Category: Love

Our God Who Cares For Us!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Faith, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Helper, Love, Worry no moreLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Genesis 2

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening.22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.  Gen 2:18-22 (NLT)

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

A very familiar passage from Genesis, but I was reminded about how much my God really cares for us, His children. I could only imagine how often He must look down on us and see a need in our lives, then proceeds to provide for us, as He did in the case of Adam. We bring so much on ourselves, and we place ourselves in so many situations that could harm us or prove to be inappropriate for us  in our Christian walk. I can’t even begin to imagine how often God must shake His head and wonder why we are not listening to Him, why are we not doing what He told us in His Word to do, and then redirecting us back on the right path. I can only praise God this morning for a God that is patient with me, who loves me enough to redirect me and show me the right path, in spite of myself and all my personal shortcomings.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because of what He said here today?)

Thank you Father for loving me enough to get my attention from a world of sin and self, to see the need for a Savior and a hope for eternity. You created Adam, saw every need he had, and provided everything You knew that he would need to fulfill his life and I have no doubt that You still have that same love and caring for myself and Your other children today, and that You provide for us each and every day. I know that I could, and often do, make plenty enough mistakes on my own, thank You for reminding me that I have a Savior that watches over me every day and provides for me in ways that I could hardly imagine. I was reminded of this same things through a small comic-type photo this morning also, and I will attach it for all to reflect on!

He cares for the birds

‘Til Death Do Us Part!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, Divorce, Listen to the Word of God, Love, Marriage, Our Help comes from God, Righteousness, SeparationLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Mark 10

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

Mark 10:1-12 ~ After Jesus left, he went to Judea and then on to the other side of the Jordan River. Once again large crowds came to him, and as usual, he taught them. Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. So they came up to him and asked if it was right for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus asked them, “What does the Law of Moses say about that?” They answered, “Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away.” Jesus replied, “Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless. But in the beginning God made a man and a woman. That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.” When Jesus and his disciples were back in the house, they asked him about what he had said. He told them, “A man who divorces his wife and marries someone else is unfaithful to his wife. A woman who divorces her husband and marries again is also unfaithful.” (CEV)

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

I believe that most of us have encountered divorce in some part of our family, either directly or indirectly through a family member. I don’t believe that it is ever pretty, or mutually agreeable, because someone often gets hurt, in fact I would dare say that many times many people get hurt. I am not here to judge anyone who makes such a decision, but I feel like this is something that perhaps someone who may be considering divorce today may need to hear. In fact, if I skip over this ‘Nugget’ in Mark 10 I believe that I could be considered like the folk that Moses dealt with in his day, I could be accused of being heartless. To those that are struggling in their marital relationship today I would ask that you consider the following tips that I discerned from God’s Word, and the sensitivity of this was heightened this morning when I read this passage:

  • God made us in His own image – I don’t believe that this pertains only to bodily form, or not just in character like Him, but in whole I believe that He made us to be imitators of Him in every way. For instance, He is known as ‘love’. He taught us to love like He does. He loved us so much that He sacrificed His one and only Son so that we may have…. If we are to be imitators of Him, why would we turn our heads on a spouse that God has blessed us with? God never faltered in His love for us, why would we falter in our love for our spouse?
  • Is your marriage in trouble because you believe that you found someone else better looking? Remember that beauty comes from within, not outward beauty.
  • Is your marriage in trouble because your spouse is cheating on you? Look deep inside and try to determine why you have allowed this. Is it because of Neglect? Not showing your love? Not praising them when appropriate?
  • Is your marriage in trouble because you have been distracted with someone else of the opposite sex in your circle of friends or coworkers? In your marriage vows you promised to pledge your allegiance and love to only your spouse. Don’t put yourself in the position of allowing someone else to interfere in your vow and in your marital relationship.
  • Is your marriage in trouble because you never included God in your union with each other? It is not too late. Go to God in prayer, with your spouse, asking God to be a part of your union and to help you maintain a strong, loving and happy relationship with Him and with each other. Remember, God is bigger than all of our troubles and when you welcome Him to be a part of your life, He can work miracles in your situation. Draw close to Him and He will draw close to you.

As your relationships are mended you will find much less stress in your life. In fact, with a happy and loving relationship with each other and God, you will find that you can deal with everything else! Let God be a part, won’t you?

