Archive for 22/06/2009

Extravagant Love

22/06/2009 by John Marsden.

Extravagant Love

Extravagant love is confusing to some. (John 12:4-6)… 

“Why wasn’t this perfume sold…”Not everyone is blessed when others give to God extravagantly. Even something beautiful and fragrant to God is a stench to some.

Judas’ statement sounded so spiritual didn’t it? “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and given to the poor?” (I like how John unmasked his hypocrisy though!)
Verse 6, “He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as a keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put in it.”

The truth is that those who would be disgusted by your extravagance are typically more into themselves than anything else. They may mask their disapproval in spiritual language but their hypocrisy is evident.

Did you notice the damage that Judas did? Mary’s sacrifice had drawn all the attention of the house on the Lord Jesus Christ. But Judas, by his arrogance, turned the attention away from the Lord.
He wasn’t in love with Jesus; he was in love with himself. For thirty pieces of silver Judas would later betray the Lord Jesus.

To this day, your extravagant love for God will be perplexing to those who gripe. But don’t let that stop you!
In spite of criticism for doing so, seek to please Christ! More extravagant love is called for if we are to reach the people with God’s extravagant love for them

Have a great day and please let me remind you ‘BE EXTRAVAGANT WITH HIS LOVE’!

 John

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Extravagant Love

22/06/2009 by John Marsden.

Extravagant Love

Extravagant love is pleasant to others. (John 12:3)  

“And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

The whole house was filled with the fragrance, not just the room in which they were seated. Her gift had an effect on everyone who was present.
Sooner or later everyone would know what had been offered. Even those who were outside would know what had been offered within.

When we give ourselves to Jesus the aroma is powerful. When a congregation is made up of committed Christians who are willing to give everything they have to Jesus, the scent is inviting. That is what I love about Calvary Church, Prestatyn.

Even those outside of these walls become drawn to the fragrance within.
The people outside of these walls that are starving for truth and life! Don’t be deceived, people hunger for worship and if they are not drawn to the TRUTH, they will settle for the counterfeit. This is why we see highly educated men and women with crystals around their necks in hopes of getting in touch with something beyond themselves and their sad existence. They are starving for HIM, not stories about HIM. And when God’s people give their very best to HIM the aroma will draw people to HIM.

Tommy Tenny, God Chasers, “People don’t sense God’s presence in our gatherings because it’s just not there sufficiently enough to register on our gauges.”

God inhabits the praises of His people…When we bring the sacrifice of praise, the fragrance is attractive.

Don’t wait for someone else to do it before you do it.
Just like Mary did, we encourage one another with our sacrifice.

When we hear of someone else’s sacrifice it encourages us to do more for Him. You be that person. Bring your best to HIM. Let Him inhabit your praises!

A God honoring offering is not just precious to us; it is pleasant to others.

Have a great day  John

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