God Loved Us While We Were Yet Sinners…

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men - as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

1 Peter 2:11-17

This passage has come to mind many times over the past couple of months. I don't mind anyone knowing that I did not vote for Obama. He was not my choice for President. BUT...he was elected as our President, and I will treat him as such. I will show respect for the leader of our country and I will pray for him. As Christians, it is our duty to stand up for what we believe. We need to have boldness for the things of God. But if we do it in such a way that goes against the very Word that we are standing up for...we are hurting our cause more than we are glorifying God. For now, we live in this world. This is not our home. This is not the kingdom to which we belong. But as long as we live here, God expects us to show respect and honor to our government.

It reminds me of those who get a little overly zealous with the gospel and try to cram it down people's throats, trying to force them to serve our God or be shunned and damned forever. Ummm...I don't recall ever reading anywhere, not one single time, where Jesus or any of the disciples...even Peter or Paul who were very zealous for the Word...win souls for the kingdom in this way. They were bold. They were not afraid to make known what they believed. But even when they were beaten and thrown in prison and left for dead or when Christ stood before the angry mobs and his beard was plucked from His face and He was beaten and even killed...they did not rant and rave about the leaders and how evil and stupid they were. They loved. Beaten...they loved. Mocked...they loved. Imprisoned...they loved. Left for dead...they loved. Outcast....they loved.

What is the gospel? It is showing the love of God. 1 John 4:7-8 says, "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." I can stand against abortion and sexual perversions and make my views and my beliefs known...and still show love and respect. God did not call me to judge those who do not agree with me or even with God...He called me to love. He calls His people to be ministers of reconciliation. We cannot bring this world to a place where they realize they need the love of God in their lives while we are bashing them.

God loved us while we were yet still sinners....not when we came to believe all that He believed and walked as He walked. He gave the world His most prized possession...His Son...even while the world still rejected Him. Even when the world killed His Son that He sent to save them...He loved. We have to love people where they are...even in the muck and mire. I think this is one reason why so many hurting people shy away from the church and from God...they are made to feel...usually by Christians...that they aren't good enough to come to Christ. But, oh, my friend...that is not love...and that is not God.

Stand tall and stand strong in this evil world...but love. Remember, this is not a battle of flesh and blood that we are fighting. We are not fighting people. So hate the evil in this world...but we must love the people of this world if we are to show them Christ.

Mike Huckabee was my pastor and personal friend and I was very disappointed that he did not make it to the end…but never fear…you haven't seen the last of him. But one thing I love about Mike is that even though he is in politics, he has never wavered from what is important to him…God. Even in a world of “dog eat dog” mentality he shines with the love of God. In one of his recent updates he wrote concerning Obama, “

“He was not my choice for President, but he will be MY President over the next four years and I will support him personally and pray for his success. I will certainly disagree with him at times, but I pledge that my disagreements with him will be over his policy decisions and not aimed at him personally. I ask that all of you will join with me in doing that.”

Faithfully,

Mike Huckabee

What a testimony of what it means to show the love of God. Remember…God is still on His throne and He is still in control no matter who is leading in the flesh.

His Princess

Love Letters From Your King

By Sheri Rose Shepherd

www.HisPrincess.com

My Princess…

Let Me Open Your Spiritual Eyes

For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,

But against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world…

And against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12

Come to Me right now, and let Me open your spiritual eyes as I did for Elisha's servant when a deadly army surrounded him. With his spiritual eyes he could see an entire host of My heavenly warriors and chariots of fire there to protect him. You are also My chosen one, and I promise to protect you if you will walk by faith in the midst of your daily battles. Don't forget that there is an unseen enemy of your soul who will try to cause you to stumble, so let Me be your eyes when you cannot see. And remember, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). I am He. I am the one who fights for you. Even when you feel like you are in the middle of a war, the battle is not yours – it is Mine. So let Me open your eyes of faith, and you will see that the victory is won.

Love,

Your King who gives you sight