CHRIST’S LOVE IN A WORLD OF COUNTERFEITS

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“And above all, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14

To stand against the forces that seek to extinguish Christ’s love in a world awash with counterfeits, we must first recognize their flawed definitions. There’s a selfish “love” that’s more accurately called pride, fueling the world’s obsession with “bodily autonomy.” People chant, “My body, my choice,” or “love is love,” elevating themselves as their own gods. Meanwhile, those who uphold the sanctity of life or the biblical design for marriage (much less the biblical and biological definition of male and female) are branded as bigoted haters.

We live in a culture that claims to value truth but worships subjectivity — the very antithesis of truth. If everything is subjective, truth ceases to exist, for truth is unchanging and absolute. Yet Scripture proclaims a different reality: Psalm 119:160 declares, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” Connecting the dots: God is love, and His word declares that He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). True love is consistent — unwavering in nature and aligned with God’s word.

Consider John 14:15, where Jesus declares, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Here, love moves beyond being defined by God’s character to being demonstrated through obedience to His commands. So, what does it look like to show this love? It looks like pursuing righteousness, sharing the gospel, and standing unyieldingly for biblical truth in every sphere of life. To put on love is to live boldly for Christ, reflecting His heart in a world desperate for the real thing.

To put on love is to be willing to take slander for the sake of Christ, “having good conscience” because “those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16). To put on love means to accept that we will be hated for His namesake, “but he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22-24). To put on love is to know that persecution is inevitable for “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12). But “blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Do you see the pattern? For every bit of slander, hatred, persecution, or threat we receive for being clothed in Christ, we are rewarded by, in, and for His goodness. This world, dear reader, is not our home. We’re in the world, but we’re not of it (John 17:16). No, this is the land of the prince of darkness (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2). Though Christ reigns supreme, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We have no guarantee of comfort here, nor should we desire it.

Consider John 14:15, where Jesus declares, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Here, love moves beyond being defined by God’s character to being demonstrated through obedience to His commands. So, what does it look like to show this love? It looks like pursuing righteousness, sharing the gospel, and standing unyieldingly for biblical truth in every sphere of life. To put on love is to live boldly for Christ, reflecting His heart in a world desperate for the real thing.

To put on love is to be willing to take slander for the sake of Christ, “having good conscience” because “those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16). To put on love means to accept that we will be hated for His namesake, “but he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22-24). To put on love is to know that persecution is inevitable for “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12). But “blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Do you see the pattern? For every bit of slander, hatred, persecution, or threat we receive for being clothed in Christ, we are rewarded by, in, and for His goodness. This world, dear reader, is not our home. We’re in the world, but we’re not of it (John 17:16). No, this is the land of the prince of darkness (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2). Though Christ reigns supreme, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We have no guarantee of comfort here, nor should we desire it.

Putting on Christ boldly means we long for the day when we are with Him face-to-face. And when that day comes, do you know what it means? No more pain, suffering, slander, persecution — you name it. Do you know what else it means? We will be surrounded not by counterfeit loves that entice us toward destruction, but perfect, complete, holy, heavenly love — not just with Christ, but with all of His people. There’s perfect love found in our Saviour, and in eternity, we’ll finally see it in full — without blemish. It’s a love so pure and complete that it’s hard to fathom this side of heaven.

Yet, while we are still dwelling on this side of heaven, let us clothe ourselves in Christ. Let us put on love — His love — boldly, faithfully, and unapologetically, trusting that every step we take in obedience brings us closer to the day when we will see Him in all His glory, surrounded by the perfect harmony of His eternal love. Let us put on His love, knowing, right now, we’re the closest to hell we’ll ever be, and the farthest from heaven we’ll ever be. Put on His love, even in a world that mocks you for it, because it is the only true love there is.

In one final thought, I want to encourage you not to grow weary in doing good — in loving your neighbour. This world has always been drenched in darkness, but it appears especially bleak right now. Death, hostility, hate, and more are right on our doorsteps, threatening to break in. But we dwell in God’s house, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and God has promised never to abandon those whom He loves.

Stand firm. Pray fervently. Trust God. Love boldly.

HOW JESUS CHANGES LIVES

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Jesus will love you into His Kingdom. This is a great authentic testimony from a girl who was living the gay lifestyle. You just know that she experienced the love of God in how she relates His dealings with her. How gracious and forgiving, He was at all stages of her journey and despite one major backslip.

