This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Matt 13:44-46.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

LOVE’S TREASURE

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matt 13:44-46).

These are twin parables. They resemble but each has its own individuality. What is common to both? In each one, a man found something very expensive. Each man sold all he had to buy what he has found. Each man rejoices in its complete purchase.  The two parables show two attributes of the Kingdom of God: It is extremely valuable, and it is always victorious. The secrets of the Kingdom are deep, hidden bellow the surface of this world. Only Christ can open your eyes to see, to find, and to appreciate them. Christ is the man who finds the treasure and the pearl. He sells everything He has to buy them. The Church (the believers chosen by grace) are the treasure and the pearl. The treasure is made of many gold coins. The pearl is only one, to be placed on the crown of the King of kings. Both parables show the effort and reward of love.

The parable of the treasure hidden in the field

The field is the world. It is the system of men who live like there is no God. In the world, there is corruption, sadness, and failure. In the midst of this desert, a man finds the oasis of a treasure. The treasure is the Church made from many coins, or many believers. The man hides the treasure back into the field. He does not buy only the treasure. He sells all He has to buy the whole world. The value of the world is the treasure it contains. Both the believers and the world are bought by Christ. He is the Man who found the treasure. Christ is the creator of the world and the redeemer of the believers. He sold all He had in heaven to buy His Bride. He is the owner of the world, but His special interest is in the Church, the chosen believers. “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Pet1:18,19). We were bought at the Cross. The price paid was the Blood of Jesus! We are “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2). This joy Jesus saw ahead was the Church, the believers, His siblings, His Bride.

The most expensive treasure was found in the UK. A daily worker called Terry Herbert, bought a metal detector for 2,5 English Pounds. He was hired to work as a daily farmer. He used his metal detector and discovered a box filled with gold coins. It contained a total of 5,1 Kg of gold, 1,4 Kg of silver coins and 3500 pieces of jewelry. It was estimated that it has been buried since the 7th century. It is estimated at 7 million $. The royal family took possession of the treasure, and it is now displayed in a museum in the UK. Mr. Terry was given 3 million $.     

The Parable of the Pearl

This parable is similar with the one above but with a difference. In the Parable of the Treasure, the man stumbles upon a treasure. In this Parable, the man is ‘a merchant’ who is actively looking for beautiful expensive pearls. He is ready to sell everything he has to buy the most beautiful Pearl he can find. He knows the difference between a genuine pearl and a fake one. He appreciates the true pearls. 

Many interpret this parable that Christ is the Pearl of Great price. This cannot be true. Because sinners do not seek for God. “There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God” (Rom 3:11). Sinners are not ready to sell all they have to ‘buy’ Jesus. When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, He wanted to know what ‘he still lacks’ to gain eternal life. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Matt 19:21-22). This is the truth; sinners are not ready to sell their possessions to find Jesus.

The true interpretation is that Christ is the Merchant Man who is seeking for His Church, for us, the true believers. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk 19:10). It is the shepherd who seeks for the lost sheep, not the other way. Lastly, Christ cannot be purchased by anything man has. He is God’s Gift to men, sent to die to save them from eternal death. Eternal Life is not bought with money. Salvation is by Grace alone, thru faith alone, to the glory of God alone!

The most expense pearl in the world is called La Pelegrina (The Pilgrim). It was found by a slave. Because of this, his master gave him his freedom. It was sold in 2011 for 11,8$.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph 5:25). Remember this: Christ Loved the Church. The Pearl is only one. That is the Church. The Treasure is made of many coins. These are the individual believers. We shall never know how much it costs our Lord to buy the Church. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Christ brought the Pearl so that He can be glorified in it. There are many precious stones in the earth: diamonds, rubies, etc. But none of this is the product of a living organism. The oyster is injured by a grain of sand. The oyster covers the foreign body with a substance she produces. This is how she makes a beautiful pearl. The pearl is made in the secret place. Only Christ sees you as you were made in your mothers’ womb. The Pearl is made gradually. It takes pain and patience to produce beauty. A pearl symbolizes pain that produces praise. The Church is formed from the injury of Christ at the Cross. When Christ died, He went deep into the ocean of hell to find the Pearl. He has drawn us out of many waters. “He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me” (Ps 18:16, 17). Worship the Lord!     

              

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of Jude 1:1-25.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

THE NOMINAL CHRISTIANS

There is an increase of nominal Christianity in many churches. It is dangerous to be a nominal Christian. True Christians are also in danger by being ignorant of this infiltration. The presence of false Christians is a serious concern to any pastor who is truly born again. The increase of nominalism reduces the power of the church to lift up Jesus, to change the world and to usher true revival. Generally, nominalism is described as empty formalities and ceremonies with no influence on people. It means having a title, but no authority connected with that title. For example, a nominal king is a king that has no power; he is just a figurehead. His title is useless.

A nominal Christian is a religious person who claims to be a Christian and attends church, but he (she) is not saved. The nominal Christian is a Christian in name only.  There is very little about his life that reflects the truths of Jesus Christ and the gospel. Nominal Christians are church goers. They seem faithful to church attendance, especially on Sundays. They are also called ‘Sunday-Sunday Christians’. They proudly belong to a church or a denomination. They quote scriptures, they want their families to come to church, they owe a Bible, they give offerings to church, but they are not saved. To them, Christianity means going to church on Sunday. They view religion as a social benefit and not as a spiritual transformation. Faith in God is not part of their daily life, in making decisions. There is a radical difference between the nominal Christian and the baby Christian. The first one is spiritually dead and the second one is spiritually alive. They may look the same for some time but eventually, the baby Christian starts making spiritual progress that will be evident to all. The nominal Christian attends church for years but his life does not change at all. He is still the same. Selah!

What is the cause of nominal Christianity? The first reason is superficiality, laziness. To become a nominal Christian is much easier than to repent and surrender your life to Christ, desiring true salvation. The second cause is legalism. This starts from believing a false Gospel. People imagine that just by doing good works in the church, or by changing some few sinful habits, they go to heaven. They are ignorant of God’s Grace, and they lack a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. A third reason is the environment. If you live in a country or an area where it is fashionable or beneficial to be called a Christian, then you become one. These are countries in the world where Christianity is the official religion: England, Norway, Denmark, Costa Rica, Georgia, Greece, Malta, Monaco, Serbia, and the Vatican city. These are some African countries where Christianity is the official religion: Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Rwanda, and Namibia. Most of the countries in the world are secular, having no particular religion. Others are Islamic countries.  Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious state. The constitution states that Nigeria is a secular state, and that no government or state can adopt any religion. The two main religions in Nigeria are Christianity (mostly in the south) and Islam (mostly in the north). Based on research, the number of nominal Christians is by far higher in the south than in the north.

The resurrected Christ addressed the Nominal Christians in His letter to the church at Sardis. He said: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev 3:1). The nominal Christian walks on a dangerous path. He has a false hope of ‘making heaven’. He resists the true Gospel. He refuses to repent and truly convert. The genuine Christian surrenders unconditionally to Christ and receives the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in his heart is the major sign of a true believer. The nominal Christian may pray in tongues, but he knows nothing about the Holy Spirit. He lacks this power working in him ‘both to will and to do’ God’s pleasure (Phil 2:13). He is spiritually weak. The baby Christian starts to hate sin and he repents from it. But the nominal Christian does not hate sin. He can only hide it from others. The true Christian sees the world with different eyes. The world is the system of men who live like God does not exist. The world is the enemy of the Kingdom of God. Once the true believer becomes saved, he sees the world thru the eyes of Christ. He used to love the world, with its wealth and fame, but now, he is dead to its attraction. The nominal Christian still loves the world. There are many politicians who say that they are Christians, but they love the world, with its lusts and sinful entertainment. To be a friend of the world means to be an enemy of God (Jam 4:4).

