Category: Love of God

1 John 1:9         Restoration from the Burning of Sin

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (KJV).

 

This tree branch suffered burning from a forest fire at Sunset Crater National Monument in northern Arizona last year, but, as you can see, the center was preserved intact.  The outer layers of the limb protected the inside, insulated it from the vast heat that enveloped the outside.  Jesus did so much more for us on the cross.  He not only protected us, He cleansed us from sin.  While this limb did die because the tree was felled by the fire, we have more protection.  When we confess and repent, our sins are forgiven as if they had never happened.  No dark ring of burned matter is found on our bodies, our souls, or our spirits.  Jesus accepted all of that burning upon Himself.  Father God sees no sin in the heart, soul, or spirit of the believer who has asked Jesus to forgive his sins, so He has no reason to ban him from His side or even from His throne room.  If fact, because of our relationship with Jesus, He welcomes us with open arms into His presence forever.  All the good that God has prepared for us is available for our enjoyment and blessing.

Psalm 115:3                                         God Is Without Comparison

“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him” (NIV).

Of course He does what He pleases.  God is omnipotent.  God is omniscient.  God is omnipresent.  Anyone who has those characteristics certainly can do whatever he pleases.  Who is going to stop Him?  That is an interesting question, and there is an answer.  The one who can stop Him is Himself, but He has done nothing that would need to be stopped.  There are those who fear God—fear that He will destroy us or destroy the world.  He certainly has the ability to destroy us and the earth.  After all, He created it—it is His.  The one thing that keeps God from destroying us is another of His characteristics.  There is one other “God is” that gives us peace and joy, one that shows His primary characteristic, one that is even more notable than the others.  GOD IS LOVE!  That trumps all the other “God is” characteristics.  When that characteristic is combined with one not yet mentioned, “God is truth” we see that He will do and has done what is most beneficial to all of mankind.  We can trust Him to act in our best interest.  We are His creation.  Why would he create us just to harm us or kill us?  His words are creative, so He cannot lie.  Whenever He speaks something, it happens, so it is impossible for Him to lie.  One Scripture shows how much God loves us and how far He went to bless us, to bring us to His side for eternity.  Most of us know those words of God, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).

We are all familiar with sin.  We instinctively know when we have done something wrong—that’s sin.  We all sin frequently.  One other characteristic of God is that Father God cannot stand sin.  In fact, He does not allow sin in His presence.  Because of this characteristic we are all in great danger.  Every man and every woman who has ever been born, has sinned, and continues to sin.  God created us so that our spirit lives forever.  With that in mind, we realize that there must be a place for those who sin to spend eternity, and if it can’t be with God, it must be someplace else.  That place is called Hell, and it was provided as a place for satan and his demons who have rebelled against God to live for eternity.  You don’t have to be a strong Christian to know that hell is a place of torment.

Okay, we’ve all sinned.  God can’t stand sin.  He will not allow it in His presence. Does that mean that we will all, sinners that we are, have to spend eternity in Hell?  No, it doesn’t, and we read the reason above in John 3:16.  In God’s love He sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ who never sinned to receive all the punishment for all of us so we don’t have to go to hell.  Wait, that’s not quite right.  Anyone who wants to can go to hell.  Going to hell is a decision.  Anyone who decides to not believe in Jesus, God’s only Son, has made the decision to go to Hell.  Don’t do that.  Allow the love of God, His greatest characteristic, to be the cornerstone of your life.  Receive Jesus and fulfill God’s greatest desire—to spend eternity with you.

John 3:16                                                                  “I Love You”

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (KJV).

 

Jesus spoke these words directly to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who came to Him at night to inquire of Him what He could not or would not inquire during the public time of daytime.  He wanted face-to-face conversation to understand better the message given by Jesus.  This conversation must have lasted quite a while for it takes up over half of John, chapter three.  We so often neglect the rest of John, chapter three, yet it deserves close study for the many truths that Jesus declares to Nicodemus.  Even so, from this chapter of many basic truths of the Gospel, the one verse, John 3:16, has come to be the most Gospel that many people ever read or know.  As such, it has great importance in spreading the Good News.

