Healing of a Nation

Whom does God love?  As a Christian, this is an easy question to answer.  John 3:16 says He loves the world and offered himself as an atonement for our sins.

Have we forgotten we are to love whom God loves?  From the words of our mouth, we can bless or curse.  We can bless or curse ourselves.  We can bless or curse others.  We can bless or curse our nation.  We can bless or curse other nations.  Remember, God loves the world.

We don't have to guess whom he loves.  If he loves the world, i.e. the people living in the world, then shouldn't we also love the world?

This seems elementary.

How do we love the world?  James says that if you see a brother or a sister without food and clothing and you say to them, "Depart in peace.  Be warmed and filled." your Christianity is useless.  We love by giving.

How do we love the world?  Another verse says to bless those who curse you and do good to those who despitefully use you.  Why?  So it is evident to the world Jesus loves them.  There is overflowing power in blessing.  It brings God into the picture and he is most definitely not weak.

Paul says we are to pursue love...to do everything in love and to "put on" love.  For between faith, hope and love...love is the greatest. To have understanding...to be able to speak in unknown tongues...to prophecy takes a back seat to love.

If you want to see our country healed, pray and bless.  If you want to see the world healed, pray and bless.  If you want the right person in the White House, pray and bless.  Love others in the same manner God does.  They may look cruddy, smelly, vile, hateful, disobedient and militant, but if you really want change, then walk in love.

"And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?"  So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' " And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"    

Luke 10:25-29 (NKJV)  

There is power and a real hope for change when the healing salve of love is applied by our words, deeds, prayers and blessings.  This ointment will heal every pox and problem known to man.



Adorably Perfect

Perfectionism, in its most extreme form, says that anything which is not perfect is unacceptable.

If perfectionists are over the top, then why do we think it important to have our hair and makeup perfect...our clothes, shoes and bag perfect and of course our car perfect.  Really what we mean by "perfect" stems from our idea of what we think we should be...what we should look like...what others think of us.  We want to be the top of the top in everything we do because that would mean we could accept ourselves as complete.

The Book of James, once my most hated book of the Bible, has since become one of my favorites.  James writes that there is a perfect work God does in each of us and it comes through patience.  If we are to be perfect as God is perfect, and it is a command, then we are in a world of trouble.  But the key is to walk in love as He IS LOVE.  If God could be summed up in one word, it is LOVE.  That is why James said we are not to judge because judging is evidence we are not walking in love.

We all know the scripture which tells us to love God, our neighbor and ourselves.  The entirety of the Bible can be summed up with this one "love" command.

I would have to say that many perfectionists are fearful people, but God's perfect love casts out fear.   It is not about the grade you make, the clothes you wear or what others think of you.  It is about looking into the Law of Liberty and seeing ourselves for who we are...loved of God so we can love others.

We can accept ourselves because God has accepted us.  He didn't short change us in a particular area we struggle in, he gifted us in another.  That gift is perfect when God gets his hands on it.  It is perfect for the purposes he has in our lives.  It is perfect because He loved you enough to specially pick it out like a loving Father picks out just the right gift for his adorably perfect girl.

 You see, in His eyes, he saw you through LOVE.  Yes, he knew you were not perfect, that is why the perfect sacrifice was made on your behalf.  He accepted you because He loved you.  If He can accept you, then perhaps you should not see yourself as unacceptable.

God's love is amazing.  It spurs on the faint of heart to trust Him when He asks you to do something impossible. His love helps you get out of your comfort zone (i.e. the fearful zone) because you have a loving Father who is cheering you on even when you are less than perfect.

Remember, loving yourself is one of the top three commands God gave!

James 1:4

"But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

James 1:17

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

James 1:25

 "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."