Consider

Consider

Carl Sagan wrote of the above picture,
“Consider that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, every human being who ever was lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religious, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there- on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam....
To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.”
From Carl Sagan,(1934-1996) Pale Blue Dot A Vision of the Human Future in Space.
Mr. Sagan couldn’t be more right.
We are, if you think about it from a purely  human prospective, are space dust and this world is all we have.
I believe however we are more than that.
 Albert Einstein wrote,
“Human beings vegetables or cosmic dust. We all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible player.”
                                                    Albert Einstein.
I believe the mysterious tune is life, the invisible player I believe is God.
I believe John when he wrote,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 
                                                                                                   John 1:1-4,14.
I believe the words of Jesus who said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16,17
I believe that God took a small part of His infiniteness and entered into our world. I believe he did this so that no man can stand before Him and say you don’t understand.
When we stand before God, before Jesus. We cannot say to Him “You were never human, you don’t understand” because he does.
Jesus lived on this earth. Thus He understands everything that is human. Everything from the mundane things such as the sun and rain against one’s face, to the joy of friends. The love of devoted parents. Everything that we as people go through.
He also understands what it is to be mistreated, lied about, beaten and put to death in a most hideous way for a crime he didn’t commit. 
And he experienced it all so that we may have eternal life with him. All we must do is acknowledge him.
Our life in this world, is but a mist in the aeons of time.  We are however eternal beings meant to live on through eternity.
While we may vanish from this life we live on through eternity. It is I believe however in this life where we decide where we will spend eternity.
Jesus said,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
     John 14:6.
He also said
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 
                                                 Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus offers life everlasting with God to all who believe in Him. The choice ultimately is yours. It is an act of faith.
The writer of Hebrews saying,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
                                                                              Hebrews 11:6.
C. S. Lewis put things this way,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
                                                             C. S. Lewis.
Ultimately you the reader must make a decision about God, Jesus and where you will spend eternity.
The Bible and particularly the New Testament offers the true seeker, looking for meaning in life answers and rest for one’s soul.
Please take time to read and study the life and words of Jesus and his apostles with an open mind.
Please think about it.

Praise! Praise! Praise!!!

 Praise, Praise, Praise

Praise the Lord!!!
Exodus fifteen records,
“When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.  
Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.  
Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.” 
              Exodus 15:19-21.
The Israelites were celebrating God’s deliverance from Egypt. Pharaoh’s armies have just been drowned in the sea. The mightiest army of it’s day destroyed. Not by Israel but by an act of God.
Upon the destruction Miriam leads the women in singing and dancing. She glorifies God for the deliverance of Israel from it’s enemies.
Question, do you give glory to God for what he has done for you be they a small victory or a big one.
I know there is division in the Christian church as to whether we should dance in during a church service. I know that some groups don’t even use instruments during a service. Still we should.
Psalm 150 reads,

Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD. 

                                                                                         Psalm 150.
Here the Psalmist is telling us to use instruments not just our voices.
In first Samuel twenty-eight David danced with all his might before the Lord in celebration. If David danced, if Miriam and the women danced and sang. If the Psalmist tells us to praise God with instruments. I believe we should.
Still that aside do you praise the Lord often enough even if it’s just with your voice?
Think about it.

Something Important

Something Important

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” 
                                                      Matthew 16:26,27.

There is only one reason a true Christian presents the gospel to the world and that is because we believe that we have the single most important message all mankind needs to know.
There are many out there that deny there is a God. There are many that say there are many roads to heaven. If these views are true then the Christian has little to fear because he or she is most certainly on one of those roads.
However if the words of Jesus are true when he said,
   “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6.
         Then there are a lot of people who need to rethink what they believe.
I know people who want all the toys this life has to offer and there is nothing wrong with that, if it’s in proper perspective.
Things, our toys, our possessions and even our desire to excel in life shouldn’t take us away from the important things in life, our family, friends and above all God.
 I truly believe that one day all men will stand before God and see He is real. I believe that we all will be held to account for our lives.
That God will reward us according to our works, and what we believe.
I believe the words of Jesus who said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” 
                                                                                                                    John 3:16-18
Ultimately however it comes down to an act of faith. Do you believe who Jesus is or not.
C. S. Lewis pointed out,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
                                                    C. S. Lewis
Think about it.

The greatest Life

The greatest Life ever Lived

 “When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord  
(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ),  and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” 
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,  
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 
Luke 2:22-32
Jesus is the most influential person in all of history.
William Durant, popular American modern historian and philosopher (1885-1981) When asked what he felt the apex of history was he replied, “the three years that Jesus of Nazareth walked the earth.” 
Napoleon Bonaparte, said of Jesus,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.
I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. 
Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.
I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.”
  Napoleon Bonapart
What these men say of Jesus is true.
Simeon the prophet said it best on the day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to him, he said,
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Jesus is all he said he is. He is the one and only Son of God. The Saviour of mankind.
Jesus is God reaching down to mankind and saying I love you. Come unto me and I will give you rest.
The Apostle John states,
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.... 
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 
                                 John 1:1-4,10-13.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 
                                                                                                        C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
The choice is yours what do you think of Jesus?
Think about it.

False teachers

False teachers

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping”
                                                                                                                      2 Peter 2:1-3

Here Peter warns about false teachers arising. Introducing heresies and denying Jesus.
One commentator states they will commercialize the Christian faith for their own gain. It is happening today.
There are many especially in the media that are stating things that Jesus never taught. They are twisting the words of Jesus for their own gain.
These people are giving God a black eye.
There only purpose is to line their own pockets.
When I speak to people especially none Christians and they note how commercialized Christianity seems to be I agree with them.
If we looked at some preacher in the media, (not all), it’s not hard to see that all they seem to be asking for is money. Some are even selling Christian versions of everything secular from health food to creams, lotions and potions.
When it come to asking for money the classic example is those whom my pastor says are the ‘blab it grab it crowd’ the “seed faith” crowd. Who proclaim Jesus as if he were a heavenly sugar daddy. The ultimate investment banker. Who if you give him a hundred dollars, or better still sow that hundred dollars into ‘their ministry’  and God will give you ten fold back.
What garbage. We should be giving to God because we want too not expecting to get ten or a hundred times back.
Peter warns, “In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.”
Sadly many people especially the old and trusting have given their life savings to such false teachers of God.
Still if it’s any consolation Peter states, “Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping”
They will be brought account.
When people ask me about what ministry especially in the media they should give money to. I tell them to give to your local church congregation. There at least you know how the money is being spent. In Canada especially the Canadian Revenue Agency makes non-profit charities like churches account for the money that’s given them.
All legitimate church congregations will have an annual meeting to show how the money given to the church is spent also.
If you want to give to other ministries outside the church ask your pastor for advice it never hurts.
Remember Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
                                                                                                             Matthew 7:21-23.

Think about it.

Who can get to heaven

Who Can Get to Heaven.

Someone asked me not to long ago a very simple question, “Who can get to heaven?”
My simple answer anyone.
Sadly I see in the media some evangelist and pastors acting like the Pharisees of old. Jesus said of these men,
“Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.” 
Luke 11:46.
In Jesus day the teachers of the law were so worried about breaking the law of God that they had placed around those laws their own so that God’s law could not be broken.
It resulted in a huge burden being placed on the individual. A burden God never intended.
A good example comes from Matthew,
“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.  
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” 
                    Matthew 12:1,2
The Pharisees interpreted what the disciples were doing as harvesting, preparing the food and eating it. It being considered work and not permitted on the Sabbath.
This is not what God had intended.
In the same way many evangelist in the media today are quick to point out the sin in the world. After all the world has a lot of sin it’s easy to point it out.
But God want’s Christians to point the people of this world to him. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict men of their sin. Not ours.
Only God knows the heart of men. That’s why we as Christians are told by Jesus in Matthew seven not to Judge.
The apostle Paul saying,
"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                                          1 Corinthians 5:12,13
We are to present the gospel to every one who will listen to us and let God do the rest.
Acts records Paul and Silas being put in prison when and earth quake hit opening the prison doors. The Jailor fearing the prisoners had escaped was ready to commit suicide.
But they hadn’t escaped they were there and called out to the Jailer. Acts record,
“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  
He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
                                                                                                                                    Acts 16:30,31.
Salvation is that simple. The thieves on the cross with Jesus shows how its done.
Luke records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
                                                                                                                        Luke 23:39-43
The second criminal did all that was necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven. To inherit eternal life.
He admitted he was a sinner. He believed Jesus was the Son of God sentenced to death innocently and he asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom.
Jesus replied. “I tell you the truth today you will be with me in paradise.”
Getting to heaven is that simple.
Think about it.

Mercy

With respect to Mercy

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  
As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  
Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 
“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’  
The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.  
When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  
Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’  
In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” 
Matthew 18:22-35.
I read a commentary on this portion of scripture once. The writer of the commentary used few words to sum it up. He said something to the effect,
God is a merciful God a very forgiving God but he judges those who do not forgive.
This in a nutshell sums up what Jesus is saying in this parable is saying.
He is telling Peter not just to forgive seventy-seven times but time without number.
James writes,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”
                 James 2:12,13.
As Christians we need to take such things to hart. Paul writing to Titus states,
“But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared,  
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,” 
                                                      Titus 3:4-6.
Being a Christian is all about Mercy and forgiveness.
It is about offering the love and Mercy of Christ that leads to eternal life.
Think about it.

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord

There are times we Christians need to stop thinking about things and simply take time to praise the Lord.
The Psalmist wrote,

Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD. 

Psalm 150

Please take time to praise the Lord today.

