Triumph in Christ

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 NKJV

 

“14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”

 

In Christ

 

What does it mean to be “in Christ”? It means that by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ we have denied self, died with him to sin, and we have been reborn of the Spirit to now walk (in conduct) in newness of life in Him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as servants of the Lord, in walks of surrender to God, in obedience to his commands, in holy living, by the grace of God, in the power of God, and in submission to God. We have left our sinful lifestyles behind us to follow the leading of Christ.

 

So, what does it mean to be led by God in triumph in Christ? Well, because of what Jesus Christ did for us on that cross in putting our sins to death with him, by God-persuaded faith in him we can now walk in victory over sin and self and the flesh. We are no longer living under sin’s control. Might we still sin sometimes? It is possible (1 John 2:1-2). But Jesus set us free from the control of sin over our lives so that we can now walk in victory over darkness and in the light of his truth and righteousness, as God designed for us.

 

Sharing Christ

 

Jesus Christ did not save us from our addiction to sin so that we could go on living life for ourselves, doing whatever we want to do, without regard for what he has planned for our lives. He saved us and he called us to himself and to his service so that we would now live for him and do his will. And his will for all of us is that we would obey him in being who he called us to be, and in doing what he commands, and in going where he sends us in sharing with the people the message of our salvation from sin via Jesus Christ.

 

But we must make certain that the “gospel” we have received and that we are sharing with others is the one taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles in the correct biblical context, and that we are not spreading lies we have heard and believed because we did not test what we heard against the Scriptures. For Jesus taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow him in obedience wherever he leads us in doing whatever he commands that we must do.

 

Fragrance of Christ

 

The fragrance of Christ is both the knowledge of Christ and who he is and what he did and how he lived, and it is the gospel of our salvation. And we, as Christ’s followers, are also to be that “fragrance of Christ” who represent him in how we live our lives, and in the words that we speak, and in our attitudes and actions and responses to the trials of life. And this is not saying that we will be perfect as he was perfect, but that we are to be a reflection of him. We are to be Jesus, in a sense, to the people of the world.

 

And so how we behave, and how we live, and not just the words that we speak, will either speak Jesus, or they will speak flesh to the people. But if our words and our attitudes and behaviors reflect Christ, and not the lusts of the flesh and of the eyes and the pride of life, then to those who are being saved (progressive salvation), we will be the aroma of life leading to life. But to those who are still living in sin, ignoring God and his commands, we will be the aroma of death leading to death, for we speak truth to the people.

 

Not Peddling

 

“For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:17

 

Peddling has to do with marketing, but it also has to do with adulterating. And this is sadly what so many are doing today in so many gatherings of what are called “churches.” They are marketing the church and the gospel to the world, and so they are adulterating both the truth of who the church is and what the gospel of our salvation is in order to grow their numbers, and for personal gain. So they remove from the gospel the foundations of the message to make it less offensive and more appealing to the ungodly.

 

But Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

 

So, be those who speak and who live the truth of God’s Word and who do not compromise with the world so that the world will like you more.

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

 

As the Deer

 

By Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

 

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after You

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship You

 

You alone are my strength, my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship You

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

 

Caution: This link may contain ads

 

Triumph in Christ

An Original Work / June 17, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Addendum to "She Loved Much"

Scripture Against Scripture

 

As is to be expected, I am being faced with some opposition and criticism on this subject of the role of women within the church. But let me begin with this. And I do not say this as a matter of pride, for I give all the glory to God for all that he does in me and through me for his glory. But I am not a novice at this. I have taught the Scriptures, by the grace of God, for 50+ years, and nearly daily for the past 20 years, and definitely daily for the past 5+ years. And I rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit in what I write.

 

What I have learned over the years is that we are going to come across Scriptures which don’t make sense in light of other Scriptures taught on the same subject, but with what may appear to be a contradictory message. In those cases we must be diligent about comparing Scripture with Scripture so that we get the full message, and so that we do not go with something that God did not intend. We need to have the full picture so that we do not follow after what is false as a “stand alone.” Context is critical to correct biblical interpretation and understanding. And that is what this writing was doing.

