A Baby's love

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.
I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed.. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map.
We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled.. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks,

'What do we do?'
Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'
Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.
My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.
We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man.
Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.

I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.'
Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone.
He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.'
I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.'
I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not.. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity. How did God feel when he put his baby in our arms 2000 years ago.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of God , we must become as little children.'


I got this in an e-mail today and wanted to share it. As far as i know the author is "unknown"

Servant-Friend-Bride?

Servant- Friend- Bride?
I knew there would come a day when I would share what I am fixing to write. I have been studying the Word of God for over 20 years and have set under a lot of good teaching and taken a few Bible courses but I would be the first to admit that I am by no means a theology scholar nor do I claim to have attained all knowledge and understanding. I do believe that there will come a day when I will fully understand and that day will be when I meet my Lord Jesus face to face, then all things will be known. As I said I have set under some good teaching but the best teacher I have ever had has been the Holy Spirit. As I have set in prayer and study of God's Word, I have asked the Holy Spirit to reveal/unveil a deeper understanding of God's Word to me. An understanding which can only be attained spiritually and not intellectually. I believe that the Holy Spirit is our teacher. If we sincerely ask Him for a deeper/spiritual understanding of God's Word He will grant that to us, because Jesus said, "He will lead us in all truth". At times we need not even to ask, for He will unveil deeper revelation to us to help us along life's path. With that said, I realize that there are many of you that have studied, and I'm sure that the Holy Spirit has revealed His truths to you also.

What I'm about to reveal, some of you may disagree with. But hey that's alright, I believe that many of us are on different levels of the mountain of God, but we are all on the mountain of God. I do know this, that if what I am about to write is not right that my Lord is merciful, full of grace and will not hold this against me, because He knows my only intentions are to stir others to a burning desire to know Him and have a more intimate and personal relationship with Him. This is my passion and my heart's desire for myself. If anything, I believe that the Lord could possibly commend me for my heart's desire in doing this. So with no further ado, here it goes:

In the post before this one I had made mention of the Bride being taken, caught up/raptured and others being left that wasn't the Bride. I had presented the question for each to ask themselves if they believe they are the Bride or not. I also stated that a Bride will be more than just a servant and or a friend and now I would like to expound on that particular statement a little more. Also I would like to note that I did revise and update my previous post so that what I am trying to convey could be better understood. Now onward with the difference between servants, friends and brides.


SERVANT:
A servant loves his master and enjoys his role of serving but he is not privy to his lord's personal life and his doings. For example, a servant's role is to serve and not become personally acquainted with the one he is serving. He goes when the master says go and comes when the master says come. You see the master will spend time but he tells the servant what to do. The other things the servant does because he is loyal and does the things he has already been commanded to do. We choose to be servants of the master. For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (something to think about).
Luke 12: 36-38 (36) And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will RETURN from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (37) Blessed are those SERVANTS, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them (38) And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those SERVANTS.


FRIEND:
A friend on the other hand will know the servant's master as his friend. Their relationship will be on a higher level. They will spend time together say golfing, dining, traveling or just sitting talking to one another about their hopes and dreams and business deals. The friend asking the other for advise on sensitive issues knowing he can fully trust him. The master would not speak to a servant like this. The friend will come and go and each time the friend comes they will spend time communing and enjoying each other's company. There will be laughter and joy and gladness and maybe a few tears when the friend comes to visit. The friends will have a deeper love for each other. The friend longs for the arrival of the servant's master insomuch as to cry out when he arrives, because he has been watching and waiting for him.
We choose to be the friend of the servant's master. For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh (something to think about).

Here are some scriptures to take a look at in (Jn. 15:13-15) Jesus says that: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (14) You are my friend IF you do whatsoever I command you. (15) Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Jesus considers all of us His friends because He laid down His life for us all, but the question is, do we consider Jesus our friend? The disciples did of course, but not everyone considers Jesus their friend. In fact, He is hated by so many for no apparent cause. "But," If you are someone who considers Jesus your friend then you will take great joy spending the time in relationship with Him. Listening to the things that He has made known to you and will gladly do as he tells you to do.

I am only giving a few scriptures that correlate the difference. There are many in the Word, so please pray and study the scriptures asking the Holy Spirit of Truth to give you spiritual understanding. So that you can consume and feast on the delicacies of scripture. Just as your body needs food to survive, you need to be fed the Word by the Holy Spirit so that your spirit man can survive. That way you will appreciate the tasteful joys of the Word more.

