The Jesus Command

My book 

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Dear Friends,
I appeal to any and all who like their thoughts stimulated through the written word.

My book is a Non-Fiction Christian Work. However it is not your dry, overly preachy, run of the mill – shove my doctrine down your throat type of offering. Yes it does use scripture and Biblical principles but they’re presented in a common sense manner, with inspiration and motivation being the thrust. The subject is love… a topic that seems difficult to define – as well as understand. It’s also a topic that we can all say was important to Jesus… Very Important. 

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“The Jesus Command”
Takes a serious look at Jesus’ statement to the eleven disciples, the night he was taken into captivity. It’s an attempt to capture the importance of His reasoning. Christ spent a lot of time speaking matter of factually about love, and on that last night He rapped the term in imperial clothing, making it a command. The implication was that it would be the determining factor of discipleship.

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John 13:34-35
“Love one another; as I have loved you…
By this shall all men know that you are my disciples…”

There is a difference between believing in Christ and following Him, and the latter has love stamped all over it. This discussion attempts to develop the aspects of love through the eyes of Jesus and the understanding of those initially charged with continuing the pattern that He put forth… His Disciples. No matter what we think we know about love, we must ask this simple question…

“How did Jesus use the term and what did He intend for us to understand about it?”

I invite your honest opinion and feedback. Although I’m a minister, this work is not expressly for Christians alone. Non-Christians may find some reasons to question their pattern of behavior in matters of love as well.

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant:
thou hast been faithful over a few things,…”
(Matt. 25)

I’ve heard many, who, when quoting this passage, all seem to stop at the “Well done” part, without making mention of the fact that the servant has faithfully carried out a task to the Masters delight. Just how much of our Christian walk is in line, faithfully, with the Masters liking? Are we doing all we can to live out the command of Jesus, or are we busy making excuses as we push our service further on the back burner.

“The Jesus Command”

Is a close examination of Christ’s charge to love one another as He has loved us. It takes into account His point of view and what would be expected of anyone who would be called His Disciple. A word of caution… there may be a few hard bits to swallow.

John 6:60, 66 (KJV)
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 

The New Testament is full of instruction of how we are to regard one another. This study is a discussion of those instructions and how they can be used as a guide. They form the pattern of our attempt to better understand this “The Jesus Command” and the qualities necessary for Christ following.

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Using Biblical Principles, Scripture, and Candid Discussion. 

“The Jesus Command”

Provides the tools necessary to transform ordinary lives into

Extraordinary Living.

Published by WestBow Press

Perfect for Bible and Small Group Study, and…

It’s an excellent way to make a “Love Gift.”
Proceeds from sales assist the Homeless and Poor.

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Boy Saved… By Angels

Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

 

At some point in your walk of faith… God will come off the page.

 

FAITH

Matthew 9:22 (KJV)
But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

 

This story is true…

You can believe what you want, but that’s what faith can do.

 

“We Walk By Faith”

Dear Church Family and Friends,

June 18th marks the first day of summer. I’m sure that many of us long for the nice weather. The chance to leave the house and enjoy the outdoors will be a welcomed relief. However, as is often the case, summer comes with a price. In communities of color and the “Black Community” in particular, that price has been increased violence, and senseless killing. This is a condition that has sadly persisted for far too long.

According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, Chicago ranked highest of the three biggest cities with 884.26 violent crimes per capita. In comparison, New York had 596.7, and Los Angles 496.71.

( http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/10/22/violent-crime-statistics-for-every-city-in-america/ )

In recent times our neighborhoods and communities have been the focus of a lot of attention. Most, if not all of that attention has not been good. From the North Side to the South Side, the reports of crime and violence in the “Black Community” seem to be the only news that’s gaining a voice. This has brought about negative scrutiny from city planners, political leaders, and law enforcement agencies. We have more prisons, more laws, and more incidents of our people having their lives taken with offerings of justification. The negative viewpoint is not limited to persons in the city alone. Others around the country are watching as well. We’re all familiar with the term “Chi-Raq” and the recent movie of the same name.

