​​Part 3 - Indescribable -   https://youtu.be/GhsGrkY67I4

Our God is an awesome God!

Genesis 1 says in the Beginning, God.

God said "Let there be light". And there was light. He made the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night.  God created the Sun and the moon.

He spoke them into existence.  Wow, right?  But after watching this video, seeing the massive power that is our SUN, I get just a glimpse into  how powerful God is.

This is a quote from Louie Giglio's Indescribable video series.  Think about it: 

Scientists say it would take the gross national product of the United States of America 7 million years for our local power company to run the Sun for just one second. 

One second!

and God spoke that awesome ball of power into existence!

Do you think there's anything our God cannot do?

If we had any idea of His awesome power, we'd be on our knees worshiping Him every single day.  And as amazing as His power is, there is one other thing that blows me away about our God.

He loves us. The Creator of the entire Universe loves us!

We are this tiny speck in the Universe, so insignificant when you think about it. And yet, out of all His amazing  creation, we are His very special possession. Deuteronomy 7:6 He loves you and me so much that He sent his only begotten Son to die a cruel death just to pay the debt for our sins. He didn't deserve it.  We deserved death, but Jesus stepped in to take our place. John 3:16-17

 Why?

 He wants you and me to be with Him and to share in the love between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit -that perfect love.  That's what He desires for us - that we will know His love and be with Him for all Eternity.

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty ashamed of how little time I give to my Father.  I'm a little sad to think how many times I push Him aside so that I can do what I want to do instead of spending time with Him.  I ignore Him and take Him for granted, but still He loves me.

One of my very favorite parables in the Bible is in Luke 15.  You'll recognize the passage as The Prodigal Son. 

I am the prodigal son.

  I wanted my inheritance so I could go spend money and do things God told me not to do, because I wanted to have fun, to be happy. What did my Father know about that kind of stuff? Let me tell you.  I found out He knew so much more than I did.  I found out that all wanted for me was eternal good, not the 5 minute of happiness I might find on my own.

 When I realized how empty chasing my own dreams and plans had made my life, I wanted to go back Home, to Jesus.  I was so ashamed and humbled beyond words. It's hard to face the fact of our sinfulness without feeling discouraged and hopeless.  But as soon as I turned back and repented, my Father saw me coming and ran to me.  You know, He didn't one time stop to scold me for the wasted years of my life. He knew how much I was hurting. He knew my heart.  He knew how sorry I was. And He wrapped me in His love and forgave me of my sins, just like they never happened. 

I have been forgiven so much!  Haven't you?

So why, after receiving such undeserved grace and mercy ourselves from the Creator of Universe, no less, how do we not show mercy and grace to others who are just like us?  Sinners in need of the Savior. We all are Prodigal sons at one time or another,  who long to come to back home so desperately.  

I am so thankful that God is merciful and removes my sins as far as east is from the west.  I just wished I could do the same thing for others who have failed, just like I do every day.  I can't cast the first stone, can you? 

One of my favorite passages is the woman caught in adultery.  The self-righteous Pharisees brought her before Jesus and accused her that heinous sin. They felt perfectly in their rights as God's chosen ones to sit in judgment over this woman.  But do you remember what Jesus said to them?

I do.  It's written on my heart and in my brain.

"he who is without sin, cast the first stone."

I am a human being who fails to follow God's direction for my  life.  I take charge all the time, instead of listening and obeying Him.  As a sinner myself, how do I sit in judgment against someone else who is a sinner, just like me?  

The Creator of the Universe, our Almighty God is so good that we cannot use one "Holy" to describe His righteousness.  Our Father is HOLY HOLY HOLY.  and yet He is willing to forgive us our sins, and forget them, to give us a clean start every day, if we need it.  But I, as unrighteous as I am, cannot show mercy to another human being who has fallen and needs forgiveness.  That's a shame and it does not honor my God. 

God is Holy, Holy, Holy.  And for Him, sin offends Him so greatly that He will never tolerate sin in His Presence. Therefore, if it were up to us, not one could ever stand in His presence.  But as Christians, we are covered by the blood of our Perfect, spotless Lamb, our Savior and Redeemer.  God looks at us and sees His precious Son, His righteousness becomes our robe of white.

 

We still sin, falling short of all He has purposed for His children, don't we?  I lived a terrible life full of selfishness and evil, but that was so many years ago, I  tell myself.  But the sad thing is I know how much mercy I've received from my Abba Father, and yet I fail to show mercy to others who are struggling.  And then God is called to  forgive me again, for my self-righteousness - and he does it, because of Jesus.

It's hard to forgive, but until we learn to love like Jesus, to give people the same  mercy He gives us, we will keep falling short of His plan for us. We miss out on an incredible relationship with our Father and Savior because we don't submit to His will and simply obey.   I want God to be proud of me.  I want others to see Jesus shining thru me.  He cannot do that when I'm living in a state of un-forgiveness.

Jesus said to forgive.  He didn't say wait until someone is worthy of the forgiveness.  He didn't say wait until I know they're really sorry.  No.  He said forgive them,  as many times as necessary.  It's not my job to judge.  It's my job to love and to forgive - seven time seventy.  He said forgive those who persecute you, and do good to those who despitefully use you.  He didn't say it was easy.  He didn't say, "if you feel like it, forgive..."   He said "Love your enemies, do good to those who use you, forgive..."

What's in it for me, right?  Thought you'd never ask.  = )

Luke  6            Love for Enemies
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
 

​All we have to do to receive the blessings God promises is to obey Him and trust that He knows how hard it is to forgive when we have been hurt.  He is faithful and if He calls us to forgive, and we finally decide to do things His way, He will bless us for all Eternity.​

Oh Father, forgive me for failing to forgive as I've been forgiven.  Help me to love like You love.  Purify my heart and renew a right spirit within me.  Thank you for being so merciful and gracious to me. Thank you being ready to pick me up each time I fall.  I love You LORD, and will praise Your Name for all Eternity.  In the blessed Name of my Savior, I pray.

--

Coram Deo

 

Carol Draehn

214-395-8244 cell

 

 

                                                                                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The disciple Jesus loved

Could it be me?
http://youtu.be/VU_rTX23V7Q - Who am I - Casting Crowns

Who am I that Jesus would love me?  On my own, I'm nothing.  But the love of Jesus can change even me.  How do I know?
His love changed the coldest heart (Paul), it even lifted the broken woman who was burdened with past sin.  And He took a hothead like John and make his name synonymous with Love. 

Mark 3:16-17  ESV
He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);  James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder);

Sons of Thunder
What does that mean?  Commentaries explain that this expression given to James and John reflected a loud, rowdy, quick to fight attitude.  It appears that our apostle John was a "hot head", always ready to overpower anyone who would speak against what he believed. Jesus would show John and James a better way to deal with disagreements.  John was willing to learn.  He sat at Jesus' feet and listened.

Jesus called John
When Jesus chose John and his brother James, they weren't homeless, living on the streets, no where to go men.  Apparently, Zebedee, their father, had a thriving fishing business.  But when Jesus called, John and James both left the security of their family fishing business.  They left their family and followed Jesus.  These two men  - these two "hotheads" - followed without question.  God had called them and they answered.
And they followed Jesus.

Matthew 4:18-22 ESV
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.


It wasn't long before John and James let their "human side" take control.  Jesus and his disciples were traveling to Jerusalem.  They could have taken the long route going around Samaria instead of through it.  Almost every Jew would travel out of the way in order to avoid going through Samaria because they  considered Samaritans to be the scum of the earth. But Jesus sends messengers ahead, right into Samaria, to find lodging for the night.  This was unheard of!  When the Samaritans wouldn't accommodate them, John and James were ready to blast them off the face of the earth!  A bit of an over reaction I'd say.  Jesus rebuked them.  He had a better way.  John trusted Jesus and learned to follow Jesus' directions rather than following his own understanding.Luke 9:51-55 ESV
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and rebuked them.
"Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you!" 
John was not tolerate of others who weren't in his little group.  He tried to stop people from doing a good thing because he didn't recognize them as true Christ followers.  But Jesus told him to leave them alone. Jesus taught John to stand against the real Enemy, not against those who do good. 

