"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" (1 John 3:16-17) Every Christian knows John 3:16 by heart but how many of us have 1 John 3:16 at heart? Agape love is self-sacrificing love and it's required of us as children of God. Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. This is to be our standard and example of what love is. We are to love like Christ...to be willing to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Agape love is the supernatural love that God puts in our heart through His indwelling Spirit. It's a fruit of the Spirit. It's dying to self and valuing others above self.
Genuine love must be expressed in action. "Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:15-17) Our faith and our words are worth nothing (meaningless) if we do nothing to help those in need. Agape love is shown in giving, helping, serving, forgiving, praying, protecting, listening, caring, bearing one another's burdens, sharing the gospel, etc. To lay down our lives for others (verse 16) and to share material possessions with those in need (verse 17) are examples of putting agape in action. We're blessed to be a blessing to others/to share with others (especially those in need), not to hoard for ourselves.
Are we always willing to meet others' needs even when it costs us (time, money, energy, effort, inconvenience, etc.)? Don't just feel moved but then do nothing. "Sympathy is no substitute for action."(David Livingstone) "No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he had only had good intentions." (Margaret Thatcher) Faith without action is dead. Love without action is hypocrisy.
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for showing me what agape love is! Thank You for dying on the cross on my behalf for my sins! Please empower me to love like You. Please open my eyes to see the needs around me and show me how to best meet those needs. Please guide me where and how I should use my resources that You've blessed me with for Your glory and Your kingdom.
"And this is what He promised us--eternal life." (1 John 2:25)
Eternal life is God's gift promised to all who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If we remain in Christ, we can be confident that we will spend eternity with Him in Heaven. When our physical life ends on earth, our spiritual life continues throughout eternity without end. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them." (John 3:36) “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24) Notice that the verbs in both verses are in present tense. Our eternal life starts the moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ. It is our current standing in Christ. We will never die spiritually, but instead, live forever with Him. "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die;and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?'” (John 11:25-26) "For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29) O blessed assurance! Praise God for giving us the certainty of our salvation and eternal life! We are eternally safe and secure. We are His now and forever. He will keep and preserve us for eternity. We can never be taken from His grip. God is our fierce Defender and Protector. He is our all-loving and all-powerful Abba Father. God is in control; He is sovereign over all. Please share the gospel with the lost so that they may also place their faith in Jesus Christ and receive the gift of eternal life.
"Christians can be confident about their growth in sanctification and eternal security because they are confident in the God Who promises it." (John Owen)
Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for my eternal life with You and my eternal security in Christ! My life is safe and secure in Your hand. Your loving protection and Your sovereignty give me peace, joy, comfort, confidence, and courage, even in the midst of difficult, challenging times. I pray that You will use me to share the gospel boldly and help the unsaved know how they can receive the gift of eternal life in Christ. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
"We know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands.Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him:Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did." (1 John 2:3-6)
The test of true Christianity (proof that we really know Christ, abide in Christ, and love Christ) is obedience (to God's Word/commandments). Do you know Christ? The word "to know" in verse 3 is ginosko in Greek, which refers to an experiential and intimately personal knowledge (as opposed to mere head knowledge). Is your behavior congruent with your beliefs? Obedience to Christ is an essential evidence that you know Christ. On the contrary, disobedience to Christ is a proof that you do not know Him. A professing Christian who disobeys God is a liar/a hypocrite. "The best evidence of our having the truth is our walking in the truth." (Matthew Henry) If we truly know Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, abide in Him, and love Him, we will want to please Him, honor Him, obey Him and His Word. We are to walk in the same way/manner in which Christ walked....walking in obedience and desiring to do our Father's will.
"If a profession of faith in Christ does not result in a changed life that hungers and thirsts for God’s Word and desires to obey that Word, the profession is only that - a mere profession. Satan, of course, loves such professions, because they give church members the damning notion that they are saved when they are not! They still belong to him, not God." (John MacArthur)
Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for being patient with me and for forgiving me! I desire to know You more and to make You known. Please give me wisdom, courage, and strength to walk daily in faith and obedience. Please mold me to be like Christ and enable me to please & honor You in all I say and do. May how I live my life bring joy to Your Heart! In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.