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” (1 Jn 2:18, 19). Apostle John connects the nominal Christians with the Spirit of the Antichrist. This is a religious spirit that brings people to church, but they are not saved. They can only feel comfortable in a church where the true Gospel is not preached. Once the pastor preaches the Cross, they leave that church, and they criticize it. May the Wind and Fire of Pentecost in our church do the work no man can do! Jesus is Lord!

SPOTS IN THE LOVE FEASTS (Jude 1:1-25)

Brother Jude introduces himself as ‘a bondservant of Jesus Christ and a brother to James’. He was half-brother to Jesus Christ and full brother to James, a leader in the early church. He was not an official leader in the church. He did not introduce himself as the brother, but as bondservant of Jesus. This is genuine humility. He greets the believers wishing them multiplication of mercy, peace, and Love! Jude is concerned with the state of the church. He warns the believers against the false teachers, the nominal Christians, who have infiltrated the church. He calls us to spiritual warfare, ‘to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.’ This ‘faith’ is the Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected. There is a false gospel preached by false teachers. As a Christian, you must be sure that you know what the Gospel is. It is not just a general idea about Jesus. The Gospel is made from clear doctrines and can be defined and thought accordingly.

Jude describes the false teachers (preachers, pastors, prophets) and God’s judgment on them.

*They are wicked men. They are religious unbelievers. They came in the church secretly, like illegal immigrants who have no visa. “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). They say that God’s grace gives us freedom to live in the flesh, to commit sexual sins. They reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They do not submit to God or to the delegated authority in the church.

*God “destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 1:5). They are religious but do not have a genuine faith in God the Father and God the Son.

*These dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries” (Jude 1:8). Their authority is not from the Bible, but from their dreams and prophecies. They ‘defile’ (pollute, stain) their bodies. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are to keep them clean and holy. But these people don’t care about their bodies. They proudly commit sexual immorality. They do not submit to any authority in the church. They speak ‘evil’ of leaders in the church. They are rude. Love is never rude! Selah! 

*They “speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves” (Jude 1:10). They are ignorant of God and of His Word. They are bold enough to insult things they are ignorant of. They cover up their ignorance with loud extravagant sentences. They insult the true teachers. They are like dangerous wild animals, without self-control in speech or behavior. 

*They are cursed, and not blessed by God. “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah” (Jude 1:11). They are haters like Cain, ready to kill anyone. They love money and fame like the false prophet Balaam, who deceived the Israelites to commit sexual immorality so that God will punish them. They are like Korah who led the rebellion against Moses, the God approved and instituted leader for the Israelites. Balaam died by the sword and Korah died by God’s judgment.

*These “are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 1:12, 13). These false teachers are ‘spots in your love feasts’. In Greek, the word ‘spots’ means hidden rocks in the sea. The captain of the ship is warned to avoid such rocks that can damage and sink the ship. They pretend to love the Christians, but they are very dangerous. By their words and actions, they wound and betray the brethren. They ‘feast without fear’. They are shameless in their wickedness. Their conscience is dead. They ‘serve only themselves’. The word ‘serve’ is the same as the word ‘feeding’. A true shepherd feeds his sheep with fresh green grass, which is the Word of God. These false teachers do not preach the Word of God. These false pastors leave their congregation hungry. They only care about themselves. Love is never selfish, but these people are completely selfish. Jesus commanded Peter, and all the pastors: ‘Feed My Sheep… take care of My lambs’ (Jn 21:15-17). These people are totally ignorant of the commands of Jesus! They use their positions to ask for money and favors from others. They are ‘clouds without water carried about by the winds.’ Clouds without rain are almost useless to the earth. They are driven by any wind of doctrines. They are not stable in their preaching. They are ‘late autumn trees without fruits, twice dead’. A baren tree, without fruits and no roots is twice dead and useless to men. They increase the expectations of men, by telling them that during the autumn season there will be a great harvest. But these are lies. There are no fruits. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (PV 13:12). They are ‘wondering stars’ that have gone astray into the deepest darkness of the sky. Like the waves of the sea, they are restless and dangerous.

*These people “are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage… 18 There would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 1:16, 18). These are all sins of the tongue: 1. They are grumblers. 2. They follow after their own lusts and speak arrogantly. 3. They flatter people for their own gain. Flattery is very common in the church. These false teachers mock the true believers. They are not led by their flesh, their ungodly lusts. Many church leaders have been caught in sexual immorality and financial scandals, dishonoring the name of Jesus.

*These “are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit” (Jude 1:19). The root of the problem concerning these false teachers is spiritual. They are of the world. They are ‘sensual’, of the flesh. The ‘flesh’ is what man has inherited from Adam, the totality of man that is NOT under the influence of the Holy Spirit. These people are like animals, ruled by their natural instincts. They do not have the Holy Spirit. Jesus said about the Holy Spirit: “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (Jn 14:17). Paul also said: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1Cor 2:14). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, love, and unity among the brethren. Any other religious spirit brings division in the church. God will surely judge these false teachers. Their place is in hell.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20, 21). We are commanded to do three things: 1. ‘to keep ourselves in God’s Love’; 2. ‘to build ourselves up in the most holy faith’; 3. To look for the mercy of Jesus!

“Keep yourselves in the Love of God” (Jude 1:21). How does God love? The way a mother (father) loves her baby. It is unconditional, sacrificial love. The baby does not love the mother. It is the mother who loves her baby. She takes care of the baby day and night. The mother is not rich, but she will never sell her baby for any amount. She spends money for her baby. The baby does not spend any money to buy something for his mother. When the baby is sick, the mother does not sleep. She takes care of her baby. As you can see, God loves us first.

What does it mean to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God’? It means to live in that reality. All plans and decisions are done in that consciousness. This creates an atmosphere of love. Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you” (Jn 5:42). They love religion, money, fame, the praise of men, but not God. “He who hates Me hates My Father also” (Jn 15:23). Because of our knowledge of the Love of God, there is a limitation on our lives. We cannot commit sin because we know that God loves us. We don’t want to hurt God or to grieve His Spirit. Ex. My husband likes some things. I don’t care about the same things. But because he likes these things, I do them. Why? Because I love my husband! When you love somebody, you desire to please him. That means to keep myself in the love of my husband! It is the same with God. You do everything to please God. You do not grieve God’s Spirit. “The love of Christ compels us…” (2 Cor 5:14). The unbelievers care nothing about the love of God! They are careless with their thoughts, decisions, and actions. Not so with us!

We are commanded to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God’. The word ‘keep’ means to guard against enemies, against the deception of these false brethren (‘yahoo boys’ type of lovers). We are commanded ‘to keep ourselves in the love of God’. This is a command to be obeyed, not just a suggestion. This command is given to us, the believers. This command does not mean that we should behave well so that God will love us more. In Christ, we are already loved by God. God’s Love, like His Grace, is unmerited favor. What then does it mean? It means to acknowledge and abide in His Love. Practically, it means to reject every form of sin that can grieve the Holy Spirit. Jude gave us three men as negative examples: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. These were religious men. Each one did something good, but the evil they did was greater. Cain offered God a sacrifice, he worshipped God just minutes before he got angry and killed his brother Abel. He was a man of hatred. Balaam prophesied some of the most beautiful verses about Jesus, as the King of kings. But because of greed, he deceived the men of God to commit adultery with the Moabite women, and to worship their idols. He was later killed in the war with Israel. Korah was a cousin of Moses. He was a leader in the camp of Israel. Many trusted and followed him. But he became jealous on Moses and rebelled against him. God killed him and his followers. These three men committed sins against love and grieved the Holy Spirit. They went away from the spiritual territory where the Love of God covers sin. They grieved the Holy Spirit of Love. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:30-32). Lesson: God loves us unconditionally. But it is our responsibility to stay within the boundaries of His manifested love. Responsibility means to be accountable to someone for things that are under your power to control or manage. God has given us His Love, His Spirit, and His Word. We must live a life that honors Him. Like a branch connected to the vine, abiding in Christ we are totally protected from false brethren. This is the only place where the mercy of God is revealed and released, morning by morning. We must abide in His Word, Love and Spirit. This is our duty and responsibility. Being careless with our gifts and blessings, ends in punishment. May God help us all!   

