GOD'S LOVE FOR US!!!!

Perfect Love by Max Lucado Isn’t it good to know that even when we don’t love with a perfect love, he does? God always nourishes what is right. He always applauds what is right. He has never done wrong, led one person to do wrong, or rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For he is love,and love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6 NASB). God passes the test of 1 Corinthians 13:6. Well, he should; he drafted it. So where does this leave us? Perhaps with a trio of reminders. When it comes to love: Be careful. Until love is stirred, let God’s love be enough for you. There are seasons when God allows us to feel the frailty of human love so we’ll appreciate the strength of his love. Didn’t he do this with David? Saul turned on him. Michal, his wife, betrayed him.Jonathan and Samuel were David’s friends, but they couldn’t follow him into the wilderness. Betrayal and circumstances left David alone. Alone with God. And, as David discovered, God was enough. David wrote these words in a desert: “Because your love is betterthan life, my lips will glorify you.… My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods” (Ps. 63:3, 5 NIV). Be prayerful. What if it’s too late? Specifically, what if you’re married to someone you don’t love—or who doesn’t love you? Many choose to leave. That may be the step you take. But if it is, take at least a thousand others first. And bathe every one of those steps inprayer. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Ask God to help you love as he loves. “God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love” (Rom. 5:5 CEV). Ask everyone you know to pray for you. Your friends. Yourfamily. Your church leaders. Get your name on every prayer list available. And, most of all, pray for and, if possible, with your spouse. Ask the same God who raised the dead to resurrect the embers of your love. Be grateful. Be grateful for those who love you. Be grateful for those who have encouraged you to do what is right and applauded when you did. Do you have people like that in your world? If so, you are doubly blessed. Be grateful for them. And be grateful for your Fatherin heaven. From A Love Worth Giving The Consequences of Sin Genesis 3:14-19 Christians tend to categorize sins, rating some as small and inconsequential, but others as huge and far-reaching in the damage they cause. In reality, no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not onlythe sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future. If we were to separate Adam and Eve's sin from its context, few of us would convict them of great transgression. All they did was swallow some fruit from a tree with a "do not eat" sign. Today people think nothing of ignoringcommands—even biblical ones. But God has a totally different view of our sins. Each one is followed by negative consequences. Adam and Eve's disobedience led to pain and frustration in two basic areas of fulfillment—relationships and meaningful work.The whole earth fell under sin's curse, and every person born since then has entered the world with a sin nature that alienates each one from the Lord. That first rebellion plunged humanity into a terrible condition. Civilization is now plagued by countless ramifications of the innumerable sins committed by human beings throughout the ages. Is it any wonder the world isin such sad shape? Sin not only causes suffering; it robs us of God's best. The Garden of Eden is closed and locked to sinful mankind. The good news of Christ's grace and forgiveness is our only real hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin's consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to Him. ------------------------------------------------------------------ His Wing Shelters You by Max Lucado “He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers.” (Psalm91:4) My college friends and I barely escaped a West Texas storm before it pummeled the park where we were spending a Saturday afternoon. As we were leaving, my buddy brought the car to a sudden stop and gestured to a tender sight on the ground. A mother birdsat exposed to the rain, her wing extended over her baby who had fallen out of the nest. The fierce storm prohibited her from returning to the tree, so she covered her child until the wind passed. From how many winds is God protecting you? His wing, at this moment, shields you. A slanderous critic heading toward your desk is interrupted by a phone call. A burglar en route to your house has a flat tire. A drunk driver runs out of gas before your carpasses his. God, your guardian, protects you from: “every trap” (Ps.91:3); “the fatal plague” (Ps.91:3); “the plague that stalks in darkness” (Ps.91:6); “the terrors of the night…the dangers of the day” (Ps.91:5). --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changed from the Inside Out by Max Lucado When you believe in Christ, Christ works a miracle in you. You are permanently purified and empowered by God himself. The message of Jesus to the religious person is simple: It’s not what you do. It’s what I do. I have moved in. And in time you can say withPaul, “I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). If I’m born again, why do I fall so often? Why did you fall so often after your first birth? Did you exit the womb wearing cross-trainers? Did you do the two-step on the day of your delivery? Of course not. And when you started to walk, you fell more than you stood. Should we expect anything differentfrom our spiritual walk? But I fall so often, I question my salvation. Again, we return to your first birth. Didn’t you stumble as you were learning to walk? And when you stumbled, did you question the validity of your physical birth? Did you, as a one-year-old fresh flopped on the floor, shake your head andthink, I have fallen again. I must not be human? Of course not. The stumbles of a toddler do not invalidate the act of birth. And the stumbles of a Christian do not annul his spiritual birth. Do you understand what God has done? He has deposited a Christ seed in you. As it grows, you will change. It’s not that sin has no more presence in your life, but rather that sin has no more power over your life. Temptation will pester