Tag: love

From Death to Life.

If you are reading this now, you exist. You’ve been brought up, you’ve eaten, you’ve drank, you’ve matured and grown… You have life! You did not ask for it. You could not ask for it. You did nothing to earn it or deserve it, you simply received it and here you are! Life was given to you freely. It’s not to be wasted or regarded lightly. It is precious and to be studied, explored and experienced!

But the bible says in John 3 that we must born again! Again??

John 3
 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.


So… There needs to be another birth. A new life. A birthing of a new spiritual being. A spiritual child. Completely newborn, helpless by it’s own account, fragile, weak, beautiful… The picture is very much what we can imagine. Exactly the same principals apply to this spiritual life as the physical. This child must be brought up, it must eat, drink, mature and grow… It has life! It did not ask for it. It could not ask for it. It did nothing to earn it or deserve it, it simply received it! Life was freely given to it. It’s not to be wasted or regarded lightly. It is precious and to be studied and experienced! Continue reading “From Death to Life.” →

Lest We forget…

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget thine agony,
Lest I forget thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

It’s only through the cross that we have life. Only because Jesus lived and died for us! He gave His every breath, His every word and deed for us. His every step, His every thought, every miracle and teaching was for us! When he ate it was for us, when he drank it was for us! He does not live for possessions, He does not live for wealth, He does not live for health!!! He died for us!!! He rose for us!!! He lives for me!!! He lives for us!!! Everything Jesus Christ, the son of God, did was for us!!! EVERYTHING!!! What do we give?

He expects and deserves no less from us!!! He commands EVERY PART OF US!!!

Romans 12
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

It’s all or nothing. We either lose our lives for His sake, deny our earthly pleasures and live our lives to seek Him only, and in so doing find life abundant!! Glorious, all satisfying, joyous life!! or… We don’t, we enjoy this life here on earth, comfortable, achieving success, knowledge, acceptance… and miss the mark and die in our own self-righteousness.

Luke 9
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Luke 14
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Jesus

I need thee every hour,
In joy or pain,
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain!

I need thee,
Oh I need thee,
Every hour I need thee,
Oh bless me now my Saviour,
I come to thee!

Psalm 5
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies: make thy way straight before my face.

Psalm 23
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

What hope can we possibly have in our selves? What good can we expect to achieve? There is nothing more wondrous in all of life than the love of God. That love that knows no bounds, that stretches down to weak, broken men such as you and me and lifts us!! Love that compels a man to weep, to preach, to sing, to pray! Surely the one desire of God for a man is that he draw near. Nothing more. My one aim, my one desire, my life’s ambition, my singular mind will surely be bent on being with Him. Out of this, if God be so pleased, Christ will reach a dying world. Out of this, to His glory, we may be entrusted with His gospel and counted worthy to bear His name.

When we preach, when we talk, when we do good deeds for our neighbours and friends do they see a helpful, friendly brother or… Do they see Christ? It is surely Christ’s testimony that we covet and seek above all to protect. God forbid that at any time, anyone should glorify Matthew Lovell for the work that Christ has done in my life!!! Jesus!! Jesus only!!