Got questions? Here is a book of many answers regarding the Christian faith. Ray Comfort has compiled some of life's toughest questions he has received and offered his Biblically based answers. Most of these questions were from atheists and most of the answers were aimed directly at atheists. Ray Comfort wants to equip believers with the Biblical truth and facts that they can use to defend their faith. This book covers topics such as: Humanity: Rights and Suffering, The Bible: Biblical and Theological Issues, Science: Scientific Thought and Evolution, Philosophy: Beliefs and Worldviews, and Religion: God and Atheism. Questions about the Holocaust, Hell, Hitler, human origin, healing, and more are addressed. I really appreciate Mr. Comfort's heart for the lost and his love for our Savior. In almost every answer, he drives it home with the Gospel message, emphasizing repentance. However, I don't think his sarcastic approach (used to make a point) works effectively for everybody. One thing is certain: he doesn't sugarcoat anything. He is sincere; he even shares that he's not afraid of dying but he's afraid of the process of dying. (pp.108-115) He shows genuine concern for people's souls and their eternal destiny. He is humble; he doesn't claim to know all the answers. Yet he is confident when he gives answers based on God's Word. Mr. Comfort tells it as it is... comforting to hearers or not :).
"I can't deny the reality of the existence of God simply because I have unanswered questions. I know He exists because of the axiom of creation. I know He exists because I know Him experientially and have an all-consuming love for Him that embraces all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I'm not angered, worried, frustrated, concerned, or upset by these questions, because I love and trust Him. I know that the time will come when I find out the answers, and I don't mind waiting." (p.142)
About MAGDALENA: Through Her Eyes DVD (from Campus Crusade for Christ, ~82 minutes long):
THE LOVE SHE EXPERIENCED CHANGED HER LIFE.
THE MAN SHE FOLLOWED CHANGED THE WORLD.
MAGDALENA: Through Her Eyes is the story of Jesus from a woman's perspective. As she followed Jesus, Mary Magdalene witnessed changed lives, miracles, and His tenderness toward women. Her own life was radically transformed when Jesus healed her and gave her a new purpose for living.
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
We have been long-time supporters of the Jesus Film Project (their link is on my sidebar :)). Both my husband and I were serving with Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) when we were in college (attending different colleges in different countries). In fact, God used CCC to bring us together from across the world (I'll have to share our God-orchestrated love story some other time :)). I was so excited to get an opportunity to review this DVD from Campus Crusade for Christ. Magdalena: Through Her Eyes DVD was produced by women (its producer, director, and writer are women) for women. It portrays the life of Christ from Mary Magdalene's perspective. It was well done even thought it was a challenging task to blend scenes from the original Jesus Film (1979) with the new footage without losing the flow. I think they did a fantastic job. If you have never seen the original Jesus Film before, you probably won't be able to tell that they mixed scenes that were 30 years apart :).
In this film, Mary Magdalene tells her friend, Rivka and two other women (plus a girl and a boy) about the Messiah and helps them realize that God does care for women. Actually, she started from the very beginning (Genesis 1) so that they will fully understand God's plan of redemption through Christ. The film highlights Jesus's love and compassion through His interaction with women: delivering Mary Magdalene from demons, talking with the Samaritan woman at the well and offering her the living water, healing a woman who bled for 12 years, raising a girl from the dead, commending on a widow's small but sacrificial offering, forgiving an adulterous woman, making His first appearance after His resurrection to Mary Magdalene and assigning her to go tell His disciples that He is alive, etc. Throughout history, women have been oppressed, abused, mistreated, and undervalued. But Jesus loves them, forgives them, heals them, and cares about their needs no matter who they are and what they have done. This DVD aims to encourage women to see how much God loves and treasures them and to reflect upon the eternal hope that can only be found in Christ, the Savior of the world. We all, including women, are precious in God's eyes.
