The Endless Theme: Part 3

The Endless Theme: Part 3

“By this the love of God was manifested in us,

that God has sent

His only begotten Son into the world

so that we might live through Him.

In this is love,

not that we loved God,

but that He loved us

and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

1 John 4: 9-10, NASB

(all scripture is taken from the NASB unless marked.)

The love of God existed before time began, throughout history, into today, and throughout eternity. God is love. God is eternal with no beginning and no ending. God’s love is eternal without beginning or ending, and He has poured his love into us through his Son, Jesus Christ who became our sin payment.

We are continuing Paul’s assessment of love from 1 Corinthians 13. Part 2 took us up to and partially through verse five. We start there.

“Love … does not take into account a wrong suffered,”

The Lord God showed this truth when he offered Jesus as payment for the wrong we became through our disobedience.

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,

and whose sins have been covered.

Blessed is the man whose sin

the Lord will not take into account …

As far as the east is from the west,

so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Romans 4: 7-8; Psalm 103: 12

“Love … does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.”

God cannot lie for he is truth. The unrighteous grieve the heart of God for their lives speak against the truth of God’s character of love.

“Then the LORD saw

that the wickedness of man was great on the earth,

and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart

was only evil continually.

And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth,

and He was grieved in His heart …

Jesus grieved over the city of Jerusalem.

And when He approached, He saw the city and wept over it …”

Genesis 6: 5-6; Luke 19: 41

In both cases judgment came. Righteousness and truth demand judgment, but His love desires mercy.

“The Lord … is patient toward you,

not wishing for any to perish

but for all to come to repentance …

For God so loved the world,

that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish,

but have eternal life.”

2 Peter 3: 9; John 3: 16

“Love … bears all things,”

Jesus’s love carried all the weight of our wrongs, insults, humiliation, and judgment.

“And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross,

that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;

for by His wounds you were healed.”

1 Peter 2: 24

“Love … believes all things, hopes all things,”

Jesus’s love works belief and hope in the objects of his love.

“If I do not do the works of My Father,

do not believe Me;

but if I do them,

though you do not believe Me,

believe the works,

that you may know and understand

that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father …

Now may the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

John 10: 37-38; Romans 15: 13

“Love … endures all things.”

The love of Christ endured-didn’t quit-when his road to the cross neared.

“And being in agony He was praying very fervently;

and His sweat became like drops of blood,

falling down upon the ground …

When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine,

He said, “It is finished!”

And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.”

Luke 22: 44; John 19: 30

No, Jesus’s love brought him from heaven to earth to finish the work of salvation—the ultimate proof of God, our Father’s unfailing love. Nothing can ever separate us from his love.

“Love never fails …”

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:

therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Jeremiah 31: 3, KJV

Because God is love we are the recipients of—

his goodness, his delight, his forgiveness,

his abundance, his mercy, his righteousness,

his best for us, his understanding, his faith,

his salvation, his strength, his hope, and his never-ending love.

His love took our wrong and made us right.

“But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13: 13

As the old gospel song, “Oh, How I love Jesus,” plays through my mind, won’t you take a moment and tell me, “Why do you love Jesus?”

Endless Theme: Part 2

The Endless Theme, Part 2

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us,

that we should be called children of God;

and such we are …

And we have come to know and have believed

the love which God has for us.

God is love,

and the one who abides in love abides in God,

and God abides in him.”

1 John 3:1a; 4:16, NASB;

I used NASB throughout this post unless marked.

God’s most valued characteristic finds definition in the word love. Without love, our Lord’s power, wisdom, authority, and fruit would translate into arbitrary goodness according to his whims.

Without love motivating his fullness, he becomes less than holy, less than who he is. He becomes the clanging noise … words without depth, Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 13.

“God is love …”

“Love is patient … is kind”

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness,

but is patient toward you,

not wishing for any to perish

but for all to come to repentance …

and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation;

2 Peter 3:9, 15a

“Love … is not jealous.”

This statement needs understanding, because we are told God is a jealous God. He is not jealous in wanting something we have, he cannot have. For he owns all. We would have nothing apart from his love and grace. His jealousy desires us to give him our full devotion in order for us to receive the fullness of his love.

“What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who is against us?

He who did not spare His own Son,

but delivered Him up for us all,

how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”,

Nothing can—“separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8: 31-32, 39b

“Love does not brag and is not arrogant.”

