Tune and Prepare!

"Oh it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good things incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked it has already done this, and is constantly doing them. Whoever does not do such works however is an unbeliever. He gropes and looks around for faith and good works, but knows neither what faith is nor what good works are, yet he talks and talks with many words about faith and good works." Martin Luther

Sándor Háló – igemorzsa.hu "We also have this commandment from him, that he who loves God should love his brother." 1 John 4:21 We are sorely lacking in brotherly love in the church. Many who profess to love the Saviour make no effort to love those who are united with them in Christian fellowship. Our faith is one. We are all members of the same family, children of the same heavenly Father, with the same hope of immortality. How intimate and tender, then, should be the bond that binds us together! The world is watching, wanting to see if our faith sanctifies us. The secular will immediately notice every shortcoming in our lives, every inconsistency in our actions. Let us not give them an opportunity to attack our faith... There is no surer way to weaken our spirituality than to envy one another, to distrust, to be full of fault-finding and suspicion... This is not wisdom from above... The wisdom that comes from above is... peace-lovin...

Háló Sándor – igemorzsa.hu "Az a parancsolatunk is van őtőle, hogy aki szereti az Istent, szeresse a maga atyjafiát is." 1. Ján. 4,21. Nagyon híjával vagyunk a testvéri szeretetnek a gyülekezetben. Sokan, akik vallják, hogy szeretik az Üdvözítőt, nem törekednek szeretni azokat, akik keresztény közösségben egyesültek velük. Hitünk egy. Mindnyájan egyazon család tagjai vagyunk, ugyanannak a mennyei Atyának a gyermekei, a halhatatlanságnak ugyanazon reménységével. Mily meghittnek és gyengédnek kellene hát lennie a köteléknek, amely egybefűz minket! A világ figyel, látni akarja, hogy vajon a hitünk megszentel-e bennünket. A világiak azonnal észreveszik életünk minden hiányosságát, tetteink minden következetlenségét. Ne szolgáltassunk alkalmat arra, hogy hitünket támadhassák… Lelkiségünk gyengítésének nincs biztosabb útja annál, mintha irigykedünk egymásra, ha bizalmatlankodunk, ha tele vagyunk hibakereséssel és gyanúsítással… Ez nem felülről származ...

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need — how can God’s love reside in him? 1Jn 3:16 Recommended articles: · Brotherly love · Is "Hesed" equal to "agape"? · Luther about incessant faith

God is Love – 1/3 ..how the two loves are linked A study on divine love and the intertwined Christian character Kindness and faithful love (hesed) pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the house of YHWH for all time to come. Psalm 23:6 For this is how God loved (agape) the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16 What is Hesed? The word that is translated to “faithful love” is the Hebrew word “ Hesed (or ' checed' ).” This word is translated in other places as “kindness,” “faithfulness,” “mercy,” “goodness,” “loyalty,” and “steadfast love.” God's love for His covenant people in the Old Testament is expressed by the Hesed . This love expressed in the Hebrew texts as hesed we'emet for example in Gen 24:49; 32:11; 47:29; Ex 34:6; Jos 2:14; 2 Sam 2:6; 15:20. However hesed has a narrower definition than the English word " love ". In th...

For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 1Cor 4:15 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:9 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sancti­fiction.. 1Thess 4:1 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the...

By David Guzik on Dec 31, 2023 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2) The thought in these lines from Ephesians 5:1-2 continue the thought from the end of Ephesians 4, where he described how Christians should relate to one another. The believer has an example for how they should treat other believers: God Himself. Christians are to be imitators of God. The idea is simple – that believers are to make God their example and model. It does not say here, “Think about God” or “Admire God” or “Adore God,” though those are all important Christian duties. This is a call to practical action, going beyond our inner life with God. We could say this is a continuation of the same idea Paul mentioned in Ephesians 4:13 regarding the extent of Christian growth: to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness...

The apostolic "concept" of divine love, referred to as "Agape," is distinguished from other forms of love like friendship or affection. Agape is correctly understood as a cultural and linguistic concept (and not as a theological subject). In Greek, it is used for giving, absorbing love, sometimes describing events such as invitations, hospitality and celebrations, (often associated with weddings.) The link between the teachings of Jesus and this imagery is very close. Jesus Christ emphasizes that Agape is a representation of the invitation to His Kingdom. This invitation has consequences and various fruits in our lives. I begin this note with the Hymn of Love: 1Cor 13 If I am able to speak the language of men or of angels, but have not divine love in me, I shall be like a noisy cymbal or a rattling cymbal. If I have received the gift of prophecy, if I know all secret truths, if I have all knowledge, if I have faith so st...

A   nd where there agape exists, there is a loving invitation and calling. We have a calling to the nations, and NOT an increase in numbers in a club. Club members meet for fellowship - but not to save other people's lives. There is a difference between filia and agape .

I suppose praying over the sick and pastoral caring for the sick go hand in hand. Emil Nigg   ☆

God is Love – 2/3 ..how the three connect a study about divine love and interlocking Christian characters This article is part of the "Vitalize" pack “His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness..” 2Pt 1:3.. Pre In this very beginning I must say that there are a lot of ideas floating around about what the apostles teach about love. On the one hand, this is quite scary (knowing that there are theories about love) but it also gives us a great opportunity to investigate the original viewpoint. From the New Covenant perspective, it is important to note that God's love is much brighter for us than it was in the time of the Old Testament. I'm pro classical musician , learned to interpret the original concept and composition . My wife was a linguist so in such cases {and always} I go to the source rather than the traditional di...

Guilt or Throne? spiritual, mental hygiene, mutual need, purification, confidence, etc. This article is part of the "Vitalize" pack Dear saints and beloved! I recently visited a church which has a beautiful family life but suffers from a typical 21 century sickness. The guilt. Interestingly, leaders have told me that members are not as eager to come and get their lives back on track when they commit sins. They simply do not confess them openly. Since it is pastoral responsibility first - I really don't understand, why... The place we came from I believe that guilt is one of the most serious attacks on the humankind. People, nations can do "amazing" things to get rid of guilt. They walk thousands of miles, they squeeze themselves, they oppress themselves and unfortunately they oppress others just to see their own lives as superior and better. In fact, we see whole networks promising "grace" without any chanc...

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may proclaim set forth the wonderful deeds / display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 AMPC Based on the original Greek text there are two important words here: One is "exaggelos" , which contains the word angel = sent, representative , but it means to exhibit sg. in the form of "ex-aggelos". Our other word is "arete" , which means: tested and proved character. Arete is possessed by mythical heroes as they go through their peculiar bumpy path, usually led by the gods. So. It is very puzzling why Peter, the simple fisherman, used such a profound term for the character of the Lord Jesus, at least in the Greek heritage. So. It means that most of our modern translations and cultural interpretations are now damaged. Most of them, but not the all.* Damaged, main...

series: Our Living Word 1/3 Word, became flesh ..but what does it mean? Dear visitor! You can read a three-part series here, called "Our Living Word" in which we will examine: The connection between word and faith The change of form of the Word The help of the Holy Spirit Walking - according to the earthly ministry of Jesus The mercy-teachings of Jesus referring to prophet Hosea's words and their two dimensions We can also see a practical example from the nineteenth-century England We know that faith comes by hearing, and it is by the Word of Gd. (Romans 10:17) Originally, this means not simply the physical hearing of the Word, but the opened "ears" of the spiritual man the way the Word speaks to him/her personally. We also know that even the lifelong persistent work of human mind cannot catch and "understand" the Word by reason alone. The Word of God, the Logos is active: being given as a prophecy, visi...