Not Ashamed

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.” (2 Timothy 1:7-11 NASB1995)

As followers of Jesus Christ, all of us are to be taking the message of the gospel of Christ to the people of the world, which includes to the worldly church, too. And we are to do so unashamedly, without fear of reproach and rejection and/or persecution. And we should not be those who dilute and alter the gospel message to make it less offensive and more acceptable to human flesh out of fear of being mistreated. But we are to speak the truth of God’s word to the people, spoken in love, and without compromise.

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 5:11-14; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

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).

But when we speak the truth of the gospel, as Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught it, in the correct biblical context, and not out of context to appease human flesh, we might not be popular. We may not have large followings. And we might be opposed. We may be rejected and persecuted. And we might have people who will mock us and reject us and turn away from us and think ill of us because we are speaking words which make them not comfortable, but which convict of sin, and which call for repentance.

For 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).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18] 

But don’t let the words of others dishearten and discourage you. Don’t let the rejection and mistreatment you might face when sharing the truth of the gospel make you afraid. And, yes, we are not saved by our own fleshly works but only by the grace of God. But God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. And we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (see Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10).

By Your Grace  

An Original Work / June 27, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Speak Your words to my heart,

Let Your grace and love impart.

Be to me all I need

To love and serve Christ my King;

To love and serve Christ my King.

Change my heart; be like You;

Let me love and serve in truth.

Guide my steps ev’ry day, 

As I bow my knees and pray;

As I bow my knees and pray.

Love You, Lord. You love me. 

You died so that I’d go free

From my sin; pure within;

By Your grace I’m saved from sin;

By Your grace I’m saved from sin.

Invite You in my heart;

Now I have a brand new start.

Repented of my sin,

So that I’d be cleansed within;

So that I’d be cleansed within.

Live for You ev’ry day,

List’ning to the words you say.

Make You Lord of my heart;

Be Your witness, grace impart;

Be Your witness, grace impart.

Obey Your ev’ry word;

Do the things I’ve seen and heard.

Your word, Lord, in me burns,

While I wait for Your return;

While I wait for Your return.

https://vimeo.com/125738774

Not Ashamed

An Original Work / February 28, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Whoever Desires to Love Life

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For

“Whoever desires to love life

    and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

    and his lips from speaking deceit;

let him turn away from evil and do good;

    let him seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

    and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:8-12 ESV)

These instructions are to us who believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, in truth, and in righteousness, and in godly living. We are those who have been crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin is no longer to be what we practice, what we obey. Righteousness and obedience to our Lord and to his commands are now to be what we obey (see Romans 6:1-23; 1 Peter 2:24).

Collectively we are the body of Christ, his church. The church is NOT a place we go to. It is not a building. It is not a church denomination. It is not a social club nor a civic center. And it is not a corporation under the state and a business being marketed to the people of the world. And it is not a place we visit for an hour or two once or twice a week and then we leave until the next week. And it is not a place for us to be spectators while a few people do all the ministering. But that is what many have made “the church” to be.

The church is us who believe in Jesus Christ, in truth and in righteousness. We are the temple of God in whom God dwells by his Spirit. And we are to gather together for mutual encouragement and edification, as each body part (that’s us) does its work. All of us are to be exhorting and teaching and encouraging and urging one another to live holy lives pleasing to God and to no longer walk in sin, and to serve the Lord Jesus with our lives. And we are to be warning each other against the lies of deceitful false teachings, too.

So this unity of mind that we are to have with one another is not the mind of the flesh nor the mind of men in their marketing gimmicks and deceitful scheming. So if you hear “unity” stressed in the gatherings of what are called “churches,” test what that “unity” is all about. Is it unity with business plans and goals of human making? Or is it unity with Christ and with his gospel message and with his plan and purpose for our lives? For Peter is talking about unity with the mind of God/Christ and with his purposes.

