Church Of The Lost Sheep

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” -Jesus of Nazareth, 1st century John 13:34-35 in the Tree of Life Version [This is the  16th  lesson of  this series ] Legacy of Love Jesus didn't leave behind a religion. Jesus left a legacy. It is His love. It is the same selfless love He left His disciples. And this love is the evidence that they were His followers. This is how they are different than everyone else, from those who do not believe in God and from those who do, particularly distinguishing them from those whose relationship with God is all based on head knowledge, on showmanship, on rituals and traditions, from legalists and the religious. The main issue we see with Christ followers today is that as long as they identify or worse lift up their pastor, minister, church leader, their congregation, t...

'John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.”  But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon  afterward  to speak evil of Me.  For the one who is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers  of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea.' Mark 9:38-42 in the New American Standard Bible Version [This is the  27th  lesson of  this series ] This is a segue from the previous lesson . As mature believers and old enough to be able to teach, I notice that Hebrews 5:12 is as relevant today than it was 20 centu...

" In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone . The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1: 5-11 in the New Living Translation Version [This is the  26 th  lesson of...