Could there be a lesson here for me?  If someone is not speaking against Jesus, maybe I shouldn't spend quite so much time trying to "shut him/her up".  John would learn a different way of dealing with others through Jesus' example and teachings.  

Mark 9:38-40 ESV
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.  For the one who is not against us is for us."

"Me first!"
Matthew 20:20-22 ESV
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."

There's two ways to consider this passage.  As a mother myself, I can understand this mom wanting to secure the best possible position for her sons.  On the other hand, as we read Mark's gospel, we see that Mark
shares the same story but he puts all the blame on James and John, leaving out their mother's part in the request.  Either way, obviously, James and John were focused on themselves, on what Jesus could offer them.  They saw status and power, and they wanted to take the places of honor - right next to the Source of all that power.  But Jesus quickly explains that place of honor and power will come to whomever God decides.  To share in the power requires sharing in the suffering, too.  Would John be willing to suffer?

Mark 10:35-41
³⁵ And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." ³⁶And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" ³⁷And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." ³⁸Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" ³⁹And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, ⁴⁰but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." ⁴¹And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
After reading about John, I wonder why Jesus would choose such a man to be one of His closest friends.  I'm afraid my first impression of John would have caused me to discount his value for the Kingdom.  He was  selfish, hotheaded, intolerant, quick to intimate, and not afraid to use violence to make others see his point.  Yet this same young man would grow into a man who understood that true power comes from love. 

Several passages in the bible refer to John as the apostle whom Jesus loved.  But Jesus loved them all.  Right?
Notice who is describing John as the one Jesus loved:

John 13:23
One of Jesus' disciples, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table.

John 19:26
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Woman, he is your son."

John 20:2
She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!"


John 21:7
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and swam ashore.



John 21:20
Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them--the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, "Lord, who among us will betray you?"


It was John himself! John repeatedly described himself as "the one Jesus loved".  I don't think that came from a pompous attitude of his heart.  I think John understood better than most of us how much  he was loved by Jesus.  I don't think John thought that Jesus loved him more than than he loved the others.  He just knew that he was loved.  He knew the incredible blessing of being loved by God.
 
Read John's words and see how this man's heart was changed by Jesus' love.  John wants us to understand the amazing power of love - the love we receive and the love we give away. 

1 John 4
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
This is the way to find out if they have the Spirit of God: If a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ became a human being, that person has the Spirit of God. 
If a prophet does not acknowledge Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist. You have heard that he is going to come into the world, and he is already here.

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
These people belong to this world, so they speak from the world's viewpoint, and the world listens to them.
But we belong to God; that is why those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God--for God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.  And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.
Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.
We love each other as a result of his loving us first.
If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen?
And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.


No More Son of Thunder - John is the Apostle of LOVE
John learned from Jesus what it meant to love others and what it meant to be loved unconditionally by His Savior.  John understood that Jesus knew him - with all his faults and shortcomings, yet Jesus still loved him.  John knew the difference the love of Jesus had made in his life.  He was a changed man.  John was no longer a "son of thunder", he became "the Apostle whom Jesus loved".  Not only is John known for being the apostle Jesus loved, John is now the Apostle of Love.  His books talk about love more than any other book in the New Testament.  The Gospel according to John, 1,2,3 John and the book of Revelation were written by a man who knew he was greatly loved.  His response to that love was to love Jesus with all his heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love others as himself. 

Luke 10:27
And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

When I started to write this devotional, I wanted to make the point that God can use any of us - even a hotheaded, violent, intimidating man like John.  Jesus called John because God had a plan for him.  That plan included transforming his brutishness to make people conform to his thinking, into a man who will be forever known for his love.  That's what love can do for me, too.  It can change my heart and conform me into the likeness of Christ. 
Maybe John called himself "the disciple Jesus loved" as a reminder.  He didn't want to ever forget how much Jesus loved him.  I don't want to ever forget how much Jesus loves me, either. 
 