“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 1:22, 23). It is a public duty to warn others against false and fake people!!! We are commanded to help the doubters and the victims of false brethren. But we are also warned not to submit of cooperate with the false brethren. We should ‘make a distinction’.

This is the recommended strategy:

1-Have mercy on some who are doubting- the doubters (these are the nominal Christians)

2-Save others by snatching them from fire- the contaminated (these are the Backsliders, the true believers who have become hurt and bitter)  

3-Save hating their clothes polluted by flesh- the contaminators (these are false Christians, wicked, tools of the devil, trying to ‘spoil’ as many believers as they can). These are the men who have secretly crept in the church to spy the liberty we have in Christ and to bring many in bondage (Gal 2:4, 5).   

We are told to intercede and save the backsliders. This is extremely dangerous work. Love alone is bold and strong enough to go close to the fire of hell and pull those going towards it. We are to show compassion (mercy), and love. We are to be wise and ‘make a distinction’. To save a backslider from the devil’s grip is hard work. We are to love the sinner and hate his sin, even the garment stained and defiled by sin.

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jam 5:19, 20). Love is a champion. Love is a Savior. Love is not easily provoked by foolishness and error. It covers many sins. It is the champion of all emotions. “Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]” (1 Pet 4:8; AMP).

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1, 2). The word ‘gentleness’ is also translated as ‘humility.’ Intercession, restoration of a backslider, is done only by those who are spiritual, genuinely humble, filled with the Holy Spirit, and acting from pure motives of love. Proud people cannot love and cannot help others in need. The danger here is to try to intercede from fleshly motives. The devil will attack and injure you. This work is as difficult and delicate as brain surgery. Any little mistake can end in bigger problems.

REEFS, WAVES, CLOUDS, TREES, AND STARS

These deceivers who crept in the church are compared with things found in nature: reefs and sea waves, clouds, trees, and stars in the sky.

“These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless; wild waves of the sea, flinging up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of deep darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 1:12, 13; AMP). These men are like ‘spots in your love feasts’ (Jude 1:12, NKJ). The real translation is this: ‘These men are hidden reefs in the sea’. A reef is a rocky structure built by corals and many other organisms in the flat bottom of the sea. Many organisms and fishes live and feed among the reefs. The greatest reef is The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It covers a surface of almost 350,000 kilometers square. Meso-American reef is the second coral reef in size, almost 1,000 kilometers long, from Mexico to Honduras. Ships that sunk become a home for many organisms in the sea and turn to reefs too. A reef can damage and sink a ship, which adds to the reef!!!  

When a ship hits the reefs, it is hard to control it and it can get stuck. It is also hard to save the people because other ships cannot get close. The ship can be damaged and get sunk. Because of their beauty and help to marine life, the reefs are protected by international law. The owner of the ship that damages the reefs may have legal problems as the fuel can spill and damage the marine life.

The false brethren who sneak in the churches are compared to these reefs. They look beautiful. They help many others. But they can hurt the true believers who ignorantly go close to them. They are fault finders. These reefs are not visible rocks. If you get close to them, they may drag you into their world and you become a reef like them. They use deception as the hunters or fishers. They trap foolish birds and over-curious fishes. They are hidden rocks. You try to get close to them, but they can hurt you badly. They are not kind. They have no mercy. You are not safe being close friends with them. True believers are filled with love. They protect others. Pray before you open your heart to other ‘Christians’. The great Titanic ship was sunk because of an iceberg! Selah!

These are waterless Clouds carried by the wind. They give false hopes, but they disappoint. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (PV 13:12). The word ‘deferred’ means something that takes a long time. The word ‘sick’ means ‘weakness.’ False hope is the main reason for spiritual ‘heart failure’. Be careful whom do you trust! Elijah was a true prophet. He did not disappoint the people. After Elijah prayed and the fire fell from heaven, he warned king Ahab that rain is coming. He sent his servant 6 times to see if there is any cloud. On the 7^th time there was a cloud that brought the long-awaited rain (1Kg 18:44). True believers are clouds filled with rain. They receive refreshments from heaven. They water others and they too are watered. They bring true hope and prosperity to others. People are thirsty. They need the water of life, the rain from the cloud. They are people who bring revival. But these fake people promise many things that they cannot perform. They are dry clouds. They quench the zeal of others. They are like dry breasts to a hungry baby. There is a curse upon such people (Hosea 9:14).

These men are like trees without roots and without fruits, twice dead. They promise men fruit, but they are barren. Jesus cursed the barren fig tree that only had leaves (Mk 11:12-25). All nominal Christians disappoint others. Selah!

These men are not gentle waves of the sea. They are wild dangerous waves that can sink a ship or swallow people walking on the beach. During the storm Jesus stopped the wind and the waves with His Word (Mk 4:35:41). Only special ships can fight and conquer these wild waves. “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked” (Is 57:20, 21). The word ‘troubled’ means to be driven away from your possession or to divorce. Mire is thick and deep mud, wet swampy sticky land. It is like quicksand. Figuratively, it means to be trapped into a difficult situation where you can lose your reputation. In Hebrew, the word ‘peace’ is Shalom. It means peace, prosperity, health, wealth, favor, and friends. Wicked are restless! They lack shalom. Spiritually, only a mature Christian can conquer these false brethren to save a victim from their spell.

These men are like moving stars. God placed the stars in the sky in specific spots. They are supposed to stay there and shine. The seamen are able to read the stars to guide themselves. The wise men followed the star to the place where Mary and the baby Jesus was. When the people see a true Christian, they are directed to Jesus. But these false brethren are not stable. They are falling stars. They do not have a fixed address. You cannot trust them. They do not direct others to Jesus. They direct people to themselves. They cause confusion. They are wandering, restless people, useless and dangerous to others. They cannot help any lost soul to find its way to God. Trust God and the true believers only!

Do spiritual warfare, expose, and resist evil. “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” (Edmund Burke, 1729-1797).

Let’s end in praise! “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless, Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion, and power, Both now and forever. Amen” (Jd 1:24,25). Some people say that backsliding is unavoidable. But that is a lie. By God’s grace you can start and finish your race filled with the Holy Spirit. God is able to keep us from stumbling into sin. Jesus washes His Bride with His Word to present her to Himself, in glory, free of any faults. Our going to heaven is filled with exceeding joy. To God be all the glory! Worship the Lord!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of 1 Cor 13:4. AMP; Matthew (Matt 5:7), and Luke (Lk 10-25-37)

We are living in what the Bible calls ‘the last days’. The powers of darkness will increase in their attacks against the believers of God. There shall be more religion but less real Christianity. Deception and wickedness will increase. Love will decrease. It will manifest especially as the preaching of the Gospel in spite of persecution. This is what the Lord Jesus said: “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:10-14). In Greek, the word ‘lawlessness’ means sin, breaking of God’s Law, and all forms of illegality. The Love of many (not all) will grow cold. Love towards God, true worship, and love towards others, will become less and less. Pride, greed, selfishness, rudeness will become fashionable. But he who stands in the faith and continues to love God and man, will be saved.      

LOVE IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him… The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him]” (Jn 14:21; NKJ, AMP).