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Lord Jesus, I thank You for being a part of my marriage. I thank You for holding our hands and helping us to overcome those times when we struggled and when we doubted Your presence. You have truly been an inspiration in our lives and in our marriage and I pray that You will continue to bless our marriage, because I know that old Satan could easily interfere if we let our guards down or if we exclude You, our source of power and strength. May we be a blessing to others that may be struggling in their marriage? May Your love and Your light shine so brightly in us that others may be touched and encouraged? May You receive honor and glory for anything and everything accomplished as a result of our union. Please continue to be instrumental in our individual lives and in our marriage. Thank You Lord Jesus!

Be One Who Fellowships with Believers

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Disciple, Encourage, Love, Motivate, WorksLeave a comment

A Quality of a Mature, Reproducing Disciple of Jesus Christ

 

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Hebrews 10:24–25, Ephesians 2:19-22

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

  1. Hebrews 10:24-25 ~ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
  2. Ephesians 2:19-22 ~ That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

  1. I see two things in these two verses that speak to my heart this morning:
    1. Motivate One Another – Often we are so busy talking to our friends about someone that I find this idea of ‘Motivating One Another to Acts of Love and Good Works’ to be such an excellent, life-changing idea. Not only will that help me to do something positive and constructive, but it will be extremely difficult for me to backbite, or belittle someone that I am trying hard to motivate in the manner described here.
    2. Encourage One Another – If someone (another disciple) was to come alongside me and encourage/motivate me in a manner described above, especially when I was feeling down and out and out of touch with the body of Christ, I believe that it would get me back on the right track. I believe that one reason the writer chose to recognize the point about neglecting to meet together is because when we are out of fellowship with other Christians, we find it difficult to meet together with them for worship. Instead of us jumping to conclusions about why they are not in church, perhaps if we chose to encourage them and motivate them to a healthy relationship with God and His people then they might see that our hearts are in the right place and that we truly want to see them on fire for God.
  2. Some of us came to Christ from very different, sometimes very opposite backgrounds. In these verses we are taught that God is using us all in building the kingdom. Wow, this is so powerful! When we consider that God is using us, and He is using that brother or sister that we work alongside of in Sunday School, or at Fall Festival or at any function, to fit together into building His temple, why would we not do all within our power to get along with that person, and to motivate that person into love and good works? In our marriage we would do this in order to build a strong and stable marriage, all the more we should be doing this on a daily basis to build a strong and stable kingdom and to show a lost world that we are Christians by our love and good works.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, this idea of Fellowshipping with Believers (other brothers and sisters who have the same Father – Jesus Christ) has taken on a whole new perspective as I was reminded about the content of these scripture verses. Please help me to dedicate myself daily to motivate my brother and my sister to acts of love and good works, and to encourage them to never neglect the opportunities we have to meet together in Your name. Thank You for reminding me that Your kingdom is much bigger than just me, so it is extremely important that I fit together with all those that have this common purpose and commitment. I acknowledge that I often have a desire to fellowship with other believers, please help me to take that desire to a whole new level as I look more to their needs and to encourage them in their walk for Christ. Father, I want to be just like You, and You were often accused for fellowshipping with those that were sometimes frowned upon by the self proclaimed ‘righteous’ of that day. Please help me to fellowship with any who You would direct me to for love, motivation and encouragement. Please send other disciples to my side, as You often do, to help keep me strong and on the right track for being effective in Your ministry.

One Who Reflects Christ

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Facial Expression, Fruit of the Spirit, Love, Love God, Love your Neighbor, Obedience, TruthfulLeave a comment

A Quality of a Mature, Reproducing Disciple of Jesus Christ

 

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Eph. 4:15, 2 Cor. 3:18, Gal. 5:22–23, Matt. 22:37–39

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

  1. Truthful – Ephesians 4:15 ~ Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head
  2. Facial Expression – 2 Corinthians 3:18 ~ So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord’s Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord.
  3. Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23 ~
    But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].
  4. Love God and Neighbors – Matthew 22:37-39 ~ And He replied to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

