Tag: the love of Christ

A Root of Bitterness in Your Marriage

“I make this covenant and this oath… so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood…                                                          Deuteronomy 29: 14, 18

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled…”                         Hebrews 12:14-15

Hello  –

Great to see you recently.  It was a terrific trip, and I appreciate your taking the time for us to see the sights nearby.  Some incredible equipment there; some of it quite different from what we have down here in The South.

I wanted to share something with you that is personal.  You know that I love you, and I enjoy seeing you and your wife.  I write this as a brother in the Lord, and a real sinner, saved only by the blood of Christ.  I am convicted of my sins on a regular basis, so I have no room to talk to anyone in the world.  But I did want to share this perspective with you.  My sense is that you have something against your wife, and that it is expressed when the two of you are together.  You may well have strong reasons for it, but it seems like a root of bitterness. 

In the Bible, a root of bitterness is an attitude that can grow in our soul.  It may start small, but it can grow, and ultimately be very destructive for all concerned.  I can speak of this because I have seen a root of bitterness firsthand, and it is like poison.  I would ask for your prayers in this regard, and will return the favor.

Four weeks ago the wife of a very good friend of mind slipped on steps going to their pool, and hit her head on the concrete sidewalk.  She was in a coma for several months before regaining consciousness.  If that happened to your wife, how would you feel if your last words to her were critical?  Sometimes we never get a second chance.

I would encourage you to reflect on this, pray on this, and ask the Lord to reveal it to you.  You are the spiritual head of your household, so I would encourage you to take charge of this – to root it out and get rid of it.  If it is something you have against your wife, then you need to forgive her for it, even if she does not ask for forgiveness.  Our nation is facing extremely dangerous times – perhaps an economic crash, WWIII, and martial law before the end of the year.  Now is the time to get right with the Lord and with our loved ones.  (I am convicted as I say this).

Finally, I would encourage you to consider the lesson from the following story:  A woman went in to see a counselor, and told him how totally inconsiderate her husband is, how he only thinks of himself, how he ignores her and her feelings, and added a list of other grievances.  She said that she had come to the end of her rope, and she wanted to leave him and get a divorce.  The counselor asked her if she wanted to get even with him.  She said “Yes!” 

So the counselor told her if she really wanted to get even with him, to inflict the most pain, she should treat him like a king for three weeks.  Just really treat him well, be very attentive to him and his every wish.  Then when she breaks up with him at the end of three weeks, his pain will be even greater.  She agreed that this was a great plan, and vowed to put it in place.

Six weeks went by and the counselor had not heard from the woman.  So he called her and asked her if she carried through on her plan.  She said yes, she had.  He then asked her if she left her husband.  She replied:  “Are you kidding?  He has responded so well to me, I wouldn’t think of leaving him now.” 

So there is power in love – the love of Christ.  And we are called to love our spouses unconditionally, just as Christ has loved us unconditionally.

Life is short.  God is great.  Walk with the Lord.

Love from Arkansas,

My Presence Should Be Desired More Than Anything Else in Your Life

Posted by 444 Prophecy News on September 22, 2018

Ginger Barbare

My Presence should be desired more than anything else in your life.

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

It is more precious than silver or gold.

More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Psalm 19:10

For when you seek to enter in to My Presence, you prepare your heart and mind for an encounter with Me.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

You search yourself deep within

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you fg—unless indeed you are disqualified. 2 Corinthian 13:5

to see if there is anything within you that could keep you from experiencing My Presence in your daily walk with Me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

Prepare yourself to experience My Presence.

How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Psalm 84:1-2

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners;

and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

For it will empower you to go forth and shine My Light,

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

the Light I have placed in you with a world filled with darkness and confusion,” saith the Lord.

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you. Isaiah 60:2

Once My Light begins to shine upon you it begins to transform you into a new image after Myself.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Old things pass away and behold all things are made new.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17

As you allow Me to change you, to mold you into what I created you to be

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

shackles fall and chains are broken.  

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in. Psalm 107:4

Who I set free is free indeed.

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36

You shine with the Love of Christ [agape].

to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19

Others see the change in your demeanor. When they look into your eyes, they see My Love for them shining back at them. You obey My commandments when you show others Love instead of hate, encouragement instead of discouragement, and compassion instead of judgment, saith the Lord.

And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:31   

For I Am a consuming fire.

For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29

Let My Fire purify your imperfections, sanctifying you for My Work and My Purpose.

I will bring the one-third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’;
And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’  Zechariah 13:9

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

I have a plan and a purpose for your life

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

and it can only be accomplished when you walk in obedience

If they obey and serve Him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in pleasures. Job 36:11

and submission to the prompting of My Spirit that lives within you.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

Let My Love pour through you.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:7-10

Encourage the hurting.

I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill.  Psalms 3:4

Pray for the afflicted.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to You. Psalms 102:1

 Minister unto all in word and in deed without expecting anything in return.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Luke 6:35

Live your life as an example of My Love.

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

1 Peter 2:21

Don’t withhold My Love from anyone you encounter

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so.  Proverbs 3:27

for through your sharing My Love, lives will be transformed and souls will be saved.

but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ. Ephesians 4:15

 For My Love breaks down the walls that people set up to protect themselves from being hurt,” saith the Lord.

“Experiencing My Presence is what changes you.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

It is how I fill you with My Spirit so that you can share it with the world.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

My Atonement on the cross for all sins displayed My Love for all people.

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:2

It is My Commandment that ye Love your neighbor as yourself.

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

And above all things have fervent Love among yourselves: for Love shall cover the multitude of sins.

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

I didn’t say it would be easy, in fact, it will be one of the most difficult things you have ever done, but it will change the dynamics of how you react to your family, your church, your community, and this world.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35

It’s up to you to choose to Love like Me.

But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Luke 6:46

I will teach you how so you can teach others,” saith the Lord of Hosts.    Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments,

and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:19