Laws...

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series entitled, "The Power of Love", with the subtitle "Possessing Your Mountain".

Every kingdom has laws.  Chaos, destruction, and death occur when laws are violated.  The lawyer in Matthew 22:34-40 was attempting to trip Jesus up.  "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, a group of Pharisees met to consider new questions that might trip up Jesus.  A legal expert thought of one that would certainly stump Him. "Teacher, of all the laws, which commandment is the greatest?" (Voice)  Of course, Jesus knew exactly what they were trying to do. He confirmed that the greatest commandment is to love God with everything, and love those around you the way you love yourself.

Dr. Winston has been a pilot for many years.  He talked about the "flight book" they were given in flight training.  If the flight book said you need 3200 feet for take off.  You better make sure you have 3200 feet or more, or your airplane will crash. It's the same in our Christian lives.  The greatest law is Love, but there are others we must be aware of in order to succeed.

There is the Law of Sowing and Reaping...Galatians 6:7 says, "Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life." (Message)  And 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, "But remember this—if you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much."(Living Bible)

There is the Law of Sin and Death, that has been canceled out in our lives by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1-2 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."(KJV)

You're probably thinking, "What does this have to do with me? Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" Galatians 3:13 (KJV)  I'm so glad you asked! Yes, when we accepted Jesus' finished work on the cross, we were set free from the curse of the law. Under the law, we were always trying to be good enough. James 2:10 says, "And the person who keeps every law of God but makes one little slip is just as guilty as the person who has broken every law there is." (Living Bible) But now that we have agreed with God, and acknowledged that we can never be good enough on our own...he gives us His Righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For God caused Christ, who himself knew nothing of sin, actually to be sin for our sake, so that in Christ we might be made good with the goodness of God." (Phillips)

Since we're talking about laws, let me put my two cents in.  There are natural laws at work in the universe as well. Just because you know the Lord and memorized a thousand scriptures doesn't cancel out natural laws.  If you ignore the laws governing electricity and stick your wet finger into a light socket, you will be electrocuted!  It wasn't because God didn't love you, it was because you were ignorant of, or ignored the laws governing electricity. Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (KJV)  If you go up to the top of a tall building and decide to jump, you will be dead when you hit the pavement. I know you think, "God will save me. A loving God wouldn't let me die."  No, that's not how it works! God loves you so much he let's you choose.  If you choose to disobey the law of gravity, the law of gravity will bring you down to the ground with a quickness. God is orderly. He's not fickle, schizophrenic, or paranoid. He has given us his Word, a guidebook for everyday living.  We can be wise and listen, or foolish and die(spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially).

The Law of Love is the greatest and the other laws will work along with love.

Love and prayers, Cynthia