Magdalena: Through Her Eyes is not just another Christian film; it is a wonderful ministry tool. You can host a movie night with a purpose by making it a special event for women. The DVD package includes Magdalena: Through Her Eyes DVD, Reflections of Hope Bible Study, "Women's Ministry Leader" event letter, and special event marketing materials. The Bible Study Guide explores different aspects of who Jesus is to women: Our Loving Pursuer, Our Gracious Forgiver, Our Power for Living, Our Powerful Deliverer, Our Compassionate Provider, Our Complete Restorer, Our Living Water, and Our Lifelong Friend. I'm looking forward to hosting a movie night/Bible study for the international students who attend our local university. It's so cool that this DVD has 8 language options: English, Russian, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, and Arabic. I'd like to invite you to check out their website at http://www.magdalenatoday.com/ and get your small group, women's ministy, and/or church involved. A church event showing has a lot of potential to make a great impact. It may lead to Bible studies, a second church event outreach, film showing for a women's cause, donation/volunteer opportunity for a women's cause, etc. Speaking of a women's cause, my family is very pro-life and we faithfully support our local Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC). PRC helps 8,000 women (and pre-born babies) annually through 5 Centers, providing free pregnancy tests, comprehensive peer counseling, free Ultrasound (given by RNs), practical help, referrals and real hope (the Gospel message) to those facing unplanned pregnancies. My daughter participates in Steps for Life, an annual fund-raising event for PRC (this is her 12th year). Please consider supporting PRC by clicking here.
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the trailer.
GIVEAWAY: I'm so happy to tell you that there's an extra DVD package for one of my readers :). Just in time for Easter... Ends 4/15 at midnight Pacific time.
To Enter: Please leave a comment here letting me know if you've ever seen the Jesus Film or what women's cause is important to you. Please also make sure to leave your email address or your blog address so that I will be able to contact you if you're chosen as a winner (randomly). This giveaway is open only to US residents.
Extra Entries:
1. Visit my daughter's Steps for Life fund-raising webpage here and make a tax-deductible donation to PRC. Any amount is greatly appreciated! Come back and leave a comment here for 3 extra entries.
2. Visit http://www.magdalenatoday.com/ and come back here letting me know one thing you learn from the website.
3. Enter my Rebecca St. James's CD, "I Will Praise You" Giveaway here.
4. Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect or NetworkedBlogs.
5. Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/treasuredbyGod .
6. Post about this giveaway and link to this post on your blog.
7. Post the link to this giveaway on your Facebook page or tweet it. Please also leave your Facebook link or twitter link in a separate comment.
“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Have you heard of MyBlab.com? MyBlab.com is a community for all Christians and Christian organizations to Be Linked As Believers (BLAB). It's free to sign up. If you sign up, please let me know and I'll add you to my friends list there. It's wonderful to be able to connect with other brothers and sisters in Christ around the world without having to travel. You can also create groups for people who share your interests. If you're a budding musician, this is a great avenue for you to promote your music and attract fans :).
Check out all the cool stuff going on at MyBlab.com:
Share your insights, blessings, prayers, encouragements, praises, thoughts, resources, music, videos, etc. with each other by using the features of below!
•Sign up and connect with friends by User Type: Personal, Band, Author, Comedian, Pastor, Youth Pastor, Speaker, Church, Radio Station, TV Station, Organization or School.
•Personalize your profile with unique backgrounds, music and YouTube videos. You can also upload unlimited pictures and albums to your profile. (Don't forget to tag your friends!)
•Our friend's feed keeps you updated with what your friends and bands are up to by tracking comments they are making, who they are adding, pictures they are uploading and videos they are posting.
•Form groups that users can join - either public or by invitation.
•Artists and bands can create profiles and add their songs, upcoming shows, and interact with their fans.
•Events and Event Calendar: Add public or private Events on your "Blab Board" and/or on your Event Calendar.
Our whole family have had a blast with Praise Champion (Karaoke World Tour) CD-rom. We had never done karaoke before and Praise Champion blew us away. Well, not at first since we couldn’t score above a few hundred points due to a defective microphone that was included. Hopefully, this wouldn’t happen to you and if it did, I’m sure you could contact them for a replacement. Through a better microphone that we already owned and through practice, we were able to score well over 100,000 points at times. Not only is it fun to sing and rack up points, but you can also unlock new venues (places to sing) and clothing and accessory options for your character by performing well enough to earn silver, gold, and platinum. You won’t receive a new venue/clothing option every time you reach silver or gold on a song but on certain songs you will. *whispers* If you manage to get gold on a certain song and it unlocks something, you can get gold again and again (at least a couple other times) and unlock two more with the medal level on the same song. That’s a free hint from my 17 yo daughter who has really enjoyed this game. In fact, this singing game has been a big hit with my two sons (12 and 9) as well. After performing a song, we can replay our recording and add effects such as reverb and chorus. There are also mini games such as “Pitch-N-Pass” and “Tune-a-Tuna” that aim to help you improve different vocal skills like pitch detection, pitch sustaining, pitch change and lung capacity. While we haven’t personally unlocked anything through them (and don’t find them as fun as the performances), the instructions say you can unlock new stuff if you do really well. The High Scores list shows the high score for each song that has been sung. For those of you who are competitive, you’ll have fun trying to beat others’ scores :).