you, but temptationwill not master you. What hope this brings! Hear this. It’s not up to you! Within you abides a budding power. Trust him! Think of it this way. Suppose you, for most of your life, have had a heart condition. Your frail pumper restricts your activities. Each morning at work when the healthy employees take the stairs, you wait for the elevator. But then comes the transplant. A healthy heart is placed within you. After recovery, you return to work and encounter the flight of stairs—the same flight of stairs you earlier avoided. By habit, you start for the elevator. But then you remember. You aren’tthe same person. You have a new heart. Within you dwells a new power. Do you live like the old person or the new? Do you count yourself as having a new heart or old? You have a choice to make. You might say, “I can’t climb stairs; I’m too weak.” Does your choice negate the presence of a new heart? Dismiss the work of the surgeon? No. Choosing the elevator would suggest only one fact—you haven’t learned to trust your new power. It takes time. But at some point you’ve got to try those stairs. You’ve got to test the new ticker. You’ve got to experiment with the new you. For if you don’t, you will run out of steam. Religious rule keeping can sap your strength. It’s endless. There is always another class to attend, Sabbath to obey, Ramadan to observe. No prison is as endless as the prison of perfection. Her inmates find work but never find peace. How could they? They never know when they are finished. Christ, however, gifts you with a finished work. He fulfilled the law for you. Bid farewell to the burden of religion. Gone is the fear that having done everything, you might not have done enough. You climb the stairs, not by your strength, but his. Godpledges to help those who stop trying to help themselves. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6.) God will changeyou from the inside out. From Next Door Savior Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2003) Max Lucado ------------------------------------------------------------------- Devoted to God Psalms 62:1-2 Having been saved by faith in Christ, we express our love and gratitude through devotion to Him. Regular Bible study and prayer will be an integral part of our daily lives. In addition, our commitment to the Lord will be revealed through a passion to obey, a spirit of humility, and a servant's heart. 1.Obedience. David sought to obey God all his life. As a shepherd boy, he faithfully tended the animals in his father's fields. While king, he set aside his desire to build the temple and let Solomon lead the effort, as God had commanded.Although David lived imperfectly, his desire was to do what the Lord asked. We see from Jesus' words in John 14:15 that obedience should be our high priority as well: He said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." 2.Humility. After David killed Goliath, the crowds shouted praise about the young man. However, he did not become prideful. Instead, he remained in King Saul's service and waited for God to make him the ruler of Israel. Even as king, he remainedhumble. He knew that what had been accomplished was because of the Lord's actions and not his own (2 Sam. 7:18). 3.Service. Whether David was a lowly shepherd or a mighty king, his goal was to obey God and serve Him. This man after God's own heart was devoted to his Lord. He sought to know Him and longed to carry out His will. David's actions reflected His humble attitude of servanthood and his longing to please his heavenly Father. Take steps each day to be sure yourlife expresses commitment to Jesus. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Basis for Discernment Hebrews 4:12-13 Since spiritual discernment is the ability to see life from God's perspective, it requires that we know how He thinks and acts. The Bible is His unchanging, infallible revelation of Himself. However, the Lord doesn't simply give us a list of facts about His character and ways. All throughout the pages of Scripture, He illustrates who He is and how He operates. Although the Bible is ancient, it's not a dead book. It's alive and as fresh as if He were speaking directly to you. The stories may have taken place centuries ago, but the principles and applications are current and relevant. It's our instruction book abouthow to live. Guidance for decisions and discernment about situations are found from Genesis to Revelation. God's Word is active and piercing. The words don't simply sit on the page. They penetrate our hearts and judge our thoughts and motives. This convicting quality is why some people don't like to read the Bible. But self-discernment is essential if we don'twant to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Some Christians live on a surface level, never understanding why they react to situations the way they do. But if we'll approach the Word of God with an open spirit, it will bring to light our hiddenmotives and reveal unrecognized sins. Spiritual discernment involves seeing not just our circumstances but also ourselves from God's perspective. Have you learned to embrace the piercing sword of Scripture, or have you avoided doing so because it makes you uncomfortable? Remember, God's Wordcuts only so that it can heal. -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Sword “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” (Matthew10:34) The Christian life is a life of war, and the Christian soldier must be a skilled swordsman if he is to survive and win. In our text, Jesus taught that a peaceful life would not be the Christian’s lot but a life of swordsmanship instead. The first “sword” mentioned in the Old Testament was not a sword of metal but a “flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis3:24). Likewise, the final sword mentioned in the New Testament is “the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth” (Revelation19:21). This is the fiery sword with which the coming “man of sin” (2Thessalonians 2:3) will be defeated, “whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” (v. 8). “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slaythe wicked” (Isaiah11:4). The mighty “word of the LORD” by which “were the heavens