Love Songs

I am a romantic at heart, especially when it comes to Jesus. As a man I often find it hard to describe just how I feel about Him; the lover of my soul. I don't know if it has to do with age, or being a man, or just me. Yet, sometimes I find that certain songs are able to capture some of my feeling and emotions. But, know this for certain that my love for God is to difficult to describe with human words. And yet my love is no match for His.

There are many anointed and inspired song writers that tried to capture that love with artistic words and expressions that have become classic. Many of them are older hymns. There are also some secular song that people have try to express love between a man and a women. However, Jesus Christ is the greatest romantic lover of all and the inspiration for true love. Nothing can compare to the love of God. He even sings to us through songs and poetry that He inspires others to write and sing. Sometimes He even gives me a song, when my soul is crying out or desiring to know Him more.

I am a son of God, I am also a part of the Bride of Christ. Therefore, my love places me in a feminine position of loving Jesus. He is the head, my husband and my lover and I am His. He is also my past, my present, and my future. Everything I posses and all that I am are tied to Him by a covenant of love. To sum it all up, He is my life. Furthermore, I can identify with many of the old hymns that capture some of those same feelings. Such as, I'd Rather Have Jesus or Without Him, I could do nothing, I Need Thee, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, I Surrender All, If That Isn't Love and Amazing Grace. 

There are many more current worship song that express my love for Him as well: Such as, I Exalt Thee, I Love You Lord, I Call Your Name, Fact to Face, You are the air I Breath,  In The Arms of Love, When I look at You, I Love You, Holy is The Lord, Abba Father, True Intimacy, Peace, Deeper Still, Your love and When I Look at You and many many more. I sure you have your favorites ones also, that you listen to and sing along. There are so many wonderful and anointed songs today, ones for everyone taste, and I am so thankful for them. In some of my darkest moment and seasons, I found strength in listing to worship music. There is nothing that satan hates more than when we worship God out of the suffering of our soul.

Music also brings hope and joy to the soul whether spiritual or secular. Even dancing makes us feel alive, especially in a world that struggles to find reality. God even enjoys dancing with us too. He want to see His children happy and free. 

Our spirit needs to worship, and God created music for worship, pleasure, meditation, enjoyment and dance, as a way to express our love and joy. It's also a way for our soul to express our hopes and dreams and sometimes even our pain and sorrow. The Lord say, there's a new sound of praise and worship coming that will change the world. I can't wait to hear them.

Sometimes I find my self singing along with secular love songs that  express how I feel about my relationship with God. Such as; The Power of Love, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face, You Raised Me Up, or You are so Beautiful to Me and an old song written by Elvis Presley, The Wonder of You:

When no-one else can understand me 
When everything I do is wrong 
You give me hope and consolation 
You give me strength to carry on 

And you're always there to lend a hand 
In everything I do 
That's the wonder 
The wonder of you 

And when you smile the world is brighter 
You touch my hand and I'm a king 
Your kiss to me is worth a fortune 
Your love for me is everything 

I'll guess I'll never know the reason why 
You love me like you do 
That's the wonder 
The wonder of you

Note: No I didn't do everything wrong, but maybe Elvis felt that way. Yet there were times in my past that I felt that way too. However, God has forgiven me and He has restored me. He overlooks my stumbles, and He knows my true desires. Now I walk in His glory and anointing to fulfill the call on my life. He's mending my heart and has removed the pains of mistakes, accusations and abuse, and replaced them with His incredible Love. Life is not to be always about suffering for Christ's sake, but there will be travail for those who are called to birth something greater beyond themselves. Love songs makes it easier to endure them too.

The Power of Love

"The love of Christ is your savior. It is He who laid down His life for you, so you can be restored to the cool of the day with Him. And if for nothing else, tonight is the cool of the day for us. As you're leaning on the presence of Yahweh, you're leaning on the heart of Jesus, the heart of Christ. And you're hearing My heart. I love you—with all your failures—oh prodigal son. With all your failures, griefs and BS, I have loved you with an everlasting love."