 

I AGREE!

 

So, I will begin by saying that I agree with and I stand by the teachings in the Scriptures which teach that women are not to usurp authority over men, and that they are not to instruct men in a position of authority over them to where they have the right to exercise both authority and discipline over the men. The only possible exception to this rule, I believe, is if there are no males within the congregation who meet the Spiritual qualifications for overseer that God might raise up a woman to hold that position instead.

 

The context of both 1 Corinthians 14:34-36 and 1 Timothy 2:11-13:

 

“34Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 36Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?”

 

“11Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve.”

 

What is the situation here? The women were not being submissive to the men in authority. They were being disruptive, asking questions out loud without being given permission to speak, and they were usurping authority over the men, acting as though they were not only equal with the men, but that they could speak as though they were in positions of authority over the men. This is definitely wrong! But let me add that we are never to submit to authority which is leading us to do what is clearly evil in the eyes of God.

 

We Are All Necessary!

 

Now, in the writing, “She Loved Much,” we are given many biblical examples of Jesus using or allowing women to do, either what the men did not do, but should have done, or to take the message of the gospel to men and women, and/or to prophesy (to preach, to exhort, to edify) in a public gathering of both men and women. For the Bible teaches that we are all necessary to the proper working of the body, and not one part should say to another that “We have no need of you.” So, then, does it make sense he would silence us? No!

 

We are all called

 

[Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 2:36; Luke 7:36-50; Luke 10:38-42; John 2:1-11; John 4:1-42; John 8:1-11; John 20:11-18; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 21:9; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 11:5; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:15-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20.]

 

Lastly, I believe it all comes down to submission to the authorities within the church. If women are given permission to speak, and it is done in proper order, and if it is done in the right way, for the upbuilding of the body of Christ, then they should be allowed to speak. But they are not to usurp authority over the men nor to cause a disturbance in the congregation, and they are not to instruct men in the sense of being over men in authority. But they are to remain in submission and in proper order, and then they can speak as they are called upon to speak, as God gifts them to speak.

 

Sincerely, in Christ Jesus,

 

Sue J Love

Christ’s Free Servant

God's Grace is Sufficient

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 NKJV

 

“3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.”

 

Biblically Defining “Comfort”

 

It is important to note here that this word translated as “comfort” in the English language is not just about all the feel good stuff. The word in the Greek is paraklésis, and it means comfort, consolation, exhortation, entreaty, encouragement, appeal, warning, and a holy urging. And “holy urging” “is used of the Lord directly motivating and inspiring believers to carry out his plan” (biblehub.com). So God may comfort us in the same manner in which he comforted Paul in his “thorn in the flesh” situation.

 

None of us knows what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was other than it was a messenger of Satan to inflict Paul with suffering, it was not sin in Paul’s life, and when Paul pleaded with the Lord three times to have it removed, the Lord responded to him with, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” That was his consolation from the Lord, not to remove the suffering, but to give grace to Paul in his suffering so that he was able to endure it in the strength of the Lord (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

 

Comforting Others

 

So, if God comforts us in our tribulations that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God, please understand that our Lord comforted Paul with “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” We must be very careful to make sure we are not giving people false hopes that the pain is just going to go away, or that they will no longer be hated and persecuted for the sake of the gospel which they are teaching to others.

 

For the Scriptures teach us that suffering is to be expected and that it is part of our walks of faith in the Lord Jesus. It is what God allows in our lives to keep us humble, to keep us trusting in him, and to keep us going to the Lord in every difficulty which arises in our lives in order to gain his counsel and his wisdom, and so we don’t allow our sufferings to destroy us. So don’t lie to people just to make them feel good. Yes, be loving, be compassionate, be kind, and be humble, but speak the truth in love to them they need to hear.