Jesus brings this truth to light.

“Have this attitude in yourselves

which was also in Christ Jesus,

who, although He existed in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,

and being made in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man,

He humbled Himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.”

Philippians 2: 6-8.

God doesn’t brag nor is he arrogant. He exalts his Son, and he exalts us in Christ. Ours is to give him all the praise, glory, and honor, due him for his great love.

“Love … does not act unbecomingly;”

“For I proclaim the name of the LORD;

Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock!

His work is perfect,

For all His ways are just;

A God of faithfulness and without injustice,

Righteous and upright is He.”

Deuteronomy 32: 3-4

“Love … does not seek its own,”

Not to add to the scriptures but to put the words into a positive tone, we could say God’s love seeks good for others. After all, he doesn’t need to seek good, because he is good.

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD gives grace and glory;

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Psalm 84: 11

“Love … is not provoked.”

God will not be pushed to the point of provocation. He acts on his timetable and none other.

“The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.”

Psalm 103: 8

The story of God’s love begins with creation and travels through the pages of the Old and New Testaments to the end of Revelation. Revelation does what the name says. This book reveals the fullness of God’s love poured out on his chosen people.

Throughout the history of time, God has offered his love to all, poured out his love in the measure people will receive it, and even on those who do not recognize his gift. One day all who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for sin and his resurrection, proclaiming him as the precious Son of God, will forever live in the fullness of the love of God. The Lord desires this for all.

Have you come to know and receive the Love of God? Only a few will receive his truth. Are you of the few?

Join me next week as we look at the rest of love’s description in 1 Corinthians 13.

A Writer’s Life: An Endless Theme

A Writer’s Heart: The Endless Theme

Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

If you’re an author, you’ve heard of and probably experienced writer’s block, but have you heard of theme block? Theme block (a term I invented) occurs when we don’t know the foundational message or purpose of our writing project. The malady smacks an author in the face the moment an editor, agent, or publisher asks the dreaded question, “What is your elevator pitch?” or says, “In one sentence tell me what your book is about.”

If you need a theme, I will give you a suggestion. You may already be using my thought. I’ve not proven my theory, but I believe all books reveal one of three themes.

“Beloved, let us love one another:

for love is of God’

and every one that loveth

is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God;

for God is love.”

1 John 4:7-8, KJV

By now, you’ve guessed the heart of our work’s purpose … love. The author’s main subject may be love, life, death, travel, or any number of ideas, but one or more of the three ribbons of love will complete the work.

1. God’s love for us— “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee … and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 4: 16, KJV
2. Our love for God—“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind … If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Matthew 22:37; John 14:15, KJV
3. Our love for others—“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself … And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” Matthew 22:39b; 1 John 4:21, KJV

No matter the subject, the ribbon of love will be threaded among the pages and demands a sacrifice. The sacrifice provides a ready-made conflict.

1. God’s sacrifice for us—“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8, KJV
2. Our sacrifice to God—“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12: 1, KJV
3. Our sacrifice for others—“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6: 10, KJV

With your work’s theme discovered and a conflict before you, you’re ready to start writing. You’ve conquered both theme block and writer’s block, plus the fear that comes when asked, “What’s your book about?” How does your current work reveal one of the love themes?

The three love themes define more than subjects for our writing. They reveal how to live an abundant life with purpose … a life where the Spirit of Christ in us is not blocked but weaves his ribbon of love through us and into the lives of others. This is our calling no matter the work the Lord has given us to do. As he has loved us, let us love one another.

Awesome In Provision

Awesome in Provision (1)

picture courtesy of Pintrest

“And Abraham said,

My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:

so they went both of them together …

And Abraham called the name of that place

Jehovah-Jireh:

as it is said to this day,

In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”

Genesis 22: 8, 14, KJV

Abraham stood staring across the plain into the distance. The mountain of sacrifice filled the horizon. Abraham bundled the split wood for the burnt offering in his arms and laid it on the shoulders of his son, his son of a promise, the son he loved, Isaac. Together father, who took the fire and the knife, and son began their walk to the final destination.

Abraham called to the ones left behind, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.”

I wonder did father and son talk much as they traveled? Did Abraham remind himself and Isaac of God’s promise to bless all families through this promised son?

We only know of one conversation between the two.

Isaac asked Abraham, “where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.”

As father and son came to the place of sacrifice, Abraham built an altar. After building the altar, he began laying the wood in its place.