"And I have watched over you even in your darkest days, I was watching. I kept the arrows from entering you, because I have always been your shield. And I have always been your very exceedingly great reward. I love you in the heaven and I have loved you on earth, and I will love you forever."

"I will squeeze the puss out of you. And I will heal the wounds behind it all. And I will set my children free. Everyone being drawn to me in love. There is none that I will not accept, not one. I came to set every victim free. I came to deliver and heal people who are not Christian, because Jesus never ministered to one Christian person in His three and a half years. And He set a lot of people free. And He is setting you free. I'm reorganizing your thoughts. I'm breaking old patterns. I'm letting you know that love is going to be the answer for it all. I know it sound like a Celine Dion song, that the love of Christ is the power and the love of Christ is authority."

"The love of Christ will break every chain of the devil, it really will. The blood has already been shed. The three words—it didn't take Jesus a catalog of theological books to say it. He said it all in three words, "It is finished." And if you were less intelligent that you are David, and you had a small vocabulary and you didn't have much knowledge of the Bible. If all you had was the understanding that Jesus loves you, 'this I know' and that Jesus said, 'It is finished.' You would have enough to set nations of people free for me."

( a portion of a prophecy spoken in our meeting on Jan. 28, 2011)

And Jesus said, "It is not those who are healthy that need a physician, but the sick...For I did not come to call the righteous [Christians], but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13 bracket mine)

Peter's Wife—I Was Wrong Part II

When Peter finally came home, he had this incredible story, that Jesus had risen from the dead and even talked to him. He said that this proved that everything Jesus had told them was true, and that He would meet them later in Galilee. Great, just when I thought Peter would come to his senses, he comes home to meet with a dead man's ghost. And now he wants to go fishing with some of his buddies who came along with him. What a revolting development this has turned out to be. He probably even expects to have sex after all these years. Fat chance I thought to myself! But then I was his wife. Just one of those sacrifices us wives have to make I guess. (Oh I'm so ashamed, when think of the way I behaved.  I was so stubborn, prideful and unforgiving. I even thought God was pleased with my behavior and independent spirit.)

Peter was home for just a few days, when he said that they had met Jesus while they were out fishing, and He help them catch another big haul of fish. They must have, because Peter reeked of fish again when he came back home. Then Peter was back off to Jerusalem again, to follow his Jesus ghost.

I had not seen Peter for a while, when I heard rumors that strange things where happening around the Holy City. That Jesus was taken up into the heavens and ten days later, fire came down, and Peter spoke a foreign language and to a large crowd. I think that what happened, it was all so confusing at the time. They said that over 5,000 people believed Peter's message and became followers of Jesus, and now Peter was their new spokesman. Great, just when I though there was the a chance, but no—not Peter. Now he was the new ringleader and people were following him and getting healed and even by others disciples as well.

Over the months and years Peter would come home for short visits. He always told me that he loved me and that God loved me too. (I knew that I just didn't realize how much He really did love me.) But I told Peter, he and God had a strange way of showing it. Peter talked to me of a new kind of love. But all I saw was a man who loved someone else more than me, and he didn't care about my feelings one way or the other. 

He told me long before, that God's love was unconditional and that we were to always to love and forgive one another, no matter how much they hurts us. That was easy for him to say, considering how much he had hurt me. Peter also shared how Jesus had forgiven him, when he had denied Jesus three times. Ya right, and now he expected or hoped that I would do the same for him. Peter even asked for my forgiveness and told me that he was sorry many times, but I didn't believe him.

Peter was always traveling, yet he would stop by the house from time to time and tell me where he had been and what all God was doing for others. Peter said that people were even being healed by his shadow or touching him. One time he even told me that he had been arrested and beaten, and another time an angel came to helped him escape from a prison cell. I always knew Peter had an active imagination, but did he really expects me to believed all this stuff too?

