Keep on Loving

April 17-18, 2014 Keep on Loving – Manna by Dorothy Callies

1 Corinthians 13:7-8, NKJV “[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

            After having done with the Manna, “Learning to love” I was wondering what the next topic would be so I asked the Lord about it. To my surprise, He said, “Keep on Loving!” I want to share something.

          Is one of your families, your workers, or someone giving you a hard time? God said, “Keep on loving” means to keep your heart tender toward someone. Let the Holy Spirit influence your attitude to “keep on loving.” Let the Holy Spirit that helps you to be kind one to another.

          We read in John 19 that He allowed people to put a crown of thorns on His head, mock Him, strike Him, strip Him, and crucify Him (v.1-6). And Jesus “kept on loving” them. He could have used His power to stop them, but He didn’t.

          That was what Jesus did, He “kept on loving” the malicious priests, the solders and the people. The word, malicious means they do mean things with pleasure of hurting someone. Jesus just “kept on loving” them. Is someone hurting you? Keep on loving them.

          Jesus left an example for us to follow Him. His attitude was a loving gentle person toward anyone who was malicious to Him. He wants us to have the same kind of attitude He had. This sounds impossible, but Jesus did say, “With men, it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” He did it all for love’s sake to pay for our sins and to save us from punishment.

          How much does God love us? Jesus spread out His arms and was nailed to the cross. He died for us, and then rose again. That is a precious truth for all of us. If you could think how much Jesus loves us, then you would want to “keep on loving” others.

Chorus: Ten Thousand Angels

He could have called ten thousands angels

To destroy the world and set Him free.

He could have called ten thousand angels,

But He died alone, for you and me.

[Ray Overholt, Song sheet 1959]

Song: He Loves Me

He loves me, He loves me,

He loves me this I know.

He gave Himself to die for me,

Because He loves me so.

[Author, unknown]

Learning to Love

April 14-16, 2014 - Learning to Love – Manna by Dorothy Callies

1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love suffers long and is kind.” 

We read so much about God’s love and how He had shown us His love. But now I have a question: Do you ever wonder exactly how do we “learn to love” and put them into action?  

I read an article that told a story about a missionary who went to Greenland in 1721. A missionary struggled to learn their language and struggled to be kind to the people. A missionary had been at Greenland until 1733, a small pox epidemic swept through Greenland, wiping out two-thirds of the native people. 

This missionary shares the suffering and began to help the native people, physically and spiritually. It melted the hearts of a missionary and the people together. A missionary’s life was now better represented the stories that was told to them of God’s great love. The native people could at last grasp God’s desire to love them, too. Even in suffering, native people’s heart turned to God.

It took 12 years for a missionary who struggled to express love in a way that taught people about God. Knowing they were weak and needy people yet God showed them what love is like. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for their sins (John 3:16). 

This story brought a deep impression upon my heart about how a missionary struggled in a native field out there while we are here in America struggling with our own personal problems on how do we “learn to love?” 

Love is a very powerful language such as “I love you” but it is another thing to be able to “demonstrate our love in action.” Why does this story impress me? This missionary reminds me of “me” because so often my patient is short. I realized that God must have known what to talk to me about when I was looking for something to read that relates to the “Unfailing Love of God.” 

It took 12 years, Lord? When I read this verse about “Love suffers long and is kind,” it answer my question about my relationship with families, friends and in the ministries. Many times stories like this helps me to understand the “work of the Lord” in all of us. So He is asking us to . . .

Trust God today!

Song: It’s Just Like His Great Love

It’s just like Jesus to roll the clouds away;

It’s Just like Jesus to keep me day by day;

It’s just like Jesus all along the way;

It’s just like His great love.

(Edna R. Worrell, Sing His Praise)

God's Unfailing Love

April 11-13, 2014 - God’s Unfailing Love – Card Verse/Manna by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 36:5, NLT “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” 

It is good to expand the meaning of this verse. KJV quoted, “Thy mercy, O Lord” interpret as “Your unfailing love, O Lord.” How long does His love last? His love never end. His love never fails. His love is forever. 

