Is Love Enough?

Is Love Enough, that's the Question?

I have grown tired of hearing the modern day Pharisees, as they spout off about the "weak and shallow" message being conveyed today. A message focused on "the hope" and "the love of God". That preachers need to dig deeper and hold the line on the "serious Gospel message". 

Perhaps I'm just having a tough week and I should cut them some slack but I believe they are completely wrong and more importantly I believe that it is the cynical and legalistic "theology" of our more conservative brothers that is destroying and distorting the true message of our Lord and Savior. 

John 3: ^16-18"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. (From "the Message")

Can this be said any more clearly? God sent Jesus to reconnect with Man and set us free!

I am amazed at the lack of real life experience that so few of these Pharisees possess. Smothered in degrees, up to their eyeballs in Academia, completely out of touch with the modern man and his challenges and struggles. How can they begin to understand what people need to hear from God and their local church?

It is hard to believe sometimes that we are reading the same Bible and have arrived at such different and opposing conclusion.

If the modern day church wants to reach the modern day man, we need to become sincere and passionate about telling people how much God loves them, why He loves them and why they should get to know Him.

Read Luke 10: 25-37, The Good Samaritan, and consider the church today.

Tell someone how much God loves them, tell them of your relationship with the one and only God in Heaven. Tell them about the creator of heaven and earth and how, before He spoke a single star or planet into existence He thought about them, He designed them, He loved them!

(Ephesians 1)

Never grow tired or weary of telling people of Gods love for them, it is the strongest rock, the greatest and most profound truth of all Scripture.

Love People!

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Job requirements?

One day about 18 years ago I was sitting in my living room reviewing a class I wanted to offer to our church. A Parenting Seminar for parents of young children, I have always wanted to share what I have learned about parenting with other parents to help them to be the best parents they can be.

I will never forget this one idea that was presented by child psychologist Dr Kevin Leman. He said “You are required to have a license to drive a car to sell insurance and practice law but not to be a parent, one of the most important jobs on the planet”
He quietly presents a serious question. Should there be a requirement to be a parent? A more direct question should be, how do you prepare someone who is about to become
a parent?

I have been asking myself the past few days, should there be a requirement to be able to call yourself a Christian. This is of course an impossible question, no answer is right or wrong and it is unenforceable on every possible level.

However think for just a moment how low is the bar set?

What should be the standard required to EARN the title ”Christian”?
What do you think?

Your family is Christian?
You believe in God?
You pray?
You read the Bible?
You are “Saved” ? (You have invited Jesus into your heart and have excepted the gift of salvation)
You attend church?
You tell others about your relationship with God?
You attend Bible College?

I hope you are thinking about your relationship with God, what does it look like.
You and I have been given an important job. It is both incredibly simple and very complex at the same time.

The simple - Deliver a message to the world.
The complex – Understand the message we are to deliver

Our message is this “God loves you and forgives you”. Jesus left no question of his intent in John 12: 47 "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.
Also John 3: 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

No matter where you fall in the list above, this is your message to the world. Jesus loves you. It’s the perfect message, it fits everyone you meet. It is the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus our Christ.
Just keep saying that over and over, then start praying about that over and over.
Jesus loves you!

See you in Church!

Ps Steve