In Greek, the word ‘manifest’ means to become visible, to appear before you, to disclose His heart in a special way. It is the deepest form of spiritual intimacy given to the true lovers and friends of Jesus, who have totally and unconditionally surrendered their lives to Him. Jesus here makes it clear that Love means obeying His Commandments. To Love Jesus does not mean to sing or dance in the church. That is only one of the manifestations of love you have in your heart for Jesus. Agape love is proven by obedience to God’s Word. Some people try to look humble in church. That is not loving God. Others try to work hard for God. They do many things in church. That is still not loving God. Jesus sets Love and Obedience in an intimate relationship. A lawless person (unrepentant sinner) does not love God!!! A man who does not study God’s Word does not love God. It is that simple! Loving Jesus is not some great heroic, act you do once in a while. No! It is everyday obedience to God’s Word, as led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If Jesus says ‘go’, you go! If Jesus says ‘sit’ you sit. If He says ‘pray’ you pray! That is Love! Many people sing and dance in church to cover up their disobedience to Jesus. Often, religion is a cover up for true love. Selah!

The commands of Jesus are hard. No flesh can obey them. Only Love has the power and the motivation to obey Jesus. For example, Jesus describes the way of the Cross like this: “A man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt 10:36-39). You must love Jesus, more than you love your family. Because of Jesus, you must ‘hate’ your family. It means that if your family tells you to disobey God’s Word, you have to refuse them and obey Jesus. In this process, you ‘lose your life’. You lose your childhood dreams; your family’s plans and ambitions for you. Because you chose to obey and follow Jesus, you will disappoint family and friends. This is called dying to self, taking your cross and following Jesus. What is the gain in this dying? Like Jesus died and rose again, you too will experience the power of resurrection. You will discover your true self, God’s plan, and destiny for you. You will find fulfilment in this life on earth and eternal rewards in heaven. Love accepts you as you are, a sinner coming to Jesus. But love will never leave you as you are. Love is like a surgeon, very harsh against ‘the cancer’ of the flesh. To Love Jesus means to trust Him as the surgeon who will kill your flesh to liberate your spirit. No other man or god can change you so radically. Love alone does it. Jesus will manifest to you as your Surgeon and as your Bridegroom. In Christ you will taste pain and joy like never before. The intimacy of sharing in His sufferings and in His glory is unique. It changes you forever. This is the power of Love!        

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy…  Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matt 5:7 NKJ; AMP;).

The scripture above is taken from the Sermon on the Mount preached by our Lord. Each sentence describes the born-again believer. The natural man cannot obey these commands. No one can be merciful except he is saved. The Lord is interested in the heart more than in the outward deeds. He is interested in the attitude more than in our actions. In Greek, the word ‘blessed’ means to be happy, someone to be envied, one who is to be congratulated. The word ‘merciful’ means compassionate, or full of pity.

“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant” (1 Cor 13:4; AMP). Love is kind and merciful. In Greek, the word kind means to serve others, to be useful doing good deeds.  

What is mercy? Mercy is defined as kindness towards your enemy, especially when he is in your power. Mercy is the twin sister to agape love. Love is the Queen! Grace is the King! Mercy is the Mother! To understand it better, we must compare mercy with grace. Both are ‘unmerited favors’ from God. Grace is unmerited favor shown to a sinner. Grace sees the sinner and his many sins. Grace saves the sinner, so that he will not go to hell. Mercy is concerned with the consequences of sins, with the deep misery and trouble that the sinner finds himself in. Mercy is sorry for the sinner who suffers and does something to help him. Mercy is not just a feeling of compassion. Mercy has feelings and mercy has strong arms to help. In other words, mercy=pity+help! Without doing something in action, to help the troubled man, you have not exercised mercy. Grace intervenes to save the sinner and mercy intervenes to help the sinner who is in trouble because of his sin. God is the source of both Grace and Mercy. God may choose to show mercy and help or heal a sinner in trouble. But without the work of Grace at the beginning, the sinner who was helped by mercy will still go to hell. To love your enemies or to show mercy to those in need (that you may not like) is impossible to the natural man. It is only a child of God that loves and is merciful. But even in a believer, his flesh will fight against the Spirit and find reasons why he should not show mercy. Question: are you merciful?

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22, 23). Just like agape love, God’s mercies and compassions never fail. In Hebrew, the word ‘fail’ means to come to an end, to be finished. The word ‘compassion’ means the mother’s womb where the baby is implanted and grows. Therefore, God’s tender mercies surround us, protect us, heal us to become whole. We recognize that our suffering could have been greater, if not for God’s mercy! “His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation” (Lk 1:50).

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (Lk 10:25-37)

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, you see mercy displayed. A man was beaten and left to die along the road. Two religious Jewish men, a priest, and a Levi, pass by. They may have felt pity in their hearts for the victim. The Levi even went to ‘look’ at him. But they did nothing to help him. Their behavior simply means that they had no mercy. Then a Samaritan came. He not only felt pity towards the victim, but he did something to help him. He poured wine and oil on his wounds. He carried him on his donkey. He paid for his treatment. He alone is the one who showed Love and Mercy to a needy neighbor. According to God’s word, he alone will receive mercy from men and from God. Selah!

THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:7-10). The Law of sowing and reaping is one of the fixed laws of nature. It works both spiritually and naturally. If you plant corn, you will reap corn. You cannot reap apples. If you plant a few seeds of corn, your harvest will be small. If you plant a lot of corn, you will reap a great harvest. Nobody can change this law. It is God’s law in the universe. Spiritually, the law works through our actions and words.

God said: “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease” (Gen 8:22).

“My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same” (Job 4:8, NLT). There are two men who sow: one godly and the other wicked. There are two types of seed that each one sows: The good seed is the Word of God. We speak or the good deeds we do for the glory of God. The bad seed are evil words and evil deeds. There are two types of grounds where the seeds are planted. The bad ground is the flesh (the totality of man inherited from Adam that is not under the influence of the Holy Spirit). The good ground is the Spirit. The believers alone can plant in the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Peace, etc. Cultivating this fruit pleases the Holy Spirit who has the power to give eternal life. For example, a young Christian man and woman plan to marry. Having sex before the wedding day is surely planting sinful seeds into the flesh. They experience some pleasure. But the harvest will be an emotionally damaged relationship. But if another Christian couple decide to abstain before the wedding day, they will experience spiritual and emotional bonding and intimacy in their relationship. The difference is clear. Another example: a husband and wife keep grudges. Their marriage relationship will slowly become weak. Little by little, they emotionally separate from one another. They reap am harvest of loneliness, bitterness, and anxiety.   

The word ‘deceive’ means to go astray, to wander away from the path of truth. We can deceive others and even ourselves quite easily by thinking that what we do or say does not matter. But this is the truth: Words and actions are seeds for good or for evil. Each word and each action have consequences. Speaking in the flesh means sowing sin and it will surely lead to a harvest of ‘corruption’. If you are merciful, kind and loving, you will receive the same from men and God. In Greek, the word ‘corruption’ means ruin, rottenness, decay. Speaking as led by the Holy Spirit leads to eternal life. This life is the life or God. It is not just a life without end, it is a special quality of life. It is holy and glorious. It is the life of those who live in heaven. The center of eternal life is knowing God. Jesus said: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3). Living a godly life is not easy. There is a price to pay. The flesh complains. But we are commanded not to become weak, grow weary, or faint in the process of sanctification. We should continue to listen to God’s Word, build up the faith in the heart, and speak words of faith and life, no matter the contrary circumstances. We should continue to love, be kind and do good to all people, especially to the believers. Eventually, the good harvest will come. This is God’s Law! God measures our words and deeds. The harvest will be paid in the same measure, both in quantity and quality. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Lk 6:38). “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor 9:6).