  1. Truthful – Our love for, and respect of, the One that we serve, Jesus, should force us to be like, and do just like, Jesus. He always told the truth and so should we. Then according to this verse, we will be more complete in growing to be more like Jesus, our Savior and soon coming King.
  2. Facial Expression – I believe that if my mind is centered on the glorious Savior that I love and adore and who blesses me so immensely every day, then my heart will be overjoyed and my face will surely express that joy that I feel. As a child I sang a chorus ‘I have the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart’, and having that kind of joy in my heart should always reflect in my facial expression. It is almost impossible to have the ‘joy, joy, joy, joy’ in my heart, but yet a sour/unhappy expression on my face. This verse says that having this type of joy to where it is expressed on our faces, makes us more like our glorious Lord!
  3. Fruit of the Spirit – I love how the writer says that there is no law against any of these fruit being expressed in and through us, and what is amazing is that even today there is still no law against reflecting these character qualities. These are qualities of Jesus our Savior. These are fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior. If we struggle with any of these, I believe that we need to go back to the cross and make sure that everything is right in that decision that we thought we first made, because I don’t believe that the Holy Spirit will mess up in not reflecting the ‘fruit’ qualities.
  4. Love God and Neighbors – I love the way that the Amplified Bible emphasizes that our love for God is the first, the great, most important and principal commandment! Wow, that really sums it up on where our allegiance belongs! Of course, additional emphasis is on loving God with everything we have within us – heart, soul and mind. But the later part of this Scripture goes even deeper, because it says that we should similarly love our neighbor (those that we come into contact with daily – those that we should be neighborly to). I believe that this is a lot more challenging, because these ‘neighbors’ sometimes lie, backbite, or even try to harm us, yet God says in His Word that we must love them with all of our heart, soul and mind, in the same way that we love Him and strive to be a reflection of Him.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

All of the above are very tall orders dear God, and I acknowledge today that I can only accomplish these with Your love, strength and guidance. I want to reflect You though my every word and action. Please be my constant guide and director each and every day. Please give me strength and determination to reflect You in every circumstance. Lord, may my life be fallow ground in which Your Holy Spirit will find freedom to reflect all the Fruit of the Spirit, so that You may receive honor and glory.

Live a Humble, Giving life.

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Giving, Humility, Love, ObedienceLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Luke 14 

OBSERVATION

Luke 14:8-14 ~ When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the best place. Someone more important may have been invited. Then the one who invited you will come and say, “Give your place to this other guest!” You will be embarrassed and will have to sit in the worst place. When you are invited to be a guest, go and sit in the worst place. Then the one who invited you may come and say, “My friend, take a better seat!” You will then be honored in front of all the other guests. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored. Then Jesus said to the man who had invited him: When you give a dinner or a banquet, don’t invite your friends and family and relatives and rich neighbors. If you do, they will invite you in return, and you will be paid back. When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. They cannot pay you back. But God will bless you and reward you when his people rise from death.

APPLICATION

On a first read through this passage we may very easily be tempted to say that this is a beautiful image that Jesus has portrayed and this should really speak to the proud. In other words, I believe that this is an easy passage to shrug off, thinking that this is not really speaking to us. But God spoke to me on several matters in this:

  1. Be humble – in a world of self promotion, because we often hear that if we don’t promote ourselves no one else will do it for us, therefore we tend to go overboard bragging about ourselves and seeking the attention of those in authority over us to ‘look at me’. Jesus gives us the example here of taking the least important seat in a meeting, and we may be honored, but taking an important seat may cause us to sometime have our egos ‘deflated’ as we may be asked to move for the honorable guest of the meeting. These days I often sit near the front for two reasons: (1) I can see any projection screens better and (2) I tend to be more alert to the speaker when I’m near the front. I believe that Jesus is speaking here to the idea of trying not to promote self by taking the best seat in the house that may have been reserved for a guest of honor. Bottom line on this is that it is better to be honored, than to self promote honor on you.
  2. Host the undeserving, not just good friends – when we host a luncheon or dinner we tend to invite friends who may have to choose whether to attend because of several other invitations for that same timeslot. Imagine how blessed the ones may feel who never get to eat out or attend a special event because they are just not a part of anyone’s inner circle of friends. They may be poor and unable to repay the favor. They may be mean and unwilling to share their time or wealth with anyone else. They may be non-Christian and not want to force themselves on believers as they may feel ‘out of place’. God has promised in this passage that He will reward us when He calls us home when we do such honorable acts.

PRAYER

Lord, I feel like this small passage that I have read many times before has come to life this morning. Thank You for drawing me to this. I pray that I may take a different outlook on life, because I want to do all within my will to follow the commands You have laid out in Your Word for me. I am even more convinced that Your Word contains direction for EVERY phase of my life and answers to EVERY question in my mind, if only I will turn to it instead of all the other directions I may turn to for advice. Please help me to have an ongoing desire to dig into Your Word each and every day, to look for ways that You would be speaking to me through the passages that I read, and then most importantly – help me to follow Your Word so that my life may be more in lined with Your will for me. Thank You for such direction, now please help to carry out what I have learned today!

