His Love

Ephesians 3:14-19 (The Message)

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

We need revelation of this magnificent love that the Father has for us! Even as I write this, I know this is an area that I need to grow in!

God wants us to experience Him and this great love. It is to be more than a head knowledge, but something that we KNOW! Jesus came to earth, bore our sins and sicknesses on the cross, suffered and died for us, and was raised again conquering death, hell, and the grave. He put the enemy under His feet, defeating him so that we could have total victory in our lives.

As this scripture says, we are to live full lives! John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us abundant lives! He has wonderful things for each of us. All we need to do is believe and receive what He has already provided.

God wants us to feel good about ourselves. He doesn’t want us to feel like we never measure up. The Bible says that there is “no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. We don’t measure up in ourselves, but because of the great grace that He poured out upon us, we are accepted, forgiven, adopted, redeemed, chosen... God is pleased with us. That is so hard to fathom. He sees us in Jesus and chooses to lavish His goodness upon us! We don’t deserve this awesome love. We can’t do anything to earn it. Therefore, we can’t do anything to lose it. Wow! “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Did you get that? You can’t do anything to lose God’s love. He knew what He was getting when He got you and wants you! It is not based on our own merit or our own goodness. But it is His goodness!

What does this look like for you? You can go about your every day with your head held high and with lots of joy. You can live secure in His love. If you mess up, there is forgiveness. Even if others disappoint you or are disappointed with you, you can have hope knowing that God loves you and wants to bless you in every way.

You, also, can be a blessing to others as you allow those rivers of His love to splash upon all those that you come in contact with. Since we are loved, we can love.

He causes us to be secure in Him. Because of that security, we can add strength to others. We can build and encourage. That not only inspires others, but it adds fullness to our lives!

Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

His love is beyond measure! Let’s determine to get a greater revelation of this. Let’s ask Him to help us to understand this great love!

He's got His Hold on You

Hebrews 13:5-6 – AMP

…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor 

leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you 

helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] 

6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is 

my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. 

What can man do to me? 

Wow!  I love this! I heard a teaching on this and it was explained that He has a grip on our forearm and He is not letting go.  There are so many times that I become weary and lose my hold on Him and it is great to know that He never lets go of us.  He said He would NEVER leave or forsake us. 

People let us down.  Even the best spouse will let you down.  Why?  Because they are human.  We, also, will let people down.  We try… (Don’t you try?) But we have natural, human, (and sometimes very selfish!) love.  

He has perfect love for you.  He IS love! If you are too young to remember seeing the old “Tarzan” movies with Johnny Weissmuller, you’ll have to use your imagination.   Many times people were falling in quick sand and it was pulling them under.  (There is also a scene of this in the “Princess Bride” which is a little closer to your era…)  This is what I picture when I read this verse.  He is always there to throw you a rope and keep you from going under. 

When you feel like you can’t take any more, you can trust that He has not let go of you.  It may not look or feel good, but that is what faith is… Believing what we can’t detect with our senses. 

Is this hard?  You betcha!  Are there times you feel like giving up?  Been there and done that!  But is He faithful?  Yes, yes, and yes again!  Don’t quit.  There is light at the end of your tunnel! 

I remember a young woman losing her child and wanting to rescue her from the hurt.  She sang the praise song, “O No You Never Let Go” with tears streaming down her face.  Later she gave testimony of how the Lord was with her and blessed her with another child.  She chose to praise Him and to believe in the midst of a terrible storm that the Lord was with her through the wind and rain, hurt and despair.  

If He did it before, He’ll do it again!  He’s there for you!!!

The Golden Rule

Luke 6:31 

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 

Short and sweet but very powerful!  Oh, that we would ponder this verse and do it continually! 

It’s so easy to see the speck in someone else’s eye and ignore the plank that is in our own eye.  We are not going to be held accountable for how others may act or have treated you.  BUT you will be held accountable for what YOU do! 

This is very easy for me to relate to with my husband.  Neither of us like it when the other one doesn’t answer a question or doesn’t even grunt or nod to acknowledge a statement.  We find it very rude.  And, yet, we both do it! I would like it if Tim never “ignores” me again!  But, what is more important is that I don’t do it again!  This is something God wants me to strive for. 