Then there came the persecution of those who follow the teaching of Jesus, Christians as they we now called. Many were beaten and others killed or their possessions were taken away. Because of that threat, Peter didn't see me very much. He said, he did want to put my life in danger and that he was concerned about my heart. He told me, he always prayed for me and that he would continue to. I didn't need his prayers, but I thanked him anyway. And nothing was wrong with my heart that I knew, or so I thought.

As time went by, things settled down in the region, and we lived together again, but he would still go off and preach or talk to believers. It didn't really matter we were like two different people. Peter was kind and tried to please me and I tried to do the same for him. Yet, people seemed to love him more and they would come great distances to talk him about Jesus. We still worshiped together when we visited the temple to pray or on certain Festivals or Holy Days. But thing were not the same, Peter had his God and I had mine, the same went for most of our friends. We didn't talk much either. Every now and then Peter would try and talk to me, but then I would end up lecturing him and he would get angry sometimes. However, it was usually me who was angry with him, because it still seemed he just didn't care for the things that I liked or wanted. I didn't feel appreciated and he probably felt the same way too. I think he felt like I was probably his thorn in the flesh, even though he said, he loved me. 

I rarely told Peter that I loved him. Oh how I regretted that. Then one day word came back to me from an old friend and his wife. They told me that Peter had been crucified upside down. I didn't believe them at first. Peter always had a martyr complex or wanted to do things different. But not this and why now? Then the realization hit me, my poor Peter was really dead. I tried to be strong, but I crumbled to the ground in a ball of sobs and tears.

The next few days, I cried and cried again until there was no more tears. I was angry and my heart was broken. My mother had die awhile back and now Peter, I was truly alone. My soul was broken and there was no one to heal me. Many friends of Peter came by the house and tried to comfort me, but it didn't help much. Until a month later, when a friend brought me a copy of a letter Peter had written. I had never bothered or cared about his letters before. But now I wanted to read one, as if my life depended on it, even if it was a copy.      

After reading his letter several times, everything seem to make more sense. I wept again as I poured out my heart to God and asked Jesus to help me. My loving husband was willing to die also that others may be set free from the bonds of sin, deception and unforgiveness. That life was about sacrifice and loving God, which is done through submission to The Truth and loving the Lord with all our heart. 

There was such passion in Peter's words. He even wrote a portion on Godly living regarding husbands and wives, I can't say that I was that way. Oh, if I had only known, but my pride had blinded me and I wasn't willing to forgive. I had been deceived by the satan and I did realize it. I'm so sorry Peter, that day God saved me through the words of my dearest Peter. Now, I truly love Jesus Christ and Peter too, even though Peter is gone now. 

It's better late than never, but while the grace of God rest upon me. I will try to teach and help other women and wives the lesson I learned the hard way. That whether are husband have a passion for Christ or not, we are to love God and to honor our husbands through obedience. That our husband are the head of a marriage as Christ is head of the Church. Wives should not to be jealous in any situation, our husbands are not our possession or called to cater or pander to all our wants and carnal desires. As wives, we were given by God to help, assist and honor them, not to control them. But must of all, we are to honor God.

God places in every man/husband a vision and nothing should stop him from fulfilling his role. Wives shouldn't argue with their husbands, it a waste of time in energy. God is able to correct him and any mistakes he may make without our interference, and make it work out for His good and glory. So ladies, join in the great adventure of married life that God designed and see where the Lord takes you. Enjoy the intimate times along the way, even through the difficult times. Life is meant to be enjoyed and love is a special bond, a covenant right between God and your husband. You'll never know how long you'll have him, so enjoy the times you have together. Your children will come and go, but a marriage is for life.

Our lives are meant to be shared with God, our husband and help others. Together we are one with Him, and nothing can separate us from that love, even when we are apart or feel alone. We are also to support our husband with a kind and gentle spirit. Our spiritual authority comes through submission, just as it was for Sarah and her husband, Abraham. If we claim to be the daughters of Sarah, the daughters of God, we will have that same spirit. We must also cast away all fears, for there is no fear in God's love. 