 

The Sufferings of Christ

 

What were Jesus’ sufferings? He was hated and rejected and persecuted and falsely accused of wrong and thought crazy or of Satan and hounded continuously by those who opposed him. They were always trying to trip him up with his words so they would have cause to accuse him of wrong, which he did not do. And then they plotted his crucifixion on a cross and convinced the Romans to carry it out for them. And so they had Jesus arrested on false charges, beaten nearly to death, and then hung on a cross to die.

 

Why? Because he claimed to be God, which is who he is and was and always will be – God the Son. And when he lived on the earth he was fully man and fully God (God incarnate). And because he taught the truth of the gospel that many did not want to hear, and he confronted the hypocrites in their false righteousness and in their sinful practices, and he healed people on the Sabbath, and for a time he had a huge following, and so they were jealous of him and threatened by him, this is why they had him crucified.

 

Our Sufferings

 

Now the Scriptures teach that as followers of Jesus Christ that we will share in the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. So if we are truly following Jesus with our lives, and if we are walking in his ways and in his truth and righteousness, in obedience to his commands, and so we have forsaken our sins, and so we are sharing the gospel of Christ with the people, as he taught it, we should expect that we will suffer in many of the same ways in which Jesus suffered for the sake of our salvation from sin.

 

So, just know that your comfort may not come in any form that feels like comfort to you, although it may. Instead of the Lord removing you from difficult and painful circumstances he may counsel you to remain and to keep trusting him that he knows what is best for you, and that he has a plan for it all. And he may not promise that things will get better eventually, but he may counsel you that things are going to get much worse. But that is to prepare you for the reality of the times in which we live and what’s coming.

 

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 3:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-17; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13] 

 

Who Believes? 

 

Based off Isaiah 53

An Original Work / October 3, 2013

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Gospel message, who believes?

Jesus Christ died on a tree,

Saving us from all our sin,

So we might be cleansed within.

 

Had no beauty found in Him,

That we should desire Him.

Man of sorrows, suffering;

Crushed for our iniquities.

 

Surely He has borne our griefs;

From our sadness, brings relief.

Bore the stripes; forsaken, He,

So forgiven we might be.

 

We, like sheep, have gone astray,

Each of us turned his own way.

Jesus calls, “Repent today;

My commandments, now obey.”

 

Jesus said, to come to him,

We must die to all our sin.

Crucified with Him, we live,

Walking in His righteousness.

 

Suff’ring servants, we will be,

Taking His identity on us,

When confessing Him

As our Savior, Lord and King.

 

https://vimeo.com/115517757

 

God’s Grace is Sufficient

An Original Work / June 16, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

There are Many Adversaries

1 Corinthians 16:5-11 NKJV

 

“5Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). 6And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. 7For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. 8But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

 

“10And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. 11Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren.”

 

God Works in Mysterious Ways

 

God works in mysterious ways. Just a few minutes ago I was on a website called “Substack,” which is designed for writers, like me, but for people of all walks of life, and from many nations all over the world. But there is a fairly large nucleus of Christian writers on there, which is a blessing, for it is a place where I am getting a lot of Christian fellowship and encouragement within the body of believers in Jesus Christ as we are sharing with one another what the Lord is teaching us from our times in his word each day.

 

Anyway, while I was on there, a writer, who is not necessarily a Christian, inquired as to who we believed we were supposed to be early on in our lives, then how we got talked out of it by people who opposed our dreams. And many people shared their stories of how, for a time, they were discouraged and they went a different direction, but how they eventually ended up doing what they knew they were meant to do, even from a very young age, and how happy they were that they eventually realized their dreams.

 

Following after that was another post by someone who had been hurt by the institutional church, which was requiring of her something she could not, in good conscience, agree to. So she offered to step down from her position, but they, instead, kicked her out of “the church.” And she was deeply hurt by this, and she had lots of questions that she asked God, but eventually she made peace with her situation and she found where she was supposed to be, if I am remembering correctly. And both stories spoke to my heart.