The Bible says love is patient and kind.  Are you patient and kind?  Would you like to hear a heavy sigh when you ask someone to do something?  Then don’t do it.  Would you like to have someone roll their eyes at you as if you were stupid?  Then don’t do it. 

Let’s out-serve one another. Want to?  I love being complimented, so I need to give lots!  I love to be blessed with gifts, so let’s give to others even if it only costs $1-$5.  I love to be encouraged with words, so let’s encourage others. Think about things you can do for your mate.  How about your kids?  How about your co-workers?  

As we strive to be a blessing to others, I believe we will be blessed in return. A few verses after this one says, “Give and it will be given unto you.” Maybe the “giver” won’t be the one you give to, but the Lord will see to it that sooner or later that it returns to you. 

Let’s talk about the grocery clerk who runs the cash register.  It is not her fault that they didn’t have your sale item, or that you are in a hurry because you left yourself very little margin.  Be kind.  

I recently heard, “Christians can be the meanest people on earth.”  Yuk!  I don’t want that said about me.  How about you?  I don’t want my kids to say, “She talked the talk, but didn’t walk the walk”. Our actions speak louder than our words! 

I remember being prompted by the Lord to call a bank teller up to apologize for my actions.  Talk about humbling!  But, if it made her response to His love and grace more appealing, so be it!  We don’t get to see the “why”.  Maybe the Lord was just teaching me.  

I’d like to say that I am perfect in this, but that would be a lie! (Thank God for His grace and forgiveness!)  So, want to strive to put this in practice with me? 

Forgiveness Starts with You

Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." 

Seven times is a lot.  To forgive seventy times seven is to forgive infinitely. 

We just experienced hurt and stabbing for the umpteenth time from the same people.  I said to myself, “that is the last time I will be stabbed.” But who am I kidding?  We have no choice other than to forgive.  Ugh! (We do have a choice to not get walked on and to not give certain people the ability to “stab” us again.  You may be in such a situation.  Sometimes you just have to stay away from certain people.) 

But this is not the case most of the time.  When we truly forgive we knowingly give people the opportunity to get us again.  This is when we need to remember what Jesus has done for us. 

Did He have to forgive us?  No.  He is love and chooses to pour His grace and mercy upon us.  He said that no one could take His life from Him, but He gave it willingly. 

The Bible says that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”!  In other words we didn’t do anything to deserve His love.  We didn’t even experience remorse until after He died for us.  He just chose to forgive us! Sometimes people are not sorry for their wrongdoings to you.  They feel no remorse, but are justified in their own minds for acting like jerks (do Christians act like jerks?). But, we are not going to be held accountable for how others’ act.  We are, though, going to give account for our actions, thoughts, and attitudes.  I want to be squeaky clean, but I need His help to want to forgive. 

So, I pray!  I ask God to help me to want to forgive.  I pray blessings for my “enemies”.  I ask that they experience God’s love (when part of me wants them to experience God’s judgment!).  So even though I have yucky feelings, I choose to pray and speak blessings. 

Is this easy?  No.  And I’m sure that everyone will experience this opportunity over and over and over.  

OK, God! We get it! 

As you can see, I need a Savior and I need Him every day!

God is Love

I Corinthians 13:4-7 (New Living Translation)

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

This is who God is!  The Bible says that God is love. This is used as to how we are to act as Christians, but it also describes how He acts toward us.  God is patient and kind.  Let me say that again…GOD IS PATIENT AND KIND!  Wow!  That alone speaks volumes to the many lies that we have heard.  Many of us have seen God as a giant ogre who is waiting to drop the gavel and pronounce judgment on us.  But that is very contrary to what the Bible says.  

This does not come easy for me.  I have to remind myself often of what the Bible says.  It is easy for me to receive guilt and condemnation… But that is NOT God! 

When we screw up…He is patient and kind.  When we ignore His presence… He is patient and kind.  When we deserve punishment…He is patient and kind!  He gave us mercy when we could be French fries. 