Sometimes, the harvest is delayed. But it will surely come. You need to speak the same word of truth many times, until you build enough faith to believe it. The opposite is also true. If you speak negative things often, one day, the ‘negative’ harvest will come. The Law of sowing and reaping was given by God to be a blessing to us. After sin entered, the same law worked against us as we speak lies and unbelief. For example, if you say: ‘you make me sick’ often enough, one day you will get sick. If you say ‘one day I will divorce you’ one day you will. It is a spiritual law. Believing is not a feeling! You speak God’s Word because it is in the Bible. Most of the time faith does not come immediately. It takes a long time until God’s Word settles in your heart and becomes faith and conviction. Faith is a choice to believe God’s Word. If you separate believing from confessing, there is no manifestation of your faith. The word believed in your heart, without confession, will not work for you. For example: I say that God’s Word is health to my body! “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (PV 4:20-22). I must quote this scripture to myself every day for a long time. I may still feel sick. But little by little, by the confession and hearing of God’s Word, I will be healed!

“He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit. 18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health. 19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (PV 12:17-19). The tongue of the believer speaks truth, declares righteousness, speaks wisdom, promotes health, and is established forever. The tongue of the liar speaks deceit, hurts others like a sword, and will soon be forgotten. If you complain, the words of your mouth will come to pass. For example, if you say: “I am getting worse… I am getting worse…” you will indeed get worse. Many people say: ‘but I can’t lie about it. I am really getting worse…’ That is when you need to pray for your mind to be renewed. “We have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16). And Christ was never sick.

The circumstances that you see are temporal. They do not last forever. They will change. But God’s Word and reality never changes. “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2Cor 4:18). Be careful: Fear, doubt, may look like faith, but it is not! What God says in the Bible, even if you can’t see it now, is the truth. God cannot lie! Faith 100%! Fear 0%! Doubt 0%!

When the miracle does not manifest, many people get discouraged along the way. This is the sequence: you hear the Word of God- you believe it – you confess it (many times, noy just once)- and you pray like a woman in labor, until the word becomes part of you. It may take a long time, but one day, you shall receive your heart’s desire. Borrowed faith works only for baby Christians. Until you take responsibility for your sins, you truly repent, and you pay the price for greater faith, your miracle will not manifest. Many people start with faith. They believe a promise of God and they confess it. After some time, when the results do not appear, they change their minds. They stop believing and stop confessing it. Faith has been weakened and damaged. Faith becomes doubt. God will not answer their prayer anymore (Jam 1:7). They start complaining. They get angry and bitter at God. It is not God’s Word that stopped working. It is the people who have stopped believing and confessing the Word. Faith must be combined with perseverance. This holy perseverance is sustained by fasting and prayer. Eventually, faith wins the battle. Your confession gives birth to manifestation when you have worked it out by yourself in your prayer closet. God grants your request. Faith mixed with confession leads to miracles. The Holy Spirit must seal your faith and confession with the sign of peace. Peace will help you believe with all your heart. Then a miracle will happen! If the miracle has not come there are some reasons for that: maybe it is not God’s will. it is a fleshly desire; it is not the right time; or your faith is not a conviction yet. God. Pray for wisdom for all things. The truth remains: God rewards true faith!

Apostle Paul said this: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim 1:12). You see that he speaks like a man who suffers pain to believe and know Jesus. He is free from fear, doubt, and shame. He not only believes in Jesus but he also ‘knows’ Jesus. That is ‘eternal life’ speaking here. He has come to a place of assurance in His identity and relationship with Christ. He trusts Jesus to keep his soul. He trusts Jesus to fulfill His destiny. This assurance is a great work of God done in his heart. We should desire the same. Just complaining to God is not prayer of faith. You need to tell God about His promise, then tell Him your need, and ask Him to help. We are children of God. We must speak, think, and behave like God, our Father. “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Rom 4:17). Like Jesus, we can call out the Lazarus of our circumstances and he must come forth, in His name. We need to have total faith in God, and we need to pray and prophecy the miracle. Many Christians do not take their words seriously. But God takes our words seriously. “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matt 12:36). Idle words are useless, non-working words. Idle words are dangerous too. God rejects them. God cannot use them to produce miracles. Idle words produce death.

Jesus is the High Priest of every confession, of every word from our mouth. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Heb 3:1). Jesus says that faith (believing) and speaking (confession) must be mixed together for God to remove the ‘mountain’ from your path. “So, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mk 11:22-24). Faith in God comes first. Then ‘you say’ what you believe. That is ‘the confession’ part. The internal faith and the audible words must be in harmony. You take authority in the name of Jesus, and you command with your mouth that the mountain be removed. We often complain to God, even in prayer, saying: “This mountain is getting bigger every day… My pain is getting worse… I am broke…” And the words come to pass. We do not even see that there is a problem. God’s promises are true but not automatic. It is our responsibility to store God’s Word in our hearts. There is a promise in the Bible for every legitimate need of men.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words” (PV 18:21; AMP). Actions and words have consequences. God commands that we ‘mortify’ the flesh. It means to kill its desires. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13). Pleasing the flesh, sowing to the flesh, ends in ‘corruption’. This word suggests the gradual decaying of a corpse. Spiritually, pleasing the flesh will end in weakness, in a ‘bad odor’ that will drive all people away from you. God cannot be mocked. Men think that they are free to do what they want. But they forget this law. No matter how wealthy or famous, no selfish, greedy, ungodly man, can be truly happy in life. Men like Pharoah, Herod, or Goliath have tried to mock God. They lived to regret it. Pharoah drowned. Herod was eating by worms and died. Goliath was killed by a teenager with just a stone. Fear God!

Sowing in the Spirit means to live every moment to please God, to the glory of God! The harvest is a sure eternal life. Anytime we think, we speak, or we do something having the glory of God in mind, we sow to the Spirit. Jesus said that if you help the needy for His sake, you do it for Him and He will reward you. What help can we give: food, water, clothes, hospitality and visiting the prisoners (Matt 25:31-46). We are to love and help all people but especially the brethren. A Christian who is wicked to another Christian is not only wrong, but he is a monster. One day you will meet the Christian you hated in heaven. Love seeds are planted on earth and the eternal harvest is in heaven. We are to love and do good ‘as we have opportunity’. In Greek, the word means ‘seasons.’ We see that the opportunity to plant good seeds is limited. Learn to take advantage of any little open door to do good for Christ’ sake. Don’t miss it! Worship the Lord!!!

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book of Ruth (Ru 1:1-22; 4:13-17)

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. In Greek, there are three words for love. Eros refers to sexual love. Philio refers to friendly attachment. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. In the New Testament, the word Love appears about 200 times, and it is always ‘agape’ love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for human beings. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). This is the Gospel: God the Father sent God the Son to become a Man and die on behalf of sinners. This agape Love of God ignites love in the heart of the believers. It also helps them to love their ‘neighbors’ as they love themselves. The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. It is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Agape love is a sacrificial love that saves, unites, and heals. It is the love of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ. This love saves and restores humanity in the face of sin and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. But because God is Love, as His children, we learn how to love God and people. The description of love appears in 1 Corinthians 13. These are the basic attributes of agape love: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. When we love others, we do it expecting nothing in return from them. Love trusts God alone to respond and reward the sacrifice. It is the Spirit filled lives of the Christians, their love for God and for one another that is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was like that in the early church, during the time of the Reformation and it is the same during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern], But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda]” (PV 27:6; AMP). There is something called ‘tough love’. Love is not always sweet words. Trust a friend to correct you in love! Do not trust a man (woman) who always flatters you, even when you make mistakes. Speak the truth in love even if it hurts.

Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8). Failure is defined as lack of success or inability to meet an expectation. Failure is setting a goal and not achieving it. Something stopped working or is not working as it should (ex. Heart failure, kidney failure…). In other words, Agape Love is a champion. It is always successful, never disappointed, it perseveres and never stops working until it achieves its desires. Glory to God!