Praise Champion features 40 wonderful praise and worship songs such as “Revelation Song”, “I Am Free”, “My Savior Lives”, hymns such as “Amazing Grace”, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee”, “Blessed Assurance” plus 20 bonus Christmas songs such as “Silent Night”, “O Holy Night”, “Joy to the World”, and many more. When we sing, we get real-time performance feedback. A glowing pitch bar moves up and down the scale to display the singer’s pitch. A performance meter indicates whether the singer belongs in the shower, in the choir, or on tour :). We all have had a great time singing. It’s so good for me as a parent to know that my kids are singing clean Christian songs (with great lyrics). It’s okay if you don’t know some of them, this is a fun way to learn new songs! Awesome CD-rom for all ages and one of the most enjoyable PC games we’ve ever owned!
~I received this CD-rom for free from LB Games in an exchange of my honest review. LB Games produces quality PC-based Christian interactive games for children, teens and adults. Their games are supported by Focus on the Family, the Billy Graham Center and many preachers who appreciate that their games provide a healthy alternative to other violent games. I share their approval.
1. You can get a FREE sample copy of "An Encouraging Word," magazine for Christian women of all ages. $5.00 value! Enter promo code: AEWFB in the check out process and click "Continue." Please feel free to share this offer with your friends! http://www.anencouragingword.net/aewsample.htm
2. We've had a blast singing with Praise Champion (Karaoke World Tour) CDrom. Great song selections (lots of hymns, praise and worship songs, Christmas songs, songs by Lincoln Brewster, Kari Jobe, etc.)! We all try to get platinum records :).
3. We had so much fun playing games with our Chinese and Taiwanese friends last Friday night! We played Whoonu, Apples to Apples, Would You Rather...?, and I Have Never. Lots of laughter and I discovered I enjoy crispy anchovy snacks :).
4. Tomorrow, January 22, Focus on the Family is co-sponsoring the first annual Life and Justice Conference at New Life Church in Colorado Springs. You can also join live via simulcast. Discover how you can be an advocate for the preborn child, orphans, those living with special needs, the elderly, or victims of human trafficking and genocide. For more details: http://www.lifeandjusticeconference.org/?page_id=817
5. I enjoyed reading Life Without Limits and highly recommend it. This inspiring book is written by Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs. He is living his life to the fullest with gusto for God's glory! Please take a few minutes to read my review here and rate it. Thanks so much!
Note: Please turn off my playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the trailer.
When 20-something filmmaking brothers Chris and Nick Staron were told it's impossible to make a Christian comedy, they felt challenged and wanted to do something about it. Bringing Up Bobby is the result. I wouldn't say it's impossible but I would say...it's quite difficult as seen in Bringing Up Bobby. Considering their budget limitation, their effort is to be commended.
Bringing up Bobby is the story of the Wyler family dealing with identity issue and their parents' will. The family reunion wreaks havoc. Four siblings...greed...fear...deception...searching for acceptance. The movie attempts to teach that family shouldn’t be divided by money, that you need to “own” your faith, and that you need to stand up for what is right even if it costs you dearly. Unfortunately, the message loses its impact because the characters and the resolution were not believable. At times, it seems they try too hard to be funny. The "War Table" is interesting but a little confusing to me. I was disappointed at first that the main character who is a Christian lies and hides money, but I later realize that they try to be realistic by showing that Christians are not perfect and still need God to guide them.
I applaud Chris and Nick Staron for taking on the challenge and for inserting Christian values in this movie. There are great truths and lessons. However, the humor department doesn't work out so well, partly because the acting is not very convincing. It's more "silly" than "funny". If you don't expect too much from this movie as a comedy, then you may enjoy it as a clean family-friendly movie.
“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
By the way, my family and I enjoyed their first movie, Between the Walls.