In each of the following translations of John 3:16, the full love of God is declared.  Read the many versions given below, and let the truth of the message settle in your heart and mind partly because of the repetition, and partly because of the various ways in which man paraphrases the real words of God, “I Love You!

(NIV) ”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(MSG) “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only  Son.  And this is why : so that no one need be destroyed;  by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.”

(Phillips) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son that everyone who believes in him should not be lost, but should have eternal life.”

(NEB) “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life.”

(NLT) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

(CEV) “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.”

(NLV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.”

(AMP)  “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] ^[a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

(EASY) “God loved the people in the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to save them. As a result, everyone who believes in the Son will not die. Instead, they will live for ever with God.”

(WE) “God loved the world so very, very much that he gave his only Son. Because he did that, everyone who believes in him will not lose his life, but will live for ever.

Yes, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Ephesians 5:1,2                                                 Love As Jesus Loves

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (NIV).

 

I came across this picture and was struck by a deficiency in my walk with the Lord.  If I see the glacier as the love that God has poured into me and see the tickle of water flowing out from the glacier as the amount of his love that I allow to flow through me to others, I realize what a small amount of His love that I share.  I should be overflowing with His love.  I should not be able to hold it back.  I, as a Christian, may be the only Bible that some people see.  When I realize that, I know that it is my joy and responsibility to share the love of God with many.

We often think of the mission field as being in other continents, other countries, but there is a great mission field right in our neighborhoods, in our work places, and even in our families.  When our lives mirror the love of Jesus Christ, we will draw many to Him.  I’ve quoted this before, but it deserves repetition.  I don’t know who first said it, but it speaks volumes: “Preach a sermon every day.  When necessary, use words.”  My life should be lived in a manner that reveals the love of God as shown through Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His life for us.  I don’t mean that I need to die on a cross as Christ did, but I do need to put more sacrifice in my life so that others can be blessed by my actions.  God’s love and blessings are straining to gush forth.  That’s his nature, and I need to incorporate it.  I need to preach a sermon to someone today without using words.

Oh, just a note about glaciers.  When a lot of water flows from a glacier, it usually gets smaller because the source has become less.  Here’s where the analogy of this message breaks down.  The source of love from Father God never decreases.  In fact, the more we share His love, the more love He gives us.  We can never outgive God, especially in love.

Luke 9:57-62                                                            It’s Urgent!

“On the road someone asked if he could go along.  ‘I’ll go with you, wherever,’ he said.  Jesus was curt: ‘Are you ready to rough it ?  We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.’  Jesus said to another, ‘Follow me.’  He said, ‘Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father’s funeral.’  Jesus refused.  ‘First things first.  Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God’s kingdom!’  Then another said, ‘I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.’  Jesus said, ‘No procrastination.  No backward looks.  You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow.  Seize the day’” (MSG).

 

That may seem like a long Scripture quotation, but it emphasizes the urgency of the situation even 2000 years ago.  Jesus’ words to those who desired to follow Him were to the point.  Forgive me, Lord, if I have taken liberties, but I would like to paraphrase Jesus’ words at the time.  (paraphrase) We don’t have time to search for the best housing on the way.  We don’t have time to take care of the normal daily life situations.  Focus has to be on the message of God and his kingdom.  Nothing else is as important as this message (end paraphrase).  He was on His way to Jerusalem where His ultimate sacrifice and victory were to take place.  The pace did not, nor could it, slow after Jesus’ resurrection.  In Jesus’ words, “You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow.  Seize the day.”

