Perpetual Love - JR Fields

Malachi 1:2 – "The LORD said, 'I have loved you.'”

God’s love never ceases.
The love of God never fails.
Whether we spurn, disobey, or ignore Him, His love will remain.
He doesn't love us more when we are good.
Our evil cannot diminish His love.
Whether we suceed or fail, His love will not change.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My God, indeed your Name is majestic in all the earth. Your grace & mercy captivate my heart & leaves my soul in awe of who you are! I bless your Name for it is Holy. Your Word is truth! And by it you have set me free. I love you for who you are and for what you have done. I praise you in Christ’ name. Amen!


Follow JR Fields on Twitter! @imjrfields

Imitators of God - Roosevelt Leggett

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:1-2

Recently, I experienced a deep expression of love from my mom. I’m a 24 year old male living on my own so this experience was unexpected. I came home from a 4 day conference with flu-like symptoms. On the way in, I called my mom and told her I was almost back to my house. During the conversation, she told me I should come home and spend the rest of new years day with her. I did not tell her that I was sick. The last thing I wanted was her expressing her nursing expertise on me.

I ended up going home. Within in an hour of my visit, I asked her to retrieve the thermometer. Once she found out my body temperature, was 102.2, her motherly traits kicked into overdrive. She gave me medicine, fixed me food, and cared for me like a loving mother would. I almost neglected all of this.

We have so much love at hand according the riches of Christ! But, we have to realize that we’re sick and need the healing love before we see the deepness of His love. As it says in Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

The problem is that our pride gets in the way of us experiencing all that he has for us. It tells us that we can handle it on our own. It tells that this situation will pass in due time. It tells us that we really shouldn’t care. Essentially, it’s saying that Jesus isn’t enough. The truth is that we are beloved. God wants us to run into his loving arms so that we can experience all that He has for us. I would really encourage you to discover all that he has for you day by day. Let the great physician heal your heart!

Run the race - Matthew Fenn

Run the race: Acts 20:24 

I remember going to a summer camp many years ago that would be the defining moment in my decision to pursue Christ. You see at a young age I had accepted Christ, and made a proclamation of faith. It was until summer camp I began to realize what pursuing God really meant. The theme of this years camp was "Running the race," and this fit perfectly with me, because I ran track in high school. 

Throughout much of my high school years, it was rough because my family was going through issues, such as the possibility of a divorce looming overhead. I lived with my grandma because of it. I remember praying to God, asking him to help me in this situation. I would spend nights crying and praying for certainty. I remember this verse because of track which I became involved with. When I ran, I was decently fast, but more importantly, it allowed me to gain character and be able to understand Acts 20:24 better. 

You see, when you run you can't just jump out and run 3 miles and then flip off a switch. It takes time, kind of like our faith, God puts us into situations for our benefit. I tell you I prayed more than I ever had and God worked a miracle. Like many things from our hearts, to our physical bodies we have to build them up to take more. In track there are so many ways you can give up, and overall it is mental. Tell yourself you can do it, and the awesome thing about our lives is that like a coach cheering on a runner, Jesus is cheering us on. He can identify with the track we are running. He finished the race, and knows how to encourage us. 

When you run, never look anywhere but forward or towards the finish line. When your legs get tired start swinging your arms to pull you through it. When your legs are tired you know all you need to do is push and you'll get over the wall that you are facing. God gives us so many tools through which we can be encouraged. He cheers us on, even when the race is tough, and we feel like we can't finish, there is nothing more satisfying than passing the finish line. Paul makes that comparison in Acts 20:24, "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish the course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." 

When we are living Gods word, and telling others of how he's helped us and how he's encouraged us to run the race we do it all for his righteousness. I love this comparison because to remain healthy in our physical and our spiritual lives we run to increase the muscles of our hearts, and over-all both aspects of our bodies. As we run we may develop muscle, but as we run with Jesus we develop Godly character and are better able to represent Christ for it. 

God has transformed my life in so many ways, he does not always promise the road will be easy, but that he will always be with us. We fear all the time that we wont make it, but we have someone constantly cheering us on, even when we want to give up or lay down when we are out of breath. He truly as given me an understanding of the race we run, and how he is using every detail of our lives to bring glory to Himself. We may not always see where the track may go at the moment but with great expectation we know that that end is Jesus.

His mission: To destroy - By Charley King

1 John 3:7-10

Do you ever get the picture that Jesus is just some weak guy who loves everybody and seeks peace and harmony? We talk a lot about the love of Christ but rarely do we understand the mission of Christ. 

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (3:8)” 

Destroy... what? Yea, that was his reason, his mission, to destroy. Rarely do I realize this wartime mission. Obviously we can’t deny the love of Christ but this verse makes me think of him more as a wartime commando, a Special Forces soldier, or maybe a Marine! His mission is to infiltrate and destroy the enemy with violence of action and to rescue those held captive. My savior and God has one mission: to free me from what is holding me captive and to destroy it. That feels good. 

It would be easy to read this passage as yet another Scripture telling you to stop lying, be a good person, obey your parents, or whatever, but that’s not what it is. It is a wartime plea warning us that the enemy has put on our uniforms and is pretending to be friendly. They are just

waiting for us to put our guard down before they strike and before we know it we are fighting for the enemy. The writer, John, knows this all too well. He was there when Judas turned from a friend of Jesus to the enemy, and he is warning you to be careful or it will happen to you.

So I get two things out of this passage. 

First, I am at war alongside my Lord Jesus Christ. We envy Marines and Special Forces guys because of the serious training they go through. I need to put myself through that kind of training to be prepared to serve. But also, I need to recognize that my enemy is everywhere. I have to be on my feet and ready, and I must not be deceived. The enemy will do whatever it takes to win me to their side, but I am a soldier and will never forsake my God! 

Second, I know if I get captured, if I am a Prisoner of War in this deadly battle, I have a God who will do whatever it takes to organize a rescue mission, save me from the enemy, and destroy that enemy. I can rest easy and fight hard, because my God will not abandon me!