Together we are to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us as an example of true love. Yet, only in Christ is there true peace and joy. God is the true provider and our protection, He is our everything. I see now that Peter knew that and he never stopped loving me, he just loved God more. And there was nothing ever wrong with that, because Jesus Christ was with and in Peter. And now Christ lives in me and has filled me with His Holy Spirit so that I too can boldly declare the Truth. 

In sharing my story with you, I hope you see God's heart. That God's agape love bears all things, its patient, kind, forgives everything and His love never fails. God has given us His authority, and I believe we can make this a better world by demonstrating His love, grace and mercy to others. God's love it truly the greatest power in the world. 

Note: I hope you enjoyed my little fictional story or at least found it interesting. It was not intended to depict the way Peter's wife really was, because the scripture says that she traveled with Peter in their ministry. But, I believe it was still hard for her initially and for others to understand his leaving her, just as it would be for most people today. Customs and culture were different back then. 

Yet, today we still must obey the voice of Jesus and be willing to forsake everything for the sake of Christ. In that regards nothing has changed. There is always a cost in following and serving the heavenly Father. There are so many dysfunctional marriages today, because of sin. But that will change as people's hearts are change by the power of God's love.

The reason I wrote this story was to reveal some of the main problems I see in many marriages. Problems concerning bitterness, unforgiveness and most of all a lack of honor for God and His Word. If we want to honor the Heavenly Father we will also honor and respect all His children as well, both male and female. 

There are also many men who harbor wrong feelings and have left their wives and children for selfish reasons. Who in most cases were not man enough to bear the cross. Husband's to need to honor their wives in spite of the cost. It is also wrong in other countries where women are treated as third class citizens. We are all equal in God's eyes and loved the same. As a husband and a friend of God, I am praying and believing for the restoration of marriages—in God's time and way. 

Peter's Wife—I Was Wrong

My dear Peter has been gone a couple of years now and I still miss him. I've had a lot of time to reflect on our marriage and what all transpired during it. Nothing of our marriage went the way I had hoped or expect. I was young and it was an arranged marriage; as was the custom of most marriages in our country. My mother had the greatest influence initially and my father, whom I adored, went along with it. He even liked Peter and so did I. My father saw him as a good, dependable and intelligent man. Maybe a little brash at times, but then Peter was still a man. Yet, in a very short time I became impressed and loved him too.

Peter was several years older than me and was well established. He had his own house and lived near his parent's home. Peter worked hard for his father, who was a fisherman, as did his younger brother Andrew. Together, they were called the sons of thunder. Peter also had other interests, but mainly God, which I did too—religion was part of our culture.

I was young when we got married, yet it wasn't something I had planned on right away. It just seemed to be the right thing to do. Peter was handsome and very aggressive. He was gifted and a dreamer with a lot of big plans and ideas on how things should be. He also loved God and would often go and see a man down at the Jordan River, who he believed was a prophet of God. Every time Peter came back from those visits, he would be all fired up about how people needed to change. He even had the notion that one day God might use him to save the world or at least some part of it. I on the other hand, I had a few thoughts and ideas of my own, but they didn't seem to matter to Peter as much as they did to me. Peter had potential and in time I believed I could change him and he would begin to see things my way. But, that never happen as hard as I tried.

My name is not important, but I believe my story is, because it reflects a big problem I see in so many marriages—a lack of honor. We were always taught to honor our husbands, but my mother and I had our own idea on what that meant. Peter and I didn't known each other very well, yet we both believed we were meant for each other. It was a beautiful day for a wedding, one my mother wished she would have had. I had a beautiful bridal gown and vial, and lots of guests with gifts. It was a happy day for all of us.

