There are two kinds of love: Eros represents egocentric love, and Agape represents unselfish love. Often, even within Christian circles, love is said to mean something along the lines of feeling good about others and being nice to them. Yet Biblical love is sacrificial, it looks like Jesus on the cross! It is willing to regard others as more important than oneself.
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.“ Philippians 2:3
This is why Jesus says that His disciples will be known by others because of their “love for one another” (John13:35). Yet, at the same time, Jesus defines a disciple as one who denies himself, takes up his cross, and follows Him. (Mark 8:34).
What kind of difference in the world would the church be making if those who profess Christ, by the power of Spirit, were striving to love like this?
How many of our churches look like this? How many of us can say, come to my church and you will see people who are diligently striving to love others as Jesus loves?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lays forth His law of love which includes loving our enemies.
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Luke 6:27
Luke then, adds, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38).
The fact that Jesus provides this illustration demonstrates that the love He advocates has application to the marketplace. It is a love that does right within a society: i.e., it is “just and right.” The Bible calls us to imitate Jesus in this regard!
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
For more see the article by Rob Dalrymple “Justice without Love is not Justice” Jan. 25th 2021 http://www.patheos.com
During the Passover observance in 2019, 19-year-old John Earnest allegedly walked into a synagogue in Poway, California and opened fire, killing one worshipper and wounding three others. It was later revealed that Earnest was an active member of an Orthodox Presbyterian Church congregation and specifically believed that he was doing God’s will by killing Jews.
The revelation that the lone suspect in the mass shooting was a devout Christian stirred reactions from many, including author and columnist Michael Brown, a proponent of Messianic Judaism and host of the nationally syndicated radio show, “The Line of Fire.”
Brown wrote about what he saw on social media from self-identified Christians and rhetoric espoused by modern Christian ministries and some theologians. “This is a book I wish I didn’t have to write,” Brown told the Christian Post in an interview.
“Sadly, there is a real rise in anti-Semitism in the church, even in America.”
“I felt I had to write the book to demonstrate what was happening,” he added. “The rising tide of anti-Semitism in the church today.” This includes the rise of the heresy Replacement Theology, the notion that the Church has replaced Israel as the new chosen people, with God no longer having any plans for modern Jews.
Below are excerpts from a conversation Christian Post (CP) had with Brown about Christian anti-Semitism and its apparent growing strength.
CP: You have written about anti-Semitism in the Church before; notably the 1992 book Our Hands Are Stained With Blood. How does this book differ from your earlier works?
And in doing so, that was very jarring because I was confronted with what had grown in recent years and how some of the dangerous trends of the past were back today. So Christian Antisemitism, the new book, picks up where Our Hands Are Stained With Blood left off. It gets much more in-depth into the wrong theology behind it. It traces some of the current conspiracy theories in the Church today about the Jewish people. It gets much deeper into the contemporary issues that the first book touched on.
CP: You devoted a fair amount of attention to refuting replacement theology. How pervasive a problem do you believe replacement theology is in the American church? Do you see it as more prevalent in some denominations than others?
Brown: Yes, it’s very prominent. It is certainly growing. It is very dangerous. It is more to be found in what would be called the mainstream denominations — so Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Methodist, etc. It is less found in Charismatic circles or in some aspects of evangelism. But the fact is it’s there. It’s certainly there in Catholic theology.
Those that hold to it don’t like to be put in the category of holding to replacement theology. They would rather say they believe in “fulfillment theology” or put another name on it. But the end result is the same: the promises that God once gave to the Jewish people as a people no longer apply to them, but rather apply to the Church.
This website livingeternal.net is about preparing the church for the end times tribulation and the coming Millennial reign of Christ from a restructured Jerusalem. Jesus will rule the world on this earth with the resurrected saints. A literal, grammatical and historical view of the Bible makes this truth crystal clear. Israel will finally have fulfilled all of the O.T and N.T. prophecies of its Messiah ruling the nations from Jerusalem. The book by Michael Brown is obviously an important contribution to this cause.
Jewish company is helping Kenyan farmers (already 32,000). Adam Abramson, the Founder of the Israeli company Farmster, discovered that hundreds of millions of African farmers were not receiving fair prices for the produce they were harvesting. So, his team developed an app, Farmster granting access to a large market of buyers in Africa, enabling them to sell their products at the right market price.
