June 21, 2020
Greetings and blessings to all of you. Happy Father’s Day!. I want all you fathers to have a blessed day in the Lord. Since all men have a biological father…whether you knew him or not; hate or love him…take this day to do some reflecting on your relationship. Remember Christians are called to Love unconditionally. I pray that those who are not fathers take this special day to think of our Heavenly Father. Saints, I have been thinking all week about loving others who cannot and will not love us back. But God! He can help us with that. I recall the situation when Peter was so happy to be with Paul ministering to the Gentiles in Gal. 2:11-21. But when Peter saw his Jewish friends; he moved away from the Gentiles because the Bible said “he feared the circumcision party.” “When the Jews saw Peter’s behavior, they acted hypocritically along with him so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.” Peter’s behavior was so wrong Paul had to rebuke him right then and there in the front of everyone. The Bible said, “But when I saw that (Peter and the Jews) conduct was not in step with THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL” …. I had to remind Peter that Christians are not justified “by the works of the law” but through FAITH in Christ Jesus. He reminded Peter that he (Paul) lives for God only. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, But Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul had to learn how to love like Christ. Remember he was the one who was hating to a point of killing Christians before he came to Christ. Hate and Unforgiveness is not to be ANY part of the Christian life. In this time of crisis, it is time for us to be more loving than ever. It is time to get honest in our heart. The Bible says in Jer. 17:9 “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it.” Therefore, it is time to pray and pray and pray some more until you began loving your enemies. I John 3:11 says, “for this is the message that you have heard from the beginning that we should love one another.” I John 2:9 “whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness” Saints, Let the truth set you free.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC