We are within days of Easter and the LORD is laying some pretty heavy things upon my heart. Today, not just the normal single section of verses, but a triple. Over the last year the LORD has been moving on my heart about this area of the Christian walk. Not so much as to my personal need for correction in it, but of that which is deficient with HIS CHURCH. If you've been following me since my return online in Oct., you'll know about a lot of my writings, if not, you can easily find them with a few simple searches.
1 John 4:19-21
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Phil. 2:5-7b
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
John 13: 34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
CHRIST died and took our place, HE paid the price for, and HE intercedes for! In all these ways, CHRIST JESUS is showing HIS love for us. Worthless, decrypted creatures that we are, and HE has found love for us, deep within HIS heart. So deep is this love, that HE has gone the distance and given HIS very life for that of another.
Yet what love do we exhibit in return? Do we show HIM our love in words only? Or do we show HIM our love by the works of our hands being rendered to others? If JESUS so loved us that HE went to these levels, how must it grieve HIM, that we do not show love for others by our lives? How much are we grieving the SAVIOR by our heartless actions? How much are we grieving HIM by our very words? How much are we grieving HIM in our lack of compassion, by just offering prayer for a brother in need, when we've the means to alleviate their problems within our hands? How much do we grieve HIM, when we can't even offer up prayer for others, that don't have our own needs tucked in with them?
Have we become such a heartless and self centered society, that all we do, even when done for others, is done for our own security? We pray for others, because we know that GOD is listening and will remember that we prayed for them. We donate our labor, because we know that GOD is watching and that HE will repay us for the time we've given so freely. We donate our money, because we know that GOD will multiply it back to us. Do you see anything wrong with this picture? Can't you see that there is a focus on self and not on others? Can't you see that these are not CHRIST-like, but as of the world. Doing these things only because the return from GOD will be greater then that which we put out!
Have we become such a worthless generation of saints, that all that we do is only done for our personal gains? Look around and see that which is done by others and self. Listen to the very words of your mouth. You put down those that practice any other way then that which you do. Yet they too worship JESUS! You put down those that are what we call 'prosperity preachers'. Yet, only will you donate time or money if you know the return will be in your favor.
GOD has had enough of our worthless ways. We're beginning to see the results of this everyday in the world around us. We're seeing the 'beginning of sorrows,' yet we hear not the trumpet of the LORD. Are we the goats of the parable? Or are we the sheep? Do we hear the still quiet voice of the LORD in all that we do? Or is it the drone of the world that fills our ears? I ask this, with a heart that has been torn open by the heartlessness of Christians, having seen no compassion at all by those that call me brother. How is it that one can give up all to help others, yet those that say they worship the same GOD, do nothing to help them in their time of need? How is it that there are those that are in need, right in our sight and yet they walk away still in need? If the LORD is our helper and our supplier. He that takes care of our every need. How is it that we hoard money for the future and turn away those we could help here and now with it. Where is our trust? Where is our faith? Where is our belief that HE is whom HE said HE is and that we are HIS children, HIS bothers and sisters, that we are HIS called and chosen ones?
There are no added verses today, but may I suggest that you do a cross reference in your Bible and study more on these verses themselves. The LORD has laid this topic upon my heart heavily for almost a year now and its not for no reason at all. Wake up church, the LORD's return is nearer then ever before!!!
Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries
Vine Ministerial Network International
