Sharing Love From Sweden - Eva Haglund "One in Christ"

Shalom Steve!

I send you many greetings from Sweden!

There has come some flowers in the early spring here and I and a friend went outside in the nature and took photos outside. Wonderful to be in the nature I think as God has created. The creator is wonderful!

I have been talking and thinking and would like to share some thoughts about to be one in Christ.

Blessings!

Eva 

ONE IN CHRIST

ONE IN CHRIST WITH THE SAME VALUE

Paul did not count his "own works" -self -righteousness and titles. Paul is writing in the letter to the Philippians in verse 3:7 "that what things were gain to me I these I have counted loss for Christ, " and in verse 3:4, "though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone think he has confidence in the flesh, I more so circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law a Pharisee."

He says in Phil. 3:8 "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith in Christ."

I am thinking that it can be a new time when God wants more to use whoever He wants. It has been a time when sometimes a church has been like one man but I think God wants it more to be like the Body standing together as one man, one Body.

We need each other much in friendship, as the "hand" needs the "foot" in a body and instead of any "superman" who sometimes people run after like an idol. Jesus is the Head and we all need each other, with the same value as we can see in 1 Cor.12.

I think Jesus wants people more to do things in teams also and that it is important with the thinking of unity - love in Body of Christ between churches without receiving wrong doctrines, but biblical.

Sometimes people in the Body of Christ are looked down on. People who are ill, old, unemployed, have less money  - people sometimes look down also among some Christians. Sometimes there are people who think they are above, with titles, or sometimes people who have more money look down at people who have no money. This is not from God.

It has to do with learning to know God and how He looks at people. Leah was blind and was bad treated but God did not like when she was bad treated . Leah was very precious for God and He saw her value.

In James 2 in the Bible it talks about a man who was poor come to a meeting, but was treated different. The Bible tell us not to do so.

In Gal.3:28 it is written that Jews and Greek are one in Christ and that men and women are one in Christ. The same value. I think God can use a child as much as a grown up but in a different way. We will be humble like the children. I think God many who are ill as much as he can use people who are not ill.

God does not look at our titles or own " works." He does not look down at old people who are looked down at sometimes. He did not choose David to be King because of how young he was.

Seal of King David in Jerusalem

He does not look as people sometimes look at titles or so. God looked to David's heart. He knew he loved God. He prepared him to be a king in showing care and love to the sheep.

He used him to go against Goliath - not because he was big in himself but because he knew who he was in God - that God could use him because GOD is big.

The boy who went against Goliath did not have any titles. The enemy was laughing at him but God used him mighty. He was willing and bold to go and did it because he loved his God. God can use old as much as young and there need be more contact with old and young. One of the strongest songs singing I have heard was when I heard a autistic boy sing a Christian song. I am thinking that it is a new time and that God will use whoever He wants and He will use children, too.

When Jesus was born the angels appeared in front of shepherds. They did not have any titles.They were simple shepherds. They had learned to show love to the sheep as David did.To show love and care is more worth than to have a title but do not have love for people.

David was a king later. He had a title but he did not have it to show but he had it because as he has learned to take care of the sheep and show love he was as a king to give.

Joseph suffered very much. He was also for a long time in prison. He learned to seek God in difficulties and because he had been in prison he knew what it was to be in prison and showed love to all people.

The first disciples Jesus went to were also fishermen. They did not have any titles but they have learned things on the sea. They were good to work together under difficult circumstances and be ready to work hard and working in a team, as friends together.

Jesus was a King in love - a King in love. He gave up his titles, honor, aboundness for us.

Eva Haglund

A LOVE BEYOND ALL LIMITS – JESUS

The title He got was criminal.

The royal crown He received was made of thorns.

The life in aboundness was His garments divided.

The palace He went to was the cross.

The honor He was shown was people turning away -

their faces in contempt and a suffering unto death.

He was willing to give up it all - because of love...

He did it for you!

Isaiah 53, John 3:16, 1 John 4:8.

Blessings and Shalom!

Eva Haglund