made” (Psalm33:6) is still a flaming sword, turning every way, for “out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword” (Revelation1:16), as John saw Him in His present glory. Furthermore, we can wield this same sword by His Spirit, for “the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews4:12). The Christian armor, as outlined in Ephesians 6:13-17, is all defensive armor with the one exception of the prayerful use of “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v. 17). In this wonderful text, the spoken “word of God” is in view—the sword applied, on either edge, turningevery way, probing exactly when and where needed in each encounter of every battle of the Christian warfare. HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The King is Coming - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/08/02/the-king-is-coming-by-daymond-duck/ This article is different from what I usually write, but I decided to present some Scriptures and comments that will hopefully help readers understandthe situation. I do have a reason for presenting these Scriptures. First, concerning the signs of His coming and the end ofthe age, Jesus said, "Learn a parable of the Fig Tree" (Matt. 24:32-35). There is wide agreement among prophecy teachers that the Fig Tree is Israel, and Jesus was saying, "Watch Israel" (Hos. 9:10; Jer. 24). Jesus was talking to His Jewish disciples when He revealed the parable of the Fig Tree, and this was before the Church and the New Testament came intobeing, so I want to examine a prophecy from the Old Testament. Second, the prophet Isaiah wrote, "For unto us a childis born [first coming], unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder [Second Coming]: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his governmentand peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isa. 9:6-7). The birth of Jesus and His first coming literally happened, so it is not unreasonable to believe that the Second Coming of Jesus will literally happen. Isaiah even said, "The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." God performed a virgin birth to make a physical first coming happen, and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead makes a physical Second Coming possible. Third, God promised to raise Israel from the dead in oneday so Israel could go through the 70th week of Daniel (so Israel can go through the Tribulation Period; Isa. 66:7-8; Dan. 9:25-27). God showed Ezekiel a Valley of Dry Bones that He said represented the whole house of Israel (Ezek. 37:1-11). God said He would bring those dry bones out of their graves among the heathen. God would raise Israel from the dead (like Jesus at His first coming) and take Israel back to the land of Israel (Ezek. 37:12-21). Fourth, God said, "I will make them one nation" (not aNorthern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom) . . . "And David my servant shall be king over them . . . And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forevermore" (Ezek. 37:24-28). It looks like the Tribulation Period is shaping up; and according to the Bible, it will end with the return of the resurrected King of kings to theresurrected nation of Israel to take the government of the world upon His shoulders (Rev. 19). Fifth, now let's read something from the New Testament,"And the angel [Gabriel] said unto her [Mary], Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest:and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:30-33). This kingdom is mentioned in the Book of Revelation. There will be 7 seal judgments and then 7 trumpet judgments. Listen to what happens when the 7th angel blows the 7th trumpet "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, Thekingdoms of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev. 11:15). When the 7th trumpet sounds near the middle of the Tribulation Period, God will begin to destroy the nations to take possession of this world. He redeemed this world at the cross, and He will take it back during the last half of the Tribulation Period. Then, He will come back at the end of the Tribulation Period to establish His throne. God may be giving us a preview of some of the Tribulation Period events to let us know that it is getting close. Sixth, notice God's fulfilled promises up to this point. God promised to raise Israel from the dead; to raise Israel from the dead before the Tribulation Period; to raise Israel from the dead in one day;to take Israel back to the land of Israel; to make Israel one nation (not two); to cause Mary to bear a Son, and that He should be named Jesus. Seven, notice what must still happen. God promised to give Mary's Son the throne of David (an earthly throne in Jerusalem, different from being seated at the right hand of the Father inheaven); to make Mary's Son the King of Israel; to sanctify Israel; to dwell in the midst of Israel; that Jesus will reign over the house of Jacob forever (the house of Jacob is not the Church; it is Israel), and that there will be no end to the kingdom thatwill be ruled by Jesus. Eight, there is more about the King and Israel in the OldTestament, "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: andthis is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jer. 23:5-6). "I will take you [Israel] from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkleclean water upon you [Israel], and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you [Israel], and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of yourflesh, and I will give you [Israel] an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you [Israel], and cause you [Israel] to walk in my statutes, and ye [Israel] shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye [Israel] shall dwell in the land that I gave toyour fathers; and ye [Israel] shall be my people, and I will be your [Israel's] God" (Ezek. 36:24-28). "And it shall come to pass in that day [at the Battle of Armageddon], that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. AndI will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem [the Jews], the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall bein bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn" (Zech. 