"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." John 3:16&17 NIV
When you really love someone you express that love in certain ways. It may be with words, it may be with physical touch like a hug or holding hands. It may even be expressed with a gift. My Wife and I have been married a little over 7 years. When we first started dating I would express my feelings for her through the giving of gifts. I would buy flowers, I would buy stuffed animals, I would give her things of value so that she knew she was valued, cared for and loved. It's the Christmas season and many people have spent money on their loved ones to express how cared for and valuable they are. This isn't something that's new, it's something that was expressed over two thousand years ago. God has so much love for us that He has also expressed His love for us in the gift of His Son Jesus who is the Christ. God has given us a very precious gift in Jesus. The Bible tells us that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 NKJV God expressed His love for us while we were at our lowest point. "While we were yet sinners" that means while we were unworthy, while we were doing things that God didn't approve of, while we were crossing the line, God sent His Son to die for us and ultimately pay the price for all the things that we have done wrong, past present and future. As you receive gifts this Christmas season, remember the reason we're celebrating. We're celebrating not a material gift that will fade away, but an eternal gift, the gift of eternal life that was delivered by the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ. God Bless & Choose Life.
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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16&17 NKJV
Its that time of year again where we prepare for Christmas. I'll admit this is probably my favorite part of the year. I love just about every part of the holidays. The colors, the smells, the snow, and especially the food. I really enjoy how people's spirits always seem to be a bit more joyous during this time of year. Of course you will run into a person or two that are mean just because. You know those people who are upset because its sunny outside or just because it's Monday. There is one thing that I don't like though. Over the past few years it seems like Christmas has become more and more commercialized. Every year there is more and more "stuff" that is advertised to purchase. From Cell phones to laptops to tablets to clothes, we're always pushed to buy something else. The truth is within a year whatever we've bought and were excited about at first, we will no longer have a use for when the next holiday comes around. We'll take it and through it on a shelf where it will collect dust. Am I the only one who does this or can you relate? There is one gift that never loses it's value or it's purpose, and that's the Gift of God. God has given us a Gift in His Son Jesus. Jesus will never lose His value or the purpose in the lives of those who receive Him. John 3:16 is probably one of, if not the most memorized Scripture in the Bible. In this one verse Jesus Himself talks about God's love for the world and the gift that He has given. This verse paints a picture of God's love for the world. In fact it shows us how the gift of God was produced from love. God loved us even when we didn't deserve it. Many of us have lived lives that totally reject God. We may not say it out right, but by our actions we prove it. Have you ever heard the saying, "actions speak louder than words?" Many of us reject God through our actions on a daily basis, through how we treat people, through how we think, through the words that we use, and through the general neglect of God in our lives. But even though we reject Him, He still loves us. In Jeremiah 31:3a He tells us, "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love." There are many meanings to the original word in the text for everlasting. What it boils down to is that God has loved us from the beginning and His love for us will last through eternity. Isn't that amazing? Many people say that they love us, some really mean it. Sometimes though when we hit a rough spot or we get into trouble, those same people who say they love us are no where to be found. The love that God has for us isn't like that. It's an unconditional love that never goes away. In fact, there is nothing that you or I can do to make God stop loving us. The Apostle Paul speaks to this in Romans 8:38&39. He says, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things, present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." God loves us and there's nothing we can do about it. I want to encourage you today with this, when you feel alone, realize that God loves you. Even if friends and family say they love you but are no where to be found when you need them, know that God has loved you with an everlasting love and He's promised to never leave you nor forsake. First and foremost, know that God loves you and His love never goes away. He's proven His love for us by giving us the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Remember that there is nothing that you or I can do to stop Him from loving us. Secondly, If you're in a place of Sin, He desires for you to come back to Him in repentance. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Thirdly, spend some time with God today, just you and Him. Talk to Him about the love He has for you, and ask Him is there anything that you need to get right with Him. What are some ways that you remember the love that God has for you? Comment below. God Bless and Choose Life. "Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray." (Mark 1:35 NLT)
When was the last time you were alone with no distraction. Think about it. When was the last time you were somewhere where you couldn't be distracted by external factors? When was the last time you spent time with God in His presence? Solitude is the state or situation of being alone. For some this concept may be foreign. In our culture it's nearly impossible to be alone. There is something always in our presence to distract us. Many of us are so wrapped up in the busyness of life that we don't realize that our souls are suffering. All of us are busy. We're busy with careers, we're busy being students, we're busy trying to accomplish goals and to achieve dreams, parenting and all the other stuff that engulfs our lives. If we're honest, even with all the things that we accomplish, we still feel empty. Personally I've felt a void even when I've had some great successes. Even when I've done what I love to do, preaching and teaching others, I've felt a void after I was through. I've discovered that there's only one think that can fill that void and that is God Himself. My Soul is satisfied when I spend time with God. Culture has pushed us away from the practice of solitude. Our lives have become saturated with technology and information at our fingertips. Smart phones and Tablets provide for us great convenience, which I'm grateful to have to accomplish work. However, with that convenience comes immediate accesses to distraction. For the sake and health of your spiritual growth I encourage you to take regular times of solitude. Unplug from technology, get off of social media, go some place and get quiet. In these times of solitude allow God to speak with you. Allow Him to help you work through some of the struggles that life sometimes throws at us. We can agree that Jesus' s life was full. He dealt with difficult situations on a day to day basis. He also spent a lot of time serving with the people. I've often wondered how did He keep it all together. The Bible paints a picture for us a habit, Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, practiced on a consistent basis. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed." (Mark 1:35 NIV) "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16 NIV) Just in these two verses we see that Jesus had a habit of getting away and being by Himself. If Jesus who is the creator of Heaven and Earth, took times of solitude, how much more should we. This week put into practice solitude. Make a plan and execute it. See what difference it makes in your life. God Bless and Choose Life. Comment below and let me know how it went. |
AuthorHusband, Father, Red-Letter Christian, Preacher of the Gospel. Archives
June 2021
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