The International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) has supported the organisation Arise from conception to inception. Each year ICCC hosts an Arise Summit to assist Israeli start up companies.
As a Board member of ICCC Australia part of the support I am giving the Kenya House Church Movement is to help their business people transform their working lives so they build Kingdom businesses empowered by the Holy Spirit. If you would like to support this effort you can do so by clicking on the Donate icon on the Home Page
available on Amazon
What is a Kingdom business? The author has impressive experience growing significant businesses before he became a Christian at age 47 and then thirty years experience growing a Kingdom business. You will clearly apprehend the difference. An interesting turbulent portion of Abbott Laboratories history is revealed with an added perspective, a Godly view of the events. Ron’s partnering with God to build and transition Care & Share Products Pty Ltd provides a series of miraculous stories that will enthrall the reader and hopefully inspire others to set out on the journey to build a Kingdom business. To get a flavour of where Ron is coming from visit his website http://www.livingeternal.net
“The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.” Exodus 3:7-8
This Scripture tells us that God has decided to deliver the Jews out of the hand of the Egyptians and give them their own land which is now occupied by other nations. The next verse tells us who the Lord is speaking to and where. It is Moses and he is tending sheep which is what he has been doing for the last 40 years. Then we learn that God tells a reluctant Moses that He is going to use Moses to achieve His purposes.
What can we learn from these scriptures as to how God brings about His purposes on this earth and how He might want to use us to bring about His will on earth. Bear in mind most of us are praying to God “for His will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven” This is the prayer Jesus taught us to pray: “Our Father who is in heaven hallowed be your name, Your Kingdom come Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven… ”
Do we realise that this phrase in the Lord’s prayer is about us submitting and allowing God to use us to do His will!
God chose Moses right from His birth to bring about the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt and to bring them to the Promised Land. All of Moses life experiences prepared him for that task particularly his time, effectively as the Pharaoh’s sisters child, in the Pharaoh’s palace. Also, Joseph’s life story of preparation for God’s purposes through difficult circumstances is similar to that of Moses.
The Scriptures are full of examples of God using people to do His will on earth.
Philip is told to go and speak to the Ethiopian (Acts 8).
Ananias is called to go and lay hands on Saul/Paul (Acts 9).
Peter is sent to go and speak to Cornelius (Acts 10).
Most often God does the work of fulfilling His purposes on earth through His people.
Can I suggest you consider what life experiences you have had and therefore what God may be preparing for you to do to bring about His will on this earth. It may not be as grand a task as that of Moses and Joseph’s but God does have a plan for you to help bring about His Will on this earth. Keep praying the Lord’s Prayer with this in mind.
Paul tells us “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippian 12-13
“With fear and trembling” sounds daunting and certainly not pleasurable. In fact, is it even possible?
Working out your salvation is not possible if you have not accepted Christ as your Savior. But once you have, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you.
With His partnership you can “work out” your salvation. You can experience practically in your everyday life the unlimited resources of peace, joy, and hope that accompany the Holy Spirit’s presence inside of you.
Sadly, you have to question how many people in our churches today are born again and have received the Holy Spirit as their counsellor, teacher and comforter. It is only the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit of the spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace. patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness and self control. It is only the Holy Spirit that provides the gifts of the spirit for ministry: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, prophecy, faith, healing, miracles, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues.
The “fear and trembling” Paul is referring to is the attitude Christians are to have in pursuing this goal. We are to have a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and an awe and respect for His majesty and holiness.
How we act right now as followers of Jesus will greatly impact our internal peace. Fear and trembling simply means, approach God with humility and ask him for His peace to be increased to a greater measure than the anxiety you are experiencing. Say to Him, “Lord, I humbly ask for your peace to be increased in me. I need it Lord to get through my day. Please help me Lord.”
And guess what? God will. God promises us in Philippians 2:13 that “He is at work in us both to will and to work for his good pleasure“. This is a promise.
Obedience triggers greater peace in our lives and greater peace triggers greater effectiveness for us as witnesses for Christ. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:15 that obedience brings blamelessness into our lives in the midst of a crooked and twisted world and this enables our light for Him to shine brighter.
We have to hold on to God’s Word, be in God’s Word, and apply God’s Word to our lives if we hope to maintain any sense of peace in this world. If we hold fast to God’s Word we are fixing our gaze on God by reading His Word and applying it to our lives regardless of our circumstances.
