“If you love Me, prove it,” is a challenge to Christians from
God–although the wording is not exactly in this form. Jesus said it
this way: “‘If you love Me, keep My commandments'” (John 14:15).

We
are all a bit guilty in proclaiming our love for God and Jesus Christ
without doing those things that really prove that we love God. Abraham
willingly and unquestioningly prepared to offer his son Isaac just as
God had commanded him to do! That was a test for Abraham, and he proved
his unparalleled love for his God.

What Abraham did is
memorialized in God’s Word–in particular, Hebrews 11:17-19: “By faith
Abraham, when he was TESTED, offered up Isaac, and he who had received
the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In
Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise
him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a
figurative sense.”

God has already proven His love for us in that
He actually did that for which Abraham was only tested (Compare John
3:16). Jesus spoke of His own love and of His willingness to prove it
when He told His disciples–His friends, “‘Greater love has no one than
this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends'” (John 15:13). Jesus
died for all–for the sins of all of us! (Compare Romans 6:10; 1
Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Here is our test: “I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, which
is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

Just how we do that
“reasonable service” is further defined in God’s Word. Our answer is
found in this straightforward definition of how we should love God:
“For this is the love of God, that WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. And His
commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

When you hear
someone profess their love for the Father and for His Son, examine
their words and actions based on God’s Word. More importantly, see if
this is a test you can pass–it really is our proof of love!

WHY would someone cry?

There are many reasons–some cry for
great loss or for fear, and some cry in a crowning moment of joy! Jesus
Christ experienced this emotion, and we find a record of at least two
occurrences in His life when He, also, wept.

In one instance,
Jesus shed tears as Martha, Mary and their friends mourned the death of
their brother, Lazarus. In the record of this account, found in John
11, it is shown that Jesus was very close to these people–they were
His friends: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (verse
5). Even knowing that He would resurrect Lazarus through the power of
God, Jesus was deeply moved and felt empathy for those who were so
distraught over their loss (John 11:35).

Another time, the Bible
also records that Jesus wept: “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and
wept over it” (Luke 19:41). In this case, Jesus clearly understood the
horrific future that lay ahead for Jerusalem and its people. He knew
that His countrymen were about to face God’s punishment for their sins,
and even though He also knew that His fellow Jews would seek His death,
He agonized over what they were about to suffer.

In a similar
way, we who are ambassadors of Jesus Christ know what lies in store for
this world! We also know that our fellow citizens–even those who call
themselves “Christians”–may soon seek to kill some of us (Compare
Matthew 24:9-10). Nonetheless, we must do as Jesus did and that is to
deeply love and care for even those who would stand as our enemies
(Compare Matthew 5:43-48).

We live in the beginning events of the
end of this age–in a time of “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6).
As we watch unspeakable savagery and violence filling the earth, we
might become calloused and hardened to the barrage of news events that
report nothing but greater and greater turmoil all over the world, but
we must not!

Ours is the ONLY message of hope. It is the GOOD
NEWS of God–of the fact that He will intervene by sending Jesus Christ
to SAVE THIS WORLD! As we deliver this truth, some of us will face an
increasing onslaught of terrible trials both personally and in our
communities and nations.

Stay tender hearted! Care deeply!
Recognize, as Jesus did, that there does arise–even a time to cry
(Ecclesiastes 3:4; Romans 12:15).

Recently, I listened for a few minutes to an interview between a
rather well known minister and an author who had written about the
support the nation of Israel is receiving from this preacher and
like-minded religious leaders in the United States.

The Jewish
author commented that both he and the minister believed the same
thing—that when the Bible speaks of Israel, it is referring to the
Jews! Indeed, that is what most people who profess Christianity believe!

The
fact that the modern nation that is called Israel is occupied
predominately by just one of the original twelve tribes (Judah) is
little understood. Most believe that the other tribes of Israel have
simply faded into history. In accepting this explanation, the
prophecies for the House of Israel and for the House of Judah lack any
real meaning and relevance. As a consequence, far too many Christians
read only the New Testament, because the Old Testament seems irrelevant
to them (For the amazing prophecies about the modern descendants of
Jacob, please refer to our booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and
America”).

This episode served to again remind me of just how
different true Christianity is from that which masquerades itself by
that name. It also once more strongly impressed me about the unique
understanding that we have been given.

Along with our calling,
God has given to us an understanding heart. What we can now comprehend
is God’s Word. Make no mistake; those who profess Christianity may be
well schooled in the intricacies of their doctrinal beliefs! They can
quote chapter and verse in support of their stand. However, their minds
have not been opened to understand the truth of God’s Word.

Consider,
that for all their vast familiarity with the Old Testament, the
religious Jews at the time of Christ did not comprehend who He was. Ask
someone, today, about the Sabbath or Holy Days, about the return of
Jesus Christ, about prophecy being fulfilled in our day or any number
of other topics, and you will quickly find yourself very alone in your
beliefs. Discuss death, and rather than the dead awaiting a
resurrection, most would confidently say that good people who die go to
heaven and the evil ones end up being tormented in hell for eternity!

When
we do have an opportunity to represent the truth of God to others, we
have this instruction: “…always be ready to give a defense to
everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with
meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Our newest booklet, “Mysteries of
the Bible,” is a tremendously eye-opening presentation covering many of
the doctrinal truths contained in the Word of God.

It is vitally
important for us to recognize the astounding gift of understanding we
have received from God. Don’t take it lightly. Don’t let it become
dormant and die within you. Sharpen your skills in the truth. Grow! Ask
God for help. Ask God for even more of an understanding heart!