Unconditional

Revelation 3:19

“There is nothing you can do, to keep God from loving you.”

-Ell

To Be Loved

Ezekiel 34:11-16

Song by Jackie Wilson

Someone to care
Someone to share
Lonely hours
And moments of despair

To be loved to be loved
Oh what a feeling
To be loved

Someone to kiss
Someone to miss
When you’re away
To hear from each day

To be loved to be loved (to be loved)
Oh what a feeling
To be loved

Some wish to be a king or a queen
Some wish for fortune and fame
But to be truly truly truly loved
Is more than all of these things

Someone to kiss
Someone to miss
When you’re away
To hear from each day

To be loved (to be loved)
To be loved (to be loved)
Oh what a feeling
To be loved

Although this song by the late Jackie Wilson was purposed to touch the hearts of those longing for eros love, it’s words can also be compared to the unconditional, agape love God shows to those who are His own. If we really knew the full extent of God’s love for man, we would develop such a feeling in our souls, the likes of which cannot be compared to anything man has ever experienced.

As God’s chosen people, the children of Israel took for granted, God’s unmerited favor toward them. When God would bless them, they would rebel. When Israel fell into trouble (because of their disobedience), God would deliver them with a mighty hand. God provided for Israel everything they needed, and they lacked no good thing, so long as they remained faithful to the words of the Lord.

Israel is still going through the stages of Bible prophecy, and many seem to have fallen away, but according to Scripture, God will restore His people, and do great works through them in the earth.

God’s love never fails, nor does He give up on those who are His. Oh what a feeling, to be loved by the One who created everything! Oh to be loved by the One who gives the breath of life daily, keeps us in good health, sustains our well-being, and protects us from seen and unseen dangers. God loves you beyond what your little three pound brain can comprehend, and He isn’t fickle as men are, who waver in their love for others. To be loved by the God of all creation, is a wonderful thing! Never forget, you are special to God, and He will love you better than anyone can, until the end of time, and beyond!

My First Love

Hosea 2:14-23

“Hindsight is always 20/20”, and people usually see situations more clear, after experiencing them first-hand. These sayings are especially true in circumstances where some have failed to appreciate the kindness and generosity of others, until that person removed themselves from their company. A similar saying that applies to this is, “you don’t know what you got, till you lose it”.

Living as a Christian, in these days, is extremely challenging, as men often take our kindness for weakness, but the moment their lives take a turn for the worse, they remember those who once showed them compassion, eventually seeking them for comfort. God dealt with this continually from the children of Israel, during the time when they willingly entertained evil influences, and ignored His chastening. They failed to appreciate all that God was gracefully providing for them, and chose to find pleasure in things the Father despised. This situation happens in many homes across the country, as parents work tirelessly to provide for their children, then witness their lack of appreciation, and resistance to abide by their teachings. It would break my heart, to see the son or daughter I raised and provided for, turn their face away from me, and connect with those who operate under standards contrary to what was established in my home. Children today, are easily distracted by the many influences of the world, so it’s vital that parents establish solid Bible standards as early as possible, to train their kids to recognize truth from lies, at an early age.

God loved Israel, but hated their sins, yet He promised to give them bountiful blessings, as soon as they grew weary from their sinful living, and remembered how good they had it, before they left their first love. God’s love isn’t fickle and frail as the love portrayed by the world, but He offers love unconditional, and reserves blessings for those who remain true to His Word.

Have you left God’s love for someone else’s? If so, do you finally see the difference in the love offered by the Father, compared to that of carnal men? Turn away from all those things that do nothing to help you grow spiritually, and return to your first love. Let God prove to you, that what he offers, can bless your life now, and throughout eternity.

Walk in love,

Ell

Conditional love

1 Kings 9:1-9

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of, “Conditional Love”! Starring, the wisest man ever created, king Solomon, and the creator of all things, God the Father, Himself! I’m your host, “holyell”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

Solomon: (speaking to his workers) Alright men, you’ve done exceptionally well. After 20 long years, we finally finished building the house of the Lord, my house, and all the other things we thought would be pleasing to the Lord. All your hard work will not go in vain, and expect for God to work wonders in your lives, for how you dedicated yourselves to doing His work.

(Men return to their homes, and Solomon goes to his home to rest)

God: (speaking to him in a dream) Solomon.

Solomon: Hello Father. It’s nice of you to visit me again. Have you noticed that we finally finished building the temple, in honor of your name? It took a while, but I wanted it to be the most wonderful place in the world, just as my dad had envisioned it would be.

God: Yes I noticed, and I love it!

Solomon: I knew you would be pleased!

God: I also heard your prayers and supplications that you made before me. This house you built for me, I place my stamp of approval on it, and deem it holy.

Solomon: I am honored Father, and I submit myself the more to your will.

God: It is my desire to put my name forever in the temple, but there are certain conditions that must first be met.

Solomon: Conditions? What do you mean Father? Have I not already proven myself worthy to be called your son, as my father David before me?