 

For I Can Relate to Them

 

Early on in my life God spoke to me through Jeremiah 1:4-10,17-19. What he said to me at that time was that before he formed me in my mother’s womb he knew me, and before I was born he set me apart, and he appointed me to be a messenger of God to the nations. He told me that I must go to everyone he sent me to, and to say whatever he commanded me, and that I was not to be afraid of them, for he would rescue me. And then he put his words in my mouth which I was to speak to the people.

 

He said, “17Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

 

Well, I listened to the Lord, and I did as he told me, and I spoke what he gave me to say, all in the appropriate format, and as given permission to speak. But I got falsely accused of being who I was not, and of having the wrong motives for why I wanted to serve the Lord, and of not hearing from God (although many pastors thought I was), and of lying, although I told the truth. So I was put on church discipline once for not lying. And one pastor told me that he was warned about people like me with “strong convictions.”

 

A Time of Discouragement

 

Have you ever gotten knocked down so many times, one after another after another, that you just gave up trying? That is where I was for a while, only it was kind of in and out. I would do well for a while, and then another attack would come, and I would feel defeated, and I would give up for a while, and I even fell into sin during this period of time. Satan was really working me over and sometimes I stood strong against him, and sometimes I faltered and I yielded to the flesh out of discouragement, for a period of time.

 

But one day as I was working through all these things before the Lord in prayer, and I was going through a process of healing and of forgiving the people who had hurt me. And so I asked the Lord if there was anyone left who I had not forgiven. He gave me the name, “Jesus.” I never had thought of that before, but suddenly I understood. I had gone through so much abuse in my life, first at the hands of my father, then my husband, and then pastors of churches, but God never rescued me from them all. And I hurt!

 

So, subconsciously I was acting out my hurt against Jesus when I failed to be who he wanted me to be and when I sinned against him out of anger and hurt and feelings of rejection and abandonment. So, although he had done no wrong, I had to forgive him, which I did. And then I had to learn to accept the sovereignty of God over my life, that God allowed (did not cause) these things in my life, to prepare me, in reality, for his calling on my life. And I also had to learn how to fight Satan offensively, not just defensively.

 

The Calling of God

 

Then, God extended the calling he had given me earlier on in my life. And this time he called me to write out what I am learning from him during my times spent with him in his word each day. And he told me that I was to write these down on a tablet and to give them to a runner who would “run with it” (see Habakkuk 2:2-3), which turned out to be me writing these writings on my computer and giving them to the internet to run with them. And that is what he has been having me do these past 22 years.

 

I believe all that God has taken me through in my life, including all of the abuse and mistreatment I received at the hands of my father first, and then by my husband (he is writing about this on Substack), and then at the hands of pastors and elders of institutional churches, was all under the sovereignty of God. He allowed me to go through all these trials to prepare me for what he has had me doing the past 22 years. I needed that to make me strong and determined in my faith so that the opposition would no longer break me.

 

Paul said that a “great and effective door” had opened to him, but there were many adversaries. That has been true of my life. And he encouraged the Christians to not despise Timothy, who did the work of the Lord as Paul did. Well, 22 years ago the Lord opened a “great and effective door” for me when he put me on the internet. And I know that these writings are being viewed by people in 150+ nations and that they are getting about two thousand views per day. But I give all the glory, praise, and thanks to God.

 

Fit for Service

 

An Original Work / October 5, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Holy Spirit, come within us.

Cleanse our hearts,

and from sin free us.

Make us holy vessels fit

for service to the King.

Fill us with Your love and power.

Anoint us within this hour

To be living witnesses

For Jesus Christ, our King.

Our praise to Him bring.

 

Father God, our heart’s desire,

Come and speak to us in power.

Revive our hearts to obey You;

Live for You always.

May we love and serve You only,

Walking with You;

Not a phony.

