How to Love Sinners

Romans 5:8 HCSB But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!

Sometimes people are hard to love. We wonder, how can I love that guy when he has done that to me? It is a mystery, indeed. But God loves us that way, nevertheless. He demonstrates a great deal of sacrifice for those who are his avowed enemies. What is a sinner? The enemy of God. He may not be declared “at war” with God, but he is definitely not willing to submit to God, or to allow God control, or to yield to God’s ways or laws; and he definitely will not allow God to save his sinful, truth-rejecting soul by faith in Christ Jesus. Still, God has loved us in giving us His Son as Savior to those who will let themselves be saved – regardless of what they have done.

So for me, and for you, that means the hardest part of being a Christian is to love sinners. Their sins can be a glaring defect in their personality or character. Their sins can stand as a barrier to our natural instincts, and a wall to our relationship with them. Sometimes, prudence can warn us that our lives may be in danger if we love them. But what, truly what, do we have to lose by loving them? Is our life really in this world? Or is it in the eternal with Christ? As missionary Jim Elliott is famous for saying, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” We cannot keep our life anyway, so why work so hard to do so? Once we are saved, we cannot lose that. What makes us think we can gain a thing by keeping our life – and our eternal life? We were not saved for that. We were saved to love sinners. When we put this into perspective, it changes how we live – and how we love sinners.

Let’s go out and love sinners today – and feel free to comment on this with specific ideas on how to love sinners practically. This is just a Thot-provoker.

Holler for Jesus,

Greg Yount

"I Don't Take Charity"

We live in a society that either gives or takes. There are those who are proud of their role as "taxpayer." These are the givers. Then there are those who seem bent on living on welfare. These are the takers. Both have a bit of an attitude imbalance. The givers won't take charity, and the takers won't give charity. When it comes to charity, there is a time to give and a time to take.

Two passages come to mind on this topic. The first is really a definition of charity. The second is the principle of giving and receiving. God, in His all-knowing and all-powerful position, gives and takes charity. We should follow His example.

First - the definition of charity - 1Corinthians 13:1-8.

Charity is "love" - unconditional love. It is not a feeling, it is a verb (something we do). It is essential in all our ministry and activities. Giving to others without actually loving them is meaningless philanthropy. We must understand that in both giving and taking charity, it is giving and taking love. Who would refuse to receive love? Who is wise who withholds love?

Second - the principle of giving and receiving - Acts 20:35 (It is more blessed to give than to receive)

We must not compete for the position of most blessed. God intends for us to be givers, yes. But with every gift given, there is also a gift received. When charity is the gift, we must also see that charity is received. I submit to you that even in receiving charity you give charity.

Consider this for a moment: when you let someone give to you, you allow them the most blessed position - a gift indeed! When you refuse their gift of charity, you refuse them the position of being most blessed. You deny them a chance to be blessed. You steal from them their opportunity of giving; and in so doing, you may very well be denying God His wonderful gift to you through that person.

Don't be one who is so self-sufficient that you cannot receive charity. Don't be one so insufficient that you cannot give charity.

Holler for Jesus,

Greg Yount

Check out my blogs:

Just-a-Thot - Devotional thoughts - http://justa-thot.blogspot.com

As I See It - Biblical perspectives on current events - http://asiseeit10.blogspot.com

Striking Love

"The love of the Lord." -

Hos_3:1

This phrase is almost like "count your blessings" - for the Lord's love is as easily forgotten as His blessings... and they are inseparably linked. His blessings flow from His love, demonstrate His love, and define in many ways His love. Yet, His love is a well that never shall run dry.

Many people consider love to be a feeling. We define love by that warm fuzzy feeling we get when we are around someone we care deeply for. God defines love quite differently - and expresses His love for us according to HIS definition, not ours. He defines love as a verb - an action word. He demonstrates His love for us by what He does, not how He feels.

One of the most striking demonstrations of God's love toward us is His burning desire to separate our sins from our souls. God knows, by His holiness, the destruction that sin causes. He knows how far we come from Him the moment we sin. He hates both the destruction and the breech of fellowship that sin causes in our lives and our relationship with Him. He hates to see His creatures hurt or damaged in any way. He knows that sin is at the root of that. The love of the Lord has prompted Him to go to great lengths to separate us from our sin. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life." The blood of Jesus was shed to wash us from that debilitating, imprisoning sin, and forever unite us with Him.

