What is Love?

I saw another posting today which brought about the usual response of myself answering, "What do they think is love?"  Quite literally, I have been feeling the craziness of this world lately.  Things are moving so fast.  The merry-go-round has sped up and at a time when life really should be a little easier.  Don't let anybody kid you, kid.  It doesn't get easier when you get older.  So you young people, enjoy your young lives because guess what?  Yep, you are going to get older too.  

I have always pondered the Bible verse -

(Mat 11:12)  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Every time I read this Bible verse, I sense the battle we are in as believers in Jesus Christ. And, I always ask myself, "What is Love?"  That question comes about as people always speak of love as being soft, fluffy, non-violent.  Yet, my Bible clearly states that the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and who receives the Kingdom of Heaven, those who take it by force.  Take it by force seems to speak to me of someone grappling (fighting, contending) not sitting idly by and watching events happen.  Maybe it is in the realm of prayer as we know prayer is a powerful tool but so easily, prayer is forgotten.  

As a parent I heard the analogy of love demonstrated in the scenario of a child playing with a ball.  The ball gets away from the child and rolls in to the street.  The child runs after the ball in to the street.  Thankfully, no car was coming, but the parent is moved to discipline the child to make sure what the child just did will never happen again.  Never!  Talking will not do it, most likely the child receives a spanking.  After all, Love is not going to let them continue to behave in this manner, right?  NO! True love is going to stop them - No matter the cost!  

Maybe part of this is understanding what the Kingdom of Heaven entails - Walking in the Kingdom involves your identity in Christ.  When you are part of the Kingdom of Christ, you are part of His body.  The Bible speaks very clearly of promises given to His body.  We have no lack.  We are victorious.  All of our needs will be met.  We can obtain healing.  This always brings us back to a conundrum of why did the person not receive their healing.  I honestly cannot answer why.  Only God can answer that and He will in his time.  However, I do not see where He says in His Word to quit, to lay down your armor and not contend for the faith.  Maybe part of it has to do with the above verse that those who receive the Kingdom of Heaven do so by taking it with force.  

I want to clarify that this verse does not say go out and do violence to others in payment for what they have done to you.  No, God does not want us to repay evil for evil.  However, I do not think it means sit on your rear-end and do nothing.  We all know it takes much more discipline and inner strength to not react than to react when someone has wronged you. 

So let me ask, how are taking the Kingdom of Heaven by force? and - What is Love to you?    

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities...

As I learn, I attempt to share so that I might help others...

I received a phone call from a friend and she asked if I could come and see her.  I did so, and received the news that she was facing several major life situations, none of which the outcome was for the good.  But, you see, she is a Believer in Christ Jesus.  She knows her identity in Christ and she is confident of her outcome.  When we know who we are in Jesus Christ we can be confident that He has our back.  He is not going to let one thing happen to us that He does not know will happen and He knows as long as we trust and believe in Him, we will have the victory. We might pass to the other side, but that means we have still won!  I believe I will see her healed.  I am choosing to join in with her belief in Jesus that He is going to heal her and that her story will bring honor and glory to the Lord.  

For my part of the story, as the Bible says, "My people perish for a lack of knowledge..."  paraphrased...go look it up... :)  Part of my healing journey has been to change my diet, stay away from certain foods, and now, stay away from certain chemicals.  I just wanted to share that I have found another part of the puzzle.  

You see, my friend's story fits in as I was called up to come visit her.  I went and the next day I was asked to take her somewhere which I had not been in a while, the hospital.  As we entered the building, I could feel my face go numb and tingling...Within 15 minutes of being in the building, my throat was burning.  Within one-half hour, my nose was completely stopped up.  I developed lung congestion and a cough by that evening.  By the next day, I sounded like I had the worst case of some respiratory illness, but oddly enough, no fever.  My sinus drainage, sorry for the grossness of context, was showing all signs of an infection:  bloody, not clear, purulent mucous drainage, etc, etc...Oddly enough, my friend's nose stopped up too....hmmmm putting together pieces of the puzzle. 

Next, it took four to five days for me to clear this '___________' ( I hesitate to call it an illness, or an infection, or _____________fill in whatever medical word..)  I did clear and was feeling a lot better only to have another exposure to fresh paint and hot glue being used.  Within five minutes, I had a headache.  My sinuses upon waking the next morning were full of 'GUNK'  and within two to three hours upon being awake, I am starting to feel like myself again.  

I share hoping that people will learn that what they do does affect others.  That there are some things they might attribute to an illness when in the reality it is not an illness but an exposure to some chemical.  You may or may not be aware of what is going on with your body, but hopefully you will WAKE UP!  There are reasons you are to wear a mask when you paint.  You might even need a mask when using hot glue sticks...You woke up feeling tired and drained this morning, check out what you ate or what you might have been doing or like me, remember - you walked in and there was some overpowering odor in the air.  It is having more of an affect than you would like to think.   

Beatiful Creation