What Love Really Is

On By Robert W. PeckIn ChristianLeave a comment

Message delivered to ZChurch February 19, 2022

Many Christians struggle with the idea of loving others. In great part, this is due to our having confused love with an emotional feeling. Men especially struggle with love as they’re just not very emotional. However, real love is so easy even a man can do it, yet it’s so far beyond mere emotion that not even a woman can do it by emotion alone. Real love – the God kind of love – is tied to the value the Creator has placed on His creation and our commitment to treating others according to that value. Discover the value God has placed on both you and your neighbor and how that knowledge compels us to care for our fellow man’s well-being as the object of God’s love.
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NOTES

Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

1 John 4:7 Beloved let us love one another for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Love is the value we place on a person or thing. Love values to the point of treasuring and becoming devoted in faithful allegiance to the object of value so that we seek the good of and care for the well being of another. The God kind of love begins when we value another equal to or greater than our self. ~ Robert Peck

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

True love compels to action that seeks another’s well-being, and that seeks another’s well being at any cost ~ Robert Peck

John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Entrance of God’s Word Brings Light

On By Robert W. PeckIn ChristianLeave a comment

Message Delivered to ZChurch December 4, 2021

On a planet plunged into darkness, God has a plan for the restoration of all things. Through the teaching, preaching, prophesying, and praying of God’s words, the church has a part to play in reintroducing light and displacing the darkness.

NOTES

Psalm 119:130 (NKJV) The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

(Break open your words, let the light shine out…)

John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Acts 3:21 (Jesus Christ) ….whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Ask: “Lord, what words of Your Word, that You have authorized for earth, do You want us speaking into earth now?”

Why COVID Orders Are Not Law and the Many Ways They Could Be Stopped

On By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political5 Comments

When news of COVID lockdown orders began to be reported back in early 2020, my immediate concern was not over the virus but the lawfulness of the orders. Yes, the virus matters and should be researched by doctors so they can advise their patients as to the best methods of prevention and/or treatment. However, without the rule of law, we have no protection of our God-given rights, including the right to life. Therefore, rights and the rule of law are paramount, even above COVID.

I quickly observed that the lockdown and shutdown orders being issued violated God-given rights, were not constitutionally authorized, and therefore lacked the force of law. As the orders that were promised to be for only a few weeks dragged on into months, it became clear we’d been lied to and that action needed to be taken to restore the rule of law.

I had already been pondering the many ways such violations could and should be stopped and how the usurpation of power by governors could be put in check. However, neither elected officials, political leaders, political parties, nor the big-name organizations of the right seemed ready to step up to the plate and provide the bold and decisive action needed. Without such leadership, the rank and file were effectively sheep without a shepherd, able only to bleat out a modicum of disapproval at their rights being violated by executive orders.

Before discussing the actions that could and should have been taken to put an immediate stop to the violations, there needs to be an understanding of God-given rights and the rule of law that lie at the foundation of this matter.

Continue reading “Why COVID Orders Are Not Law and the Many Ways They Could Be Stopped” →

Healing is the Natural Effect of the Creator

On By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Christian2 Comments

“Healing is the natural effect of the Creator coming in contact with His creation.”

This thought actually came to me several years ago. My local church has a Thanksgiving testimony service the night before Thanksgiving Day. One of the guys shared about praying for another guy at the men’s prayer meeting and how the other guy was healed. To be honest, my flesh wanted to recoil a little and pridefully think to itself, “Why did that happen for him? He’s not that super-spiritual, gifted, or anointed.” But, on the other hand, I suppose the carnal mind thinks that healing has to be something spectacular that can only happen after a week of fasting to work up enough “super-faith.”

I believe the Spirit prompted me in that moment to realize that supernatural healing is the most natural thing there is. It’s what happens by nature whenever the Creator is allowed to come in contact with His creation. Healing is something that can occur whenever the smallest act of child-like faith opens the door wide enough for God to come in and come in contact with His creation. It’s actually impossible for anything in creation to come in contact with its Creator and not be saved, delivered, healed, redeemed, renewed, restored, and made whole.

I’m all for growing in faith, and it’s something I’m seeking for myself. However, I think we err when we get the idea that to receive healing, we have to be so super-spiritual that sparks fly off us when we walk into a room. Instead, I perceive it’s more important to simply get enough doubt and unbelief out of the way so that simple, child-like faith can open the door and let the Creator come in, have contact with His creation, and do what He naturally does.

An Open Letter to My U.S. Representative – Hypocrisy is Not a Virtue

On By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political2 Comments

Dear Representative McMorris Rodgers:

I am taken aback by the hypocrisy of your July 21 newsletter entitled, “Inflation Hits Home in Eastern Washington.”

In the newsletter, you rightly point out that, “Hardworking families in Eastern Washington and across the country are being crippled by widespread inflation.”

Yes, inflation is harming hardworking families. Prices always increase whenever deficit spending necessitates creating new money at a rate greater than the increase in real goods and services in the economy. That inflating of the money supply always decreases the value of the dollar and diminishes its purchasing power for American workers, families, and the elderly on fixed incomes.

You go on to state that, “President Joe Biden and the Democrats’ out-of-control spending has caused prices on everyday goods to skyrocket, and our families are paying the price.”

Yes, this is true, but you fail to mention that prices began to skyrocket in the spring and summer of 2020 as the result of out-of-control spending under Donald Trump. In fact, debt actually increased more under the last six months of President Trump than the first six months of President Biden.