Holy Father, thank You for loving me.  Thank You for changing my heart with Your love.  Thank You, Jesus, for loving me, proving your love through Your death on the cross.  Thank You for loving me even when I'm not so lovable.  I may not be a hothead like John was, but, like him,  I, too,  can be self-centered and quick to judge others when they don't live up to my expectations. Help me to remember that "I am the disciple Jesus loves".  Help me to share that amazing love with everyone I meet.  Thank You for believing in John.  What a wonderful man he must have been!  I'm so thankful that You used John to write Your inspired words about the importance of love.  Thank You Lord for showing me that You can change anyone with Your great love.
Forgive me when I fail to love others, when I fail to remember how much I'm loved by You.  Today, please help me love like You love, without conditions or reserve.  In the blessed name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
 
http://youtu.be/EdSM3RQhlu8 - Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin
 
 
 
 
 

I am greatly loved by God.

http://youtu.be/W2ZQDidDDss - You are Loved by Josh Groban

Psalm 94:18
I cried out, “I am slipping!” but Your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.

Do you ever wonder if God really loves you? 

I don't think it's uncommon for the Enemy to use that lie to make us feel
alone and hopeless.  But we don't have to listen to the lies.  Instead, we can find strength and courage to face each day by listening to God's Truth.

I found just many passages in the Bible that speak of God's love and faithfulness.  These scriptures remind me of one thing:  I am loved!

My list here is just a tiny fraction of the verses that God included in His inspired Word, and they are promises we can hold on to when times are tough, and we wonder if He cares.

Holy God, thank You for Your love and faithfulness. Thank You for always hearing when I call out to You. Thank You for sending Your Son to earth, to become man, so that He could fully understand my trials and temptations. Thank You for being my Savior. Thank You for covering me with Your righteous, for without that, I could never stand before You.  Thank You for choosing me to be Your child.  Thank You for faithfully drawing me to Yourself, even when I was so far away.


Your faithful love endures forever. Thank You, Lord Jesus! Thank You, Father! Thank You, Holy Spirit! I praise Your Holy Name!

Ephesians 3:19-21
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.


Exodus 20:6
But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love Me and obey My commands.


Exodus 34:6
The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,“Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.


Psalm 5:12
For You bless the godly, O Lord;You surround them with Your shield of love.

Psalm 31:7
I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and You care about the anguish of my soul.


Psalm 33:18
But the Lord watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love.


Psalm 34:17
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.


Psalm 36:7
How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings.


Psalm 56:8
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.You have recorded each one in Your book.


Psalm 59:17
O my Strength, to You I sing praises, for You, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.


Psalm 86:5
O Lord, You are so good, so ready to forgive,so full of unfailing love for all who ask for Your help.


Psalm 94:18
I cried out, “I am slipping!” but Your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.


Psalm 138:8
The Lord will work out His plans for my life—for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.


Psalm 145:19
He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them.

Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.


Isaiah 49:15-16
“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!
See, I have written your name on the palms of My hands."


John 16:27
for the Father Himself loves you dearly because you love Me and believe that I came from God.

1 John 5:15
And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we
ask for.

Romans 8:34-38
34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.


35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.


38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness..."

I love the imagery this next passage brings to mind.  It's that of a loving Father reaching down to help his child learn to walk, gently holding him by the arms with tenderness.  Does this Father seem indifferent in anyway to the needs of his child?  NO!  Notice the last sentence:  "I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them."  That is how a parent, a loving father, cares for his child.  Because I am His child, I know He loves me with this tender, caring love.

Hosea 11:3-4
It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize it was I who healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness, ith ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed them.
 
In the past, I had trouble identifying with any old testament passage that referred to God's love for His Chosen people.  I could see clearly how much He loved the Israelites; after all, He had forgiven them so many times, and even when they turned their backs on Him, He was always ready to welcome them back with open arms.  But how does the verse in Hosea which describes how God gently reached down to Ephraim relate to His love for me?  Why does this verse make me feel loved?  I'm not a Jew, right?
 
But then I read the following passage in Galatians.  Paul answers my concern.  Just because I'm not a descendant of Abraham doesn't mean I'm not chosen to be in God's family.  Because of what Jesus did, I, too, am chosen to be in God's child.  God's chosen people are not just those who were born into a Jewish family.  God's chosen people are those who believe in His Son, who is the true SEED of Abraham.
 
Galatians 3:16-26 ESV
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.


19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.