Delafé Testimonies is a global evangelistic project with the mission of creating the world’s largest archive of Jesus’ testimonies. Their vision is to save souls, build community, and set people free through the testimony of Jesus. One of the ministries God has raised up for these last days prior to Jesus’ return.

https://youtu.be/jCAoIUEvToM

DO YOU KNOW THE EXTENT OF GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU?

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Why did Jesus of Nazareth endure a torturous death by crucifixion?  After all, he could have just stayed in Heaven and left us all alone to pay the penalty for our sins. Instead, “he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross”

“Who (Jesus), though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

But why? For one thing, God loves us dearly. All three persons of the Trinity were in agreement. God our heavenly Father was prepared to send His only Son to pay the penalty we deserve to pay. Jesus was prepared to make the tremendous sacrifice (incomprehensible) on our behalf and the Holy Spirit had to endure making it happen. 

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Love is the biggest reason Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). 

Jesus suffered and died on the cross so that you and I could be rescued from sin, death, resurrection to face judgment, punishment, and a second death in the Lake of Fire. If we could have saved ourselves by our own righteousness, it would have been utterly foolish for the Father to send his only Son to redeem us. The fact of the matter is that Christ’s crucifixion was the only way we could be rescued. “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (Galatians 2:21). 

I assure you that the Messiah didn’t endure crucifixion for nothing! It was the only way God’s worldwide rescue mission could be accomplished!

Do you realize what happens to a person after death if their sins are not forgiven? Jesus made it very clear that the wages of sin are death. And because God does not want you to go to Hell, but rather to Heaven, he did the one thing that would save us from punishment and a second death. 

“The Father has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” Colossians 1:13-14

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:10-11

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

The Bible says “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18). We simply don’t understand any of it. It must be illuminated by the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God. The Lord opens our minds to understand the Bible, just like he did with his first disciples. “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45).

The prophet Isaiah foretold the crucifixion of Christ some 700 years prior to Jesus’ birth,

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds, we are healed” Isaiah 53:5)

This prophecy clearly foretold the suffering the Messiah would endure. Nevertheless, many people refuse to believe Isaiah’s message. “The 17th-century Jewish historian, Raphael Levi, admitted that long ago the rabbis used to read Isaiah 53 in synagogues, but after the chapter caused ‘arguments and great confusion,’ the rabbis decided that the simplest thing would be to just take that prophecy out of the Haftarah readings in synagogues.” So much for Biblical inerrancy.

Meanwhile, don’t forget: If Jesus had sinned even one time, he would not qualify as anyone’s Savior. In that case, he would need someone to save him. Thankfully, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). A sinner cannot pay for anyone’s sins; a perfect sacrifice is required.

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” 1 Peter 1:18-19

God not only forgives our sins when we accept the Messiah by faith, but he also gives us a new heart with which to love and serve our Creator.

The death of Jesus on the cross pays for our sins and reconciles us to God. When we repent of our sins, trust Jesus to forgive our sins, and are baptized, we receive the third person of the Trinity into our souls to enable us to live the Christian life and be in a right relationship with God. Apart from the cross, we would remain rebels and would lack the Holy Spirit which enters our soul the moment we are spiritually reborn (John 3:1-18). Jesus endured the Cross so that all who receive him (John 1:12) will enjoy a relationship with the Lord forever.

Have you placed your faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, or are you living under the delusion that your best efforts are enough to gain eternal life? If we could defeat sin and death with our own righteousness, then it would have made no sense for the Father to send his only Son to suffer such excruciating pain and unrelenting physical, spiritual, and emotional torment. 

If you have not yet bowed your knee, repented, and surrendered your heart to Christ, this is a perfect time to do so. Turn away from your sins and believe that the Messiah’s death on the cross paid the full penalty for your sins.

Repenting your sins and accepting Christ as your Savior is the path to peace with God, whereas rejecting the Messiah leaves a person on death row facing punishment and second death.

GOD’S LOVE FOR US

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God’s love for us should be the motivation that drives our life. Paul was able to say that the love of Christ controlled him, and other believers, and he gave us the reason why it did.

“For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all … and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Let me add the other major reason: Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell our Spirit to be our counsellor, teacher, and comforter. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). He also provides all nine gifts of the Spirit for ministry.