And we can only be united in mind with one another if we are first of all united with God and with his mind and purpose for our lives. And when we are united with Christ in heart and mind and actions, all these other things will be the outgrowth of our relationship with Jesus Christ. We will be people who love one another as Christ loves us and gave himself up for us. We will not be proud, but we will be humble, not bragging on ourselves for our own accomplishments, but humbly giving God the glory for the good within us.

We will not be people who feel as though we have to get even with those who we believe have done evil to us. But we are to love even our enemies. And we are to do good to them, and pray for them, and say to them what will be beneficial to them in the eyes of God. And even if they do evil to us continually, we are to love them in return, and to keep doing good to them. And if those who oppose us are those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, but they are walking in sin, we should warn them of the consequences of sin.

[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]

When we come to faith in Jesus Christ it is not of our own doing – not of the will of the flesh nor of human origin. So we don’t get to decide what that faith should look like. God does! His word does! But we have to read the Scriptures in their context. For many liars and deceivers are teaching Scriptures out of context to make them say what they do not say if studied in the appropriate context. For the faith that comes from God will result in us dying with Christ to sin and walking with him in obedience to his commands.

So, faith in Jesus Christ is not forgiveness of all sins and a promise of heaven when we die while we go on living like we did before. Faith in Jesus Christ results in us dying to self and to sin and now following our Lord in obedience to his commandments. So sin is no longer to be what we practice. Lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, slandering, gossiping, and living in sexual immorality, and the like, are not to be what we practice. For we are now to turn away from evil and do what God requires that we do.

And the peace that we are to pursue is not world peace. For us to have world peace, that will involve all of us compromising our faith and convictions in order to unify with the people of the whole world. So we will become like minions, all believing and doing the same things under the control of some type of tyrannical government. And this is what is coming (Revelation 13). But we are called by God out of the world to be different so that we, by God’s grace, are now being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.

For those who are righteous in the eyes of the Lord are all who are living righteously, by the grace of God, for whom righteousness is their practice. And to be righteous is to live under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit of God in following our Lord and his commands. For it means to be right in the eyes of God, i.e. what he deems as righteous, holy, morally pure, upright, faithful, and submissive to God and to his will for our lives. This is how we are to live as followers of Jesus Christ.

But if we should choose to continue living in (walking in) sin, in practice, and not in walks of holiness and righteousness and obedience to our Lord, the Bible teaches us that we will die in our sins. We will not inherit eternal life with God regardless of what our lips profess. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God the Father in heaven. So if sin is what you practice, heaven is not your eternal destiny.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

In Harmony  

An Original Work / September 2, 2012

Based off Ro. 12:9-21; 1 Pet. 3:8-17

Love each other truly. 

Cling to what is good.

Hate all that is evil. 

Never lack in zeal.

Serve the Lord with fervor. 

Joyful in hope be;

Patient in affliction; 

Praying faithfully.

Honor one another. 

Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people

Who are found in need.

Do not be conceited.

Sympathetic be.

Love, and show compassion

In humility.

Keep your tongue from evil.

Peaceful you must be.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;

Listens to their prayers.

But He’s against evil – 

Is His to avenge.

Do not fear what they fear.

Suffer patiently.

In your hearts, make Christ Lord.

Serve Him faithfully.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

https://vimeo.com/112832903

Whoever Desires to Love Life

An Original Work / September 13, 2024

Reposted on February 27, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

A Desire to Inherit the Blessing

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” (Hebrews 12:14-17 ESV)

The peace that we are to strive for with everyone is not world peace. It is not us joining hands with the people of the world in unity of mind, heart, and action toward one common goal and purpose. For it makes no compromise of faith, morals, biblical doctrines, and practice. I hear some Christians calling for world peace, but they don’t realize what that means. It means a one world tyrannical government and a one world religion and forced compliance. It means that we are all minions bowing to the same “beast.”