23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

God’s Children through Faith!  Good news for me!!!
Just like the Israelites were called to be God's people, I have been called, too.  How do I know?  Because God has put a desire in my heart to know Jesus, to belong to Him, and unless He called me, I wouldn't feel that desire, that yearning.

When anyone longs to know Jesus, that person can be know without a doubt that God is calling him/her to Himself.

John 6:44
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."

 What does all this mean to me?  Every verse in the old testament that refers to God's everlasting love and faithfulness towards His children, I can claim, because I am His child, called by His love, saved by His Son,
sanctified by His Spirit. 

I am are greatly loved by GOD.

http://youtu.be/vjj2kZ1qoqw - The Love of God - Mercy Me

God loved Leah

http://youtu.be/rRm99TmblLE - Testify to Love - Wynonna Judd

When I was in high school, I had a boyfriend. He had the most incredible blue eyes.  He could give me a certain look that just melted my heart.  We were in love.  Well, one of us was in love.

We both worked at Tom Thumb along with several other kids from our high school.  There was this really cute girl who worked there, too.  One day, I had gotten to the store a little early for my shift.  I saw my boyfriend sitting over at the snack bar having a coke and talking with this other girl, so I went over to join them.  When I sat down next to my boyfriend, he didn't acknowledge me at all.  He was talking to this other girl and looking at her with the same special look that I thought was just for me.  I felt invisible, like I was intruding into their private little world of flirtation, and it made me feel horribly alone and unloved.  
  

I think Leah must have felt that way.  Her husband didn't choose her.  He chose her sister - the "pretty one".  Her dad played a dirty trick on Jacob, and Leah found herself married to a man who loved someone else.

Leah's story is sad, at least in the beginning.  But God saw her tears.  He understood the pain she felt watching her husband and her sister, Rachel.  Leah was a third wheel - not wanted... not loved.  But God loved her.  And God blessed her with a great honor.  The Messiah, Jesus Christ, would be born from Leah's lineage. 

Jacob may have chosen Rachel, but God chose Leah.  I like that.

http://youtu.be/k_MyC6kJzPg - Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin


Father, there are times when we feel alone, like no one understands or cares. Our friends are so caught up in their own lives, they don't always "see" when we're hurting or struggling. But You see, LORD. And You care. You're always there, whether we realize it or not. Thank You for being our Comforter and our Strength. Your love, O GOD, is unfailing. We will trust in You. We pray this in the Name of Jesus, our Savior, who makes all things new. Amen.


Psalm 56:8
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle.You have recorded each one in your book.


2 Chronicles 30:9
For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."
Psalm 25:6
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.


Jacob loved Rachel. It was love at first sight. He knew this was the woman that he wanted to marry. But to win her hand in marriage, Jacob had to work for his uncle Laban (Rachel's dad) for seven years. He did that willingly because of the prize set before him. After seven years of hard work and honorable service, Jacob was finally marrying the love of his life.

Laban was not quite as honorable as Jacob. You see, Rachel had an older sister, Leah. Evidently, Leah was not a woman who would make heads turn. Depending on the translation, the bible says Leah had tender or weak eyes. I'm not sure what that means. Either her eyes were soft and gentle - her one true asset, or they were weak and not pretty at all. I'd like to think that the Scripture was pointing to her one good trait, tender eyes. One things we do know, Rachel was a a knockout in every way. And Jacob wanted her, not her sister.

Laban decided he need to get Leah married off and the only way he saw that happening was to trick Jacob into marrying Leah. From what I've read, a marriage officially took place when the bride's father would bring his daughter to the groom on the wedding night - basically handing her over to her husband. That was the final act that sealed the convenant of marriage. So Laban delivered the bride (Leah) to Jacob in the dark of night. Jacob expected Rachel, but he was fooled.

Poor Leah! She was stuck in a marriage with no love - worse yet, her husband loved someone else, her very sister. As I read about Leah in Genesis 29, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. God had compassion on Leah, also. In fact, the bible says "because Leah was unloved, the LORD let her have a child, while Rachel was childless." Leah had six of Jacob's 12 sons. After each birth, she named the sons:

Son                   Meaning of               What Leah said at his birth:
                           his name
_________________________________________________________________

Reuben                    "look, a son!"            "The Lord has noticed my misery and now maybe
                                                                                           husband will love me"

Simeon                   one who hears           "The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me
                                                                                             another son."