Our marriage and consummation was nothing like I had dreamed or envisioned. One where my prince would rescue me and we would make love and live happily ever after, silly me. Yet many Hebrew girls had dreams like that, despite our circumstances. However, what I got was a bigmouth fishermen, who always smelt like fish and he would often get his foot caught in it instead. He was also a dreamer, and a man who left me to follow those dreams. True he came back, but it was never quite the same. Let me share with you what really happened.

We hadn't been married very long and the joy of our marriage was being tested. He didn't seem to care for me the way I though he would, and my opinions did seem to matter to him. He would come home after fishing all day or all night, and talk about the big ones that got away. He tried to helped me every now and then, but I was the one who made sure there was plenty to eat. I worked hard in the garden or sold handmade things, but he didn't seem to appreciate it, even though he said he did. However, the dogs and cats sure appreciated the table scraps and my attention. Sure Peter worked hard around the house building things and worked in the garden too, but many projects never seemed to get finished. We were married a number of years and yet we still had no children, but I still had my hopes. I was disappointed about the way things were going and began to wonder what was wrong. Peter didn't seem very happy either.

Then one day Peter came home all excited about his visit to the Jordan River. He talked about a certain man that John the Baptist, had baptized. His name was Jesus. Peter said, he heard a voice from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Peter had always been excited about religious stuff, but this time it was different. A little over a month later, he went to where this man lived. Then another time Peter was invited to a wedding, as one of Jesus' disciples, but I didn't get to go. At the wedding he said, Jesus turn the water into wine. Peter couldn't stop talking about "the man," especially after Jesus filled their boat with fish a couple weeks later. I became jealous of all the attention this man was getting. He even saw Jesus heal people and was convinced this man was the Messiah. But, I wasn't so sure. 

Peter was gone more and more often, and when he came back he would tell me what Jesus had taught the people. "Whatever you say dear," I would mumble. Then one day Peter went fishing and he didn't return home when I expected him. Later his father came over with a very sad look on his face. I though maybe there had been some kind of accident, but there wasn't. He told me that the man named Jesus came by when his sons were casting a net into the sea and said to them, "Follow me." Then Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus. That day Peter also left me.

I cried for many days and nights. How could Peter do this to me? How embarrassing this would be and who would take care of me. Sure I heard many wonderful things about this man, Jesus. All the miracles and healings and the kind and gentle words He spoke, but what about me. Sure I could have gone and seen Jesus, but I was too busy working and taking care of things. I didn't have time to chase after another man. Nor did I need help like other people did. Besides I knew God, or so I thought. I was so foolish and proud and didn't even realize it. My own self-righteousness had blinded me to the truth, but not Peter.

Peter always seemed to be making mistakes and I was positive this was just another one. I was tired of bailing him out of trouble. Peter was so full of pride and I despised him at times, he always though he was right, but I knew better. He never seemed to do what I wanted and we argued all the time it seemed. Peter tried to talk to me, but I wouldn't listen. Instead I lectured him on how he was wrong and that he needed to change. Maybe that's why he left me. Now there was no one left, but my mother and my pets. My father had die and now it was mother and me and we argued too. Neither my mother or I were happy and things just seemed to get worse.

I was bitter and resentful, and my body had ached all over for years. Peter would often rub my back, neck and shoulders to help me feel better and alleviate the pain. But, now he was gone. How dare Peter do this to me. Then one day Peter and Jesus came by the house. My mother was ill with a fever and the situation got to Peter somehow and he brought Jesus by the house to help her. I left when they showed up, because I didn't want to see Peter or Jesus, the man who took my husband away from me. When I came back to the house, it was so full of people I couldn't even get in. I had to sit outside and wait, then I fell asleep. When I awoke most of the people were gone, including Peter and Jesus. I went into the house and my mother face was all aglow and full of life. She was smiling and very happy. Then she told me everything that happened as we cleaned up the mess that the people had left behind. I became more bitter, but mother had changed. She said it was something about Jesus' eyes and the way He gently touched her hand. Maybe, Jesus had done some good things for others, but not for me.