Much of this article was taken from a post by Pastor Kelly a Guest Contributor to http://www.patheos.com entitled Working Out Peace In Your Life In 2021
Jonathan Cahn shares how God’s judgement on America was prophesied in the Scriptures. The timing is incredible particularly concerning what has and is happening to New York. You will be encouraged and challenged as never before how God is in control of all that happens on His planet. Also, Jonathan stresses the fact that God wants to use each one of us for His purposes but we need to repent and ask Him for guidance.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
“Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?” It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” Matthew 5:13
Disciples today would do well to remember that they run the risk of uselessness in the Lord’s mission if they relegate themselves to the shelf and not, in appropriate ways, apply themselves in the very contexts in need of their salty presence (that is, salty as defined here in Matthew’s gospel).
The disciple’s presence is required throughout the earth, especially in those areas running the risk of spoiling or in the bland corners in need of life-giving flavor. In fact, it is precisely in the unsavory and/or rotting contexts where salt is most necessary.
Following this salty comment, Jesus introduces another word picture:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Notice that both here and in the instruction given about salt earlier that the entire world is in view. Jesus tells his disciples they are the “salt of the earth” and here he says that they “are the light of the world” With this big picture in mind Jesus continues by suggesting that the light given off by a city set on a hill is fairly conspicuous to the surrounding areas that are more in the dark. Light from such a city is an especially powerful presence amid darkness, providing illumination, perspective, and, perhaps, guidance to those in the darkness. Disciples have not been given the light of Christ (John 1:4; 8:12) to keep for themselves or to only turn on in the safety of their carefully insulated spheres of influence. Instead, Jesus demands:
“Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Those who need to see this will not happen upon life and truth-giving light by accident. Light must shine where it can be seen (in the shadows) so that those in the dark might be directed to the Father in heaven and potentially bring him glory. Unfortunately, many are choosing to shine their light only in well-lit and more comfortable areas, neglecting, as Jesus encourages here, to shine what they have been given where it is most needed—in the darkness.
Peter provides a good summary for us: we are ambassadors that need to proclaim His excellencies, His Gospel. Our conduct must be above reproach and we do good deeds so that God is glorified.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light... Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.1 Peter 2:9-12
Satan’s kingdom is massing powerful forces of hate, anger and evil. They masquerade as good and fair values that liberate, confirm and advance culture and civilization. But they are doing the very opposite! Events and trends have reached a point of no return. If I denigrate in any way gay marriage, homosexuality and LGBT issues then this post would be censored. A Christian must be armed with a solid faith in God to withstand the battle of life before us. It is time to check our faith—protected by a shield that cannot be penetrated by doubt, fear or weakness. A strong belief and confidence in God’s firm hand in our life is the anchor we need during these times. Jesus asked a question with profound implications for each of us: “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8. Faith in Jesus is growing increasingly rare in our secularized society.
Many people today view the values and promises of the Bible as judgmental and archaic. The popular approach is to accept and validate all opinions, no matter what they are. But the same people don’t realize that such an approach inevitably produces doubt, which undermines faith. We may not deny the existence of God, but, because of the materialism, humanism and moral relativism of the world around us, we convince ourselves that God is not involved in human affairs. We see through a prism that leaves God out of the picture. The religion of many professing Christians is superficial. They have not received the Holy Spirit and therefore lack the power to live the Christian life. Moreover, as a result their knowledge of God’s Word is rudimentary. They certainly are not aware of the many prophecies concerning Jesus soon coming return. Far too many have come to believe that every aspect of life is simply a matter of personal choice and that nothing matters beyond their feelings. Instead of relying on God, they trust only themselves to solve their problems. Confirmation of the superficiality of faith is to be found in the fact that, although 90 percent of Americans say they pray, many are unsure that their prayers make any difference (National & International Religion Report).
My report on the Kenya House Church Movement consists of three emails from pastors there. The final email being from Pastor Charles the founder and leader of the KHC Movement. In it he mentions a project I would like to fund. It is to provide Pastor Charles with a computer and large TV Screen to enable them to connect with me and other Para Church organisations via Zoom. We need approx $1500 if you are able to donate please do so by clicking on our Donate icon on the Home page.
The first is from Pastor Maurice who just lost his wife to Covid 19.