The word “peace” means to tie together or to join together into a whole, and it means wholeness and welfare, so we can definitely strive toward the wholeness and welfare of everyone that they would be joined together with Christ and with his body into one complete whole. And we can be at peace with all people to the extent that it does not require compromise of faith and conviction and moral purity and obedience to our Lord, and as long as it does not require that we not preach the message of the gospel of Christ.

For what is attached along with peace here? It is holiness. We are to strive toward peace and holiness, so the one cannot contradict the other. For to be holy means to be set apart by and for God, to be different from the world because we are being conformed to the likeness of character, heart, and mind of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And without it, no one will see the Lord. For we cannot be one with the world and one with Christ, too. Either our minds are set on obeying God or they are set on obeying the flesh.

And this is written to Christians when it says to “see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.” For the grace of God frees us from slavery to sin and it trains us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10).

So, if our desire is to obtain the grace of God, what is required of us? We must willingly surrender our hearts and lives over to Jesus Christ, be crucified with him in death to sin, and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him as slaves to God and to his righteousness, and no longer as slaves to sin. All this is of God and is made possible because of Jesus’ blood sacrifice for our sins, but we must willingly yield control of our lives over to the Master Jesus Christ, turn from our sins, and now obey God in practice.

For if we remain in control of our own lives, and we live by the flesh and not by the Spirit, so we let our emotions rule our lives, and not God, and we continue in sin living in immorality, and not in walks of faithful obedience to our Lord, then it won’t matter what faith in Christ we profess with our lips. We will not inherit eternal life with God. And that is the point of what this is teaching here and in many other Scriptures, too. So you may be expecting to be received into God’s heaven, but he will say that he never knew you.

[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

So, do not take God’s grace for granted. And do not buy into the lies that so many are teaching today which are telling you that you can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all your sins are forgiven and heaven is guaranteed you when you die, but regardless of how you live. How you live does matter for eternity. For genuine faith which comes from God conforms to the will and purpose of God, for it is persuaded of God. And he persuades us to die to sin and to walk in obedience to his commands.

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

Caution: This link may contain ads

A Desire to Inherit the Blessing

An Original Work / November 26, 2024

Reposted February 27, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Faith's Not Finished

We don’t believe, then close the door,

And all the rest we now ignore.

Don’t walk away and do your thing,

While you not serve the King of Kings.

Salvation, yes, a gift from God,

A gift to honor, not to trod.

Deliverance from sin, it is,

So we can walk in righteousness.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

All for our sins He sacrificed,

Gave of Himself so we’d go free

From slavery to sin. You see?

Now walk with Him, do what He says,

Obeying Him, with no regrets,

Live your new life to do His will,

And now in Him, with Him you’ll dwell.

An Original Work / February 27, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Give Love. Don't Just Speak It.

“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:18-22 NASB1995)

Lies and liars abound wherever you look these days. So much fakery. So many AI videos made to look real, which are not real. So many government heads making promises they will not keep, declaring love which they do not give, professing Christ who they do not know, in truth. And the same goes for many who call themselves pastors and ministers of the gospel of Christ. Deception abounds! “Wolves in sheep’s clothing” are all over the place. And the unfaithful and the addicted profess love, but betrayal is what they give.

But God is still God. God is still in control. He is still completely sovereign over all creation. And none of this could take place unless God allows it. And he told us in the Scriptures that a time like this was coming, and that we should be ready for when it comes. I believe it is here already. So, we should make ourselves ready. Let our love be genuine and proven by our actions and not in words only! For it can be so easy to say, “I love you,” but harder to actually put love into our daily practice. So give love. Don’t just speak it.

Many people today are of the belief that if they just mouth words of faith or of praise and/or of worship of God/Christ, that God is pleased with them. They believe that is enough to assure them of salvation and forgiveness of all sins and a guarantee of life eternal with God in heaven when they die. But that is not what the Scriptures teach, if taught in the appropriate biblical context. For just giving lip service to God, and nothing else, is like saying “I love you” to your spouse while you cheat on your spouse in adultery.