A couple more years went by and I heard all kind of stories about Jesus and His twelve disciples. Some said that Peter even walked on water to Jesus in a storm. Now I knew they were all crazy. There were others who thought so too. The religious leader in our community and other places said, Jesus was a dangerous man and they hated Him. There were also rumors that some wanted to kill Him. They said Jesus claimed to be the son of God, but we knew better. He was just another man with crazy ideas about another kingdom and wanted people to follow Him. Jesus claimed that He was the truth, the light, and the way. But we knew better, because we had the scribes and pharisees and the Laws of Moses to prove it.

Others people where afraid of Jesus and His strange teachings. Such as loving your enemies and eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Yuk! That kind of talk wouldn't win Him many friends. This man Jesus, defiantly had some problems and my poor Peter was so gullible. He had fallen for all of Jesus clever words and tricks, and believed everything He spoke. In my own way I hated them all too. But I didn't see it that way at the time. (I was blinded by the log in my own eyes.) They were all just misguided, like so many other men. Mother was right, she used to say, you can't trust them. However, she was different now, but I wasn't fooled. Someday I thought, Peter would eventually come to his senses and come back to me.

Then one day the word was out all over town, that they had arrested, tried and crucified this self-proclaimed Messiah. Oh my, I never though it would come to that, but they actually killed Jesus. Now what would happen to Peter and all the others who followed Him. I was sure Peter would come home realizing his mistake, but he didn't—at least not right away. Not everything turns out the way we hope, and now I'm sure Peter realized that too. Maybe we could get on with our lives, the way it was meant be, I thought to myself.

to be continued

Don't Take Offense

"I know the things that stand between you and Me. I know the things that stand between you and Me. I didn't take offense though it's been there. They are offenses and they are barriers. They need to be removed and replaced with the reality of God. The way that the Father is relating to you is also changing." (a portion of a prophecy)

God doesn't change, but the way He relates to mankind does. In the life of Moses we saw God one way, in the life of King David another, and the same for the prophets. In the New Testament Jesus reveal another side of the Father and on the Day of Pentecost there was still another. Throughout history we have seen many different facets of God's nature.

In this next move of God, He want to reveal Himself as the Heavenly Father to the world. He desire to unveil His awesome love, power and grace by reaching out and going after His lost children. He also wants to teach His son and daughters how to live in the Kingdom of God. This will be done through apostolic men of God (spiritual fathers). They will instruct, discipline, and rebuke. Just like Jesus' taught His disciples and then they were commanded to do the same. This will usually be done in small groups like Jesus did. The father will also reveal hidden barriers that need to be dealt with that can affect our relationship with Him. These things are done so we can reach full maturity as His sons. 

Jesus is our example that God desires for us all to follow. We need to learn to submit to His spiritual authouity just as the disciples did. Jesus listened and obeyed His Father. He had an intimate relationship with Him and He loved everyone just the same, including the religious leaders who nailed Him a cross. It was all a part of God's amazing design and intention from the very beginning. His purpose is still being fulfilled in every person life that walks this planet. Therefore, we too should never take an offense against any person or even God. Yet, because of the fallen nature of mankind—people still do.

In fact, hardly a day goes by when somebody doesn't do or says something that offended people. Such as cutting us off in traffic, or accidentally spilling or breaking something, or the neighbors dog comes in our yard, or they forget to put the toilet seat down, or pick-up their clothes, or they're late for an appointment, or forgot an anniversary, or count their change or coupons at the cash register when we're in a hurry, or even by the way they look, or dress or talk to us. Many times these people don't even realize they offended us. Maybe they do and just don't care. Or maybe we just have too narrow of an opinion in accepting other's mistakes, attitudes or preferences.