LONELINESS

“A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads the prisoners into prosperity, Only the stubborn and rebellious dwell in a parched land” (Ps 68:5, 6; AMP). “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother… The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother” (PV 18:24; NKJ; AMP). “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity” (PV 17:17).

Loneliness is an unpleasant emotion, unhappiness felt by someone because he (she) does not have any friends or does not have anyone to talk to. It is described as a social pain, an intense feeling of isolation, because of lack of close connection with people. There is a difference between being alone and feeling lonely. A man can feel lonely even in the midst of a crowd. Even people who are happily married or have successful careers can feel lonely sometimes. The causes of loneliness are varied: genetic, the loss of a spouse or close friend, spending too much time on the internet, or building a selfish mindset. All people experience loneliness in this life. It can be for a short or a longer time. Transient loneliness can be good. It helps you to appreciate and improve your relationships with friends. Chronic loneliness has negative effects: depression, obesity, drug abuse, High blood pressure, and suicidal thoughts. Medical treatment for loneliness includes taking antidepressants. Social therapy includes putting more effort to connect with people in your community or attending a place of worship. Some use pets to combat loneliness.

Some groups of people experience loneliness more than others. The poor, the unemployed, foreign students, or the immigrants feel more lonely. Western culture places too much importance on the individual, and too little on the community. That is why immigrants from Asia, Africa, feel lonely in the western countries, especially if their families are not with them.

Loneliness is like a virus, like a demon. It spreads through social groups like a epidemic. For example, if a man loses his friend, for whatever reason, because of emotional pain he shuts his heart from others. He becomes afraid of more pain. He becomes suspicious on others. He will withdraw emotionally from his remaining friends. His friends will also withdraw from their own friends. It is ‘a ripple effect’. This is how the group breaks down and loneliness increases. The COVID lockdown has destroyed many relationships and increased loneliness. Studies in the US see loneliness as an emotional plague. Studies proved that attending a place of worship reduces the risk of loneliness, especially for the elderly.

Social anxiety is timidity, a form of fear that manifests when interacting with others. Those having this anxiety tend to avoid people, talk less when in public, talk even less when among strangers, lower their eyes when talking, and they feel shy. Generally, Anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the US. It manifests as trembling, panic attacks, stammering, palpitations, dizziness, or nausea. Some people take drugs or alcohol to fight this social anxiety. That may lead to alcoholism and drug addiction. Social anxiety starts during the teenage years and may last for a lifetime. It affects people. It leads to loneliness. Social anxiety is the main reason why people find it hard to marry or have close friends. These people are oversensitive to the negative signals they see in others. For example, they feel that others look fake, or dangerous. That is why they avoid them. To avoid possible rejection, they tend to focus on themselves and their little circle around them where they feel safe. They do not take the risk of having more friends. Loneliness is seen as a positive thing, an acceptable price to pay to stay happy in this difficult world.

For Christians, prayer, and attending church regularly (that includes the weekly activities) is the best way to defeat the demon of loneliness. Also, pray! Make a greater effort to become friendly to others. Like attracts like. Making friends among the brethren in the local church is risky work. But it has a great reward. So many people tell me that they tried to make friends with the pastors or with other brethren, but they have been disappointed. The greatest fear is rejection. In my experience, you have to accept the risk of rejection, the possibility of betrayal and pain, and still move on to make friends. Rejection leads to defeat, isolation, and bitterness. God’s Word says: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21). “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]” (2Tim 1:7;AMP).

What is the solution? Be like Jesus! Jesus welcomed all people. He talked to them. He prayed for them. He helped them. He balanced His social life with a necessary solitude. He often went on His own to pray to God the Father. This balance of spirituality and community life is true health. Jesus was proactive in selecting His disciples (His friends). He was the One who called them. They had a holy and healthy fellowship. For example, when they were all hungry, though Jesus could have done a miracle to provide bread for them, He did not. The disciples went to buy food. During this time, Jesus rested at the well of Jacob. He had a wonderful conversation with a Samaritan woman (John 4). Martha. Mary and Lazarus were true friends to Jesus. Before the Cross, Jesus told His disciples: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (Jn 15:15). Jesus is the ‘Friend who sticks closer than a brother’. Pray that He may send His friends to you! They will become your friends too!!!

IMPOSTOR SYNDROME

Imposter syndrome, also called perceived fraudulence, involves feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence that persist despite your education, experience, and accomplishments. Imposter feelings represent a conflict between your own self-perception and the way others perceive you. Even as others praise your talents, you always think that it is just good luck. You don’t believe you earned them on your own merits, and you fear others will eventually realize that you are a fake person.

Initially, it was believed that successful career women (especially the black women) are affected more by this mental state. But now, research has proven that men and women are equally affected by it. Generally, those who tend to be affected by this syndrome are very intelligent and ambitious people, perfectionists, superheroes, and leaders. To prove that they are not failures or fake, these people work even harder to become successful. This anxious work without rest leads to disconnect from other people, to depression, and to chronic loneliness. These people have difficulty in getting married or staying married.

These are some causes: growing up in a home where love was not manifested. The atmosphere in the home was one of competition and desiring success. The parents were over-protective and demanding. They sharply criticize the mistakes of their children. They expect too much from their children or compare the siblings in achievements. The children may do well in primary and secondary school. But when they go to university, far away from the pressure of home, living among strangers, they start to doubt their worth and identity. They feel fake.

What is the cure? Pray! Study God’s Word! Then, confess your problem to your pastor, a friend or counselor. It takes humility to acknowledge your need for help. Do spiritual warfare! Challenge your self-doubts! Reject them! Fight them until you have the victory! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Believe God’s Word: “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” (Ps 139:13, 14). Learn to give God all the glory for all your success in life! Serve God! I declare that it is well with you! In Jesus’ name, amen!

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS!

“You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you” (Jn 15:14; AMP). Because of the internet, more and more people become isolated. Friendships are rare these days. Men are affected more than the women. Only 10% of men have real friends. God declared from the beginning of time: “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). God invented marriage. That is a wonderful blessing. God also created us to live among brethren and to have quality relationships called friendships. That is why God invented the local church. Jesus died so that His Bride, the Church, can exist. In the local assembly we hear God’s Word and learn to put it into practice. We learn to love God and people. Godly friendships are God’s gift to all believers. None should be lonely! Selah!

Who is a friend? A friend is someone who is close to you, who knows you well, with whom you have a bond of mutual affection and respect. This person is not a family member. The relationship is not sexual. Other words for ‘friend’ are confidant, classmate, associate, or advocate. The opposite of ‘friend’ is ‘foe or enemy’. A friend is faithful to you. You trust him. He gives good advice, help and support when you are in need.

A relationship is called ‘friendship’ if it has three qualities: 1- It is a long-lasting, stable emotional bond; 2-It is positive, encouraging, 3-It brings the best in each other; it is helpful to both. All true friendships bring glory to God! A true friendship is free from sexual manipulation. That includes marriages too. Sex is God’s gift to the married couples only. But even sex in marriage should not be used as a weapon. If you give access to the devil, he will use money and sex to destroy marriages and friendships. Let the Holy Spirit purify your hearts and trust Him for all your relationships. No relationship can survive without deep mutual respect and true love that desires the best in others. You can have a close by neighbor as a friend, or one who is far away. Your friend can in person or online. True friendship stands the test of time and of distance.

An acquaintance is someone you like, and you meet at a party. The relationship is not deep. When you are in trouble and need help, you do not call an acquaintance. You call your friend, trusting that he will help you. A good friend is not a hireling. He does not avoid you when you are in trouble. You can be open and vulnerable with your friend. You can tell him the truth and not be afraid of betrayal. You are not afraid that he will judge you. He gives you space to express your feelings. He has sympathy for you. He cares for you. He listens to you and gives you good advice. Good friends are ready to apologize and forgive when there is a mistake, then move on with the friendship. 