Historically, our people have faced many challenges and overcome great obstacles. All of this, at least in this country, has been done while living among a peer group teeming with disdain and hatred. The common factor that allowed this to be the case is HOPE. Somehow, as a people, we’ve become lost… we are loosing hope. According to Shane J. Lopez, PH.D, “We can’t live without hope.” (Making Hope Happen: Create the Future You Want for Yourself and Others)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008J2AEN4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

As the “Body of Christ” we are charged with seeking the lost and delivering a message of hope. Christ in us, our hope of glory. I believe that that message is much more urgent and in need today than ever before. As we all know, the majority of the ills that occur in our communities are being carried out by our own people on each other.

We are the people that populate the gangs.

We are the merchants selling the drugs.

We fire the guns that kill more innocent lives
than any of the police or other outsiders.

Somehow a better effort has to be made to encourage our sons and daughters that this behavior is not how we should act. The love of God is the same love in which Jesus loved us. It is the love we are instructed to use as we love one another. It is also the mark by which the world will know that we are “His Disciples.”

On May 21, 2016 we plan to address this trend of violence. With your help we can present a “Unified Faith Community.” I’m asking for support from my brothers and sisters among the faithful few. Our rally will be held in Chicago’s, Woodlawn Community, but all of the cities concerned people are welcome.

Presenting

“We Walk By Faith”

We’re organizing a rally to send a clear message to the people of our communities. The message that violence against ourselves is not the answer and we must find another focus. Since Chicago is being watched, let’s give them something positive to see. I purpose we hit the ground running, getting out in front of the summer before it starts.

It will be a day of safe, fun activities for the kids. A hub of resource information for the families, and an offering of positive encouraging messages, delivered by speakers passionately concerned about the future of our community. I believe that there are many who feel as I do. We can walk together in faith and in reality, if we touch and agree. I’m asking that those of the faith community make an effort to stand together. We can restore a sense of much needed hope by putting the compassion and love of Christ on display. I have some commitments but more are needed. It would be a shame if the majority of interest in our town, is by those from out of town looking in. It’s our home town, and I need more local support.

We need speakers, games for the kids, entertainment, and food… but mostly we need a presence from the “Christian Community.” We can’t have an expectation for our people to develop “FAITH” if the people of faith can’t make a public showing of it. We must be doers of the “WORD”, and not just hearers only. Let’s all stand together in “FAITH”, sowing seeds of hope and encouragement that will reap a harvest of life.

If you feel as I do about violence in our communities and want further information, or would like to join this cause, please contact me at this email address: mattmilamii@yahoo.com

Bro. Matthew Milam II,
Deacon Board Chairman,
South Side Gospel Church

Blessings

“I Remember”

In Loving Memory of My Mother…
Mrs. Marjorie (Hoskin) Milam

(October 29, 1922 – April 24, 2000)

 

I remember your struggle,
The battle you fought…
Your days of pain,
And the courage you wrought.
I remember your words,
The prayers you made…
Your cry for deliverance,
For me was made.
God stepped in,
And took you away…
He gave you peace,
In a moment that day.
I remember you passing with dignity,
That moment has made me strong…
Your petition was heard and answered ,
And now I can go on.
You expressed your love on bended knee,
And I’m so grateful…
You prayed for me.
I’ll never forget,
Your motherly love…
And I’ll send my smiles,
When I look above. 

“FAITH” The Link Between Man & GOD

 

This story has been floating around the internet for awhile. I doubt seriously that it is in any way true. Still, its a classic and gives believers encouragement and resolve to stand firm on their faith. To be fair, the legitimacy of the story has been examined with objectivity to both sides here…

http://www.snopes.com/religion/einstein.asp

 

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

 

 

Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

P.S.
That student was EINSTEIN.

 

Blessings,
Matt.