God: You’re indeed an obedient one, but many have started out well, then fell short in the end. Fear not, I have all the confidence in you to uphold my standard throughout your reign.

Solomon: Coming from you, that means everything to me.

God: If you walk before me, as your father David walked, with integrity, and uprightness, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and also keep my statutes and judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom upon Israel forever, as I had also promised to your father David.

Solomon: You have my word. I will be obedient to your commands, and walk in integrity, as my father David did.

God: (nods His head)

God: But, if you, or your children turn from following me, and refuse to keep the commandments and statutes I have set before you, and go to serve and worship other gods, then all the “happy happy joy joy” will turn to cries of sorrow, because I will remove Israel from the land I have given them, cast this house you built for me out of my sight, and make Israel the talk of the town, for their disobedience.

Solomon: Father, I do not want that to come upon your people. I promise to do my best to keep your name holy, throughout the land.

God: We shall see Solomon. But, if the people forsake me, then all these things shall come upon them. I love you, and my people, but they must obey me, in order to receive the benefits of my unconditional love.

(Solomon continues to dream peacefully, after his visit from the Lord)

This concludes another episode of, “Conditional Love”! Thanks for tuning in.

Walk in love,

Ell

Plea for God’s steadfast love

2 Chronicles 6:40-42

“Choo Choo trains” (as I called them during my childhood) are wonderful means of transportation, that have provided services since the early 1800s. Trains come in a variety of types, and serve a number of beneficial purposes, but before trains can be of any use, tracks must first be laid, so that the various trains can reach their intended destinations, and serve their desired purposes. Without tracks set in place, a train could not properly travel anywhere, and would more than likely cause more damage and destruction, than good. On the contrary, when trains are set in motion, and following the right path, nothing can stop them from reaching their destination, especially once they have picked up momentum.

I mentioned the example of trains, to draw similarities with the importance of prayer, and how it can affect the life of believers. In the same way trains require tracks to serve any purpose, the believer cannot be effective, except their lives be aligned with the will of God. God’s will is the track all believers must follow, in order to be effective in their calling. Just as a train traveling off its tracks would be a definite disaster, a child of God living outside the realm of godliness, would no doubt set themselves up for a world of shame and misery.

While God’s will is the believer’s train track, His steadfast love sets the destination. All members of the body of Christ, are precious cargo, carrying the message of salvation around the world, and effective prayer is mandatory to ensure their witness will be effective. In prayer, requests are made known to God, in hopes that He’ll respond in our favor, but what we pray for must also be aligned with what He desires for us.

Solomon did a great thing in building God’s temple, but he recognized the importance of keeping His presence of love there as well. Are your prayers to God motivated by love? Do you make requests only to satisfy selfish desires? If you’ve veered off track in your walk with God, pray that His steadfast love directs you safely back to your proper place in Him, so that you can continue choo choo’n, and spreading the message of His saving Gospel.

Walk in love,

Ell

God’s forgiveness may involve hard judgments

Numbers 14:26-30

It matters not how long and hard a person tries to cover sin and disobedience, for judgment will always render just payment, because the wages of sin is death. God has patience that far exceeds our finite understanding, but there comes a time when we cause Him to render disheartening punishment upon our own lives. God is love, and His love is everlasting, unconditional, and given free of charge, but there’s one thing He will not tolerate on a consistent basis, and that is sin.

It’s because of sin, the original plan for creation was altered, and the world today is in its current state, but God’s forgiveness is the only genuine remedy offered to men, by which to escape sin’s consequences. I’m fully convinced that God desires for every man to surrender their hearts to Him, but knowing that many will refuse, He’s prepared to execute judgment on all who reject His priceless salvation.

An example of such judgment came down on the children of Israel, who followed Moses and Aaron through the wilderness. Time, and time again, the people murmured and complained against God, so much until they even rebelled, while willingly participating in acts contrary to what they were commanded to abide by. Whenever God made up in His mind to destroy the stiffnecked people, Moses would stand between them and God, then render a prayer of intercession. Fortunately for the people, God honored Moses’ prayers, but their disobedient behavior had reached a point where God knew their hearts were hardened, and unwilling to change. For this reason, God spoke to Moses, and Aaron, then posed this question, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?” Put yourself in God’s shoes for a moment. Better yet, think of those times when your children, or kids you were assigned to watch over, refused to listen to, and abide by your words. Not only did they reject the things you told them, but they even gave a bad and snobby attitude along with it (reminds me of little Jr. from the Problem Child movies). You wanted so badly to punish them until they spoke another language, but you held back judgment, because you had hope that they would change.