How do we compare His love to? Do you know how big the universe, the heavens were like? If you have watched the Star Trek, you would know that they had explored the universe that had no ending. It just goes on and on. That is what God’s love is like. God’s love got plenty of room to love. Awesome! 

David, the Psalmist, describes the comforting assurance of God’s love, Psalm 36:5, ESV “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens.” There are songs that describes the love of God and I happen to find the song called, “The Steadfast Love of the Lord” written by Edith McNeill. Steadfast means firmly fixed in place and not likely to change. 

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord. Great is Thy faithfulness.” There are other songs I like to share that testify about His Love! 

     Song: How Big is God

How big is God: how big and

         wide His vast domain.

To try to tell these lips

    can only start.

He’s big enough to rule

     His mighty universe

Yet small enough to live

     within my heart.

(Inspiring Choruses)

Song: Love, Wonderful Love

Love, wonderful love,

   The love of God to me,

Love, wonderful love,

   So great, so rich, so free;

Wide, as wide as the ocean,

   Deep, as deep as the sea,

High, as high as the heavens above,

   His love to me.

(Inspiring Choruses)

    Chorus: The Love of God

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

(F.M. Lehman, 100 Sacred Favorites)

God Prepared for Them

April 7-10, 2014 - God Prepared for Them - Card Verse/Manna by Dorothy Callies
 
1 Corinthians 2:9, KJV "But as it is written, Eye have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:12b “… that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”  
 

Reading Paul’s letter: 1 Cor. 2:1-10, NCV “Dear brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I did not come preaching God’s secret with fancy words or a show of human wisdom. 2) I decided that while I was with you I would forget about everything except Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. 3) So when I came to you, I was weak and fearful and trembling. 4) My teaching and preaching were not with words of human wisdom that persuade people but with the proof of the power that the Spirit gives. 5) This was so that your faith would be in God’s power and not in human wisdom.

6) However, I speak a wisdom to those who are mature. But this wisdom is not from this world or from the rulers of this world, who are losing their power. 7) I speak God’s secret wisdom, which He has kept hidden. Before the world began, God planned this wisdom for our glory. 8) None of the rulers of this world understood it. If they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9) But as it is written in the Scriptures; (Is.64:4) “No one has ever seen this, and no one has ever heard about it. No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10) But God has shown us these things through the Spirit. The Spirit searches out all things, even the deep secrets of God.”

God has shown us these things through the Spirit. God has a wonderful plan for His people who love Him. It is all about Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. God has freely given to us salvation in Christ and to have a future home with Jesus Christ. We will reign with Christ during 1,000 years of peace. We will have a new earth and a new heaven. All those things were planned even before the world began. Isn’t He wonderful? Let us sing.

      Song: Isn’t He Wonderful

What a wonderful, wonderful love,

Brought our Savior to earth below.

And our sins, which were scarlet are cleans’d,

For His blood washes whiter than snow.

   Chorus:

   Isn’t He wonderful, wonderful, wonderful,

   Isn’t He wonderful, wonderful.

   Eyes not seen, ears not heard,

   What’s recorded in God’s Word,

   Isn’t He wonderful, wonderful.

   ( Herbert Buffum, Jr., Melodies of Praise)

Enjoy the Eternal Life

April 5-6, 2014 – Enjoy the Eternal Life – Card Verse/Manna by Dorothy Callies

1 John 2:25, KJV “And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life He promised us.”

Reading from 1 John 2:24-25, NLT “So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life He promised us.”

What exactly does this title means, ‘Enjoy the eternal life’? I look up the word, enjoy and here’s what it says, to have or experience as a benefit or for one’s use such as ‘enjoy great success’; 2: to take pleasure from. The word, eternal means having no beginning and no end: lasting forever.

