June 21, 2016 – I Peter 1:22

You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. I Peter 1:22Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.  I Corinthians 12:13  We are unified when we are baptized into God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Unity with others can only be an actuality through cleansing of our sins in baptism.  This is obeying the truth.  This is a beginning of love for others.  Only the Love of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit can teach us to love one another deeply, even as They love us.Love is a part of the fruit of the Spirit that is promised to us through baptism.  This Love brings about an inner joy and peace that lasts a lifetime.  When we are living in Christ Jesus, we are walking step by step with Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness – even as Jesus lived on the earth.  This develops our Faithfulness and Self-Control.  Our ability to walk with our God the Father depends on our faithfulness.Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  Ephesians 1:4.  He knew us before he made the world, He planted eternity in our hearts before we were born.  He knew our name before our parents chose our name.  He loves us as only God can love, with His whole heart and being.God the Father wants us to choose Him and His Son, Jesus.  The Word of the Lord, the Holy Bible, remains forever and cannot be destroyed, ever.  We are like grass that withers and flowers that fade, but God’s love never, ever dies.  I once heard a man say, God’s message is God Wins!  You can count on Him.“People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” I Peter 1:24-25