by Coach Campman
Love, love, love. This is what our world needs NOW!! Let’s consider what the Word of God says about love. Consider some verses.
Romans 12:9-10 “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
This sounds like how brotherly love is supposed to work. Are you devoted to any brother or sister in Christ? Do you honor them above you?
1 Corinthians 4:17 “For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.”
It’s easy to love a faithful brother in Christ, is it not? It’s easier to love a faithful brother than an unfaithful brother.
When Benjamin Franklin wished to interest the people of Philadelphia in street lighting, he didn’t try to persuade them by talking about it—instead, he hung a beautiful lantern on a long bracket before his own door. Then he kept the glass brightly polished, and carefully hung it at the approach of dusk.
People wandering about on the dark street saw Franklin’s light a long way off and came under the influence of its friendly glow with grateful hearts. To each one it seemed to say; “Come along, my friend! Here is a safe place to walk. See that cobblestone sticking out? Don’t stumble over it! I shall be here to help you again tomorrow night, if you should come this way.”
It wasn’t long before Franklin’s neighbors began placing lights in brackets before their homes and soon the entire city awoke to the value of street lighting and took up the matter with interest and enthusiasm. Example is always a strong motivation for doing the right thing in life. And the Lord gives us the best example of all.
Fellowship Group: How do you really describe in words God who is love? I’m not sure there is any way you can. God is not the essence of love. He is not the spirit of love. He is not the extreme example of love. He is not the personification of love. He is not the epitome of love. HE IS LOVE. And we will know when we come into His presence!
The story of the candy cane
• A Candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that could be used as a witnessing tool, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane.
• He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus.
• He began with stick of pure white, hard candy.
• White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus,
• And hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church and firmness of the promises of God.
• He made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior.
• The shape at the same time represented the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who have gone astray.
• Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the Candy maker stained it with red stripes.
• He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the beating Jesus received by which we are healed.
• The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have eternal life.
• Unfortunately, the candy became known as a Candy Cane - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time.
• But the meaning is still there for those who "have eyes to see and ears to hear".
• The Wonder of Jesus and His Great Love that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate force in the universe today.
God Bless
Give God All the Glory
Coach Campman
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