However, there are also bigger issues that can really hurt, upset or "tick us off." Like injustice, racism, sex crimes, religious and political views, betrayed trust and a whole lot more. They can also add up, and like the old saying goes, "It's the straw that brakes the camel's back." But even one big mistake can do that, and they hurt us deeply, but should we be offended? The answer is NO. Jesus wasn't. True, they may hurt, grieve or even annoy us, but we must let go of these offenses. Including the ones that have deeply hurt us and leave them at the foot of the cross. Otherwise, how will God able to deal with our sins and mistakes. Remember the Lord's Prayer:

"And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." (Matthew 6:12)

Later Jesus added, "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15)

These offenses can lead to unforgiveness and we should repent. Else we might see rejection if we don't change our attitude. We may not be able to change way others behave or what they say and do. But we can change the way we think and relate them. Right? We can also pray and forgive them, and even ask God to bless and forgive them too. 

Even in Jesus own ministry many people took offense as to what Jesus said and did and many decided to reject and leave Him. Jesus even said to His grumbling disciples. "Does this also offend you?"' (John 6:61) Then Jesus said to them again, "Will you also go away?" (John 6:67) The words of Jesus will always test the heart's of men.

Many times people have prayed for God to change someone else, and nothing happens. God desires to change every ones heart and  He will always starts first with us, by revealing "the beam" in our own eye. But it's still up to us to remove the beam, yet it sometimes also requires His help too. (Mt. 5:7). God desires to change all our hearts and attitudes of how we think and behave around others. Remember, the Golden Rule? "Do unto others as you would want them to do to you." We all know it, but God still has to remind us, even me. 

Agape love is covenantal and it's unconditional, and it covers all offenses.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 

Human love will eventually fail, because it is conditional—based on human emotions (feelings). The Lord said, "Human love is vain and selfish in origin," because it loves people as long as long as they feel loved in return, or makes them happy, or feel special, wanted and needed. Or promises them, or "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your." All that stuff is vain. That's the reason why over fifty percent of all marriages in the United States, end in a divorce even though they didn't feel that way when they promised, "Till death do us part." The same goes for many friendships. Human love always fails when the other person doesn't respond in the way they want or either wholes onto an offenses.

Time, trust, and trials are the true test of agape love. God's love never fails, and He has proven this throughout history. God loves us, His love is unconditional, even when we were at our very worst moment in life. Shouldn't we do the same for others? This is much easier said than done I realize. That's why it often requires God's help and strength. Offenses can also stem from accusations or from disappointments.

There is also an area we need to repent from and that is wrong perceptions and accusations toward  God. 

We need to change our focus back on Christ and not the problem. The reality is, God alone is sufficient. If you have Him you have all you need. You don't need God to do something or someone else. God alone should be our peace, our hope, our joy and our everything. He has promised that He will meet all our needs and He will never fails us. 

Yet, knowing this things people and Christians still often taken up an offenses toward God, because it in their head and not in their heart. Knowing and understanding God's ways are two different things, A mature son of God should know the difference. Yet, we often presume or believe because of wrong precepts that He will do something the way and in the timing we want. (Like Mary and Martha felt regarding Lazarus death. They loved Jesus but didn't understand Him.) But God still cares and will keep every promise He has made, and in the end all will be restored—in His time and His way. We need to get this into our heart and renew our mind to this truth. God is love.

There are those who have seen God, like the fearful servant, who saw God as hard and exacting master (Luke 19:20-21). Or as an unfair master, because we worked all day and got nothing or little in return, or the same pay as those who worked only few hours or even a few minutes. (Mt. 20:1-16). Sometimes we may even think our passion for God is greater than His passion is for us. That we love Him more than He does us. Thus we taken up an offense with God and have never repented from our wrong attitude or out burst of frustration. We just swept it under the rug hoping God wouldn't notice or remember. Even thought we can now look back now and see that He was faithful all long. The reality is God will always be the Faithful and True One.

As foolish as these false perceptions or presumptions may have been, we have probably all felt this way at one time or another. I have even felt this way at times and told God so. But, I was wrong and just like Job said, I knew of God, but now I've seen Him and heard His voice and now I repent. Yes, repentance is necessary in order to set things right between God and you. Our heavenly Father doesn't want any hindrances between Him, including offenses and neither do I.