May we always tell the truth,

And show integrity.

Your true servants be.

 

Jesus, Savior, sanctify us.

Purify our hearts within us;

Be transformed into Your likeness,

Holy unto You.

May we always listen to You

Speaking Your words

Now within us.

May we heed Your counsel to us;

Follow You today.

Do all that You say.

 

https://vimeo.com/113979906

 

There Are Many Adversaries

An Original Work / June 15, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Unless You Believed in Vain

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NKJV

 

“1Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

 

The Gospel of Christ

 

So, what was the gospel that the Apostle Paul preached to the people? It wasn’t just that Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to many people before being taken back up to heaven by God to be with God the Father until the day in which he returns for his faithful bride, to take us to be with him for eternity. That is certainly the first part of the gospel message, but that is not the meat of the gospel.

 

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

 

And Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

 

False Teachings

 

I live in the USA, so I speak of what I know that is going on in my own nation, which may not be the same as what is going on in your nations. But in the USA, as a general rule, the gospel that I shared above, which was taught by Paul and by Jesus Christ, is not the predominant “gospel” being taught in my nation today. Few teach what Paul taught and what Jesus taught in full context of what they both taught as the gospel of our salvation. Even if some teach repentance and obedience, it is often taught as optional.

 

So many today have diluted and altered the gospel of Christ to make it more attractive and less offensive to the ungodly and to human flesh. And so many are teaching that a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ is enough to secure them heaven as their eternal resting place, and forgiveness of all sins, to the point to where they believe that they can continue living in sin without guilt, and without conscience, and that they will still go to heaven when they die, or when Jesus returns, regardless of how they live.

 

And so we have a whole lot of people in my nation claiming Christianity as their “religion” of choice, and claiming Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but who have never denied self, died with Christ to sin, and followed Jesus in obedience to his commands in holy living. Many who profess his name are still living for the flesh, still doing what their sinful hearts desire while they put on a performance of living the Christian life because they go through certain religious rituals, yet while they deny the Lordship of Christ.

 

Believing in Vain

 

Paul did not teach “Once Saved Always Saved.” He taught progressive salvation – We are saved (past), we are being saved (present active), and we will be saved (future) when Christ returns for his faithful bride, but provided that we continue to obey our Lord’s commands, and that we continue to put sin to death, and that we continue to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. For, if we continue in sinful addiction and not in obedience to our Lord, then we will not inherit eternal life with God.

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 9:23-26; John 6:44; John 8:31-32; John 15:1-12; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-17; Romans 11:17-24; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Galatians 5:16-24; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:10-13; Hebrews 3:6,14-15; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 1:5,9; 2 Peter 1:5-11; 2 Peter 2:20-22; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,24-25; 1 John 3:4-10]    

 

So, a profession of faith in Jesus Christ is not enough to secure you forgiveness of all sin and eternal life with God. For those who live according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit of God, will naturally think on and act on what is of the flesh, and not on what is of God. Even if they know about God, and even if they have studied the Scriptures, and even if they have made a profession of faith in Jesus, and maybe they have taught the Scriptures, they may still be those who are still living by the flesh, living in a fantasy world, who are not truly receiving the things of the Spirit of God.

 

The Heart of Man 

 

Based off Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23

An Original Work / April 4, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Listen to me ev’ryone and

Understand this teaching of Christ:

Why do you break the commands

Of God for the sake of tradition?

When you follow the ways of man,

And don’t obey the words of Christ,

You nullify the words of God,

And you hold to the ways of man.

 

What comes out of a man’s mouth is

What makes him unclean and dirty.

The things that come out of the mouth

Come from the heart, from within him.

The heart of man is so sinful;

From his nature, out comes evil:

Lying, cursing, greed and malice,

Lust and lewdness, deceit, slander.

 

Jesus calls us to obey him;

Turn from our sins; follow His ways.

Yet, his people honor him with their lips,

but their hearts not with Him.