I like to share the note from Preacher’s Outline, “What is eternal life? It is life, real life. It is the very life of God, Himself. It is the very energy, force, being, essence, principle, and power of life. It has to do with both quality and with what life really is, with duration (last forever). The supreme life is found only in God. To possess eternal life is to know God. Once a person knows God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, that person has eternal life—he shall live forever. But more important, the person has the supreme quality of life, the very life of God Himself.” (ref. Jn.1:4; 10:10)

How do we get to enjoy the eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly here—by knowing God the Father Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ. When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus prayed and said, “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one You sent to earth” (John 17:3, NLT). The key word, know is an important word and it also means to fellowship, a sharing of interest or feeling.  To know God is to have a personal relationship with Him.

We have Christ’s promised that through the Holy Spirit within us to keep us from going astray. This is why it is important to have God-inspired Scriptures to help us to stay true to Christ. We need to follow His Word and His Spirit so we could enjoy the fellowship and enjoy the eternal life He promised us. Hallelujah! This is awesome! I quote again, “In this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life He promised us.”

Song: Lean On, O King Eternal

Lean on, O King Eternal,

We follow, not with fears;

For gladness breaks like morning,

Where ever Thy face appears;

Thy cross is lifted over us;

We journey in its light:

The crown awaits the conquest;

Lean on, O God of might.

(Ernest Warburton Shurtleff, Sing His Praise)

Keep His Testimony

April 3-4, 2014 - Keep His Testimonies - Bread Verse Card by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 119:2, KJV "Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart."

Do you realize that this is both the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible? It may have been written by Ezra after the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14,15) as a repetitive mediation on the beauty of God's Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in faith.

Almost every verse mentions God's Word. Such repetition was common in the Hebrew culture. People did not have personal copies of the Scriptures to read as we do, so God's people memorized His Word and passed it along orally. The structure of this psalm allowed for easy memory. [Some notes from Quick Verse Life Application Bible]

The word, repetitive or repetition has the same meaning for repeat. It means to say it again or say it from memory. Do you realize that we have the Bibles, translations and many devotions from internet, and devotional booklets that those Hebrews didn't have? We are privilege to have so much on hand that helps us to read and mutter those words for our need of healing.

The word, blessed is an important word because it is God's promise to pour out His blessing on those who have chosen to live by His Word with all it's standard (set up by God's authority) and guidance. God promise His personal presence, bringing strength, help and protection to those who loves Him. To keep His testimonies means we keep His covenant with us when we remember His Word of healing.

God promised to bless us when we tried to quote His word of healing. That was something I never thought of before. I repeat: God promised to bless us when we repeat His word, quote His Word, and repeat His Word.

       Song: Standing on the Promises
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Chorus:
Stand  -   ing,    stand  -   ing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior,
Stand  -   ing,   stand   -   Ing,
I'm standing on the promises of GOD.
(Russell Kelso Carter, Sing His Praise)

Draw Me Nearer

April 1-2, 2014 Draw Me Nearer – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon him in truth.”

God will fulfill the desire of your heart that shows respect to Him and He also will hear your cry, and will save you. (Ref. Ps. 145:19) Psalm 145:20-21 “The Lord preserveth all them that love Him: but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever and ever.”

Praise ye the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live I will praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. (Ref. Ps.146:1-2). Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast (hold on) the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised. (Heb.10:22-23).

I woke up this morning with a song, Draw me nearer, but when I look up the song book, the title was “I Am Thine, O Lord.” The Holy Spirit led me to sing this over the prayer requests and I am blessed to find the verses to write and to quote them. You can log in: http://deafprayerpartners.blogspot.com/

     Song: I Am Thine, O Lord

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,

And it told of Thy love to me;

But I long to rise in the arms of faith

And be closer drawn to Thee.

Chorus:

Draw me near-er, near-er, blessed Lord,

To the cross where Thou hast died;

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

To Thy precious bleeding side.

Oh, the pure delight of a single hour

That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

I commune as friend with friend!

Chorus:

Draw me near-er, near-er, blessed Lord,

To the cross where Thou has died;

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

To Thy precious bleeding side.

(Fanny Jane Crosby, Sing His Praise)