BRIDE: (Hosea 2:16) And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shall call me Ishi (husband) and shalt call me no more Baali (master). In a marriage arrangement the bride understands the love her husband has for her. That he will give his life for her. He will provide for her. Protect her from the evils of the world. He will never leave her or forsake her for any reason. He will love her with an unconditional love. She then seeing that her husband gives all these things will reciprocate that love back to her husband. She will enjoy serving him and communing with him as her best friend and she will shower her husband with great love and adoration. In other words the bride will have a heart that pours forth with thanksgiving, great praise, and worship, for the one she loves (the Bride is all three, servant, friend and bride). The song of Solomon reflects how the husband and wife relate to one another. His eyes are for her and her eyes are for him. It is also a prophetic of how the Lord feels about us. If there were a house on fire the husband would get his bride out first and then go back for others. Joe told me a story about a man who was married and he (the husband) and his wife and son were at home, and In the middle of the night the house caught on fire. The man was sleeping with his wife, and the son in the next room, he saved himself by escaping the burning house but left his wife and child in the fire. See this man loved himself more than his wife and son. Would you say he was a good husband. This is not what we as a bride are looking for in a husband. Which leads us to the point of the taking away or being caught up or rapture.

We choose to be the Bride. For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (something to think about)

I believe there is going to be a taking away of the Bride first, and then Christ will return after that to gather His servants to take part in the wedding feast of the lamb. Here is my scripture for that statement (Luke 12: 35-40) (35)Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; (36) And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will RETURN from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (37) Blessed are those SERVANTS, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat and will come forth to serve them.(38) and if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those SERVANTS. (39) And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. (40) Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Did you catch the word RETURN in verse 36, there has already been a wedding and now He is returning from the wedding and comes knocking to gather those servants who are ready and watching. But wait, where is the friend in all of this you might ask, okay let us go on to (John 3:28-29) John the Baptist is speaking and says in verse (28) Ye yourselves bear witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him (29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice: this my joy therfore is fulfilled. If you do a study on the Jewish wedding and how it correlates with the Bride (the one church) and the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) you will understand the job of the friend of the Bridegroom as well as what part the servants play. In the Jewish wedding the friend of the Bridegroom stands outside the door of the Bride and Grooms chamber and listens intently waiting to hear the voice of the Bridegroom saying that "He is coming out" and when the friend hears these words of the Bridegroom He will proclaim with a great shout that the "Bridegroom is coming" and all those servants who hear the call and are ready will be the ones that are not taken unawares because they are waiting for His return, and will be welcomed to the wedding feast of the Lamb. In other words they are the ones that will be at the reception to celebrate in the marriage feast of the Lamb. They are invited to celebrate with the Bridegroom and Bride at the wedding feast.

I know that there are probably some of you still wondering more about who the Bride is huh? Well now let us go to the 7 churches in Revelation chapter 2 and 3 this is a very interesting study because if each individual will do an honest examination of their heart they will see themselves in one of these churches. All true Christians are a part of the body of Christ and thus their bodies are the temple of God which makes us the church right?

My belief is that only one of these churches is the actual Bride of Christ..... and I believe that the other churches are the friends and the servants but I will allow you to do that study and make a conclusion for yourself. I would like to add that there is only two out of the seven churches that Jesus holds nothing against and one of them I believe is the Bride of Christ (could this be the remnant) just something to think about. The other churches He tells to repent of some things because He is going to come back for them, "but" they must repent and be ready. Those that have repented will not be caught unawares and they will be anticipating the shout of the friend of the Bridegroom proclaiming that He is coming. When they hear the shout they will rejoice because they know that they will be able to partake in the wedding feast and forever be with Him. They have been given the invitation! Jesus came knocking and the door was opened and they are ready and clothed in the Kings wedding garments (clothed in a robe of righteousness in Christ Jesus) and ready to celebrate... It's party time for them!

But those that never repented, are the names removed from the guest list of the wedding feast of the Lamb for they do not have the King's wedding garment on and thus they will be put out. Here is the Scriptures to back that statement (Mt. 22:11-14) as to understand this better. (11)And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: (12) And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. (13) Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few are chosen.

Did you catch that? the king referred to him as Friend but the guest had chose not to be a friend of the king, and how do I know this you might ask, because the guest chose not to put on the king's wedding garment. The guest was called but because he chose not to repent there was no wedding garment for him. He chose not to honor and obey the King and therefore he had not the kings robe of righteousness to cover himself. All those that are the Kings will stand clothed in His righteousness for we are only made righteous in Christ Jesus for our own righteousness is as filthy rags (arrogance and pride will wear a robe of self righteousness). Another good example of an unrighteous servant is found in (Mt. 25:14-30) the talents and the unprofitable servant: A false fear of his lord caused the unprofitable servant to disobey his lord's instructions. Many will read this particular parable and feel sorry for the servant. But I submit to you to not feel sorry for this servant because he passed judgment and falsely accused his lord of something that he wasn't. The statement about his lord being a hard man and reaping where he sows not was not a truth. Out of his own false fear came false accusations about his lord. His lord's reply in modern day English I believe would sound something like this: "If that is the kind of person that you say I am then so be it I will give unto you as you say" (be it unto you as you have said) and thus the unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We know that this lord was a good and loving man because he had given the talents to his servants as a gift and what they reaped he gave to them to keep. You have heard it said that fear is the opposite of faith, faith is what pleases God and perfect love casts out all fear, this servant evidently didn't have a perfect love for his lord.
(to know him is to love him to love him is to know him).