Levi                       affection for              “Surely now my husband will feel affection for me, since
                                                                                          I've given him three sons"

Judah                        praise                                       "Now I will praise the Lord!"

Issachar                   reward                                          "God has rewarded me"

Zebulun                    honor                            "God has given me good gifts for my husband.
                                                                               Now he will honor me, for I have given
                                                                                                     him six sons"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doesn't it break your heart? She knew that Jacob didn't love her. Every day, she had to watch him with Rachel. All she wanted was for Jacob to love her. Can you imagine how miserable it would be to be stuck in a loveless marriage?

But God is so rich in mercy. He saw her pain and had compassion on her. Not only did He bless Leah with six sons, He also blessed her son, Judah, with an amazing blessing. Jesus, the Messiah, would descend from Judah, whose mother was Leah, not Rachel!

God blessed Leah.

One other thing I find interesting about this "love story", when Jacob was dying, he asked to be buried in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan. He told his sons, "There Abraham and his wife, Sarah, are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebeccah, are buried. And there I buried Leah." Jacob was buried with his wife, Leah. Rachel, the one he loved, was buried alone in Bethlehem.

For the record, my research shows that these two burial sites were about 13-14 miles from one another. Jacob could have easily chosen to be buried with Rachel, or he could have had Rachel's bones moved to the family burial cave, but for some reason, he didn't. Instead Jacob chose to be buried with Leah. Maybe she was loved more than she knew.

Three things I've learned from this story:

• God sees our pain when no one else sees, and He has compassion.
• God can use the worst circumstances for good. He has a purpose for what he allows in our lives.
• Sometimes, our greatest blessings come after we're gone, to our children.

These are the names of the twelve sons of Jacob: The sons of Leah were Reuben (Jacob's oldest son), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun." Genesis 35:22b-23

Matthew 1
The Genealogy of Christ, the Messiah

1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asa.
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.
Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh was the father of Amon.
Amon was the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).
12 After the Babylonian exile:
Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Akim.
Akim was the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
16Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

The Word was GOD



Akiane Kramarik painted  Prince of Peace, her first portrait of Jesus
when she was only eight years old.

 http://youtu.be/xi0yLRX4d2M - How Great is our God - Chris Tomlin


The Painting to the right was done by Akiane Kramarik when she was only eight years old.  Her mother was an atheist and her father had left the Catholic Church.  But Akiane felt God drawing her to Himself.  This "Prince of Peace" is how Akiane envisioned Christ to look. 

In the book, Heaven is for Real, 4 year old Colton has had a near-death experience during surgery.  Little Colton calmly and randomly begins sharing stories with his parents about seeing Jesus and talking to him when he was with Jesus in heaven.  During the writing of the book, his family would ask him what Jesus looked like.  Every time they showed a photo to Colton, he'd say "no, Jesus doesn't look like that."  One day, his dad was showing him some more photos online when suddenly Colton pointed. "Dad, that one’s right,” he exclaims. It was the Akiane portrait of Jesus. 

 
 http://youtu.be/ZTRLf3N84tY - Above All - Michael W Smith
 

John 1:1-11 NLT

In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,  and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.


God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.


The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone.


The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him. 
He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.

This passage is so powerful to me.  Imagine, Almighty God who reigns in Heaven, that very God came to earth, setting aside His rights as GOD, He lowered Himself and took on flesh.  Jesus became fully man.  Do we get that? Our great Creator became man so that He could be our Savior - the perfect lamb that would lay down His life for us.  What amazing love He has shown towards us.

Sometimes, I think we forget that Jesus has always existed, right along side God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Don't we sometimes relegate Jesus to a lesser position?  But God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are ONE God.  Although they have different roles, they are equal because they are all GOD. The Trinity is a relationship of Perfect Love and Perfect Unity. Our God is the original One for All and All for ONE.