“God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Hebrews 2:4

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

If you do not know the truth about God’s love for you, then you are missing a single most powerful force that has driven every man and woman of God who has ever walked this planet. When you realize how much God loves you, you will never lack for motivation to serve him with all your heart.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:7-9

Note what Paul prays that our Heavenly Father will provide for us: that the Holy Spirit will enable us to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of the love of Christ so that we are filled with the fullness of God.

“He (Heavenly Father) may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.“

Paul understood this when he prayed this prayer for all the believers. Then they would be filled up to all the fullness of God so that the Spirit would work in them to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that they had ever asked or imagined. Of all the doctrines described in God’s Word, if you miss the doctrine of love, you have missed God.

You can download the ebook “With all my love, GOD” from Jim McCotters website http://www.jimsbookstore.com

GOD MEANT FOR US TO BE FRIENDS

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God’s desire to be friends with us absolutely does not equate to us treating Him as we would our ordinary human friends, our fleshy equals. Instead, we must begin by never, ever forgetting that God is God. This means always having a healthy fear (i.e. reverence) for Yahweh.

Nevertheless, God has been inviting humanity into friendship with Him since the beginning of time, starting with Adam and Eve. They literally, physically knew Him as their friend. They walked with Him in the cool of the day, communed with Him in the Garden and talked with Him along the way. They experienced an amazing real relationship with the God of the Universe – – – until the day they became convinced that God is not a good friend. Without a great deal of thought, they unfriended their Creator and decided to friend and follow someone else. Turns out, they friended their enemy, who was cunningly disguised as a friend – which, of course, he was anything but. The brokenness that followed shattered all creation. Ever since humanity has not been born into friendship with God but has entered this world in a broken relationship with Him. 

God has not given up on us, though. The magnificent story of the whole Bible, from beginning to end, is the story of how He is reaching out to humanity to re-engage in a relationship with Him. Over and over, throughout the centuries, He has sent many requests, through invitations such as,

“Return to Me!” (Zechariah 1:3), “Return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 30:2), and “Return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12). 

God then chose to articulate His friend request in a new way. It was in fact His redemption plan all along. God sent part of Himself – His Son – to earth to deliver the remarkable message. God in the flesh, fully God, fully man, hand-delivered the invitation signed with His very own name. Through the ages, the invitation had always been “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32). The angel told Joseph, “You are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). So now, when God sent His Son as Savior, the Name of the Lord became ever more personal:  His Name is Jesus.

Jesus so much wants to be your friend and my friend that, not only was He born into this world to walk amongst us, He was willing to die in our place and pay the price for our sins. Jesus told His followers, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). He said this, and then He did it.

Jesus laid down His life for us then took it back up into victory. And all we must do to accept His friend request is to believe in His Name. Scripture says, “If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). 

This friend request doesn’t require internet access, wifi capability, power grids, or solar energy. It doesn’t need new technology, the latest gadgets. or inventions of any kind. What’s more, God’s invitation isn’t limited to certain parts of the world or particular people groups. Jesus’ friend request is for every single person. The Old Testament invitation is echoed in the New: “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:12-13).

When we do this, when we call on Jesus, we begin the adventure of a real relationship with Him. In this, Jesus says, “I no longer call you servants… Instead, I have called you friends” (John 15:15). 

Jesus calls us friends when we accept His friend request. 

What’s more, accepting His friend request isn’t just a past-tense, one-time decision. Just like in our relationships with the special people in our lives, the more time we spend in a relationship with Jesus, meeting with Him, and getting to know Him, the deeper and more intimate our friendship becomes. His is a friendship we can and should continue to respond to and accept every single day of our lives.

CAN WE KNOW GOD IS REAL?

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Nabeel Qureshi, ex-Muslim turned Christian apologist, died in 2017 after a year-long battle with stomach cancer. The 34-year-old left behind a wife and two-year-old daughter.

Qureshi published three books, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity, and Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward, and No God but One: Allah or Jesus? A Former Muslim Investigates the Evidence for Islam and Christianity.

Qureshi made the official announcement of his cancer diagnosis August 2016.

“This is an announcement that I never expected to make, but God in his infinite and sovereign wisdom has chosen me for this refining, and I pray he will be glorified through my body and my spirit. My family and I have received the news that I had advanced stomach cancer and the prognosis is quite grim,” he said in a Facebook post.

