Love Pushes Back

Our Lord Jesus says that His Church is to be “the salt of the earth”; “the light of the world.”

But what do these old-fashioned analogies mean in practical terms for us today?

They mean that the Church is to be the greatest reflection of God’s holiness, purity, righteousness and love; the "cutting edge” of what Christ is doing in the world.

As the lost world flows like a massive river down the easy, wide path “towards destruction”, God calls His saints to do the "hard thing”: He commands them to not only stand against the seemingly inexorable current of the world, but He also gives us the Grace and Power to actually "Push Back."

Jesus calls His followers to do AMAZINGLY hard things in His quest to take back the world from Satan:

To “love our enemies”; doing good to those who speak evil of and mistreat us.
To “suffer for righteousness sake”; doing what is right, even if it means losing everything.
To “be obedient even unto death”; loving God enough to obey Him, even if it means losing our very lives.

When lost and desperate people in the world see Christians who are willing to obey Jesus in everything, (yes, even in these "hard things" above), they see:

1. God’s holiness, purity, righteousness, and love reflected,
2. They see no trace of "the fear of man",
3. They see God’s love for a lost and dying world.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Our lamps should lit and our lights blazing. The world is watching… and Heaven awaits! Be encouraged my Brothers and Sisters: Our Lord holds a crown in His hands; ready to bestow it upon your head at the finish-line... Run Christian! Run the race to win!

"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it...

Behold, I come quickly! hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown!" Revelation 3:8, 11

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Amen. Even so, come Lord JESUS...

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"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:12-14

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Be encouraged in Jesus. He has promised to give us the grace TO WIN.

Be well!
Doug

Yes, true "LOVE" actually pushes back the darkness. True love makes a difference, even if people don't, or won't tell you so right away.

They see a radically transformed life; they see a self-sacrificing obedience to Jesus; (which is so utterly contrary to everythnig they have ever been taught about what is "normal.")

Truly, they see something of "Heaven" on earth.

Be well!
Doug

Very encouraged by your post; Doug!!
Love believes the best, endures the
worst, hopes, and triumphs!

Brothers and Sisters:

Do people see such "true Love", in you?

Not only miracles, (for wrathful devils also perform them. Revelation 16:14)

Not only tongues, (for a tongue without "true Love" is useless. I Corinthians 13:1)

Rather, does "the faith in your heart" lead to the uncompromising obedience to Jesus and to His apostles that produces, (through God's grace), the good works necessary to be admitted to Heaven?, (as our Lord Jesus says in the verses above?)

A "faith" on the inside that doesn't lead to the corresponding "obedience of faith" and "good works" on the outside will not save any one of us. (James 2:18)

Praise God that Jesus "saves to the uttermost!"; and when He saves, He saves us, (not for ourselves, nor for others), but solely for Himself:

"For the LOVE of Christ constraineth us...

...that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." II Corinthians 5:14-15

The "good works" that reveal this "true Love" within are POWERFUL weapons for SPIRITUAL warfare; they break the blockade of the devil; they overthrow his "unstoppable" plans; they smash to powder his "impregnable" walls; they reduce this "dread" fallen angel to UTTER DEFEAT.

Oh! To be FULL to OVERFLOWING with this kind of Love! To be full with the Love of God!

Be well,
Doug

God encourages us all by the fact that He sent the very best He had, (His dear and only Son), FOR US!

Jesus encourages us all by the fact that He already overcame the greatest threat to our souls, (the whole World, Sin, and even Satan himself), FOR US!

Let us pray for one another and encourage one another in these things. For God's grace is sufficient to overcome whatever the world, the flesh, or the devil may be throwing at us.

His Grace in the heart of a saint is All-POWERFUL. Let us truly believe in Him, now and to the end, and we will be more than Conquerors through Him that LOVES US.

God bless you friend!
Doug

Dear Sister,

you wrote:
"May He Love, with His Love, through us!"

Yes!, yet, it can be a fearful thing indeed to follow "the Lamb" wheresoever He leads us. He inexorably leads us against the whole world system, against the very devil himself!

When our Lord speaks, we know that the very winds and the rain obey Him. How much more should we, who are called by His Holy Name?

Oh God! Increase my FAITH! Oh Lord, let it be to every soul that hungers and thirsts after righteousness, that:

"...As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken,[Lord! Increase my FAITH!] he saith...

Be not afraid, only believe!" Mark 5:36

Thank you, dear Sister, for your kind encouragement. :O)
Doug