The Sufferings of Jesus— in More Detail

A closer look at the things Jesus suffered for us and to fulfill God's plan. Then we will have a better understand of the "sufferings of Christ." Jesus was:

• A man of sorrow — "He was...a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." (Isaiah 53:3
• Homeless — And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (Luke 9:58)
• Alone at times — He was lead by the Spirit into the wilderness alone to be tested by satan for forty days. Matthew 4:1-2) "But he would go away to places where he could be alone for prayer. (Luke 5:16); Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going." (John 8:14) "
• Misunderstood—"When many of Jesus' disciples heard him, they said, "What he says is hard to accept [or understand]. Who wants to listen to him anymore? Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?" (John 6:67)
• Despised and rejected —"He was despised and rejected by men," (Isaiah 53:3) "But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown." (Luke 4:16) For even his own brothers did not believe in him. (John 7:5) But first  he must suffer many things and be rejected of this generation. (Luke 17:25) "Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes.'?" (Matthew 21:42) "And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." (Mark 8:31)
• Weeping for lost souls —"When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,"(Luke 19:41
• Hated — "When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath." (Luke 4:28)
• Tested — And Jesus said, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” (Matthew 26:39
• Betrayed —"Judas went to the chief priests and the temple guards and discussed with them how he could betray Jesus." (Luke 22:4) The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” (Matthew 24:26)
• Falsely accused —Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses," (Matthew 26:59-60) And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. (Luke 23:2 and 10)

• Physically abused—hit or slapted, spit upon, beaten, whipped, crucified, and pierced—Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, (Matthew 26:67) Then Pilot had Jesus flogged with lead tip wipes. (John 19:1) And Jesus went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. (John 19:18-18)  Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water immediately came out. (John 19:34)

All these things happened and more happened to Jesus, because He chose to do the will of His Father. None of them were the results of wrong choices or selfish desires.

The Sufferings of Jesus

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

—Matthew 5:10-12 

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."

—John 15:18-20 

"When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

—Acts 14:21-22 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

—Romans 8:35-39

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

—2 Corinthians 4:8-11

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

—2 Corinthians 12:10

"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,"

—2 Timothy 3:12

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."

—1 Peter 4:12-14, 16 

Note: Today, there are many Christians who feel they are suffering for Jesus, because they are "Christian." However, that may not necessarily be true. It may have more to do with the religious labels, consequences, attitudes or the hypocrisy they display, rather than the actual sufferings of Christ. Many people hate or dislike those of religion faiths, including Christianity and for good reasons, because many often act and believe their better than others. Another reason is because they are man-made religions and have nothing to do with following Jesus Christ or the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately, many Christians and followers of Jesus get lumped in with the whole batch by association. But they are not the same and satan and his demons know it, even if others don't. Satan definitely hates Christian—especially the sons and daughters of God.

Many people believe that their financial difficulties, health problems, family and social problems are a part of those sufferings. It true they may be suffering and they can be very painful, but not necessarily for Christ' sake. More often they are the results of peoples poor choices. They may even be a part of a season of testing, but Jesus is still our healer and provider, our shield and great reward. We live in a broken and painful world and God desires to relieve mankind of their sufferings and restore them. Whether they were self-inflicted, or by the enemy (satan), or by God's design, God will restore them. He will use all these things to accomplish His will for the good of the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now, lets take a brief look at the things Jesus suffered and then we will understand  a little better the sufferings of Christ. Jesus was:

• a man of sorrow
• homeless 
• alone at times
• misunderstood
• despised and rejected
• wepted for lost souls
• hated
• tested
• betrayed
• falsely accused
• physically abused—spit upon, beaten, whipped, crucified, and pierced

All these things happened and were a part of Jesus' life, because He chose to do the will of His Father. None of them were the results of wrong choices or selfish desires.