There are also many today and even in the church that will profess to be a Christian (2Thess. 2) but because they loved darkness and hated the Light they never welcomed the Holy Spirit of Truth. They loved the world and it's sinful pleasures more. So because of this God caused them to believe a lie. So at the day of judgement they will have no excuse and BTW these are the ones who are a part of the great falling away/apostasy before the revealing of the anti-christ. Those who do not welcome the Holy Spirit of Truth are plenteous in this world and sadly even in the church and many are falling way to this very day.

I want to clarify that what I believe is that there is the Bride, there is the Friend and there is the Servant, and I believe that you make your own choice on which you will be. Note that all three will be taken but I believe that it will be at different watches. Remember what Jesus said in (Luke 12:38) And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

Could this be... is it possible that the Lord Jesus could come in different watches for different ones (Bride, Friend, Servant)? I believe that there is, but maybe this is something that some might need to think about and study for themselves.

Are you being deceived?

I found something very interesting in the Word of God today, which made me sit up and take notice. I have read it before, in fact I have it highlighted in my Bible. But today it truly hit home for me. This is what I read:

2 John 1:9-11 (Amp.) (9)Anyone who runs on ahead [of God] and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ [who is not content with what He taught] does not have God; but he who continues to live in the doctrine (teaching) of Christ [does have God], he has both the Father and the Son. (10)If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine [is disloyal to what Jesus Christ taught], do not receive him [do not accept him, do not welcome or admit him] into [your] house or bid him Godspeed or give him any encouragement. (11)For he who wishes him success [who encourages him, wishing him Godspeed] is a partaker in his evil doings.

I had to examine myself to see if this is something I have done. I am an encourager and I strive to encourage and accept almost everyone that has come into my life. As I began my self examination, I had to admit that I have indeed been guilty of encouraging and accepting those who are disloyal to Christ and what He has taught. I have even welcomed them into my house. It hit me like a ton of bricks that because I have done this, I have been a partaker in the evil doings of such people. After all my thinking was that I must love and accept others.

As I continued in my prayer and study, I was brought back to the beginning of the chapter of (2 John) "loving one another" was right there, and it explained what it meant and what it consisted of. I have misinterpreted what loving others truly means:

According to the (Amp). (5)And now I beg you, lady (Cyria), not as if I were issuing a new charge (injunction or command), but [simply recalling to your mind] the one we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. (6) And what this love consists in is this: that we live and walk in accordance with and guided by His commandments (His orders, ordinances, precepts, teaching). This is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you continue to walk in love [guided by it and following it]. (7)For many imposters (seducers, deceivers, and false leaders) have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge (confess, admit) the coming of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) in bodily form. Such a one is the imposter (the seducer, the deceiver, the false leader, the antagonist of Christ) and the antichrist.

My conclusion: Anyone who is disloyal to the teachings of Christ Jesus is not of God. He has not God nor the Son (vs. 9). And love/loving others stands under the banner of "loyalties to Christ Jesus and what He taught" (vs.6). So anyone who teaches anything other than what Christ Jesus taught does not walk in love but is a seducer, deceiver, false leader, he is an imposter and the antagonist of Christ (7). And according to the Word of God if we receive, accept, admit, welcome, encourage and say God bless you to such a one, we have now become partakers in his evil doings (11).

I have realized that while I thought I was doing well in accepting them (because I must show them love) I have misunderstood "true love" and what it really means, thus I have sinned and done wrong. My love for such people was not love at all but tolerance. And because of my tolerance I became a partaker of their evil doings.

Where do I go from here? I have repented of my wrong-doing. I have learned, now I move forward. I was deceived, and because of this I have probably brought some unnecessary heartache and tribulation my way. But in order to learn, it sometimes takes going through some storms before we can see the blue skies and sunshine again. I know without doubt that my God is merciful and gracious, and when we acknowledge our short-comings He's faithful and just to forgive us. Not only does God forgive, but He rejoices over us when we learn and move forward in Him and with Him. In so doing we are receiving His gift of love and grace into our lives. There is no greater pleasure for our Father in Heaven than to give His children His grace and mercy, and in turn have His children receive this from Him.

I would like to leave this question with my readers. The same question I had to ask myself:

Are you walking in love or are you walking in tolerance?