How to Love Like Jesus - Learn the Secret to Loving Like Jesus by Abiding in Him By Jack Zavada

To love like Jesus, we need to understand a simple truth. We cannot live the Christian life on our own.

Sooner or later, in the midst of our frustration, we come to the conclusion that we're doing something wrong. It's not working. Our best efforts just don't cut it.

Discovering Why We Can't Love Like Jesus

All of us want to love like Jesus. We want to be generous, forgiving, and compassionate enough to love people unconditionally. But no matter how hard we try, it just doesn't work. Our humanness gets in the way.

Jesus was human too, but he was also God incarnate. He was able to see the people he created in a way that we can't. He personifiedlove. In fact, the Apostle John said, "God is love..." (1 John 4:16, ESV)

You and I are not love. We can love, but we can't do it perfectly. We see others' faults and stubbornness. When we remember the slights they have done to us, a small part of us can't forgive. We refuse to make ourselves as vulnerable as Jesus did because we know we'll get hurt again. We love and at the same time we hold back.

Yet Jesus tells us to love as he did: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34, ESV)

How do we do something we're incapable of doing? We turn to Scripture for the answer and it's there we learn the secret of how to love like Jesus.

Love Like Jesus Through Abiding

We don't get very far before we learn the Christian life is impossible. Jesus gave us the key, however: "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27, ESV)

He explained this truth in depth in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of John, with his parable of the vine and branches. The New International Version uses the word "remain", but I like the English Standard Version translation using "abide":

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.(John 15:1-10, ESV)

Did you catch that in verse 5? "Apart from me you can do nothing." We can't love like Jesus on our own. In fact, we can't do anything in the Christian life on our own.

The missionary James Hudson Taylor called it "the exchanged life." We surrender our life to Jesus to the extent that when we abide in Christ, he loves others through us. We can endure rejection because Jesus is the vine that sustains us. His love heals our hurts and supplies the strength we need to keep going.

Love Like Jesus by Trusting

Surrendering and abiding are things we can do only through the power of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in baptized believers, guiding us to the right decision and giving us the grace to trust God.

When we see a selfless Christian saint who can love like Jesus, we can be sure that person is abiding in Christ and he in her. What would be too hard on our own, we can do through this act of abiding. We continue to abide by reading the Bible, praying, and attending church with other believers. In this way our trust in God is built up.

Like branches on a vine, our Christian life is a growth process. We mature more every day. As we abide in Jesus, we learn to know him better and trust him more. Cautiously, we reach out to others. We love them. The greater our trust in Christ, the greater our compassion will be.

This is a lifelong challenge. When we are rebuffed, we have the choice to draw back or give our hurt to Christ and try again. Abiding is what matters. When we live that truth, we can begin to love like Jesus.

Source : http://christianity.about.com/od/topicaldevotions/a/Love-Like-Jesus.htm

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR

The Chinese (Lunar) New Year is celebrated by many ethnic Chinese all over the world. What is the origin of this festival?

"The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back thousands of years through a continually evolving series of colorful legends and traditions. One of the most famous legends is that of Nien 年, an extremely cruel and ferocious beast, which the Chinese believe, eats people on New Year's Eve. To keep Nien away, red-paper couplets are pasted on doors, torches are lit, and firecrackers are set off throughout the night, because Nien is said to fear the color red, the light of fire, and loud noises. Early the next morning, as feelings of triumph and renewal fill the air at successfully keeping Nien away for another year, the most popular greeting heard is kung-hsi 恭喜, or "congratulations." ( Source :http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/SpringFestival/200005.htm)

This Chinese legend is strongly reminiscent of the Passover story in the Bible. Exodus 12:12,13 tell us what happened during the Passover : "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt."

We have a great reason to celebrate now because as believers, we are covered by the precious blood of our Saviour! His blood which was shed on the cross for the remission of all our sins has set us free from the law of sin and death. Because of Jesus' finished work on the cross, we need not be afraid of the "terror by night, nor for the arrow that flies by day; Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noon day." (Psalm 91:5,6)

Praise God! Revelations 12:11 tells us that we have overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony! Hallelujah! Christ's precious shed blood on the cross has overcome the devil. Our adversary is nothing but a toothless foe, he has no more power over the believer. What a wonderful reason to celebrate!

Jesus is the Reason for the Season! Blessed Chinese (Lunar) New Year to all my Chinese friends :)

A Prophetic Word for Women and Church Leaders by Lisa Bevere

I woke this morning with such an urgency to share the following excerpt from Lioness Arising. I believe it is an urgent and prophetic word for Church leaders and God’s women. I shared this portion with John and he said he wished EVERY church leader could hear it...so here is our attempt. Feel free to re-post and share as you feel led.

Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, (Jesus) said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”
(Luke 7:43–47)

When we imagine that we are above the need for heart grooming, we start judging others. In judgment we deny others what we ourselves need. This is what happened to Simon. He needed his feet washed. He needed the greeting of peace. He needed the healing of an anointing balm. But since he thought he was above needing these things, he did not offer any of these rituals of greeting and grooming to his guests.

I can’t help but wonder if Jesus has turned his face to the women as he poses a question to the legalistic leaders of our day, asking something like this: “You think the sin of the woman is too great for her to merit acknowledgment, so you ignore her. You imagine she is in some way less than in my charge to present the gospel, but I have highlighted the example of this woman—and thus exonerated women. You imagine Eve’s sin to be greater than Adam’s, and therefore you deny her daughters access to my table, but don’t forget that those who are forgiven much are all the more grateful. A place of honor will be found for these daughters, even if it is by way of washing and anointing my feet.”

Lovely lionesses, it is time we again give our glorious Lord something to brag about. To see this happen, I am willing to wash some feet and have mine washed. Let’s each be willing to do anything or go anywhere if it means Jesus will have reason to marvel when he looks our way. Simon thought this loose woman was falling all over Jesus, but Jesus called her awkward attempts lovely. Don’t worry if your attempts are awkward at first. Just commit to begin. I want us all to make this kind of impression on Jesus so that he would say of us, “I am impressed they have shown me so much love.”

Let’s do something wonderfully significant for our Lord. As we lavish kindness, grooming, and welcome on others, we pour out our adoration on him. Let’s anoint one another for his return and our resurrection. Let’s wash each others feet, even if it is with our tears. Let them fall unhindered until there is enough moisture to wash the dust and filth off the feet of the church. Let’s weep over our own sins and cry over the injustice levied on our sisters and children the world over. If the mercy that has been lavished on you is not enough to reduce you to tears, then allow the cruelty of the plight of captive daughters to move you. Your tears wash the feet of others and magnify our Lord.

(The above is an excerpt from “Lioness Arising: Wake Up and Change Your World,” Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group, 2010.)


Source : http://messengerinternational.blogspot.com/

Blessed 2011 :)

I wish all my friends a very blessed 2011 filled with the Lord's love, joy, peace and divine wisdom :)

PSALM 103:1-5 (NKJ)

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul;
         And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
 ² Bless the LORD, O my soul,
         And forget not all His benefits:
 ³ Who forgives all your iniquities,
         Who heals all your diseases,
 ⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
         Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
 ⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
         So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

A very blessed Christmas to all my friends :) Rejoice, we are the reason that He has come to dwell among us :)