God the Son existed in the beginning. Everything was created through Him.  There is not one single thing that was not created by Jesus, the God who became man on our behalf.  Imagine that for just a moment!  Think of every word we've ever used to describe our Great God.  Majestic, All Powerful, Holy One, Magnificent, All Knowing, Omnipresent, Eternal, Limitless, Light of the world, Mighty One, Life, Most Wise,  Indescribable, Uncontainable, Just, Everlasting, Alpha and Omega, Master, Faithful and True, King of kings,  Lord of lords ... and that's only just the beginning of words that inadequately describe the greatness of our Savior.  The sad part...

He came into the world that He created - HIS world - and His world, His own creation didn't even recognize Him.  He came to His own people, His very own brothers and even they rejected Him.

That breaks my heart.  How could this happen?  How could the world reject Jesus?  He was kind and good and compassionate.  He understood each person who ever came into contact with Him like no one else had every understood them. 

They knew the Savior was coming.  Jehovah God had promised that He would send the Savior who would take away the sins of the world.  HE even told them what to look for.  And as John the Baptist sat in that prison cell awaiting his beheading, even that great prophet began to question if Jesus was the Savior.

Matthew 11:4-6
Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—5 the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 6 And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.’”

Surely, John remembered the Scriptures -

Isaiah 35:4-6
Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.”
And when he comes, He will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.
The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!

Isaiah 42:1-7
“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen One, who pleases Me.
 I have put my Spirit upon Him.


He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or raise His voice in public.
He will not crush the weakest reed nor put out a flickering candle.  He will bring justice
to all who have been wronged.  He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails
throughout the earth.  Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for His instruction.”


God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out.
He created the earth and everything in it.
He gives breath to everyone, Life to everyone who walks the earth.
And it is He who says, “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate My righteousness.
I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel,
a symbol of my covenant with them.


And you will be a light to guide the nations.
You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.

The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life,
and the Good News was preached to the poor.   I'm very sure that John the Baptist no longer
doubted that Jesus was the Messiah for whom he had been preparing the way.

I get so upset with all those people back in bible times who didn't believe, who didn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  How could they not know?  How could they not follow Him?   But then I remember
how often I falter; how often I fail to give Him my full allegiance.  How many times do I refuse to obey if what He's asks of me is not what I want to do? How can I be disobedient to the One who died for me?  How can I refuse to obey the One who loves me enough to become human in order to save me? 

God came to earth as man to be my Savior and even though I acknowledge Jesus as my Lord, do I really comprehend what an incredible thing He did for me?  I don't think I truly understand how great His sacrifice was.  How great His love for me is. 


As a mom, I can't imagine the agony You experienced watching Your precious Son endure such
suffering and pain.  I can't bear to think how HE felt when we all rejected Him.  And we all have, at one time or another.  Please forgive me for being so focused on myself that I couldn't see what Jesus did for me.
Thank You, Holy God, for sending Your Son to save me.  Thank You for sending Your Spirit to live in me, providing everything I need to face this life.  Thank You for Your great love and compassion toward us, Your children. Blessed be Your great and glorious Name.  Holy God, You are too wonderful for words.  Please hear my heart's cry of praise and adoration as I put my face to the ground in humility and thankfulness. I pray this all in the sweet, sweet Name of my Savior, Jesus the Christ.  Amen. 
 
 
http://youtu.be/7-zJHgaoVa4 - Indescribable - Chris TomlinHoly Father, I'm on my knees bowing before You with love and gratitude for all You've done for me.  There is no greater love than when a man lays down his life for another.  Father, Jesus did just that for me.  He laid down His life - He took my place - He suffered my punishment - He died so that I might live.  Oh, Father, what great love You have demonstrated - not only in this most gracious gift of Salvation through the sacrifice of Your Son, but in that You sent Him to be man, to fully experience life as a human with all it's problems and struggles. He knows what exactly how I feel when I suffer or struggle because He experienced the same things.  He is compassionate and kind and my ever present help in time of need.

Why did God create us?

http://youtu.be/Pt7OZyBj5Ik - Who Am I - Casting Crowns

Why did God create us?  I guess we'll never fully know the answer.  But this article sheds some light on that age-old question.  http://www.icr.org/articles/view/537/215/  The article below is from the Institute of Creation Research website.

The answer to why did God create us might be easier to understand if we ask ourselves this question:



Richey, Amber, Jayce and Bryce



Why do we choose to have children?