Continue reading “An Open Letter to My U.S. Representative – Hypocrisy is Not a Virtue” →

The Declaration of Independence: An American Insurrection?

On By Robert W. PeckIn Blog2 Comments

A couple of days ago, I listened to a special Independence Day edition of the Steve Deace Show. It included a reading of the Declaration of Independence by the show’s producer, Aaron McIntire. I’ve read, and/or heard the declaration read numerous times, yet this time it seemed I was hearing it afresh.

Aaron gave an excellent delivery, but more importantly, his tone and tenor made me feel like I was hearing one of the founders declaring from their own heart the causes which impelled them “to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.”

Among the many things you might do this Independence Day, I implore you to include a review of America’s founding document. You can hear Aaron’s reading of the declaration here starting at the six-minute mark.

As I heard the words of the declaration being read, I found myself considering how similar many of the charges against King George sounded to things being done by our own government today. While the specifics may differ, the nature of usurpation and the inclination of human leaders toward tyranny remain the same and are quite recognizable both then and now.

Continue reading “The Declaration of Independence: An American Insurrection?” →

Prophetic Word of Increase Fulfilled

On By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, ChristianLeave a comment

In May of 2020, Pastor Larry Huggins spoke a prophetic word of financial increase over me during a ZChurch service. It was in the early days of ZChurch before we had our online technologies mastered, so we failed to get a recording of that service to use for a transcript. Nevertheless, the message was to the effect that God had been watching my financial giving and seeing that it had been faithful and consistent, in season and out. Pastor Larry announced that a large increase, or a large sum, was coming and that it would be from an unexpected source.

Over the following weeks, I would find myself thinking about where such a financial increase could come from. But then I would remember that the prophetic word said it would be from an “unexpected” source, so, anything I could think of was automatically disqualified.

I’m a landlord and rental income is my primary source of revenue. I could imagine rents increasing, or expenses decreasing and thereby realizing a financial increase over time. However, that didn’t fit the wording of the prophetic message that indicated a more sudden increase from a specific source, and an unexpected source at that, which rental income was not.

Continue reading “Prophetic Word of Increase Fulfilled” →

Having Fellowship With Demons

On By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog5 Comments

I just listened to a message by Pastor Rick Renner addressing the topic of Christians participating in Halloween activities. In “How Did the Early Church Respond?” Pastor Renner referenced the Apostle Paul’s message to the Corinthians in which Paul explained that by hanging around pagan temples and eating meat offered to idols, the Corinthian believers were inadvertently having fellowship with the demons behind the idol worship (1 Corinthians 10:20).

We know that an idol is nothing but a hunk of wood or metal (1 Corinthians 10:19). Yet there were demons inspiring men to worship the idols in those temples, and just like bad company corrupts, hanging around those temples and the demons in them exposed the believers to some seriously bad company. Therefore, Paul’s instruction was to “flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14).

Pastor Renner makes the case that if Paul thought we should flee from pagan temples where demons hang out, then Paul would probably urge believers to steer clear of activities with demonic, pagan origins as well. Even if the ghosts and goblins displayed on people’s front lawns are fake, the demons behind the origins of the observance are real, so why would we want to even pretend to have fellowship with them.

Pastor Renner and the Apostle Paul’s comments prompted me to consider another application of the same principle.

Continue reading “Having Fellowship With Demons” →

Take The Cure for the Coronavirus Fear – Works on Current Pandemics and Future Calamities Too

On By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Christian3 Comments

Over a decade ago I heard a teaching series titled “Pulling the Plug on Fear.” I listened to the series several times to get the message drilled deep down into me. I have practiced the Biblical precepts of that teaching on fear for so long it has become my primary nature in life to simply give no place to fear. Fear is no longer a factor for consideration in any matter of my life.

The command to “Fear Not” (in its varying forms) is recorded in scripture perhaps more often than any other. It’s as clear as “thou shalt not steal,” or “thou shalt not kill.” Therefore, fear is as clearly sin (i.e., error, or missing the mark) as to lie or commit adultery as it deviates from our maker’s design for us.

Not only is fear a clear violation of a direct command of our king and the laws of his kingdom, but it’s one of the most spiritually dangerous activities we can engage in. Fear is a chief tactic of Satan that he uses to bring people into bondage and subject them to torment (Romans 8:15, Hebrews 2:15, 1 John 4:18). Faith and fear are direct spiritual opposites that are mutually exclusive. Fear negates faith. Therefore, yielding to fear renders the lives of born-again believers spiritually ineffective. Any Christian endeavor impregnated with fear will be stillborn.
Continue reading “Take The Cure for the Coronavirus Fear – Works on Current Pandemics and Future Calamities Too” →

Socialism and a Tale of Two Countries – What Will We Do?

On By Robert W. PeckIn Articles, Blog, Political2 Comments

In his 2019 State of the Union Address, President Donald Trump said, “America was founded on liberty and independence – not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free… America will never be a socialist country.” Republicans in the chamber cheered the remarks and the political right lauded the President for weeks after as the confirmed, and now certified, champion of conservative values they had already told us he was.

Around that same time, Americans were being shown pictures of empty store shelves in Venezuela and told it was the result of socialism. Threats of possible military intervention were being made as a means by which the U.S. might rescue the people of Venezuela from the horrors of socialism and the deprivation resulting from its draconian, totalitarian, central control. Continue reading “Socialism and a Tale of Two Countries – What Will We Do?” →