This translation says “love is not irritable…”.  Another translation says love is not irritable or touchy. So God doesn’t get mad easily.  It takes a lot to get him angry.  (We need more of Him and less of us in our lives!)  Sometimes I feel like I have ticked Him off and He doesn’t want to hear from me.  That is a lie!  Have you heard it too?  It’s a ploy of the enemy to separate us from the One who loves us most!  We don’t have to walk on eggshells.  I read in the Psalms David whining but he ends up praising.  God is big enough to take our whining, but praising can change the situation!  So, it’s much more productive. 

And the last part of this verse…love never gives up!  He doesn’t give up on us, our spouses, our kids, our neighbors, our government, our co-workers, our church, etc. Our prayers can avail much!  They can make a real difference because we are asking God to be involved in our loved ones lives.  

He will, you know? 

I’m expecting revival to hit Defiance, Ohio…the whole United States. Watching the movie “Woodlawn” showed how God moved in the 70’s and many were saved from all walks of life.  Two whole football teams were saved.  He did it before and He’ll do it again!  

Why?  Because He loves us!

Fight!

Nehemiah 4:14
 When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and 

the rest of the people:  "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and 

awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your 

houses." 

1.  “Don’t be afraid…” Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against 

us?”  And Psalm 91 talks of divine protection.  It is a passage I go to often.  (Actually I 

memorized this psalm and recommend it highly!)  He said that He would never leave or 

forsake us.  The Message Bible talks about Him having a firm grip on you.  Sometimes 

we may feel like we are going under, but He won’t let us drown.  We don’t have to be 

afraid.  We can trust Him! 

2. “Remember the Lord…”  Is there anything too difficult for Him?  He can do the 

impossible in our lives.  He calms the storm and watches over the sparrow.  He cares 

about the big things and the littlest details of your life.  His promises are for each of us.  

He is more faithful than any human and wants to see you through. 

3.  “Fight…” Notice it says “for” and not “with”.  God has given us authority.  Let’s 

not just sit down and watch the enemy create havoc in our homes!  Let’s be determined 

to fight! 

FIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY AND OTHERS:  People are worth fighting for!  Your 

family is worth fighting for!  Most of us will not be fighting literal battles but there is a 

fight just the same.  The world tries to steal the abundant life and wonderful 

relationships that God has provided.  Don't stand back and watch and allow this to 

happen!  Your faith can make a difference!  Tell the devil that he can't have your spouse 

(or whomever)!  

YOUR family is worth fighting for!  Your spouse needs to know that you are 

standing with him.  Your children need to know that mom prays diligently for them and 

is willing to fight spiritual battles for them. This creates security! 

What a huge responsibility you have.  Your life matters!  If we rise up and act on 

the Word of God we become powerful beings.  After all…we have a powerful God living 

on the inside of us! 

Do you “feel” weak and wimpy? I totally understand!  It’s not about how we feel.  

It’s about who we are.  You are a force to be reckoned with and the devil knows it!  Do 

you?

Insecurities

Matthew 16:18 (NASB)

I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 

This passage is very powerful.   Jesus asked who people thought He was and then He asked Peter, “who do you think I am?”  Then He told him who he was!!!  It is soooo important that you KNOW who you are in Christ.  This changed Peter from a reed shaken by the wind to a rock who cannot be moved.  This can change you from insecure to secure! 

Insecurity comes in many different forms and in many different packages.  We think of the beautiful people as not being insecure.  After all, don’t they have everything?  That is very much a lie!  Also, we see the ones that appear very strong and stand-offish as being secure.  That, too, is a lie.  Many women deal with huge insecurities.  Did I say “many”?  You may think that you are the “Lone Ranger” but you are not.  That’s what the devil wants you to think. 

But the woman who knows who she is in Christ can be strong in the power of His might.  She can be beautiful because the joy of the Lord is on her face.  She can be confident because she knows that she is in the Father’s hands.  She can be steadfast because she knows that she is standing on solid ground, not sinking sand. 

A woman who knows who she is in Christ, does not stand in her own abilities and strengths.  We all know that we can and will fail.  But Jesus in us is powerful!  The gates of Hell cannot shake us.  But we can shake the gates of Hell!  We can make Satan sorry that we are involved in a situation for the outcome is not going to be good for him. 

Do I battle with insecurities?  Yes.  But then I remember who I am and who holds my hand.  I am very weak.  BUT He is very strong!  And He promises to see us through anything that comes our way! 

Be secure in that!!!