Did Abraham speak to Isaac of his faith, “that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”?

We don’t have the answer to that question, but we do know there is no indication of a struggle. We are left with the impression of a son submitting to the father in complete trust.

The Lord God, Jehovah-Jireh, spared Isaac and did provide for himself a ram for the sin offering.

“And Abraham called the name of that place

The LORD Will Provide,

as it is said to this day,

“In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.” NASB

Over two thousand years later, in the early morning hours, another Father and Son, his only Son, the Son he loved, the Son of promise, communed in prayer before climbing together to offer the final burnt offering for sin.

The Father laid the wood on his Son’s shoulders and nailed his Son, his only Son, the Son he loved, onto the wooden altar. The Son knew what was coming and willingly submitted to the Father. This time the Son became the Lamb who would die for the sin of all the world. What bulls and lambs could not do, the Son completed.

I started to say, the Son was not rescued as was Isaac. But that’s not completely true. Yes, the Father had to slay the Son, his only Son, the Son he loved—for the salvation of all who would believe depended on this pure offering, the Lamb without spot or blemish. But hallelujah—the Son told John to write to us,

“I am he that liveth, and was dead;

and, behold,

I am alive for evermore, Amen;

and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Revelation 1:18, KJV

God provided himself a Lamb. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God the Son, is,

“the Lamb of God,

which taketh away the sin of the world.”

John 1: 29b, KJV

Jesus Christ conquered sin and the death it brings. His victory is ours. Jehovah-Jireh has provided and will provide all we need for victory.

“The sting of death is sin;

and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ …

But if the Spirt of him

that raised up Jesus from the dead

dwell in you,

he that raised up Christ from the dead

shall also quicken your mortal bodies

by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

1 Corinthians 15: 56-57; Romans 8: 11, KJV

It’s hard to imagine the awesome provision our God supplied through the offering of himself in his Son—but there is more than his provision for our sin, our death, and everlasting life. That’s what’s hard to imagine—something more.

We hope to visit the more next time when we take a look at a few of the abundant provisions pouring forth from our Jehovah-Jireh to all who have received his Son, his only Son, the Son he loves, as our sin offering. Won’t you offer him the offering of praise and thanksgiving until next time?

Sharing Blessings

This past week the Lord blessed our Day Camp with his presence and answered prayers.

Here’s what the Lord did among us: Salvation came to one camper(my great-grandchild), Three other youths were baptized, fifteen volunteers gave of themselves throughout the week to teach bible stories, memory verses, and show the love of God to twenty-eight children. This love turned into fun with a huge water slide, hamster wheel races, dragging “sea weed” from the lake for a free soda, and making crafts. Add the beautiful weather and sweet Spirit, what more could we ask for.

Of course this kind of camp doesn’t happen overnight. It takes many sacrificing hours before the camp ever begins. All this so we can offer camp to the children without charge. For forty-five years, the Lord has built and blessed us with this facility.

Ain’t God Good!

Hope this gives you a reason to rejoice in His goodness today. And to pray for the teen camp coming up. Your prayers and rejoicing make you a part of the work. God bless!

Blessing of God

Blessing of God

Because we have beheld(meditated on and believed) the love of God, freely given at great expense to himself, spoken of in 1 John 3:1, we are called—

“the sons of God.”

We are the “Beloved” of God—Those He has lavishly poured his love into, and “now” our lives are different than before we gazed on his love for us. 1 John 3:2 repeats—

“now are we the sons of God,”

Our identification has changed. We are different than before beholding the Father’s love.

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ

have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek,

there is neither bond nor free,

there is neither male nor female:

for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

And if ye be Christ’s ,

then are ye Abraham’s seed,

and heirs according to the promise.”

Galatians 3:26-29,KJV

We have been born spiritually into the Father’s family, but like newborn babies, we are not what we will be.

“but we know that, when he shall appear,”

One day Jesus will appear and with him comes a great blessing for the Father’s children.

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear,

then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Colossians 3:4,KJV

Any trials, pain, or persecution we may have suffered in this life will disappear when Jesus appears. They will pass away like the pain of childbirth(sorry men, you’ve not experienced it, but you have witnessed the pain) and when we see Jesus, all that remains will be the glory of new life.

“we shall be like him.”

What does that mean exactly? I don’t know. I do know we will bask in his glory.

“Who shall change our vile body, that it may

be fashioned like unto his glorious body …

As for me,

I will behold thy face in righteousness:

I shall be satisfied,

when I awake, with thy likeness.”

(Philippians 3:21a; Psalm 17:15, KJV”)

We are blessed of God. We are his children by faith. We have been changed with the greatest change yet to come. And when Jesus does come?

“we shall see him as he is.”

Truly, God’s blessing rests on his children now and in what is to come. Jesus last prayer on earth for us will be answered.

“Father,

I will that they also, whom thou hast given me,

be with me where I am;

that they may behold my glory,

which thou hast give me:

for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world …

Surely goodness and mercy

shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

John 17:24; Psalm 23:6, KJV

Forever-time without end where time has been swallowed by eternity. Yes, we will be like Jesus and be forever in his presence. This is our greatest blessing of the Father. May we share our blessedness with others—”that they may behold my glory,”

Heart of God

The Heart of God

picture courtesy of Pintrest

Try as I might, there is none to compare. I wanted to “Wow!” you with a contemporary story of sacrificial love that challenges our minds’ comprehension to believe. We have heard spellbinding accounts of love giving self for another’s benefit—soldiers, parents, friends, strangers, and even enemies. But the beloved apostle, John, got it right when he said—

*“Behold …”

In our language, we would say, “Wow!” John is telling us to look, gaze with awe at, stare until we understand—

“what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us …”

According to the Greek word, Potapos, the Father’s love he has freely given to us has no equal found on earth. Literally, it comes from what country. It’s found only in the Father’s kingdom. His love does not balk at the cost but gives what is best for the recipient—even if the cost is the cruel death of his Son—

*“that we should be called the sons of God …”

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us,

because that God

sent his only begotten Son into the world,

that we might live through him.”

1John 4:9,KJV

Wow! Behold! Gaze upon this One and his love. Meditate on it until your heart overflows with its truth.

“But as many as received him,

to them gave he power to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man, but of God …

AND WILL BE A FATHER UNTO YOU,

AND YE SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS,

saith the Lord Almighty …

And because ye are sons,

God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son

into your hearts,

crying, Abba, Father.”

(John 1:12,13; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:6 KJV)

The Father’s love shown to us through Jesus Christ has taken us out of the boundaries of this world’s kingdom and put us into his heavenly kingdom. We live on earth but our home is not here. Those whose home is here do not understand this truth.

*“Therefore the world knoweth us  not,

because it knew him not.”

Speaking in a language we understand—those of the world don’t get where we’re coming from. Jesus told his followers not to be surprised—

“If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you … 

These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.”

(John 15:18,19; John 16:33,KJV)

When the world mocks Christ in you, when you face all kinds of trials, when your own mind sets its thoughts against the mind of Christ in you,

*“Behold,

what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,

that we should be called the sons of God …”

When you think on these things, what touches your heart about the love of God?

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*From 1 John 3:1

I may be slow responding to comments this week. We are working on a fundraiser for our mission trip. But I will get to each of you. I do appreciate and thank God for each of you. God Bless.

The Heart of God

“You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

This famous quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln helps us understand we do not have the power or wisdom to know what is in a person’s heart. A person’s words, desires, and deeds provide insight but not the assurance. We don’t have the wisdom or power to see into the heart of another. Only God can see into the depths of one’s heart. But God has revealed his heart to those who will hear his words, embrace his desires, and see his deeds. He wants us to know the truth found in his heart.

To his people-

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:

therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Jeremiah 31:3

Not only does God love his people but Jesus, God the Son, states his love for the world –

“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.”

John 3:16

John, the Lord’s disciple, writes a brief description in two verses revealing the heart of our God.

“God is love…”

1 John 4:8,16

His words speak his love. His deeds prove his love. When we were his enemies with nothing to offer him, He drew us to himself. He sacrificed his Son in order to make us his own family. He has given us an inheritance in his kingdom. Today, we who belong to him, have everlasting abundant life – a life overflowing with the love of our Father. One day the abundance of today will melt into eternity in an exceedingly abundant life with him. This is his heart’s desire – to have a people who will receive and return that love forever.

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,

and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

Matthew 22:37

This command was first given in the Old Testament and here again in the New by Jesus Christ. Being a command means a choice lays before us. We choose whether to love or not, and to what degree we return the love of God to him. But if it’s not returned with all our being, does it constitute love?

