Jeremiah

1


Ezekiel

2  28


Daniel

3  10


Jonah

1  2  3  4


Habakkuk

2


Zechariah

7


Malachi

2


Matthew

4  5  6  7  8  9  10  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  24  25  26  28


Mark

2  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  16


Luke

4  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  16  17  18  19  24


John

1  2  3  4  6  7  8  9  10  12  13  14  15  16  17


Acts

1  2  4  8  9  6  10  13  17


Romans

1  3  4  5  6  7  8  10  12  13  14  15  16


1 Corinthians

2  3  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  15


2 Corinthians

4  5  8  9  10  11  12


Galatians

3  5  6


Ephesians

2  4  5  6


Philippians

1  2  4


Colossians

1  2  3


1 Thessalonians

4  5


2 Thessalonians

2


1 Timothy

2  3  4  5  6


2 Timothy

2  3  4


Titus

1  2  3


Hebrews

1  2  3  4  5  6  8  9  10  11  12


James

1  3  4  5


1 Peter

1  2  3  4  5


2 Peter

1  2  3


1 John

1  2  3


2 John

1


3 John

1


Jude

1


Revelation

1  2  3  12  14  20  21  22

Dates

2020

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

2019

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

2018

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2017

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2016

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2015

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2014

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2013

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2012

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2011

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2010

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2009

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2008

 1  2  3  4  4  5  6  8  9  10  11  12


2007

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2006

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2005

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2003

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2002

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12


2001

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

Spiritual Combatants. Training Soldiers for Christ.

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