The burial of my wife, the late Hellen, ended well yesterday. I’m very thankful for the support of kshs 20000/, I received from you, through my leader Charles. Your support helped me a lot! I’m thankful to all my co-pastors and the community of KHC, brothers and sisters who stood with me all through this period of difficult time.
I would request you all to put me and my family in your prayers, for peace, health and restoration.
Your well done work, will remain forever in my heart. Thank you and who helped contribution to ensure the program went through and successfully.
Pastor Maurice
The choir members purchase their own robes so it is not a burden on the finances of KHC.
The second report is from Pastor Alfred who attended the funeralwith members of his Home Church.
Some of my church group believers, my wife and I, are back home after attending the burial of Pastor Maurice’s wife. After much of a struggle and a sleepless night, we were able to give pastor Maurice’s wife, Helen a successful farewell, a burial which was attended by nearly all our KHC, believers. Before the presence of Pastor Jacob, and all the KHC leadership team, Charles was able to give Kshs 20,000/, a good amount which helped us so much in paying hospital bill and part of the mortuary bill.
We are so thankful for you being supportive of us, and for standing behind pastor Maurice and the KHC movement leadership team. All went well and I believe Charles will be able to give you the full report of the funeral
Pastor Alfred
The third report is from Pastor Charles, the leader of the KHC Movement.
Dear Ron and to all the community of believers, friends and followers of Living Eternal Now,
I would first want to give my thanks to you all, for all your prayer support and the long journey you have taken with the Kenya House Church Movement.
In the last few years, your prayers and financial support has caused the KHC movement to grow both spiritually and physically.
Prayers : Your prayers have enabled us get a breakthrough in our spiritual ministry, thus enabling us to step into new places and territories with the gospel invading and destroying the work of Satan and bringing lost souls to salvation and repentance, by the power of the Holy spirit.
You will remember, that recently our team was able to take the gospel to a new territory, it was at Kogaja near the border of Kenya and Uganda and a new Home Church Group was founded that are eager to grow the movement.
Through the power of your prayers, we have seen the mighty works of God and His hand upon us, in all the places and the new territory we have visited with the Gospel.
As part of our 2021 discipleship and evangelism plan we have two pending invitations waiting for us to fulfil both in the Republic of Tanzania, Nyamuzi and Mwanza.
Financial support:- As you all know, money is just a tool in the hands of the carpenter needed to help the work be done. For this reason we have been very grateful for the help LEN has provided for both ministry and in times of crisis. For example in March, 2020, my daughter was abducted and later rescued from the hands of her abductors in the republic of Tanzania. In October 2020 , Pastor Alfred lost his daughter to Covid 19 whilst his wife survived the disease. In November, 2020, My wife underwent caesarian surgery. In December 2020 Pastor Maurice’s house was burnt down, and nothing was rescued. And now in February 2021, Pastor Maurice’s’ wife Helen died from Covid 19.
Through all these crises/difficulties, and ministerial needs, Brother Ron has been actively giving financial help to all these our brothers and sisters within the KHC Movement despite him being old and a pensioner.
Still his heart is burning with passion, to help buy a computer and a large TV screen for zooming, this is to help KHC movement to get connected with other parachurch organizations and to help learn sound doctrine on end times teachings etc. We kindly appeal to all LEN followers and anyone willing and interested to help join hands with brother Ron, in giving support to the Kenya House Church Movement.
May you prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
Lawmakers in Honduras garnered national headlines last week when they voted to ratify a change to the national constitution that effectively bolsters the ban on abortion in the Latin American nation.
The lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favor of the amendment on Jan. 21, with a second ratification vote last Thursday solidifying what supporters call a “Shield Against Abortion in Honduras.”
“The unborn shall be considered as born for all rights accorded within the limits established by law,” the amendment reads. Language was added to the amendment stating that “it is prohibited and illegal for the mother or a third party to practice any form of interruption of life on the unborn, whose life must be respected from conception.”
Jesus said He will judge sheep and goat nations on His return can I suggest that Honduras and Brazil where abortion is a crime will be among those sheep nations. Remember the Saints will have been raptured prior to Jesus return. Jesus will return with the saints to begin His Millennial reign on this earth.
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Matthew 25:31-33
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”Matthew 25:34
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire.”Matthew 25:41