Qureshi continued to share the gospel and updates on his treatment through videos on his social media page.

In the last video before his death, he said he hoped he leaves behind a legacy of love.

“As you consider my ministry, I hope it leaves a message of love, of peace, of truth, of caring for one another,” he says. “Our God is a God of love.”

Listen to Nabeel on “Can We Know if God is Real”.

CHALLENGED BY ISIS BRUTALITY: SYRIAN MUSLIMS FIND JESUS

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Syrian Christians have shared how they converted from Islam to Christianity after witnessing the brutality of Islamic extremist groups like ISIS, who carried out barbaric acts in the name of Allah.

Members of the recently-established Church of the Brethren in Kobani  — the first local Christian place of worship for decades — shared with NBC News how Christianity appealed to them after living under Sharia law.

‘Christianity was the religion I was searching for’ said Farhad Jasim. Farhad, 23, who works as a mechanic, converted to Christianity late last year. He told NBC he was jailed by ISIS for six months in early 2016 after the militants discovered he didn’t know the basics of Islam. During his time in captivity, he was tortured and forced to read the Quran.

“After I witnessed their brutality with my own eyes, I started to be sceptical about my belief,” Jasim said.

After hearing about the Church of the Brethren, which opened in September and is part of a denomination that dates back to 18th-century Germany, Jasim decided to visit: “It didn’t take me long to discover that Christianity was the religion I was searching for,” he said.

Jasim told the outlet his family has rejected him because of his newfound faith and expressed hope that one day, his loved ones will not only forgive him but embrace Christianity, too.

“If ISIS represents Islam, I don’t want to be a Muslim anymore,” he said. “Their God is not my God.”

Firas, a 47-year-old farmer, told NBC he converted to Christianity after living under ISIS for two years. He recalled how militants would terrorise anyone who didn’t adhere to their particular brand of Islam.

“I saw men and young teenagers being whipped on the streets because they were caught smoking. I saw dead bodies of young men being thrown from high buildings for being gay,” Firas said. “This was their Islam.”

“If heaven is made for ISIS and their belief, I would choose hell for myself instead of being again with them in the same place, even if it’s paradise,” he added.

While ISIS was driven out of the city, located along the Syrian-Turkish border, over four years ago, converting to Christianity remains taboo  — and even dangerous — in the Muslim-majority region. Persecution watchdog Open Doors notes that even in more secure parts of Syria, Christians who have converted from Islam face pressure and discrimination from their communities. Kobani is home to about 300 Christians, according to estimates.

Omar, 38, who serves as church administrator, said that even before ISIS overtook the region, it was strictly forbidden to change religion from Islam to Christianity. But under ISIS, converting to Christianity “wasn’t even imaginable,” he said, adding: “ISIS would kill you immediately.”

“Most of the brothers here converted or come to church as a result of what ISIS did to them and to their families,” he said. “No one is forced to convert. Our weapon is prayer, the spreading of the spirit of love, brotherhood and tolerance.”

The story of Farhad reminds me of the Muslim taxi driver I met recently when I took a taxi from my home to Sydney, (Australia) airport.

When I got into the taxi, I noticed that the mandatory photo, driver’s name and taxi registration number was not on the front windscreen. A proverbial “red flag” went up and I felt led by the Lord to ask the driver his name. The way I said it was “my name is Ron, what is yours?” It was obvious from his response, he did not want to tell me. I persisted and he eventually blurted out. “it’s Mohammed and I am ashamed to be a Muslim.”

Woops! “Why is that Mohammed?” I said. He asked me if I had seen this picture. He could not get the image out of his mind and the thought that Allah would want these 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians beheaded because they would not renounce Jesus. I felt led to respond with, “You know what Mohammed, God calls us to love Him with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbour as our self.” I then put my hand on his shoulder and said, “God calls me to love you Mohammed”. Well, I almost didn’t get to the airport. Mohamed cried out “That’s it! That’s it! and we almost mounted the footpath. It was like the light went on for Mohammed, this is the God I want to serve. When we got to the airport, Mohammed did not want me to go so I gave him my business card and told him to contact me when he was next in the area where I live.

How many other Muslims must be wrestling with the same issues about a god of death, definitely not a god of love.