Sue J Love
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
- 3,037
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7 ESV)
If we are to rejoice (be glad, delight in) the Lord always, what should that look like? For this isn’t just about emotions and singing songs of praise to the Lord, but it has to do with who we are and in how we treat the Lord, and in how we respond to him and to his commands and to his calls upon our lives. This has to do with us delighting in God’s grace which goes beyond just emotions, but which results in certain attitudes, thinking, and behaviors.
For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives (Titus 2:11-14). So if that is what we delight in, what should that result in? It should result in us saying “No!” to all temptation to sin and all worldly passions, daily, and us now walking (in conduct, in practice) in self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. This is what rejoicing in him means.
And what is our “reasonableness” (in some translations “gentleness”)? It has to do with fairness (as defined by God, not by humans). And it has to do with keeping the spirit of the law. And it is meekness, sensibleness, realism, and controlled strength. And Jesus is our example of this. For he was meek, reasonable, and gentle, but he was not weak, and he did not back down from the truth that needed to be said in order to not hurt people’s feelings.
But many people today are discouraging us from speaking the truth in love to people, and they are encouraging us to hold back from telling the truth, and to, instead, say to people what tickles itching ears and what appeases them in their sins rather than encourages them to renounce their sins and to now live holy lives, pleasing to God, in walks of obedience to his commands. So, we need to follow the example of Jesus, not of the flesh of humans.
And we are to look to the Lord and to his Word for guidance and wisdom in all things so that we are doing his will and not the will of our own flesh. And we are not to be afraid of telling people the truth and of their reactions to us or their treatment of us. We just need to pray through every circumstance and every decision that we must make and trust the Lord to give us his counsel and direction. And then we will have peace of mind and heart.
Here is Your God!
An Original Work / July 18, 2012
Based off Isaiah 40:9-31 NIV
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
Lift up your voice; raise with a shout,
And do not be afraid of the people.
Say, “Here is your God!”
See how the Lord God comes now with power.
His arm rules for Him; His reward with Him.
He tends His flock just like a shepherd,
His lambs in His arms.
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from beginning?
Our Lord sits enthroned above all things.
None to Him compare.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens.
Who made all of these? Who calls them by name?
Because of His great power and strength,
All accounted for.
Why do you say, “My way is hidden
From the Lord, and my cause forgotten”?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord, He is your God.
He will not weary. He gives us power.
Those who trust in Him will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings just like eagles;
Walk and do faint not.
Don’t Be Anxious About Anything
An Original Work / January 25, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
If we are to rejoice (be glad, delight in) the Lord always, what should that look like? For this isn’t just about emotions and singing songs of praise to the Lord, but it has to do with who we are and in how we treat the Lord, and in how we respond to him and to his commands and to his calls upon our lives. This has to do with us delighting in God’s grace which goes beyond just emotions, but which results in certain attitudes, thinking, and behaviors.
For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives (Titus 2:11-14). So if that is what we delight in, what should that result in? It should result in us saying “No!” to all temptation to sin and all worldly passions, daily, and us now walking (in conduct, in practice) in self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. This is what rejoicing in him means.
And what is our “reasonableness” (in some translations “gentleness”)? It has to do with fairness (as defined by God, not by humans). And it has to do with keeping the spirit of the law. And it is meekness, sensibleness, realism, and controlled strength. And Jesus is our example of this. For he was meek, reasonable, and gentle, but he was not weak, and he did not back down from the truth that needed to be said in order to not hurt people’s feelings.
But many people today are discouraging us from speaking the truth in love to people, and they are encouraging us to hold back from telling the truth, and to, instead, say to people what tickles itching ears and what appeases them in their sins rather than encourages them to renounce their sins and to now live holy lives, pleasing to God, in walks of obedience to his commands. So, we need to follow the example of Jesus, not of the flesh of humans.
And we are to look to the Lord and to his Word for guidance and wisdom in all things so that we are doing his will and not the will of our own flesh. And we are not to be afraid of telling people the truth and of their reactions to us or their treatment of us. We just need to pray through every circumstance and every decision that we must make and trust the Lord to give us his counsel and direction. And then we will have peace of mind and heart.
Here is Your God!
An Original Work / July 18, 2012
Based off Isaiah 40:9-31 NIV
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
Lift up your voice; raise with a shout,
And do not be afraid of the people.
Say, “Here is your God!”
See how the Lord God comes now with power.
His arm rules for Him; His reward with Him.
He tends His flock just like a shepherd,
His lambs in His arms.
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from beginning?
Our Lord sits enthroned above all things.
None to Him compare.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens.
Who made all of these? Who calls them by name?
Because of His great power and strength,
All accounted for.
Why do you say, “My way is hidden
From the Lord, and my cause forgotten”?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord, He is your God.
He will not weary. He gives us power.
Those who trust in Him will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings just like eagles;
Walk and do faint not.
Don’t Be Anxious About Anything
An Original Work / January 25, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