A couple of Scriptures

A couple of scriptures

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”
 Matthew 7:12
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 
          Matthew 7:1,2
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                         1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
I have found a quite, to me at least disturbing trend within the evangelical community here in North America. It’s been around for a long time but it has become more visible now in our multimedia age.
First of all I see some calling themselves Christians not obeying the words of Jesus when he said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”
                    Matthew 7:12
I see those claiming to be Christians both in the media and out yelling at the top of their lungs to the effect, “YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF SINNERS HEADING FOR HELL.”
These Christians are calling hell fire and brimstone down on the heads of people who do not believe a word they say. Not only that they are pushing people that need God away.
I see people calling themselves Christian leaders pointing to the Gay community condemning them to hell because they have “a special sin”.
Well I have news for those who would do that. The sins of a gay man are no different than the sins of a “holier than thou evangelist”.
Not only that but anyone who calls themselves a Christian and judges someone is also guilty of sin.
Our job is not to judge. Paul makes it clear,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                          1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Jesus told us to love, God, our neighbour, and even our enemies.
I believe he told us to do this because the eternal resting place of an individual may depend on the actions of a Christian believer.
Matthew’s gospel records,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 
                                                                   Matthew 28:18-20.
Christians everywhere have a sacred duty to reach out in love to everyone. To show people the way to heaven irrespective of who they are or their lifestyle.
We are not to judge anyone. We are there to reach out to every man and woman on the planet with the love of God.
Christians as a whole particularly here in North America need to look carefully at our words and actions. We need to remember the words of Jesus to love those around us and to reach out to all people with the love of Christ to a lost and dying world.
At the same time we need to heed the words of the apostle Paul who said,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                     1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Think about it.

The greatest commandment

The greatest commandment,

Jesus when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
                                                                           Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”  
      Matthew 5:43-46.
As Christians we are called to love the world to follow the example of God. Jesus himself noting,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
John 3:16,17.
The apostle Paul defined what Christian love, what true love is all about saying,

“Love is patient, love is kind.

 It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, it 

keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts,

 always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                                        1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13
When I was a teenager before I came to know Christ as my Lord and Saviour I watched a movie called Goodby Mr. Chips the theme tune of the movie had words that have resounded in my mind to this day.
The song is called “In the morning of my life” it’s words are,
In the Morning of My Life

In the morning of my life

I will look to the Sunrise

At a moment in my life 

When the world is new.

And the Question

I shall ask only God can answer.

Will I be brave and strong and true,

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

In the eveniung of my life

I will look to the sunset

At a moment in my life 

When my life is through.

And the question I shall ask only I can answer 

Was I brave and strong and true.

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

                                                           By Leslie Bricusse
                                               From the movie musical Good by Mr chips
Even though I was young the words struck a cord with me. It said to me what I wanted to do with my life. To fill the world with love.
I believe I have done that and will continue to show love to all I come in contact with until the day my Lord calls me home.
When you stand before God will you be able to say, “I filled the world with love”?
Think about it.

True Love

True Love

What is true Love?
Some say it is a feeling. Some believe it is a physical act. Some say it’s both. But love is more than that. You see feelings end as does the physical act.
In Shakespear’s play Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence, warns Romeo and Juliet’s about physical love. He doesn’t question their love for one another but he warns about the ‘violent delights’ the emotion based dangers of physical love saying,
“These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness and in the taste confounds the appetite.
Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so. Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.”
All too often what we perceive as a love relationship starts with a strong emotional feeling and leads quickly to physical act. Which might feel good at the beginning of a relationship but ultimately will fade to some degree.
If all one is basing their love for another person on is a feeling and a physical act one will ultimately learn that it is hollow love.
We are all human and strong positive feelings for someone does feel nice as does the sexual act. But love is more.
The apostle Paul writes,

“Love is patient, love is kind.

 It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, it 

keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts,

 always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                                                          1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13
Love continues on through the trials of life. It continues when the physical act is not possible. It continues through those dark days when the positive feelings are absent, or masked for whatever reason.
                Love, true is...

“... is patient, love is kind.

 It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, it 

keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts,

 always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

Think about it.

Commandments Ten Commandments

Commandments Ten

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make idols.

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Honour your father and your mother.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

You shall not covet. Above is the short form version of the most important code of conduct ever written. It appears in Exodus 20:2-17.
The ten commandments are there to show instruct mankind how to live with both God and ones fellow man.
At a time in history when life was cheap God gave Moses a set of laws that call on mankind to have but one God. The Lord God almighty.
The laws also provide a day of rest, stating,
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.” 
                                                                                                           Exodus 20:8.
Man was never meant to work 24/7. People need at least one day a week to rest from their labours.
Not only that there is a call to respect your parents, to honour them.
Then there are the laws without which our society would fall into anarchy,

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

You shall not covet.

All of these were I believe written on the hearts and in the mind of everyone who has ever lived. God simply chose to give them in a written form to Moses so that no one could say I didn’t know.
The ancient Israelites recognized there was a God and acknowledged Him. The result was to make society better.
Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority.”
                 Abba Hillel Silver 
God gives us freedom.
It is when man starts to turn away from God and his moral principles that our society starts to slip into lawlessness and chaos.
Think about it.