Their worship of God is in vain.

Their teachings are rules taught by man.

Jesus calls us; gently leads us

To return and follow His truth.

 

https://vimeo.com/125490002

 

Unless You Believed in Vain

An Original Work / June 15, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

She Loved Much

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 NKJV

 

“34Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.”

 

This (above) is a difficult passage to understand in light of the other teachings in the New Testament on Spiritual gifts and ministries. So, I am going to share with you a writing the Lord gave me on this subject in August of 2019 which shares the same title as another writing in March of this year.

 

Women in Ministry

 

Jesus’ Treatment of Women

 

As far as I know, from what I read in the New Testament, Jesus always treated women with high honor and respect. He never talked down to a woman or treated any woman as though she was less valuable than a man, with maybe one exception. 

 

As recorded in Matthew 15:21-28, it appears that Jesus’ seemingly harsh words to a Gentile woman were not meant in unkindness, but that they were meant to test her faith, and to lead her to stand up for what she believed, too. And then he honored her for her faith, which he said was “great faith.”

 

And when other men took advantage of women, for evil purposes, or when they mocked or criticized them, Jesus stood up for the women, and he protected them. And he cared about their needs, and he ministered to them, and he honored their faith. And, if he did rebuke them, he was loving and gentle in his rebuke. He was always tender with them, compassionate and loving. And he used women to share the gospel with men, too.

 

[John 8:1-11; Luke 7:36-50; Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 10:38-42; John 2:1-11; John 4:1-42; John 20:11-18.]

 

In fact, In Luke 7 we read that a Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him at his house. When a woman who had a reputation heard he was there, she came there and she anointed his feet with ointment, and wet them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, and caressed them with her kisses.

 

When the Pharisee disapproved of the woman, Jesus rebuked him. But what he said to the Pharisee was for the encouragement of the woman, as well. For, what Jesus said to the Pharisee is that everything that he should have done for Jesus, but did not do, the woman did do. For, he said, “she loved much.” And, he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

 

And we read in Luke 8:1-3 that some women even traveled with Jesus and the disciples, too, and that they helped provide for Jesus’ and the disciples’ needs out of their own means.

 

I am assuming that the women made things which they sold for money, and that out of their earnings that they helped provide for Jesus and his disciples in the work of the ministry. So, they were co-laborers with Jesus and with his twelve male disciples in the ministry.

 

Your Daughters Shall Prophesy

 

And, when the Scriptures teach on the gifts of the Spirit, they do not differentiate between men and women, i.e. that some gifts are not for women. In fact, in Acts 2:17-18 we read:

 

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

    and your young men shall see visions,

    and your old men shall dream dreams;

even on my male servants and female servants

    in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”

 

So, why is it then that we have these teachings in the New Testament that sound as though women are to always remain silent, that they are not to speak in the gatherings of the church, without exception? (1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:11-12). Doesn’t that seem contradictory to how Jesus treated women? And isn’t it contradictory to the passage in Acts 2, and to other New Testament scriptures that speak of women prophesying?

 

And why is it that so many church congregations, at least here in America, do not allow their women to prophecy (preach) in their gatherings? And some pastors treat women as though they are dirt under their feet for them to walk on? For, Jesus never treated a woman like that. He valued women, and he used women in ministry, and he even sent women out to share the gospel with men. And the Holy Spirit of God gifted women to prophesy. So, why would God then turn around and put the smack down on women?

 

And, why, then would the Scriptures talk about how we are all one body in Christ, and that we are all necessary, and that one part should not say to another, “We have no need of you!”? And why would it teach that the body grows and builds itself up in love and in the faith as “each part” does its work? And then tell our women that their part, which God gave to them, and for which he gifted them, is not permitted? Is the church then not suppressing the gifts of women?

 

How can we resolve these seeming contradictions? Is it possible that these passages on the silence of women in the church can have another plausible explanation other than the complete and total suppression of the gift of prophecy among the women in the church? And, if so, what might that be?