For faith in Jesus Christ is not just a door that you open and now you are in, good to go. The bible teaches us faith in Jesus as a marriage relationship, with him as our husband, and with us who believe in him as his bride. So, as his bride, we are to love him, not just with words, but with action. We are to be submissive to him to do what pleases him. And we are to be faithful to him to obey him and what he instructs us that we must do as his followers. So we give up our “other lovers” to now be married to Christ as our Lord.

And then we are assured that we are in a genuine faith relationship with Jesus Christ, that we are the children of God, called to his service, who love him and who obey him, because our faith is shown by what we do and not just by what we speak. And so when we pray, we will pray according to the will of God, as much as we know, and we will not be asking for things which are selfish and worldly and ungodly in nature. For we will desire that the will of God be accomplished in and through our lives, from now to eternity.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18] 

Myopic  

Based off 2 Peter 1:3-11

An Original Work / August 19, 2013

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Jesus has given ev’rything

Needed for life and godliness.

His great and precious promises

Free us from our sin and distress.

Add to your faith His goodness;

Knowledge; patience; godliness;

Brotherly love and mutual affection;

Kindness and unselfishness.

If you possess these qualities,

Growing in your maturity,

They will keep you from vanity.

You will bear fruit effectually. 

Nonetheless, if you lack them;

Forget you’ve been cleansed from sin,

Nearsighted are you; you can’t see Jesus.

You have closed your heart to Him.

Therefore, beloved, confirm, then,

Your calling and your election.

Do this by showing diligence:

Obey your Lord; be repentant.

Practice all these qualities

God provided on a tree.

He died for our sins so we’d be given

Life with Him eternally. 

https://vimeo.com/115839336

Give Love. Don’t Just Speak It.

An Original Work / February 27, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Everyone Who Practices Sin

“Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:4-10 NASB1995)

When Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross, it was to put our sins to death with him so that, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in him, which is not of our own doing, we will now die to sin. And he rose from the grave in victory over sin, death, hell, and Satan so that we might now live for him in walks of obedience to his commands, in surrender to him as Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives, and in holy living, all for the glory of God! 

So, as followers of Jesus Christ, sin is to no longer be what we practice, by habit. But righteousness, godliness, moral purity, uprightness, honesty, faithfulness, and obedience to our Lord and to his commandments (New Covenant) are to be what we put into daily practice, by the grace of God, and in the power of God. And this is not a claim to sinless perfection (1 John 2:1-2), but it is a command of God that we should die to sin and obey God.

And so we are warned here to make certain that no one deceives us. For if we abide (live) in sin, and if sin is what we put into practice, by habit, and not righteousness, holiness, and obedience to our Lord and to his commands, then we are truly not those who abide (live) in Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord. For those who make sin their practice are of the devil, and Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not to pacify evil.

Therefore, no one who is born of God, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, makes sin their practice. It doesn’t mean that we will never sin (1 John 2:1-2), but that sin should not be our habit, what we keep going to over and over again willfully, deliberately, without conscience, and without biblical remorse and true repentance, and in direct defiance to God and to his commands. For they are not of God who do not practice righteousness.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 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 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]

Seven Woes  

Based off Matthew 23

An Original Work / May 31, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love 

Woe to you, teachers of the law;

Hypocrites, you keep men from God.

You refuse to obey the truth,

Nor will you permit others to.

You travel o’er land and sea

To win a single convert to you.

When he becomes one 

You make him twice as much

A “son of hell” as you are.

Woe to you, blind guides of mankind.

You distort the words of your God.

By your practices you declare

Your oaths mean nothing, though you swear.

You give a tenth of your spices,

But you neglect justice, mercy.

When you focus your 

Time and talents on

What is external, you miss out.

Woe to you, who appear so clean,

When inside you are crass and mean.

You work hard to look so upright,

While you hide all your sins inside.