Unconditional Love

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Evangelism, Follow Jesus, Forgiveness, Love, RepentanceLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Luke5

OBSERVATION

Luke 5:27-32 ~ And after this, Jesus went out and looked [attentively] at a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, join Me as a disciple and side with My party and accompany Me. And he forsook everything and got up and followed Him [becoming His disciple and siding with His party]. And Levi (Matthew) made a great banquet for Him in his own house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others who were reclining [at the table] with them. Now the Pharisees and their scribes were grumbling against Jesus’ disciples, saying, why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and [preeminently] sinful people? And Jesus replied to them, it is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to arouse and invite and call the righteous, but the erring ones (those not free from sin) to repentance [to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins].

APPLICATION

During my study this morning God spoke to me through the above verses. To better understand them I looked at several translations and was most impressed with the way that the Amplified Bible presented the passage (above). I believe that Jesus specifically chose His disciples, and it is evident in the first part of this passage that He basically studied the life and work of Matthew (Levi). This reminds me of a song ‘

Instant Response to Prayer!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, Forgiveness, Love, Obedience, Power of Prayer, Righteousness, SinLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Daniel 9

OBSERVATION

Daniel 9:20-23 ~ I was still confessing my sins and those of all Israel to the LORD my God, and I was praying for the good of his holy mountain, when Gabriel suddenly came flying in at the time of the evening sacrifice. …. and he explained: Daniel, I am here to help you understand the vision. God thinks highly of you, and at the very moment you started praying, I was sent to give you the answer.

APPLICATION

I admire the tenacity of Daniel in this chapter. After reading from his study of writings of Jeremiah the prophet that Jerusalem would suffer/lie in ruins for seventy years, Daniel showed his deep concern and sorrow by fasting and praying to the Almighty. He didn’t wait for the church to gather, nor did he wait to gather all of the other priests to join him in collective prayer for this news that would have a major impact on the history of this nation. After taking a personal stake in this, not just confessing his own sin, but begging God’s mercy on his nation, the angel Gabriel stopped by to encourage him and let him know that his prayer was heard by God. Wow! I know that we sometime feel like our prayers are hitting the ceiling, but to receive this kind of answer to his prayer must have been miraculous for Daniel. Two more things that God spoke to me on here:

  1. “At the very moment that Daniel started praying” is the actual quote from these verses. God knew the heart of Daniel way before he verbalized his concerns and petitions before God, but at the very moment that he (Daniel) did his part and prayed, God sent the angel Gabriel. This is very powerful! Awesome!
  2. I wonder if what Gabriel said to Daniel was a clarification of something that Daniel may have misunderstood from Jeremiah’s writings, or was it an answer to the prayers of Daniel. The duration of the penalty was reduced from 70 years to 70 weeks! I wonder if the verdict would have stayed as it was, if God didn’t see that at least one man cared enough about his nation that he took the whole concern on his shoulder and petition God for mercy. We were reminded last night that we often hear the Word of God and let it fly right over our heads, hoping that the individual behind us must be the intent of God’s wrath or challenge. However, a whole church, or even a whole nation could be impacted by our sin/stubbornness/rebellion. Conversely, a whole church or even a whole nation could be impacted if God’s people would get off their personal thrones/agendas and humble themselves and pray, because in 1 Chronicles God promises us that THEN He would hear from heaven and heal our nation.

PRAYER

Father I pray that I will not be a stumbling block for the wonderful work that You could perform in the lives of my family, my church, my friends and my nation. Please help me to search deep within and stay so in tuned with Your Word that I would be corrected of tendencies to block Your work. Instead Father, I pray that, like Daniel, I would come to You daily and not just pray for Your powerful touch on my life personally, but also that You would touch my family, my church, my friends, my city, my state and my nation. Please convict us of all sin that separate us from Your will for our lives. Please speak to us in such ways that we would become a people deeply committed to You and reflecting You and Your love in very evident ways to a lost and dying world. I am reminded of a secular song, ‘I want to Be Just Like You’, and would apply that principle to express the desire of my heart today, for I want to be just like You Lord. Please forgive me where and when I fail at that, but please grant me the strength and tenacity to succeed at that each and every day, for it’s You oh Lord that I adore and want to see lifted up and magnified in my life.

God – Deserving of our Praise!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, God Reigns, Love, Obedience, Praise, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Psalm 145 

OBSERVATION

Psalm 145:1-4 ~ I will praise you, my God and King, and always honor your name. I will praise you each day and always honor your name. You are wonderful, LORD, and you deserve all praise, because you are much greater than anyone can understand. Each generation will announce to the next your wonderful and powerful deeds.