Bad friends, or ‘fair-weather friends’ are like hirelings. They run away and avoid you when you are in trouble. They speak negatively about people. They tend to gossip about you to others. Good friends know that we are all different and accept you as you are. Bad friends judge you and force you to be like them. Bad friends are manipulative and pushy. Bad friends are not stable. They disappoint often. A good friendship grows with time and becomes a blessing to many. Good friends are comfortable. A good friend is a child of God who prays for you!

Experience has proven that any friendship that has Christ at the center is blessed. It has a higher quality than even the best secular friendships. It is the most stable of all relationships. Christ is indeed the best ‘glue’ that keeps relationships. It applies to the marriage bond and to other friendships. A good friendship is basically a spiritual partnership. These high-quality agape love relationships are quite rare these days. Because people hear of so many sexual (homosexual) stories, it is hard to find good, spiritual, Christ honoring friendships among brethren. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom 5:20). These last days sin increases. But grace does not only ‘increase’. It overflows in its increase. Grace is always much more powerful and effective than all sin combined. It is true that many marriages and friendships are breaking down because of sin. But all the sin the world cannot nullify the sovereign reign of King Grace, our Lord Jesus Christ. If Christ is the foundation and the pillar of your marriage or friendships with others, the gates of hell cannot destroy them. Grace always leads to glory!

RUTH – FRIEND FOR LIFE

For the ancient people of Israel, friendships were very deep. They were like a covenant of marriage. Betrayal was considered the greatest crime. Faithfulness and commitment to a covenant friend was highly appreciated and rewarded. The story of Ruth is a beautiful romantic story that started as a family tragedy. The meaning of the name Ruth is ‘Friend’. Like Ittai the Gittite, who was a faithful friend unto death to King David, so Ruth proved to be a true friend for life to Naomi. Naomi means ‘sweetness’. Ruth was “one of the women of Moab” (Ru 1:4) who got converted to Jehovah. Two times she got married to Jewish farmers from Bethlehem. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David and the daughter-in-law of Naomi. Ruth is one of the four Gentile women chosen by God to be in the lineage of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:5). Ruth’s position as a Gentile in the ancestry of David (and of Christ) signifies that all nations will be represented in the Kingdom of God.

Ruth was a Moabite. The Moabites were distant relatives to the Jews. They descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Lot was the father of Moab and Amnon, both sons of incest (Gen 19:30-38). These two tribes were enemies to Israel. Ruth got married to Mahlon, the son of an Israelite family while they were living in Moab. Later, her father-in-law, husband, and husband’s only brother all died in Moab. Naomi is now a widow, and both her sons are dead. She has no grandchildren. She hears that God has been good to Judah, her home country. They now have food. Having no reason to stay in Moab anymore, she decides to go back home.  Her two daughters in law, Ruth and Orpah decided to follow her to Judah, to a place they have neve been. Three widows go slowly on the road to Bethlehem. At one point, Naomi speaks to her daughters in law to go back to their parents. She tells them that she and them have no hope in Judah. She left Judah some years ago because there was no food there. She herself did not love Judah too much. She tells the young women that they cannot marry in Judah. They should go back and marry in Moab. Orpah weeps, kisses Naomi, and goes back. She took ‘the safest’ road. She did not see what she had lost. She will never know Jehovah, the God of Israel. We do not hear anything about Orpah again. But Ruth…

Ruth adored her mother-in-law and had great compassion for her, witnessing her pain when she lost her husband and both of her sons. Ruth could not endure to separate from Naomi or from Naomi’s God that she had come to know. Ruth and Naomi make the voyage back to Judah to the city of Bethlehem. Ruth’s testimony of faithfulness to Naomi and Jehovah God spreads all around. Boaz hears of her faith and speaks kindly to her. Like the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28, Ruth acknowledges that she does not deserve Boaz’s kindness because she is a stranger. Like Christ, Boaz blesses her with his favor, provision, and protection. Ruth is rewarded for her dedication by an invitation to eat with Boaz. Later, she marries Boaz. Here you see the manifestation of God’s grace, His unmerited favor given to all who believe, be them Jew, or Gentile.

The greatest theme in the Book of Ruth is that of Redemption. The word ‘redemption, redeemer’ occurs 23 times in the book of Ruth. Ruth believed that God is her Redeemer. A redeemer is one who is willing and able to pay a ransom, restoring the rights of another and avenging his wrongs. In the Old Testament, redemption was a moral law. If one of your relatives becomes poor, if you are willing and able, you are to help the poor relative and buy the land he sold to a stranger. “If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold” (Lev 25:25). This law was given so that the land and the people remain in the family under the protection of Jehovah God. Coming back, Naomi decided to sell the land that belonged to her late husband, Elimelech. Any of Elimelech’s family members can buy the land. Attached to the land was the condition that the buyer marries Ruth. Her first son will be counted as the son of her late husband, Mahlon, and the grandson of Naomi. The closest relative did not want to buy the land because he did not want to marry a Moabite woman. He gave his right to Boaz (Ruth 4:6). Boaz bought the land of Elimelech and married Ruth at the same time. Their first son Obed was now known as the son of Mahlon (Ruth’s first husband) and of Elimelech (Naomi’s husband). In Hebrew, the name Obed means ‘worshipper or servant of God’. He is the true grandson of Naomi. Because of Ruth’s faith in Jehovah God, the Redemer of Israel, the power of resurrection is manifested. Naomi’s dead dreams to be a mother and a grandmother have come to life. In this way, the family lineage of Elimelech did not die with his death. This is the power of redemption, of resurrection, and of Grace. Selah!

Boaz is called a “kinsman-redeemer”. Boaz means ‘strength’. The closest kinsman redeemer who refused to marry Ruth represents the Law. Boaz represents Grace.  Boaz is symbolic of the mediating work of Christ. In Moab, Ruth worshipped Chemosh, the supreme deity of Moab. His name means ‘destroyer’. He was a god of war without any mercy. When Moab defeated another country, all the prisoners of war were sacrificed to Chemosh. The Bible calls Chemosh ‘the abomination of Moab’ (1Kings 11:7). King Solomon married Moabite wives and worshipped Chemosh alongside Jehovah. That made God angry. King Josiah destroyed the false religion of Baal and Chemosh in Israel. Ruth comes to discover that Jehovah God is not like Chemosh. Jehovah is a God of truth, justice, and also of mercy. He has compassion on the poor, widows, orphans, and the foreigners. He is the Redeemer of Israel. Her faith in Jehovah made her to sacrifice her natural family and a life in Moab. Like Abraham, her faith gave her the courage to follow Naomi to a land where she did not know. Ruth believed God’s Word. “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God” (Is 44:6). No other deity or god saves or redeems. Like Job, Ruth can confidently say: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another” (Job 19:25-27). Christ is our Redeemer who “has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13, 14). Redemption is found in Christ alone who paid with His blood for our freedom from sin. Salvation means translating from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of light and love. Faith in The Redeemer of Israel gave Ruth the courage to be a true friend to Naomi. She believed that her future is better than her past, that she will be a mother of children, that her children will be thought by God Himself and will experience great peace on earth. Her faith in God helped her to believe that no weapon formed or fashioned by Chemosh, or any other idol can kill her or her descendants (Isaiah 54). Selah!

Ruth has excellent qualities as a servant of God and a true friend to Naomi: Love, faith, and perseverance! Ruth has great faith in God and true love for Naomi. She believed that Jehovah God is who He says He is. She believed that for God, nothing is impossible. She believed that there is always hope with God. It was her faith in God that carried Naomi on, especially when Naomi was backsliding. Because of the loss of her husband and sons, without any grandchildren, Naomi becomes bitter. She calls herself ‘Mara’ meaning ‘bitter’. Ruth was a young believer. Naomi was an old believer. Here we see the power of love in Ruth’s heart, that gave her the courage to follow the bitter Naomi, and to help her even when she lost all hope for a brighter future. Ruth interceded for Naomi and loved her during the time she needed help the most. This is Love! This is true friendship!

