Archive for the ‘ Unconditional Love ’ Category

Love One Another

I offer your regular reminder to check out the wise words at Proverbial Thought.

You may remember last week (and perhaps from two years ago) that I discussed St. Valentine, not just “the love day” but the person.

Today I am delving more into the real message Valentine taught.

Whose Child Are You?

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
1 John 3:7-10, NIV

This is not a debate over whether someone is righteous apart from Christ (the short answer is no).

This time we are discussing how our actions present us to others.

Precisely, do our actions prove we are children of God or of the devil?

Whose Child Are You?

Based on this passage, it would appear that it becomes easier (not necessarily easy) to tell who is a follower of Jesus and who follows … anything else! John was speaking to Christians in this passage, so this is not about what those outside of the Church are doing. This is only about the Christian.

If we claim to be a Christian and continue willingly to commit sins with no remorse, we are still living as children of Satan. Our adoption as Sons of God through Christ Jesus is in question.

The biggest tell, however, is whether we show love to others.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48, NIV

There is a popular message being preached from prominent leaders in the Western churches, usually preached by their actions: if people disrespect us, infringe on our rights, or attack us based on our beliefs, we have the right and obligation to fight back in many, if not all, of the same ways.

This is not the love of Christ.

Our Lord loved those who infringed on His rights, mocked and disrespected Him, and attacked Him to the point of killing Him.

To do otherwise is proof of our relationship with the devil, Satan.

Love One Another

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
1 John 3:11-20, NIV

Whose child are you?

Do you love people regardless (it does not mean you have to really like them or trust them)?

Prove you are a child of God. Live it out as St. Valentine tried to every day until he was beheaded.

Love others. No matter what they say or do.

2013
02/19
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 08/26/2012

Do not forget us over at Proverbial Thought! These daily devotionals could very well change your life!

When the Disciples were assured of the Life of the Risen Lord, they were so radically changed. They suddenly loved people whom they may not have ever given a second thought about before Jesus came on the scene. They could not help but love others, because they knew how much God loves them.

I love them

This love compels me.

It moves me completely.

I look on those lost,

And my heart breaks.

When someone is hurt,

My heart hurts, too.

When my brother mourns,

My heart mourns.

When my sister is moved,

My heart is moved.

Lord, this love is too much for me,

But I know it is Yours.

Send more.

Help me love my brother.

Help me love my sister.

Let my heart break,

mourn,

move,

hurt,

love for them all.

Break me for them all.

You love me…

I love them.

Thank You, God.

More.

Thank You For

  Your Love,

     God.

   Amen.

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 138.

2012
08/26
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Will You Go To Hell for Me?

So far, I have discussed how the Church is failing and how we can reach out to others. [Cool-voice-over voice] And now for the conclusion:

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
Romans 9:1-5

There is a movie called “The Second Chance” and stars Michael W. Smith. One of the boys in the movie joins a gang, and there is the traditional “If you want to leave the gang, we will beat you to within an inch of your life” talk. The pastor of The Second Chance Church reaches out to this young man, and it eventually leads to his wanting to leave the gang. When he went to tell the gang he wanted out (keep in mind that this boy has yet to become a believer in Jesus Christ), he arrived to find out that another young man from the church had taken the beating for him putting him in the hospital.

Why?

The other young man had such a love for others that he willingly and gladly paid the price for someone who had yet to believe.

Actually, it reminds me of another story about God becoming a man and dying for the sins of the world.

It also reminds me of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand’s story. (Seriously, check out the story.)

But for now, and to keep this short, can you relate with the Apostle Paul?

Do you love others so much that you wish you could lose your salvation for their sakes?

Do you love other believers enough to suffer for their sakes?

Do you love God enough to live out the love shown through the cross of Christ?

Would you take the punishment for someone you do not even know if would it bring them to the knowledge of Christ?

Would even if there was no guarantee? Even if they mistreated you?

2012
03/20
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 12/25/2011

How about a new one! This past Sunday, 12/18, I wrote a poem that was inspired by “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” and, of course, Jesus Christ.

May we remember on this particular day (and everyday) that Jesus Christ was born to bring peace, salvation, and fellowship between God and humanity. He was born to die, but He was also born to live again! The real meaning of this season is not to celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, instead it is to celebrate our God loving us so much that He willingly limited Himself to be with us.

I love you so much, because He loves you so much and before I ever even conceived of loving you!

Merry Christmas, and may your next year be a blessing (however that may look) that brings you into deeper fellowship with our Lord and Savior.

