"Follow God's example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.  Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins.  And God was pleased, for Christ's love for you was like sweet perfume to him." 
Ephesians 5: 1-2 Life Application Bible

Just as small children follow and imitate their parents, we are told to imitate Christ.  He was given by God and because he loved us so much, was led to sacrifice himself that we might live and be free.  We are to have the same
kind of love for others that Christ had for us.......a love that goes beyond just our affection and care for one another.  We are to have a self-sacrificing love which is willing to serve others as Christ was a servant in his earthly ministry.  This is a love that looks beyond faults and sees needs as Christ would see.  It is a love that builds up in faith and unifies the body of Christ to be all that God purposes it to be to.  This love puts God first, others second, and self last.  This Christ-like love is kind, suffers long, speaks no evil, is gentle, and always thinks the best of others.  This love knows God is no respecter of persons and each child has equal value and worth in the eyes of our Father.  Love shows forth his attributes to a lost and dying world.  This is truly love
that will never fail, love in action, and love worth finding.

When the lost see Christ in the lives of Christians and the Body of Christ being what God intends, they will have a desire to seek this kind of love as they will see Jesus being lifted up.  This is a promise of God. He tells us in his Word if we will only lift Him up, He will draw all men unto Him.  We lift Jesus up by exalting Him in this World by obedience with praise, walking in the Spirit of the Lord, and truly being his body to help others find their way back to the Father.  The World must be able to see Jesus in us as his light reflects through us.

The love of Christ for us was pleasing to the Father, and is described as being like the fragrance of sweet perfume to Him.  When we really love and care for one another, it is a sweet savor unto the Lord and very pleasing to Him.  Love can be recognized.  It can be seen as it is
described in God's Word and felt as it bears witness with our spirits.  Love is manifesting a heart of worship in our lives through being for others what Christ wants us to be for Him and for them.

"Any time is the right time" to praise our Lord, as we must keep an "attitude of gratitude" from our innermost being to imitate Christ.  Under the Old Testament Laws with the many set rituals and rules,  there were set days and times to come together and worship the Lord.  These were days of intense soul searching, repentance and offering sacrifices unto God.  Under grace, although we have set days we gather to worship corporately; we are to examine our own hearts daily and live our lives each day in a repentant attitude of worship and adoration to God.  To truly worship or bring honor to God as Christ desires corporately, we must walk in his spirit as his Body on earth and carry forth the great commission given by Christ as his will for our lives.  This is also as a sweet perfume to the Lord as we dwell in his presence daily
under the shadow of the Almighty.  Dwelling is living in this place, as He is our Refuge and Fortress where we can safely abide.

Jesus told the woman at the well the hour would come 
when they would neither worship at the mountain nor Jerusalem, which was the set place of worship, but true worshippers would worship the Father in 'spirit and in truth'.  Under Grace, worship is a lifestyle or a "new way of living" we find in Christ.  It is not just something we are commanded to do at certain times or places as the days under the law required.  It is a constant abiding in the Vine each day which the World can recognize as all things new.

We are the temple of the Lord and must know who we worship and keep thanksgiving within his temple at all times.  It is only his work within which gives us a true heart of thanksgiving.  Love is having a changed heart which will manifest an attitude of gratitude.  Knowing Christ dwells within and is always there to help and be with us brings a life of freedom in Him. 

We do not have to work for his presence as He will never leave or forsake us.  As we live in an atmosphere of thanksgiving, He is there.  We can always reach out and touch the Lord by faith when we abide in Him.  All we have to do is acknowledge Him as first in our lives with thankfulness each new day.  May we follow the example given us by our Lord in 2002.  May we have this love not only in our hearts and minds, but in our words and
will as we let Christ live in and through us.  The love of Christ shared with others will also return to us as it is so pleasing unto our Father. 

Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'s Inspirations (c) 2002
                   

             Being Examples  -  God Looks At the Heart

"Be thou an example of the believers, in word,
in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
1 Tim. 4: 12

We are told to be examples in faith to others in all we do
or say and be pure and holy. An example in Greek means, "a model or pattern for imitation."   When God looks in our hearts, does he see his reflection and attributes? 

It has well been said and is a true statement, "it is what is on the inside that counts".  We can be thankful God looks at our hearts and knows every thought, intent, action or deed.  As He lives within, he is to be our example. He is 'Truth' and always seeks to promote truth.  One day at a time, we seek to be more like Jesus.
God has a heart of such love and concern that no soul
is unimportant or of a frivolous matter to Him.  His Spirit seeks to edify each member of His Body by joining
them together in love and truth.