APPLICATION

When I see God’s handiwork all around me in the many things that He has provided for me; when I reflect on the way that He protects me from harm each time I move/travel; when I stop and reflect on the good health that He has blessed me with; for the wonderful family He has blessed me with to help me through each day; then there’s my work family, church family, friends, work income that enables me to provide for my family each day. Wow, I will always honor and praise the name of Jehovah for being my God, my King and my provider! I pray that as I reflect on the wonderful Savior that I know and adore and I lift up His name in praise, that my daughter and all of our younger generation on which I may have influence, will truly take note and have a desire to want to also follow my Lord and Savior in a similarly intimate way, for David reminds us in the latter part of this passage that each younger generation should learn from their older generation.

PRAYER

Lord I pray that I may be a positive influence on those that are looking up to their older generation. May they be positively affected by my walk, and may I not be a stumbling block to any. Please help me to always be reminded of the ways that You are active in my daily walk of life, and help me to always reflect on this in praise and honor to You. Thank You for being my God, my Savior and my Lord! “

Going through Hard Knocks?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Forgiveness, Humility, Love, Obedience, Sin, Worry no moreLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Lamentations 3

OBSERVATION

Lamentations 3:29-33 ~ Being rubbed in the dirt can teach us a lesson; we can also learn from insults and hard knocks. The Lord won’t always reject us! He causes a lot of suffering, but he also has pity because of his great love. The Lord doesn’t enjoy sending grief or pain.

APPLICATION

I don’t believe any human being looks forward to, or enjoys, discipline, but as in the case of parents disciplining children, our Father must always discipline us because we sin and consequently stray away from God’s ideals/teachings/commands. For the Christian it is comforting to know that because of God’s great love for us, He won’t always reject us and He will have pity on us at some stage. I believe that as we go through these tough times of correction we can always look forward to being re-pointed in the right direction while being blessed by an extra dose of humility. After all, it was because of our selfish desire to take the reins away from God that got us into that mess in the first place. If only we could stay on the right path in the first place and follow Jesus every day! But let’s take joy in knowing that if we slip, God is all loving; all forgiving and all powerful and because He finds no joy in punishing us, He is constantly looking for ways to help us overcome our weaknesses. He is not only one that can save us from our sin, but one that we can always place our trust in, because He is one that will always love us.

PRAYER

Praise God that He knows what I need and when I need it. Praise Him because He identifies exactly when I’m tempted to fail, and His outstretched hand is available to me when and if a need arises. He sent His one and only son so that I may have life eternal, yet He looks for opportunities to help me when I fail. Thank You Jesus for being the loving and caring God that You are. Thank You for caring for me. I can truly sing “

Less We Forget

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Eternal Life, Faith, Forgiveness, Humility, Love, Obedience, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: 2 Chronicles 36  

OBSERVATION

2 Chronicles 36:14-16 ~ The people of Judah and even the priests who were their leaders became more unfaithful. They followed the disgusting example of the nations around them and made the LORD’s holy temple unfit for worship. But the LORD God felt sorry for his people, and instead of destroying the temple, he sent prophets who warned the people over and over about their sins. But the people only laughed and insulted these prophets. They ignored what the LORD God was trying to tell them, until he finally became so angry that nothing could stop him from punishing Judah and Jerusalem.

APPLICATION

If it wasn’t for the names and places mentioned in this passage, we may have thought that this was referring to Avon Park, or the United States, or almost any part of our current world, as it appears like we have become such an unfaithful bunch today. When I consider all that Jesus did for me at Calvary, and all through my life in the blessings that He has poured out on me, I should find myself at His feet worshipping Him most of the time, for who am I that a King should die for and sacrifice so much for? But this is yet another reminder that the sacrifice made on my behalf was out of such love for His child/children, because He wanted to create a way that I/we could have eternal life with Him. While I have accepted Jesus as Lord of my life, and am forever grateful, I look forward to the day that I could set aside the desires of this world and dedicate myself to living and serving Jesus in ways that would make Him proud of His child. Now having said that, I also believe that no matter how much I do I could never repay or show my gratefulness in things I do, but in and through the characteristics that I reflect when I speak, or when I react to circumstances – that I do it from a heart of God’s love. For becoming more like Him is my ultimate goal and my daily challenge, God being my helper. Ignoring the challenge to be more like Him could easily lead to following the evil ways of this world and Satan, and as we are reminded in verse 16, this could lead to God becoming very angry with us and in turn, punishing us like He did Judah and Jerusalem.