Bells Have Been Ringing

Bells have been ringing from churches
for several centuries
Proclaiming Christ is alive
and ruling from eternity
Bells have been ringing from churches
declaring the birth of Christ
Ringing to remind us of our sin
and that He had to die
Bells have been ringing from churches
calling mourners to mourn
Calling others to pray for families
of lost daughters and sons
Bells have been ringing from churches
calling the faithful to prayer
Reminding everyone who hears
that the Savior still cares
Bells have been ringing from churches
joining a girl with a boy
Bringing of their loved ones together
to share in the loving joy
Bells have been ringing from churches
to declare the returning Son
Whom at the sound of trumpets blown
will unite with us as One

2011
12/25
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Responses to Christmas: The Least of These

This last part might be a bit fanciful, but one of the joys of Christmas is having some fun.

When Jesus was born, we read: “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7)

Immediately following His birth, we read: “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:15-16)

Eight days after He entered our world, we read: “When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons.'” (Luke 2:22-24)

A while later, we read: “Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.” (Matthew 1:1)

What is connection in all of these?

Those are barely mentioned, if at all, in each segment of the story: the animals!

Think about it:

  1. Animals had to give up their place to eat for the night.
  2. Animals were left alone for the night.
  3. Animals had to die for the Lord!
  4. Animals had to help carry worshipers and gifts for the Savior of the world.

When Mary and Joseph laid Jesus in the manger, a feeding trough for animals, this meant that for at least that night and into the morning the animals gave up their dining table.

When the shepherds left their herd for the night, as I mentioned the other day, the sheep lost their security system for a while.

When Jesus was dedicated, two pigeons gave up their lives!

When the Wise Men journeyed from the East, it was their camels and horses who bore the brunt of the excursion and lose any comfort during the trip (though I am sure the Wise Men would have mentioned a thing or two about riding animals through desert and mountain paths).

Would you give up your dining table for a poor baby? Would you like knowing you were unprotected for the night? Would like to carry someone else’s belongings for hundreds of miles (or several dozen … no one really knows exactly how far they travelled)? Would you die for someone?

My take on these under-mentioned characters is this: they were unwilling participants … actually, more like unawares … in this story of our Lord’s birth, yet they can still teach us something.

There are times when God will call us to go hungry for the sake of the Kingdom.

There are times when God will call us to step out of our comfort zones for the sake of the Kingdom.

There are times when God will call us to give up our lives for the glorification of Jesus Christ.

I can almost guarantee you that these things happen frequently throughout our lives without us even realizing it.

Think of Chinese believers who are worshiping together in someone’s home, when authorities come in and break up the meeting.

Think of Asian/Arab believers who are going to church, and they get beat up as they walk for simply believing in Jesus.

Think of African believers who sit in prison for reading the Bible at home.

Think of the missionaries who die entering a town, yet their children are able to share the gospel with hundreds or thousands through their tragedy.

Think of that time you saw a man on the side of the street, begging for money, and you gave him or fast food sandwich to help him survive a couple more days.

We are all called to serve. We do not always get an angel or a star to warn us and guide us before our service starts.

Merry Christmas, and peace and joy from our Lord to you!

2011
12/24
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Animals
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When half-empty is a good thing

The Christmas season is called the most wonderful time of the year, the season of joy, and a time of love and giving.

Many people look at the figurative glass as half-full during this time of the year (unless, of course, they are standing in a line that stretches half-way around the Super Wal-Mart in which they have been shopping for that last gift).

As my pastor said this past Sunday (in the beginning of his message about Joseph, second only to Pharoah in Egypt, forgave and loved his brothers who sold him into slavery), for many people the Christmas season is not wonderful or joyful. The Christmas season for these people (I am sure some are reading this message) instead reminds them of broken marriages, lost spouses and/or children, being alone, or being close to death.

For these people, their glass looks half-empty.

Is half-empty always a bad thing, though?

When we have to take medicine that tastes disgusting, we would rather the cup be half-empty than half-full.

When someone puts food in front of us that we think tastes horrible (but we are being polite and eating it), we would prefer the plate be half-empty than half-full.

When riding on a city bus while feeling nauseous, other people are happy when the bus is half-empty rather than completely full!

In terms of our times of pain and longing, grief and loss, feeling like we are half-empty can be a good thing (though I know it does not feel like it).