You deceive yourselves when you think

You would not have done what others

Did to God’s messengers 

And prophets of old,

For you will do much the same.

You’re to blame.

https://vimeo.com/125489388

Everyone Who Practices Sin

An Original Work / February 26, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Are Sinful Cravings Your God?

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 NASB1995)

The word translated as “love” in English is agape, which means to prefer, usually in the context of preferring what God prefers, which is all that is holy, righteous, upright, morally pure, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord and to his commands. Usually this is about embracing God’s will, and choosing his choices, and obeying them through his power, allowing Christ to rule and to live his life through the believer in Christ in doing the will of God.

However, in this context, it means merely “to prefer.” We are not to prefer the world of sin, choosing its choices, and obeying them through human strength and wisdom. We are not to prefer what is worldly, corrupt, hateful, immoral, wicked, selfish, dishonest, unfaithful, adulterous, blasphemous, idolatrous, prideful, and full of lust and illicit sexual arousement. Our desire is not to be for what is sinful, but it should be for what is holy and godly.

Yet here “to prefer” carries with it more than just a choice or a selection, like I prefer Miracle Whip (salad dressing) over Dukes Mayonnaise. In the context of this Scripture “to prefer” carries with it more of a longing for, a craving, a yearning, appetite, lust, and addiction. This is about what some people do by habit, compulsion, obsession, and dependence, which can lead to entrapment. So the lusts of the flesh rule their hearts and behaviors.

And if worldly lusts and sinful desires and immoral cravings are what rule your life, and what you keep going back to over and over again, because that is what your flesh craves, and that is what your heart truly desires, then the love of the Father is not in you. For God is not your Lord. The lust of your sinful flesh is your lord, the one you worship and that you bow down to, and that you cannot live without, and that which gets priority over all else.

And, again, this is not to say that, as true followers of Jesus Christ, that we will never sin, and that we will never fail God (1 John 2:1-2). But if sin is our habit (practice, go to, addiction), and obedience to our Lord and to his commands is not what we live by, then the Scriptures teach that we do not know God, we are not in fellowship with God, we are not saved from our sins, and we will not inherit eternal life with God unless we repent (change).

For we learn in 1 John 1-3 that if we claim that we have fellowship with God, but yet we walk in darkness (sin), we are liars. If we claim that we know God, but we do not obey his commandments, in practice, we are liars. For it is not the one who claims he is “in Christ” who is “in Christ,” but it is the one who has denied self, died with Christ to sin, and who is now walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in practice, and no longer in sin. We have the hope and the promise of eternal life with God in heaven.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 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 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]

Tick Tock  

An Original Work / May 1, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Tick tock, tick tock, time is a passing.

The time on the clock keeps ticking

While the church is fast a-sleeping.

Satan’s on a rampage 

‘Cause his time is running out.

Will you worship God the Father, 

God the Son and Holy Spirit?

Will you obey all of His 

Commands for you today?

Jesus died to pay your ransom,

So that you could be forgiven.

Won’t you come to Him in truth

And penitently pray to Him?

Tick tock, tick tock, time is a wasting.

The cross of our Lord awaits you.

Won’t you come and share His table,

Drink the cup and eat the bread

In memory of Him?

Take a heart examination,

And accept our God’s salvation.

Humbly bow in adoration

And proclaim His name.

He wants for you to believe in

Him who interceded for you 

When He died for your sins

And He rose from death in victory.

Tick tock, tick tock, time’s end is nearing.

How He longs to take and keep you,

In His arms He wants to hold you,

If you will but come to Him

And call on Him today.

His desire is that you please Him

In all of your life’s ambitions; 

Be a living sacrifice

And be transformed today.

Let Christ’s love and grace sustain you,

And His promises prepare you

For His soon return to earth

To gather all His saints to Him. 

https://vimeo.com/119270762 

Are Sinful Cravings Your God?

An Original Work / February 26, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love