He showed us love. He opened his heart to us, withholding nothing back. Will we open our hearts to him? The apostle John tells us how.

“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God,

God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.

God is love;

and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,

and God in him…

We love him,

because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:15,16,19

• The Father’s words tell us of his love. He is true and cannot lie.
• He desires to pour out his love on us. We need only receive his word of truth.
•  His deeds prove his love. He has withheld no good thing from us.

In all honesty, I struggled with this post. For I believe it is beyond my comprehension to fully express God’s heart of love. One day my partial understanding will meet my Savior face to face, then I will know fully the height, depth, width, and length of the love filling God’s heart.

How do you express the love of God to others?

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As a side note, two bloggers use poetry to express God’s love. I encourage you to visit their sites if you haven’t already. Warren Richards at wcr281.com; and  darylmadden.wordpress.com

Why a Lamb?

“…they shall take to them every man a lamb…Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year…kill it in the evening…take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it…it is the LORD’’s passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses…and when I see the blood, I will pass over you…”(Read the whole account in Exodus 12).

Why a lamb? Scripture gives us a clue.

“And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham; But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock… Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture…All we like sheep have gone astray… ” (Ps.78:51,52; Ps. 100:3; Isa. 53:6).

Born in sin, the Israelites deserved the same judgment as the Egyptians. God likens his people to sheep. Only a sinless lamb could provide the blood covering for the sin of another sheep, theirs and ours.

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29.

“Behold…”  Take a good long hard look at Jesus. “…this is the Son of God… Father, the hour is come: glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was… I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”( John 1:34; John 17:1-5;Rev:18).

“the Lamb of God…he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter… Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things…But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God…… Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil… (Isa. 53:b;1Pet. 1:18-21; Heb. 2:14).

“which taketh away the sin of the world…For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…Christ also suffered for us…Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life… For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” (a weaving of John 3:16 & 2Peter 2:24,25).

“Purge out therefore the old leaven,

that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.

For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven,

neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness;

but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1Cor. 57,8.

The sinless Lamb of God died for his wayward sheep, to return us to the Shepherd of our soul. How will you celebrate the feast of Passover, remembering its results are not for one day or season but for eternity? May your life be found in worship of the Lamb, for,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

to receive power and riches, and wisdom, and strength,

and honour, and glory, and blessing.” Rev. 5:12.

Amen.

 

 

 

Rich in Mercy…Great in Love…Exceeding in Grace

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us…” Eph. 2:4.

I addressed God’s abundant mercy in an earlier post this week, King of Glory, The Sequel, but in no way did I exhaust the topic, nor will these few verses conclude something that is inexhaustible.

“But God, who is rich in mercy…He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us…Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”(Ps. 103:10-12;1Pet.1:3-5).

“…for his great love wherewith he loved us…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee….Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us…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… As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love…abide in his love…that your joy might be full…Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends…But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Jer.31:3; 1John 3:1,16; John 3:16;John 15:9,10,11,13; Rom. 5:8).

 “…dead in sins…” Death is not the cessation of existence. It is the conscious existence of separation from God as a result of sin.

“For the wages of sin is death… The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead… For mine iniquities are gone over mine head; as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me… if one died for all, then were all dead…by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned;”( Rom. 6:23; Prov. 21:16; Ps. 38:4; 2Cor. 5:14;; Rom. 5:12).

“…quickened…together with Christ…” Quickened is to be made alive to God. Where death is separation from God, quickened is communion or fellowship with God.

“And you, being dead in your sins…hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses…to them that believe on his name: Which were born…of the will of…God…born of the Spirit…Ye must be born again… Wherefore he saith, AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPEST, AND ARISE FROM THE DEAD, AND CHRIST SHALL GIVE THEE LIGHT … God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Col. 2:13; John 1;12,13; John 3:6,7; Eph. 5:14Col. 2:12,13;1Cor. 1:9).

Rich in mercy, great in love, exceeding in grace

“…in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith;…it is the gift of God…For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men… For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich…we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved… Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus… That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life… And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord… Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”(Titus 2:11; 2Cor. 8:9; Acts 15:11; Rom 3:24; Titus 3:7; 1Tim. 1:14; Rom. 6:23b; 2Cor. 9:15).

Thank you, Father for your rich mercy, forgiving our sin and giving us hope; for your great love that makes us your sons and daughters; for your grace that has gifted us with salvation through Jesus Christ unto eternal life.