It is also a striking demonstration of God's love that He should heap upon our heads burning coals of good deeds, that we might repent of our evil deeds - most namely the enmity we have had toward God Himself by our mocking, disobedience, irreverence, and inconsideration. Repenting - turning away from such things - is how we actively embrace the love of the Lord for ourselves.

Therefore, there is the sense that we are cleansed by God of our sins, and the sense that we willingly are cleansed by our repentance. The Love of the Lord precipitates both equally, and as we reflect, we see that true love hates sin in all forms. It is not evil to want good for another - or to pursue it. Love is the active pursuit of good for another, not the fear of retaliation for confronting evil in another, as many parents do when they fear to discipline their children; as many spouses do when they fear to hold their loved ones to a higher standard than drinking, drugs, gambling, spouse abuse, or any other sinful neglect. It is all love - and a love that the Lord has for us. May we all respond with genuine repentance and return His love by devoted obedience and faithful proclamation of how much we love Him!

Let Faith Replace Your Fear

Bible Reading: Psalms 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

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Have you noticed how many times you or those you know have done things out of fear? In reflection on the situation, you realized that the very path that seemed right was wrong, while the right path eluded you altogether. I've done that many times. In fear I've turned to anger to force my way out of the situation. I've turned to money-making schemes when things got tight. I've started countless "projects" in hopes that through focusing on them rather than my fears, the situation would pass and I would have missed the greatest of the fear.

The path that eluded me was the path of faith. Turning to the Lord. Our verse reminds us that trusting in the Lord means we need not fear. No evil can harm our souls. No discomfort or hardship can remove our Savior. No power can sever our Lord's love for us. We must trust that in ALL situations.

The world flies to many things in fear. The Christian flies to the Lord where fear is altogether dispelled. It is under the alarm of fear that many do evil things. But filled with the peace of God that passes all understanding, we can do righteous things, think clearly, and stand tall. How fear brings faithlessness, bitterness, and discontent! It is the opposite of faith. Yet faith brings the power of God to bear upon the believer.

Be filled with faith, not fear. Keep your eyes upon the Lord, and not upon the world. Look vertically more than horizontally.

Our fear is misplaced when it is on anything but the Lord:

• (Luke 12:5) But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
• (Hebrews 13:6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

True faith does not fear the world, the world system, or hardships:

• (Romans 8:15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
• (2 Timothy 1:7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
• (1 John 4:18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Bro. Greg

Morning Devotions

Bible Reading:

(Nahum 1:2) God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Jealousy is not always a bad thing - when it is righteous. God's jealousy is ALWAYS righteous. He deserves our love, our attention, our worship, our lives. He has loved us with an everlasting love. He has protected us with legions of unseen angels. He has sacrificed everything for our love, and would offer much more were there much more to be offered. He first created us; then He chose us; and finally bought us with His blood. Heaven was made for us (or we for heaven); it is not the same without us. Like a fountain, the love of God flows unceasingly; like a spring-fed cistern, the water of life is always abundant, clear, and refreshing.

God is jealous of our love

in return. He has a stake in the matter that is a Holy stake. He does not desire our love to simply lavish it upon Himself. He wants to pour His love out in return.

God is jealous of our trust.

He knows that trusting any other is folly. Trusting the flesh results in weakness and failure. Trusting the world results in heartbreak and deception. Trusting others results in frustration and disappointment. Trust in anything or anyone other than the Lord is an empty trust.

God is jealous of our company.

How lonely is the Lord among a world of unbelievers? But how lovely is the communion between a God and His child? The depth of such a relationship is infinite. Not even a man and his wife can share the intimacy that God shares with His love. God knows and understands, cares and can handle whatever we bring to Him.

It only serves us to hold our hearts chaste unto the Lord; it is good to love ONLY the Lord, to trust ONLY Him and to commune ONLY with Him. How it pleases our Lord, and brings His blessings upon us. What grace we need for such a Holy love - and to think that grace is free and abundant to all who seek it from the very hand of the God we are to serve!

Bro. Greg

Morning Devotions

Bible Reading: Song of Solomon 1:7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

Do you remember the first time you fell in love? Nothing was as important as spending time with them. Nothing was as pure as their voice. Their smile sent shivers up and down your spine.