If those words were vital then, they must be even more so today as we get closer to the return of Jesus to this earth. There is not much optimism in the world today, particularly not outside those who know Christ.  How will they know about the ultimate “Good News” if we don’t tell them?  (See Romans 10:15.)  It’s up to us to “seize the day.”  We can seize it with spoken words.  We can seize it with written words.  But what will make the world sit up and take notice is our actions.  We have the opportunity every day to seize the day in the ways we treat people.  We must make them realize that we have something they need—peace and joy in the Lord,–and nothing shows it better than the ways in which we live our everyday lives.  If the choice is to “love them into heaven” or “scare them out of hell,” I choose the former, and if I do so, then I must show the love of my Lord everyday.

2 Corinthians 13:14                                               Amazing Grace

“The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you” (MSG).

 

I turned on the tv this afternoon to TBN, and it was part-way through a concert by the Statler Brothers.  Since they are one of my favorite Gospel groups, I decided to listen.  I thought they looked older, and that was confirmed when it was announced that this program was “The Final Concert of the Statler Brothers.”  Before they sang their final final number, they announced that the first song they had sung together was “Amazing Grace.” That was the song they were going to sing to close out their concert career.  What a great way to begin and end a singing career.  Not only is it probably the most well-known Gospel song ever sung, but those were the final words that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth.  Paul also included the love of God and the “intimate friendship” of the Holy Spirit in his farewell.  It was essentially Paul’s benediction upon the Christians at Corinth.

 

At His crucifixion, I was presented with the final bill for all my sins, and it needed to be paid.  Paraphrasing the Words of Jesus:  “Give me that.  I’ve got that covered.”  I gave it to Him, and He paid it in full.  In the same manner, your final sin bill was presented to you.  Again, Jesus offered to take it and pay it in full, but He can’t pay it in full, or at all, unless you hand it to Him and ask Him to pay it. When you do, He will pay it in full.  He offered to do the same for every person ever born.  The final sin bill for every person ever born on earth was presented to each person.  Again, Jesus will pay them in full for all those who hand their bills to Jesus and ask Him to pay them.  He paid them  ALL in full for those who ask Him to, and for them there is no punishment, no payment left to be paid.  Don’t let your bill be outstanding.  Each sin bill MUST be paid in full, and if Jesus doesn’t pay it, the one who committed each sin will be responsible for payment.  Believe me, you don’t want to pay that bill.  Payment will take an eternity.

 

Thank you, Jesus, for your amazing grace.  Thank you, Father God, for your extravagant love, and thank you, Holy Spirit, for your intimate friendship.  These three–amazing grace, extravagant love, and intimate friendship– were offered to you at the moment of Jesus’ sacrifice.  Be sure to reach out and accept them.

1 Thessalonians 3:12                  The Most Painful Love of Jesus Christ

“And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you” (Message).

 

This is part of the prayer that Paul prayed on behalf of himself and Timothy to the Thessalonians, a young church needing encouragement.  There are many things that Paul could have prayed for this group of young believers, but he prayed that they would be filled with love, the same love that he and Timothy had for them.  He knows how much he and Timothy loved them, and he seems to be sure that they realized just how much they are loved by Paul and Timothy.  And the best thing he can pray for them is that they be filled with love, not love as they are able, but the love they can receive from Jesus—a pure love that knows no boundaries.  He wants them to receive so much love that it touches everyone they meet.  He knows that their witness will be amazing if they are able to love as Christ does.

I would that I could pray that prayer for you, your family and your friends—that you would be filled with the love shown by Jesus Christ, a love not only shown by His accepting death, but also shown by His acceptance of the immense pain He experienced.  When we read of the accounts of the torture prior to His being nailed to the cross, we have some idea of His pain, but He expressed His most intense pain when He stated in Mark 15:34:  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  From the beginning of eternity past, He had NEVER been separated from Father God, and this pain was almost inexpressible.  Up to this moment He had known it would happen, but He didn’t know just how painful it would be.  But He accepted that most intense pain on behalf of you and me.  I would that I could pray that you be filled with that love, but I can’t because no man can truly experience, or even imagine the pain that Jesus Christ experienced at that moment.  The best I can do is pray that you, your family, and your friends would accept that love from our Savior.  When you do, His love will spill over to those you meet and they will be greatly blessed, as you will.