12:9-10). "And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one" (Zech. 14:9). Jesus is the King of the Jews, but He is also the King of kings and Lord of lords. The government that will be upon His shoulders will include Israel and all of the nations (Jews and Gentiles). Nine, the New Testament contains more about the salvationof Israel. Paul wrote, "...blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written,There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins" (Rom. 11:25b-27). Israel's blindness is temporary; all Israel will be saved; God will cause Israel to repent (give up her ungodliness), and God made a covenant to takeaway Israel's sins. Ten, Psalm 2 may be relevant for our time. Verse 1: "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" •Why are the Gentile mobs raging and imagining worthless things? •Why are people rioting, looting, stealing, and imagining things that won't do anyone any good? Verse 2: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,' •The mobs are not doing this by themselves. •The world's political leaders have hardened their hearts and conspired with others against God and against His anointed, Jesus Christ. Verse 3: 'Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.' •These mobs and political leaders have come together to say we intend to fundamentally transform the world. •We intend to break the restraints of the Scriptures and the Judeo-Christian ethic. •We intend to weaken the Church and Israel. •We intend to get rid of the Bible and the Ten Commandments. •We intend to silence those that say abortion and same-sex marriage are wrong. Verse 4: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." •God is laughing at their foolish idea. •God is so powerful in comparison to these mobs and the foolish political leaders of the world that He looks at their plot to break the restraints of the Scriptures, weaken theChurch and Israel as a lot of hot air. •The idea that anyone can oppose God and get away with it is preposterous. Verse 5: "Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." •God will speak to the mobs and world's political leaders with anger and afflict them with His obvious displeasure (Trib. Per.) •He is not pleased with those that are trying to establish a world government whose goal is to legislate Him and Jesus out of existence. •It is impossible to marginalize God and Jesus or to make them irrelevant. Verse 6: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." •Despite what they are doing, God will still move forward with His plan to put Jesus on the throne. •The effort of the mobs and world's political leaders to get rid of the Bible, weaken the Church and Israel will not stop God or even slow Him down. •God's plan to set Jesus on the throne in Jerusalem will go forward on His schedule. Verse 7: "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." •God declared to the world that Jesus is God's Son when God raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 13:33). It is a mistake to try to ignore the God that raised Jesus from the dead. Verse 8: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." •God told Jesus to ask of Him and He [God] will give Jesus the people on earth for His possession. •Satan is the prince of the power of the air, but all Jesus needs to do is ask, and the God that raised Jesus from the dead will give Jesus absolute rule over this earth. Verse 9: "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." •Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, is coming to judge this earth. •He will take over the world. •He will break the rebellion on earth with a rod of iron and smash the nations like an angry person smashes a vessel of clay. Verse 10: "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth." •God has a message for the world's political leaders and others. •Be wise; Take this advice. Verse 11: "Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling." •Serve God with respect and rejoice with an understanding of how powerful He is. Verse 12: "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put theirtrust in him." •Love on Jesus because He could be angry, and it would only require a little of His anger to destroy everyone on earth. •Know that Jesus will bless everyone that puts their trust in Him. Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc. Daymond & Rachel Duck ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fear Nothing but Sin, Desire Nothing but God - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Sonof God, who loved me and gave himself for me. -Galatians 2:20 The 18th-century preacher John Wesley once wrote to a fellow believer, "Give me one hundred who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, andI care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen. Such alone will shake the gates of hell, and set up the kingdom of heaven upon earth." It reminds me of the complaint an angry mob in Thessalonica brought to the city leaders: "These who have turned the world upside down have come heretoo" (Acts 17:6 NLT). Although this was a criticism, it was a supreme compliment as well. It acknowledged the impact that Paul and Silas were making on their first-centuryworld. Jesus said, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34 NKJV). His disciples would have easily understood this illustration. In the first century, when they saw someone surrounded by Roman guards and carrying across through the streets of Jerusalem, there would have been no question in their minds as to what was going to happen. That person was about to be laid down on that cross and crucified on it. Someone who carried a cross was someone who was going to die. The person Jesus was describing is someone who wants God's will more than their own. The apostle Paul said, "My old self has been crucified with Christ.It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20 NLT). If ever there was a time when the world needed to be turned upside down, so to speak, the time is now. But fair-weather followers need not apply. It will have to happen through committed believers like those whom John Wesley was looking for: people who fear nothing but sin and desire nothingbut God. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------