God is Love

My heart is deeply saddened for those in Newtown, Connecticut—especially for the parents who lost their children in such a tragic way. I don't think there is anything more painful than losing a child.

As I was praying this morning, I thought about how many people tend to blame God for things like this. It breaks my heart to think that people could actually believe that God is capable of such horror.
 
There is a fierce battle raging between evil and good. Our generation is living in an unprecedented time of evil. Many have chosen to turn away from God because they don't know His true nature.
 

God is love (1 John 4:8). 

No one understands why such tragedy can exist. There are things we will never be able to understand in this life until we pass into our heavenly home.  

But there is one thing I am certain of more than anything else.

Jesus loves us very deeply.

Our minds cannot comprehend how deep His love is. It is perfect. It is indescribable.

His love heals.

His love comforts.

His love is enough.

I believe that as we turn toward God wholeheartedly, share His perfect love with one another, and truly live in the love of Christ we will see change in our world.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner most being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in LOVE, may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the LOVE of Christ, and to know this LOVE that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3: 16-19 (NIV)

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger, abounding in love.” Psalm103:8 (NIV)

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” Psalm 103:10 (NIV)

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion...” Psalm 103:13 (NIV)

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” Psalm 103:2 (NIV)

A Prayer

Father, I lift up every person who was involved in the tragedy in Newtown. I know You are filled with compassion for those families. I ask You to comfort them in their sorrows. Fill them with the hope and knowledge of Your eternal love. Keep them in the palm of your hand and fill the hole in their hearts with Your love and peace. Bring to their lives beauty to replace the pain. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Lovesick

Song of Solomon 5:8

"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you will tell him: For I am lovesick." NAS

Isaiah 54:5

“For your Maker is your husband--the LORD Almighty is his name--the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.” NIV

Standing next to the bed my grandmother, Mimi, was resting on, I realized she was dying. After a long visit with her that day, I leaned over to hug her and say goodbye the best way I knew how. "You're going to see Papa soon," I exclaimed. To my surprise, Mimi's response was different than I expected. She looked intently at me. "I'm going to see JESUS," she said in a matter of fact way.

That was the last time I saw Mimi in her earthly body. I walked away with a sense of awe about the words she had said during our last time together. I had known how Mimi loved Jesus, but that day I realized the true dept of her love relationship with Him. Seeing Jesus face to face was far more important to her than being reunited with the man she was married to for 61 years. Mimi had a rich relationship with my granddad. She had grieved intensely when he passed on 10 years before her. But in the decade that she had been apart from her earthly husband, she had allowed Christ to sweep her heart away and become the husband her soul needed. I was amazed.

It will be 5 years this summer since that sacred day with Mimi. Her death changed my life. Today, I understand that deep love she had for Jesus because I have found it myself. I have fallen so head over heels in love with Jesus that I'm lovesick. Nothing else can satisfy my soul. Nothing or nobody can meet my needs like Jesus. I pray that the whole world will catch this love bug.

Jesus will come back for His lovesick bride. He won't return until we are ready. Have you fallen in love with Jesus? Or are you stuck in a routine of religious duties?

Jesus is beckoning His people to walk in an intimate love relationship with Him. May we fall at His feet daily and let Him love on us in the way that only HE can.

A Prayer:

Beloved Jesus,

I thank You for the great love You lavish on us—your Beloved Church. I pray that we would be so lovesick for you that we would fall at Your feet constantly to hear Your beautiful voice and to soak in Your amazing love. Lord, let us carry this love message to a broken world. And let the whole world catch this love sickness for YOU. Jesus, oh how we love You. Amen.

Whispers from God:

My heart yearns for you to sit at My feet. One glance from you makes My heart leap. I want your love more than anything else. All that your soul needs is found in Me and My love. Come enter into a beautiful love story with Me. Let My love carry you through life’s challenges. Come rest forever in My perfect love.

Live Abundantly!

Amy

Extravagant Grace

What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word, "grace"? The word evokes many thoughts in my heart. But the very first thought that grace brings to my mind is the God who created the world.

He is grace. The scriptures tell us who He is:

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy " Psalm 103:8 (KJV)

"And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving-kindness and relenting of evil." Joel 2:13 (NAS)

I consider myself to be gracious and compassionate in the way I think and act. It's evident in the way people freely confess their sins to me. I have had a number of women share their secrets with me about their struggles to remain faithful in their marriages. I've learned a great deal about grace through the confessions of these ladies.

Once a woman confessed to me that she was considering leaving her family for another man. I remember weeping as I prayed and asked the Lord, "What should I say to this woman?" I knew it was very critical to speak the truth in love. In these types of situations it is so important to display the heart of God to those who don't truly know Him. Many times we can blurt out the first thing that pops into our heads such as, Oh my goodness, are you crazy? But I sought the Lord for the words to say to the one tempted to leave her family, and He gave me the perfect words filled with His grace.

Many are confused about grace. Grace is not an excuse for being disobedient—it is a reason to be completely obedient to God. His abounding grace should be what causes us to want to obey Him perfectly.

A child is much more apt to listen to a loving, gracious parent, than to one who screams at them in anger and rage. A child wants to please the loving parent. It's the same way with the Lord. I obey His commands because I know how very much He loves me and I don't want to do anything to disturb the closeness I have with Him. In God's word, He shows us that our sin separates us from Him.

"But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear." Isaiah 59:2 (NASB)

I don't want to be away from Him for even one minute, let alone one hour or a week or a month. He has become everything to me. It's His amazing grace that draws me to Himself.

I would rather have my head served on a platter than do anything that would spoil my fellowship with Jesus.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for me and for all believers to walk in unity with the Lord. My desire is for myself and others to be one with Him and share His grace with all those we come in contact with.

The day I talked with the woman about her temptation to leave her family, my words penetrated her heart. She heard through my voice how deeply God loved her, and that He didn't want her to mess up her life. There would be consequences for her wrong choices.

I exhaled a breath that felt big enough to knock over a large building when she told me she had chosen to stay in her marriage and make things work with her husband. Many years later, they are happily married. I believe it was the grace of God displayed through my life that helped her make the right choice.

God’s love is abounding. Until the 2^nd coming of Christ may we—His followers—continually display His extravagant grace.