Ruth was not forced to love and follow Naomi. It was Love that made her do that. “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Rom 7:1-4). Apostle Paul says that ‘the law has dominion over a man only as long as he lives’. Once a man dies, he is free from God’s law. God gave His law to tell us who He is, what He likes and what He hates. He also gave us His Law so that we know what sin is and how terrible sin is. God did not give us the Law to save us from sin. For no natural man can be saved by obeying the Law. The only way to be saved is by Grace and through faith. Justification is always by faith in Jesus Christ. We need to go a step further. Sanctification is also by faith, and not by obeying the Law. Many Christians are saved by faith but later, they try to be sanctified by obeying God’s Law. That is wrong. God must take His glory for both justification and sanctification. The Holy Spirit uses the Law to give the believer the power to obey it, one step at a time. The believer cannot obey the Law himself, but the Holy Spirit gives him the power to do so.

Like the wife submits to her husband, all the unbelievers are ‘under the Law’. The Law has dominion over a man for as long as his lives. The only thing that stops this ‘dominion’ is death. For example, once a man dies, you cannot take him to court for breaking the traffic law. He is free from the law. Death has set him free. As the husband dies, the wife is free from the law that bound her to him. She is free to remarry. Once the sinner repents, he dies to the Law, and to sin. He is now free to marry another husband, who is Christ. What is the purpose? To bear fruit to God. The Law cannot produce fruit acceptable to God. But as the Bride of Christ, we produce fruit pleasing to God. Both justification and sanctification are by Grace and through faith. This is a practical example: you need God’s grace and faith in Him to find a wife and to get married. After the wedding day, you also need God’s Grace and faith in Him to make your marriage happy and successful. Thru Christ, our Redeemer, we have forgiveness of sins and the hope of glory. Your old dead dreams will be bought by Christ, the Redeemer, and they will live again. 

For Ruth, by Law she had no right to be in Israel. She was a Moabite, an enemy to Israel. It is possible that the people in Bethlehem saw her as a dangerous woman, an opportunist, or a fake person. If Naomi had wealth, they could have said that. But Naomi had nothing. She lost her family and the little wealth she had in the land of Moab. Naomi did not even have hope for the future. Ruth had no material gain from following Naomi except Naomi’s God. By faith, Ruth changes position from being a sinner under the Law, to being a child of God, under King Grace. Because Ruth’s husband died, technically she is free from any legal commitment to Mahlon and submitting to Naomi. The only way the bond between them can continue is for Ruth to become her friend. A friend is not a family member. To change from the position of a daughter in law to a friend for life is a great spiritual achievement for Ruth. This is indeed a beautiful story of redemption, grace, faith, hope, love, and Life! 

After Orpah went back to Moab, Ruth pledges to be a friend for life to Naomi. In a way, the only helper and friend Naomi has right now is Ruth. This is Ruth’s wonderful pledge to Naomi: “But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!” (Ru 1:16, 17; TM). After this wonderful touching pledge of love and friendship, what does Naomi say? You expect she will say: ‘Praise the Lord! God bless you, my daughter! I love you too…’. She does not say that. She says… nothing. Read this: “When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her” (Ru 1:18). Both of them walked in silence until they reached Bethlehem. Initially, Ruth did not receive any encouragement from Naomi or the people. Even when they arrived at Bethlehem, the women only greeted Naomi. They totally ignored Ruth. The first word of encouragement came from Boaz, who is a symbol of Christ. Lesson: may we be satisfied at all times with God’s encouragement alone!

Ruth had faith. Another quality was an attitude of perseverance, of not giving up on her dreams. Perseverance is defined as a continued effort to achieve something despite difficulties, failures, opposition, discouragement, or the passing of time. Ministry requires perseverance. Learning to drive a car, to speak a new language, or to become an Olympic champion requires perseverance.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (Jam 1:2-4; NIV). Faith starts the race. Perseverance leads to spiritual maturity and visible success! Perseverance is needed to pass the test of Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, to come to a place where you ‘do not lack anything. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (Jam 1:12; NIV). Perseverance in the faith is rewarded with a crown of life. Perseverance is a royal badge. Perseverance in faith is the mark of a true friend.  Selah! “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:3-5). Perseverance produces mature character in the believer. It leads to the hope of glory in heaven.

Lesson: If you see a believer who perseveres despite the difficulties in life, you can trust him. He can be your friend. No one who becomes easily discouraged can be your friend. True believers persevere in their race and surely go to heaven. In that culture, when a young woman’s husband dies, she was to leave her in laws and go back to her parents or relatives. This is what Orpah did. But Ruth ‘clung’ to Naomi. She proclaimed that Naomi’s people and God will be her people and her God. This is contrary to tradition but in line with the realm of grace.

Naomi blamed Jehovah for her tragedy. Her bitterness made her blind to God’s gift of grace to her in the person of Ruth, the only friend she had.  Naomi became bitter and selfish. She looked at her life and saw only problems. The famine in Bethlehem led her to go to ‘the greener pastures’ of Moab. It was there that she lost her husband and her two sons. She saw God as her enemy. Naomi stayed in Moab for 10 years. It is easy to go out of the will of God but not so easy to come back from backsliding. But in the midst of this famine and pain, God was doing something new. It was in Moab that she met Ruth. It was in Moab, that Ruth’s journey of faith started. By law, no Moabite should enter the temple of God to worship Him. God’s Law was against the Moabites. The Jews were commanded not to make friends with the Moabites (Deut 23:3-6). The only open door for Ruth was not the Law, but God’s Grace. She had no right to claim in Bethlehem. But Grace welcomed her with open arms. Ruth recognized the power of Grace and fully embraced it. Remember that Ruth too was in pain. Her husband died. She was a young widow. But she did not allow her pain to blind her and make her selfish. Her love for Naomi and Naomi’s God, survived her painful loss. Deciding to become Naomi’s friend was the best decision Ruth made. Though Naomi was needy, and had no hope for her, following Naomi she went to Bethlehem where she met Boaz who became her husband and the father of her children. Boaz was impressed by Ruth who was humble and hardworking. Her faith in Jehovah and genuine love to Naomi who was not even her biological mother touched him.

Naomi ‘arose’ and started going back to Bethlehem. Her two daughters-in-law followed her. But she had no hope for them. They were liabilities for her. She imagined that in Bethlehem, each time people will see her with them, they are a reminder of her past in Moab. Like a rebellious young woman who leaves her parents house to live alone and who has a child out of wedlock. To give that child for adoption is hard. But is even harder to come home with a child who has no father. Naomi was a Jew but, in her backsliding, she was not spiritually helpful to her daughters in law. The Bible says that ‘she clung’ to Naomi. This is the same word (to cleave) found in Genesis that applies to marriage. “Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen 2:24; KJ). Ruth pledged friendship to Naomi as a bride does to her bridegroom. This is a covenant friendship unto death. Ruth is committing her life to Naomi, to Naomi’s God. She entered the pages on the Bible like a star shining in the darkest night. 

Lesson: Be friendly to all but do not be yoked (intimately connected as friends) to unbelievers. Boaz ‘adopted’ and married a stranger. Selah! Couples desiring children should prayerfully consider adopting children. Also, we never know what God is doing thru our pains and losses. Trust your Redeemer! Jesus shed His Blood on the Cross of Calvary, to take your sin on Himself, to set you free. Jesus died to buy the pieces of your broken heart and faded dreams to give you a hope and a future. Trust Him especially when trials come, and things go wrong! If God seems silent to you right now, remember that the teacher keeps silent during exams. We don’t have to understand God to trust and to love Him! God never fails! God never makes mistakes! Worship the Lord!