Our heart and motives in following Christ in Christian service is what matters to God.  A disciple is one following Jesus who is being taught and disciplined.  A disciple is "doing what Jesus would do" and teaching others to stand in Christ.  A Disciple puts the 'Giver' before gifts by recognizing God's plan for a lost and dying world is a simple plan of truth, which is to be our number one priority as servants.  When the Giver of life is presented to others, He gives the greatest gift of all the gifts.  He is the Gift and He alone is magnified.  God's plan is to always put Jesus first, others second and self last which will equal JOY. {Jesus...Others....Yourself}. 
This joy is our strength. His Spirit works on hearts as 
understanding comes with wisdom in words of God.

In this self-seeking, humanistic day and age, we must recognize every scheme of Satan which would distract others from receiving the true message of God's love and salvation.  Jesus came to seek and to save those which are lost.  It is not his will that any should perish but that 
all should come to repentance. We are given many opportunities to reach the lost, and will be accountable for the part of God's harvest we are to reach.  We can only touch a life and heart through a true spirit of peace.  God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace 
as in all Churches of the Saints.  As we pray for the
Lord to give us souls in the harvest, may we pray for wisdom to reach these as His Spirit will lead us.  May his peace always be with us to give rest to the weary and all who wait upon Him.

We are to be people who read, study, pray, and meditate on the Scriptures.  Our spiritual exercise daily is so much more important than our physical exercise.  Growing in grace and in Christ is a must for each Christian. 
Our spiritual progress is determined by our spiritual exercise or by practicing a Godly lifestyle.  In Scripture we are told:  "Watch your life and doctrine closely.
Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." 1 Timothy 4: 16 {NIV}. 
These are words of warning and instruction for us today to heed.  Perseverance is necessary in our walk with God and guarding the Christ-life and doctrine He has given us.

We must remember that true growth comes only from the inside out.  As we put into practice spiritual disciplines one day at a time, Christian character is developed which is pleasing to God.  Love is the most important mark of a true disciple of Christ and His love is the greatest gift of all.   This is a wonderful thought for us each day as we seek to know him better and serve Him as he desires.
May we bless his name today and each new day as we seek Him in Spirit and in truth.

Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'s Inspirations (c) 2001

                     Be Kind To One Another

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."  Ephesians 4: 32.

Jesus was kind and tenderhearted to all those around Him.  His attributes were love, joy, peace, meekness, longsuffering, gentleness and He was the Prince of Peace.  We are also to follow in his footsteps and "be kind one to another, tenderhearted so as to show forth the mercies of the Lord." 

The heart of our Savior was one of love and forgiveness. As He forgave us our trespasses, we are also to forgive one another.  We can overlook the faults of others if we recognize our own faults and how our Loving Savior has 
forgiven us. There is no other who could ever show unto us the kindness which our Lord has shown unto us in forgiving our sins.  He took upon Himself the weight of the world's sins that we might be free indeed.

May we always seek to love one another as Christ has loved us and to have a heart which is filled with peace and longsuffering.  Sometimes longsuffering really means we must "suffer long" while enduring the many things that we must face in life.  In all these things we are made more than Conquerors through the blood
of Jesus Christ.

Hold on to the unchanging hand of Jesus today. May we be his hand extended to others to show forth the same love which He has given unto us.

Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'s Inspirations

                                 Do Unto Others

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.  Eph. 4:32

Our attitude should be to treat others as we would have them treat us.  Jesus was always loving, compassionate, kind, tender-hearted, and a servant to others.  He came to touch lives of all who would receive Him and bring a better way of living.

Our desire should be to have the attributes of Jesus in our lives that we might show forth his love.  Each day we have opportunities to do what Jesus would do when we see others with needs, hurts, disabilities, or other circumstances.  We can see them through eyes of love and desire to help or go on our way and disregard their feelings.  We may never be able to speak directly to some, but our prayers have no distance.  When we behold the lost and dying of this world, we can pray and intercede for them.

We are to be intercessors who stand in the "gap" for others. Many ask what is the definition of " the gap".  It is the distance between the way things are and the way God wants them to be.  The gap is the distance between
God and fallen man who lives below his privileges.  We are to pray to see God draw all men unto the cross of Calvary.

Remember, He reaches further down than we could ever reach up to give his free gift of salvation.  There is no sin too great, no sorrow too deep, that God cannot save, restore and heal.

May we always strive to do "what Jesus would do" and be like Him.  "To be like Jesus" should be the desire of our hearts in our Christian walk.   The love of God can solve all of life's problems.  It really can be said love is "what the World needs now."

Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. p.'s Inspirations



"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it". (1 Cor. 10: 13. (KJV)