Walking in Love

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

Being a believer can be simple if we summarize it into two things: (1) Concentrate on loving GOD, and (2)  loving people! 

Walking in love is not a suggestion from GOD but rather a commandment!                  

We need to understand our love walk is not optional; it was commanded by YESHUA!

 It is all through Scripture, especially in the New Covenant. 

We as believers in MESSIAH YESHUA are to abound in love, increase in love and grow in love. We need to get our mind off of ourselves and on to what we can do for others. You will never be happy as long as you are selfish. 

In Ephesians 5:2, it says that MESSIAH loved us and gave Himself up for us. 

Check it out. This is our example that we should seek to follow—giving up ourselves for others.

John 13:34
A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.   

The greatest thing we can learn about love is that not only does it require effort but we also have to do it on purpose!

Love & Blessings,

Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

Guilt & Condemnation

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

If there is anything that will stop the flow of fellowship (prayer with our Creator), it’s guilt and condemnation! 

Think about it. 

When you do something wrong and you don’t deal with it the way GOD wants you to, you feel guilty and condemned. 

Then we often retreat and separate ourselves from our heavenly FATHER, not feeling worthy to enter His presence in prayer.

What do we do? 

We must repent, turn from our sin, and then our flow of fellowship with FATHER GOD will be fully restored! 

Make no mistake, as believers, we are in MESSIAH and nothing can separate us from GOD’S love (Romans 8:38)!

The gift of repentance is such a blessing, and it keeps on giving; we can use it everyday. YESHUA provided it all for us on Calvary!

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in MESSIAH YESHUA who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

All that GOD is and all that GOD has is our’s in YESHUA. Don’t let guilt and condemnation keep you from your privilege of prayer!

Love & Blessings,

Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

Vessels of Love

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

We are always learning  of the unconditional love that our Creator has for us. That amazing love flows to us, and then it should flow through us to others.

GOD’S perfect love is brought to completion when we learn to love one another. This love was given to us freely, through MESSIAH YESHUA, and we can do nothing to earn it or secure it! 

As we receive this love, we are to turn around and give it back to the FATHER. We do that by worshiping Him with our life, spending time in His presence, studying His Word, praying and praising Him for His mercy and grace that He pours out upon us everyday (new every morning)! 

That love perfected in you should flow through you to those around you so that then completes the cycle as GOD intended it to be!

1 John 4:12
No one has seen GOD at any time. But if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.                        

We are to be vessels of GOD’S love in our sphere of influence! Who among you needs to feel GOD’S love today?

 

Love & Blessings,

Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

Friends of God

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

One key to effective prayer is approaching GOD as His friend! When we don’t know GOD as a friend, we are reluctant to ask Him for anything; we don’t feel we’ve “earned it” with our good behavior! So our confidence that He is listening is easily undermined. 

We need to see ourselves as close friends with GOD! You may be thinking that becoming friends with GOD seems like a difficult thing to do. But, if you are a follower of YESHUA,  you are already His friend! 

Friendship is based on sharing openly and honestly, and our Scripture today tells us YESHUA  shared everything with us. 

Here’s what He said:

John 15:15
I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

When we begin to see ourselves as GOD’S friend through MESSIAH YESHUA, our prayers become much bolder and full of faith. 

And it is all up to you whether you want to be a casual friend or close intimate friend? The choice is yours!

 

Love & Blessings,

Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

L-O-V-E

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

If you want to do one thing that will dispel darkness with light and that will do damage to the enemy’s camp and will literally cause demons to have to flee because the light will come piercing through…L-O-V-E.

If you are aggravated by someone: L-O-V-E.

Think instead of a way you can serve him or her. 

If someone is nasty toward you: L-O-V-E. 

Think of the potential pain or unease in their soul and pray for them.  

If someone seems to have it out for you: L-O-V-E.  

Consider how God’s love is far more powerful than their ill intent, and return blessings for curses. When Satan says be aggravated, be bitter, be revengeful, be afraid: L-O-V-E, and then he will be angry but will have to flee from or shrink in the light of God’s life-giving love. 

  

Love & Blessings,

Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation