April 2016

Welcome! The most important aspect of our lives must be to share God's love with others. This may be difficult, but it's easy to share this website with someone, print and pass out brochures or be involved some other way. Let us proclaim:

“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” 1

God's glorious love...

I am so humbled to hear from Mark in Australia of how God has changed his life through the testimony of Christ in my life.

“Greetings brother. It's important to me that you know what a positive impact your story has had on me. In short, it was through you that I found the Lord.

I used to read about your case and think it was cool. I was lost, I thought of suffering as interesting. Through reading about your story, the changes you made, and how you have helped so many, I repented, and that night, I too changed. I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and over the next week I sought to follow in his steps. I got a job helping people with disabilities and my life changed for the better. I would not be where I am in my life if it wasn't for you. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, just for being you. I want you to know that your Redemption affects so many, including me from across the oceans.

I do hope my letter finds you well and body in mind. It is summer over here in Australia, yet it rains. I live in an area under threat of brush fires, so the rain is a blessing.

I hope to hear back from you, at least you know that you know what you've done for me. Please take care Charles. Your friend, Mark.”

Look what God's love has done causing Faith to arise in Mark’s heart, and now, he's passing God's love on to those with disabilities. “What is important is faith expressing itself in love.” 2

Mustard Seed Faith...

God only knows how real Mark’s relationship is with Jesus, but I do hear that the fruit of his life is now expressing itself in love for the disabled. Jesus said, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act... Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” 3

Jesus came into my heart over forty (40) years ago, and as I reflect upon the fruit over the years, I am amazed at the work of God's grace. It started as a tiny seed against all odds, as Jesus just told his disciples, “You don't have enough faith, I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain move from here to there, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” 4

As we yield in faith to God, he does a miraculous work in our hearts by planting His seed of love. If watered by the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will eventually be the product for new seed and for sustaining life to others, “...having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God [His love] which lives and abides forever.” 5

The Conception of God's love...

It isn't possible for us to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit without first perceiving, then conceiving and abiding in the love of God. 6 Many of us can identify with the children of Israel, who lusted after evil things, were idolaters, fornicators, putting God to the test and murmured with their tongue. 7 They "...limited the Holy One of Israel." 8 They were "...destroyed for lack of knowledge." 9 They were ignorant of God's love. The Lord appeared to Jeremiah saying,

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. I will rebuild you my Virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines.” 10

God's love came through the virgin Mary, who found favor Grace With God. The angel Gabriel told her, "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!" 11

Gabriel went on to explain how the holy spirit will come upon her, and a power of the Most High will overshadow her or impregnate her so the baby would be holy and be called The Son of God [love]. For Nothing is Impossible with God. 12

Similarly, we conceive the love of God in our spirit when we are born again, except we give birth spiritually. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again [born from above], you cannot see the Kingdom of God. 13 Nicodemus thought Jesus was speaking of a physical birth, saying, “How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again? Jesus replied, “I assure you no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don't be surprised when I say, you must be born again.” 14 You must conceive God's love!

Conceiving God's love...

Like the children of Israel, I was destroyed because I didn't perceive or conceive the love of God. 15 But God's mercy endures forever! For nothing is impossible with God! He bought me and sought me out, and His unfailing love drew me to Him.

“Oh, how great our God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! ...For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.” 16

The secret of the Christian Life is conceiving God's love in our souls by abiding in his love daily. 17 Instead of conceiving lust and giving birth to sin and death, we conceive God's love and give birth to righteousness and life. 18

Recently, the Lord gave me a new chart for us to be illuminated more easily by the Holy Spirit. I pray that you'll spend more time meditating upon God's love story in scripture, conceiving His love through Jesus Christ.

A prayer for you...

I pray that from God's glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. 19

Scripture references (NLT):