 

For, women obviously prophesied in New Testament times (See: Luke 2:36; Acts 2:17; Acts 21:9; 1 Corinthians 11:5). So, how are we to understand this restriction of the silence of women in the church if God poured out his Spirit on both men and women so that they could prophesy, and we have recorded in the New Testament that there were indeed women who did prophesy? What is the context? What is the purpose of the restriction?

 

The Context Reveals

 

Well, the context of 1 Corinthians 14 is that of teaching on spiritual gifts, teaching on love, and instructions regarding the misuse of the gifts and the right way in which the gifts are to be used, and regarding their purpose, too. So, this is in the context of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, also.

 

And it is in 1 Corinthians 12 where we are taught that each body part is necessary, and that we are not to say to another part of the body that we have no need of him or of her. And it is God who decides who gets what part, too. And it is the Holy Spirit who assigns the gifts.

 

And, here in 1 Corinthians 14 we are told first off to pursue love, and to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that we would prophesy. And the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, consolation and encouragement. The one who prophesies edifies other believers, for the spiritual growth and advancement of them in the faith. He or she inspires, cheers, urges, nurtures, promotes and fosters spiritual maturity and holy walks in the Spirit of God, too, which is consistent with Ephesians 4:15-16.

 

So, if both women and men are gifted with the gift of prophecy, and we women are to use the gifts of the Spirit given to us for the upbuilding and the encouragement of the body of Christ, his church; and if not one of us is to say to another “We have no need of you,” and if all the parts are necessary, and women did prophesy in the New Testament, and the body of Christ is built up in the faith as “each part” does its work, then we have to conclude that these instructions on the silencing of women have a meaning other than the absolute silence of women in the church.

 

Order and Submission

 

So, again, let’s look at the context. The context has to do with how gifts are used, and it has to do with the order in which they are used. And, then let’s look at the wording of the passage, too. For, it all comes down to submission. It says that a woman, if she has questions regarding something she wants to learn, that she should ask her husband at home. So, apparently women were interrupting the order of service to ask questions. And some of this is definitely cultural to that day and time.

 

It also appears, by the context, that these women were usurping authority over the men, for it clearly instructs them that they are to be in submission to their husbands, and to the leadership of the church, and it indicates that they were stepping out of that order by speaking in the church gatherings in a disruptive way. So, these women were out of order in what they were doing.

 

And the passage in 1 Timothy 2 supports this, that women are not to usurp authority over the men, and that they are not to instruct men in an authoritative manner which would require men to obey them.

 

So, in conclusion, I believe God has gifted both men and women in various ways, and that Scripturally both men and women are gifted with the gift of prophecy (preaching), which is for the edification and encouragement of the body of Christ and for their strengthening and nurturing of them in the faith, that they may all reach maturity in Christ Jesus, their Lord.

 

I believe Jesus values women highly, that he gifts them in ministry, and that he calls them to prophesy (preach) the truths of Scriptures so that the body of Christ might be drawn closer to their Lord in walks of faith, and so that they may not wander off from the faith to go after what is false. I also believe that our Lord uses women sometimes in areas usually assigned to men, but that he does so when so many men are spiritually AWOL, and they are neglecting their callings (See Luke 7:36-50 as illustrative of this).

 

Lastly, I believe it all comes down to submission to the authorities within the church. If women are given permission to speak, and it is done in proper order, and if it is done in the right way, for the upbuilding of the body of Christ, then they should be allowed to speak. But they are not to usurp authority over the men nor to cause a disturbance in the congregation, and they are not to instruct men in the sense of being over men in authority. But they are to remain in submission and in proper order, and then they can speak as they are called upon to speak, as God gifts them to speak.

 

[Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

 

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

 

Words by Adelaide A. Pollard, 1907

Music by George C. Stebbins, 1907

 

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Thou art the potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

 

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Search me and try me, Master, today!

Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,

As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

 

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Wounded and weary, help me I pray!

Power, all power, surely is Thine!

Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

 

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Hold o'er my being absolute sway.

Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see

Christ only, always, living in me!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z11avpKNLsA

 

Caution: This link may contain ads

 

Women in Ministry

An Original Work / August 4, 2019

Reposted on November 7, 2025 (with slight editing)

Reposted edited version on June 15, 2026, w/additional introduction

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Prophecy and Tongues

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 NKJV

 

“1Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.”

 

A Controversial Topic

 

Now this is a very controversial topic, and one I don’t generally want to delve into, but it needs to be discussed, for in our world today there is a lot of abuse of the gifts in these two areas of prophecy and of speaking in tongues, in both the areas of the teachings on these gifts and in the operating of these gifts. But prophecy is not just future telling, as many regard it, but it is preaching (proclaiming) the Word of God, which is how Paul was using it here, which to me is obvious by his description of it.

 

First of all, there are many people today falsely teaching that to receive Christ you must speak in tongues. Just not biblical! And some church gatherings will not allow certain people to participate in their gatherings unless they speak in tongues. But in the lists of the gifts of the Spirit, tongues are generally listed last as one of the lesser gifts. And it is the Spirit who determines who gets what gifts. And they are to be used according to the teachings of the Scriptures, and not according to human beings.

 

The Gifts Defined

 

Prophecy – Paul defined prophecy as speaking edification and exhortation and comfort to the people. And to edify is to teach, to instruct, to give constructive criticism, and to say what will help other believers in Christ to grow to spiritual maturity in Christ and to live the life that God has for them to live for God’s glory. And an exhortation is an appeal, a holy urging, urgent request, counsel, caution and strong encouragement to do what is right. And comfort is to give them strength and support in their walks of faith in Christ.

 

Tongues - And then he went on to say that those who prophesy edify the church, and that they are greater than those who speak with tongues, not as a matter of superiority or pride in giftedness, but having to do with what prophecy produces in comparison to what speaking in tongues produces. For those who speak in tongues speak to God, not to the people, for no one understands what they are saying. And he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. But he who prophesies edifies the church, which is what is needed.

 

Tongues Interpreted

 

Now, if we keep reading in 1 Corinthians 14 we will learn that tongues must be interpreted or otherwise they serve no valuable purpose in the gatherings of the church. But even the interpretations of the tongues must be tested against the teachings of the Scriptures, just as we would test prophesies, too, to make sure they are of God and not of human flesh. For there are all sorts of people out there who are prophesying over other people falsely and who are using tongues in an unbiblical manner which causes confusion.

 

For the purpose of our gatherings is for mutual edification in words we can understand which we can then put into practice in our daily lives, if what we are receiving is from God, and it is supported in the Scriptures, and it does not contradict the Scriptures. And all of this must be done in an orderly and godly manner. But regarding the speaking in tongues in a public gathering, one person should speak at a time and there must be an interpretation and it must be tested against the Scriptures, so that lies are not being spread.

 

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:11-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

 

Teach Me, Lord 

 

An Original Work / June 12, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Teach me, Lord, to walk in Your ways,

And observe all You command.

May I ever hasten to You,

And desire to not offend.

Teach me how to follow Your steps,

Gently guiding me each day.

May I love and serve You always,

Loving others, this I pray.

 

Teach me, Lord, to listen to You

Speaking Your words to my heart.

May I never stray from Your truth,

And from Your law ne’er depart.

Teach me how to instruct others

In the way that we should go,

Leading them by my life witness,

So that Jesus they should know.

 

Teach me, Lord, to be a light in

This dark world of grief and sin.

May I always care for others;

Share their burdens; help to mend.

Teach me how to share with them that

Jesus came to set them free,

So that they could be forgiven;

Live with Christ eternally.

 

https://vimeo.com/126020281

 

Prophecy and Tongues

An Original Work / June 15, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love