Now do you remember that first TRUE love? The one whom you connected with so completely that it was as though they knew you very deeply, and you knew them? Do you remember how much you trusted that person and how much you wanted them to trust you?

So it should be with our Savior - and even more perfectly with Him. Paul said "I know whom I believeth." Job said "I know that my Redeemer liveth." They were certain of their relationship, and it was intimate. They trusted Christ, for Paul also said, "[I] am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." His persuasion was complete. His commitment was his very soul. His body was at the Lord's disposal. He loved Jesus with every fiber of his being - and so should we.

Why should we love Him so? "We should love Him because He first loved us; because he gave himself for us. We have life through his death; we have peace through his blood. Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor." - C. H. Spurgeon

When we think on Christ, we should be overtaken with the excellence of Himself; His beauty, his magnificence, and His intimate desire to know and befriend us. We should be enchanted with Him. That should be the desire of our souls, and we must not rest until we can positively, certainly, and completely say that we love Him. This is a love that binds as well as serves. It is the love that unites eternally.

Oh, my soul, do you love your Savior as you ought? NO? Then spend some time reflecting on Him, looking into His eyes, trying to understand His mind and heart. Reach out to Him and find Him reaching back to you. Can you, Oh soul, see His love for you? Respond in kind, and delight in Him.

Bro. Greg

Morning Devotions

Bible Reading: Son_2:3

Ah, the blessedness of "tasting" the Lord! Spurgeon points out that this is perhaps the highest or most advanced of all the five senses in terms of intimacy - and when applied to the spiritual appreciation of our Lord and Savior, it is all the more wonderful. Spurgeon marvelously illustrates in his Morning By Morning devotion for today that our faith will be applied to our five senses - hearing, seeing, smelling, touching - and tasting. It is this idea that I want to meditate upon this morning.

I remember in my own life when I heard the voice of God calling me to believe. It was then I trusted and was saved. The Bible says that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." So it was.

Next, I saw the truth of scripture and began to trust it for the details of my life - ordering my marriage, my finances, my time, my worship, my prayers, and my friendships. My work was also addressed in the Scripture. I saw the Lord's leadership in my life.

As I grew in prayer and relationship with Jesus, I can now recognize that I was beginning to "smell" the Lord by admiring Him in an adoring way, as one who curls up next to his love and breathes her fragrance through his nostrils. Yes, I learned to love the fragrance of the sweet Savior, appreciating not only his physical blessings, but his very real presence in my life.

I began to touch Christ with my spirit, caressing Him, as it were, with peaceful and delightful communion, as Spurgeon puts it. Christ touched me back with His tender mercies and gentle leading.

Now, I can taste of His person as I drink Him in daily, taking for my very nourishment His Spirit, His way, and His holiness. I marvel at the delightful and sweet flavor of His righteousness and yearn for the continual change in my character that comes from a regular tasting of my Savior's sweet goodness.

Will you not also strive to progress through these stages of drawing near to the Lord? Will you join me in adoring and communing with Jesus Christ under the apple tree before you must part into the labors of life?

Bro. Greg

Thinking about Loving Jesus

Been thinking lately – I know, that’s a dangerous thing – about many things in the news. Wouldn’t it be nice if folks would just fall in love with Jesus again? Imagine what the outcome would be…

Folks would start imitating Christ instead of lesser heroes
Folks would start loving one another instead of loving self
Kindness would be King, and rudeness would be removed
Worship would be commonplace, and life would slow down
Grace would abound, and justice would reign
Families would stay together, and nothing could re-define what one is
Right would be right again, and wrong would be punished
Generosity would be great, and greed would be gross.
Children would be loved, and pornography would be prevented
Folks would start repenting instead of rationalizing their sins
Wisdom would win out over the merely convenient
Eternity would be more valuable than the moment
Truth would be absolute, and opinions would be relatively unimportant
Money would be used for good rather than gain
Hope would be present, and doubt would be put away
Faith would replace fear
Delight with Jesus would fill the hearts of the depressed
The Diverse would be united rather than divided
Belief would mean trust rather than mere intellectual assent
Life would be a Divine Right to all humans – regardless of age
Hospitals would be caring and compassionate instead of just a business
Heaven would be heaven because Jesus is there – and that’s all that’s needed.

Will you put the things of the Lord over the things of this world and make your circle brighter because you have fallen in love with Jesus?