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:3-5

We have a promise from our Lord that we will be with Him and comforted. The question remains, what do we have for now? It may seem selfish, but knowing we can receive comfort later does not always help in the meantime.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7

God does comfort us in our times of need. He does not always do it immediately, and sometimes He waits until after our trials … sometimes for years.

However, we also have the promise that God will indeed comfort us so that we may comfort others in His name.

God can save us from troubles, but God often blesses us with the opportunity to help others by sharing His comfort and strength with them.

We could also say that God empties us through our troubles that we might be filled with Him to the point of overflowing.

Half-empty becomes good when we are re-filled with God.

I am not saying we need to get to a point of enjoying our pain and loss; that is masochism. Instead, we rejoice in our suffering, because we know that we are being used for God.

Christmas is a reminder that our God did not leave us alone to suffer. In his grace, He came to us, suffered with us, and suffered for us. He understands our pain and our loss and has overcome them. He alone can give us comfort and peace, but He also allows us to suffer that He may work through us to bring comfort and peace to others.

2011
12/06
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Seeing Courageous

As I mentioned on Sunday …

YOU NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE!

Courageous is the fourth movie to come out of Sherwood Pictures of Sherwood Baptist Church. It has the theme of men taking a stand as fathers and husbands to raise up strong families and prepare the next generation for life and faithfulness to God.

Four police officers are also close friends. Javier Martinez, a latino struggling to provide for his wife and two children, becomes one of their friends as well. After tragedy strikes one of them, it results in the Resolution: a promise before God and family to everything they can to live godly lives to impact the next generation (to sum it up very poorly).

This movie is full of action, romance, violence, and camaraderie. It will make you laugh, pull at your heart-strings (those jerks!), knock you down emotionally, lift you back up, and encourage and embolden you. It is rated PG-13 for violence (chasing bad guys, a shoot-out, a gang initiation) and drug content (seeing baggies with powder and pills). I would suggest many more mature children can see this movie, but I would also suggest parents use wisdom and see it first to decide for yourself.

Courageous is by far the greatest movie to come out of Sherwood Pictures to date, and it is now one of my favorite movies. (The other three, if you are unaware, are Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof) The Kendrick brothers are great at working the Gospel message into these films, the acting gets better all the time, and they definitely had a larger budget with which to work this time! This movie is sure to punch you in the gut and then dust you off and lift you up. I laughed, laughed until I cried, cried for sorrow, cried for joy, and wanted to cheer and praise by the end of the movie.

I will say it again …

GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

And like I asked last week, see where your heart is and how important God is in your life. This movie will help!

2011
10/04
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 09/11/2011

In remembrance of the attacks 10 years ago, here is a poem I wrote after a bomb-scare at my high school (before 09/11/2001). Let us remember to pray for all of the families and friends of those lost 10 years ago today or as a result of the attacks.

still watching
daniel m  klem

the bombs exploded
the bullets fired
the damage wrought
cannot be measured
those who walk away
are angry with God
most of them wonder
how He could
let their loved ones go
and leave them there
all of those people
are completely unaware
remember God is watching
all of His children
and He cares for each
no matter where or when
it all fits into
His great Plan
because He loves
this thing called man

Taken from simple words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 82.

2011
09/11
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God’s Conditional Love

Yep. God’s conditional love.

Perhaps you have heard the arguments:

“Deuteronomy 7:12-13 shows that God only loves the people who follow His laws!”
“John 14:21 clearly states that Jesus only loves those who obey his commands!”

For the record, here are those respective verses (NIV):

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.

… and …

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.

What if, however, these verses do not actually show conditional love? What if “God will keep his covenant of love with you” does not mean “if you do this, I will love you” but “if you keep my covenant you will see the benefits of my love. If you do not keep my covenant you will not see the benefits, but I still love you!” What if “He who loves me will be loved by my Father . . .” falls in the same vein. How do we know this is more likely?

Jesus Christ.

Do you want some Scripture to back that up? Okay:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5:6-11, NIV

I am pretty sure not all people will be saved in the end. Sorry universalists. I just see too much biblical evidence against that. However, it does not mean God does not love all people (these arguments are all for other posts!).

I do think God’s love is conditional, however. How can I say this?

For God to love us, He must exist. God exists. God is love. Therefore, He loves all people. Easy condition to meet. It is not dependent on human behavior or faithfulness.

I could argue this all day and night, but I think others should be involved. In case you are wondering, I kept this simple and relatively short to try to inspire further dialogue.

What do you think? Is God’s love conditional in any way? When have you felt God’s love when you were certain you least deserved it?

2011
07/13
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