My answer is not unlike God's answer in Revelation 4:11.  I decided to have children for my own pleasure.    As a parent, the love I have  for my children is probably the closest I'll ever get to unconditional love - to God's love.  Being able to lavish that kind of love on my children brings me immeasurable joy.  Watchng my children, interacting with them, loving them, all these things bring me great pleasure.  I think that's how God feels about us.   



Mikey, Jill, Brooklyn and Presley

 When we make a decision to have children, we understand the risks.  And we know that eventually, they will come to the end of their lives.  Why do we decide to have a child when we know that child is destined to die?  They may even have to suffer through illness, disease, hurtful relationships, all kinds of hardship.  In fact, they will endure some of those things, yet we still decide to bring our children into the world.  Why?  So that we can experience the incredible love they bring.  We want to love them, and we pray that they will love us back.  That special relationship between a parent and a child is worth the risk.


I think that's why God created us.  The love He feels for us brings Him so much joy, it's worth the risks.

Love - that's the reason God created us.

http://youtu.be/oWnvmKoLWUU - The Love of God - MercyMe


"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  Revelation 4:11

Why did God Create Us?


by John D. Morris, Ph.D.

Some things cannot be fully comprehended. Infinite things, eternal things, matters of God's sovereignty—these transcend our finite and temporal minds. For example, why did He create us? Certainly He doesn't need us, for He existed in perfect love and unity before He even created time. Furthermore, He even knew beforehand that His image, recreated in man, would reject Him and His Kingship over their lives, resulting in unthinkable pain and suffering and death of all things placed in man's dominion. He foresaw ruinous mutations, debilitating injuries, devastating cancer, etc., as consequences. We can only approach an answer to this unanswerable question by following the hints given in Scripture.

In a more ultimate sense, God knew that man's sin would force His only begotten Son to die an unthinkably horrid death in sacrificial payment for man's sin, and that ungrateful man would even carry out the execution, for Scripture identifies His Son as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). In order to accomplish this fully sufficient sacrifice, the Son willingly set aside aspects of His deity, and "took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7), willingly limiting Himself to bodily form. Why would He do this? If we had not been created, it would not have been necessary. Why did He create us?


While we can never fully answer the question, it helps to recognize that the answer will come only as we recognize the character and attributes of God. First and foremost, God is a God of love, and love must be demonstrated by showering it upon the object of that love. His grace comes only to those who deserve punishment, and the demonstration of His love and grace and mercy stands without parallel among humans.

But in His love He desired reciprocal love, so He created man in His own image. Man was given the ability to respond to God's love or reject it. In the beginning man enjoyed full fellowship with God, but soon rejected Him, bringing the ruination of all creation. This wasn't God's intention, so He implemented His plan for creation to fulfill its intended purpose.

Perhaps the grandest statement of His purpose can be found in Revelation 4:11, where we see heavenly beings gather in His praise, saying, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." And there we have it! God created us for His pleasure, for His ultimate good will, because it is best in His estimation.

Unfortunately, the present world with sin and its penalty permeating all things and processes, temporarily experiences postponement of His ultimate plan, but it will not be forever thwarted. There will be the "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (II Peter 3:13) once again. This is His plan, purpose, and pleasure.

Thus, it makes sense that He would have created things as stated in Scripture, in an orderly, rapid fashion. He would not have used billions of years to create in His image, and He certainly would not have used death, pain, extinction, and survival of the fittest. These are the results of sin and bring Him no pleasure at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank You Father for creating us.  Thank You for Your immeasurable love and patience towards us.  Thank You for allowing us, Your creation, to call You our Father.  I'm so sorry for all the times I must disappoint you with my bad choices and rebelliousness. I could never stand in Your Holy Presence on my own merit but Your great love made a way.  Thank You for sending Your precious Son to save me.  Thank You, Jesus, for covering me with Your righteousness so that I can bow before the Throne of our gracious God, spotless and worthy of His love, not because of anything I've done but because of Your great love and mercy.  You are worthy of all my praise and devotion.  Be glorified in my life, LORD.  Use me for Your Kingdom.  I am Yours.  In the Precious Name of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, my Savior.  Amen.

http://youtu.be/ggGwDrxrC2k - God's love letter