I think back to a time when I lived in Orlando, and had to babysit one of my nephews, until his dad was allowed leave from the army to come pick him up. I left him alone for ten minutes in my house, and told him I’d be back shortly. I also told him not to touch anything, and be good, then uncle Ell would give him something nice (my roommate was in the other room, so he wasn’t in the house alone). Well, when I returned, that little five year old rascal took all my toilet paper and decorated the house, as if toilet paper was cheap! As bad as I wanted to disciple that little V.R. Trooper, I had mercy on him, and still treated him to something nice. God allows us to make mistakes, but when those “mistakes” become habits, it’s necessary for Him to take action.

God eventually replaced His patience for the children of Israel, with judgment, and there was nothing Moses, nor Aaron could do to stay His hand. These were the same people who witnessed God’s miraculous works, and enjoyed all the benefits of His divine glory and revelation, but they never submitted themselves totally to God, thus causing Him to remove His glory from them.

What is the conversation between the Father, and the Son, concerning your life at this moment. If you could listen in on God’s thoughts about how you’re living today, would you be confident that He would be pleased with how you manage your time on the earth, or would He be inches away from rendering judgment based on how you live?

Walk in love,

Ell

Hold fast to God’s love

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 2 John 4-11

Can you remember a time when you held fast to something you valued, for fear that you could possibly lose it? Whether it was a hat passed on to you from generations of family members that you pressed down tightly on your head, so as to not lose it in the blowing winds, or precious jewelry you refused to give to a robber, because it held sentimental value, we’ve all had moments when we were afraid of losing something we treasured, so we clung tightly to it. Oftentimes, those things we value the most, are irreplaceable, so we tend to guard them, so that we can hold on to them as long as time will allow. The same way we cling to material things that we value, should be how we hold fast to God’s love as well. The love of God is irreplaceable, unconditional, genuine, and full of purpose.

We live in a time where there are countless deceivers competing for our attention, because their purpose is to distract the body of Christ from the things He taught in the Word. When we hold fast to God’s love, we’re acknowledging Him in all areas of our lives, thus allowing us to stay on guard, and not be so easily deceived by the enemy. Our knowledge and understanding of life is limited, so it’s essential that we trust in the God who knows the beginning from the end. It’s imperative that believers study and meditate on God’s Word daily, because this will strengthen their faith in Him, as well as equip them with knowledge and understanding of what the Father expects from them.

The apostles Paul and John were well aware of those deceivers and antichrists, who confessed that Jesus Christ did not come in the flesh. Those same evil spirits infect people today with the same false doctrines, but we who know God, know the truth also. The doctrine of Christ is true and eternal, and we are not to fellowship with those who transgress, and abide not in Christ’s doctrine, because they have not God, and desire only to pull us away from His steadfast love. The danger in entertaining those who teach false doctrine is that we would be considered partakers of their beliefs as well, which would also mean that we’ll partake in their judgment also, if we don’t repent. God’s love is all we need to live a purpose-filled life. All other doctrines and belief systems formulated by satan have no value, and can only lead to your eternal demise.

Walk in love,

Ell

Love as I have loved you

John 15:12-17

The love shared between Christ and the Father is at a level beyond normal human comprehension. I say that, because the way the world portrays love involves more feelings and emotions, whereas the love of God is revealed through consistent, pure actions. While it holds true, God feels what we feel here on the earth, feelings do little to move Him. God loved the world so much, He proved it by giving His Son to save it. Imagine if God’s response to our prayers was words of comfort and advice, instead of actions. Whenever you needed an answer to your prayers, He would respond with something like, “Oh my child, I hate to see you suffer, I hope things work out for you. See you Sunday morning!” We’d consider His love to be futile, because there are no actions attached. Jesus described the greatest level of love displayed to men, as one who lays his life down for his friends. Is your love for others so strong, until you’d give your life to save someone else’s? When we grasp the understand of how God loves, we’ll begin to see life from a better perspective. Unlike the love of men that sees needs, then contemplates if offering assistance will benefit themselves, God’s love meets, and sometimes exceeds the needs of others, without hesitation.

Jesus commanded His disciples to love each other, as He had loved them. One would presume this to be an easy task to accomplish, because they had walked with Christ long enough to witness His love on numerous occasions. The love Christ shared with His followers was so deep, until He even considered them friends, rather than servants. Servants do as they are instructed by their masters, but friends trust each other enough to share even those secret things. This world is full of hate, violence, and many other wicked behaviors. When the church displays love amongst each other, the world notices it, and pays close attention to how they’ll treat them as well. The biggest turn-off to effective witnessing is when Saints fight and bicker in the presence of unbelievers. These acts have the potential to put a strain on spreading the Gospel in certain areas. Christians must be mindful of how they treat fellow believers, especially in the company of those seeking a better way. Loving one another as Jesus did, will yield more positive benefits, as opposed to lashing out at each other.

We were chosen by God to bear fruit, produce eternal works, and stay connected to God, so that our prayers will continually be answered. Just as a child’s behavior can determine the benefits bestowed to them by their parents, God watches us at all times, monitoring our actions, and recording our responses in all situations. Make life a little easier on yourself by loving others, as Christ has loved you.

Seek peace,

Ell