“And I pray that YOU, being rooted and established in LOVE, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the LOVE of Christ, and to know this LOVE that surpasses knowledge…” Ephesians 3:17b-19a
There’s a divine story of God’s unfailing love being written for each of us by name. How will our story end? That answer is up to us. From cover to cover, the Bible is a living novel written by a living God as to the lengths He personally goes to in order to forever eternally restore our fractured, broken love relationship with Him – by OUR OWN doing mind you. Yet, even with knowledge of our sin, God loves us still. Say what? Yes, we heard that right. We – unworthy, undeserving, unholy, guilty, shamed, broken and disobedient are YET loved. What? Come on, that can’t be! Oh but it is. Truly. God’s offering of His sacrificial unfailing love to forgive us – yes, every one of us – all of our sins, wrongs, miscues and missteps IS available and offered to each of us by name. Why? So that He can personally spend eternity with us, yes US in Heaven. Wow! Oh my goodness. What? Now that’s a love story that each of us has the opportunity to be a significant part of. The question is, will we accept God’s gift of unfailing enduring eternal love or reject it?
1 John 4:9 says, “This is how God showed His LOVE among us: He sent His One and Only Son into the world that WE might live through Him.” Notice something? God moves first. We respond second. God didn’t do anything wrong – we did. All the chaos in the world – in our world today is due to our sin, not His. And YET, God so desires to lovingly set everything right – not just now, but into eternity. How? Get this:
– God’s Purpose is LIFE! “In Jesus was life, and that life is the light of all mankind.” – John 1:4
– Our Problem is SIN! A selfish arrogant ‘I’ problem. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” – Romans 3:23
– God’s Solution is JESUS! “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people.” – 1 Timothy 2:5-6a
– Our Response is to CHOOSE! Will we accept or reject God’s gift of love! “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God WHEN they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood…” Romans 3:25a
– God Provides two GIFTS! Our pardon. His presence. The gifts of our pardon coupled then with His divine presence to live in, on and alongside us 24/7. “Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 2:38
– Our Response is to LIVE for and LOVED by God! Will we? Not just now, but into eternity! “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.” – John 3:16 And 1 John 4:19 adds, “We love because God first loved us.” Are we? Will we?
Again, there’s a divine story of God’s unfailing love being written for each of us by name. How will our story end? That answer is up to us. The question is, will we accept this God’s personal gift of His unfailing, eternal and enduring love today and live LOVED by God? Not just now, but into all eternity! What’s our choice? What’s your choice? I choose God’s LOVE! Will you? Perhaps, this will help. Stop right now and say this: “I am loved!” Say it again: “I am loved!” Now say it like this: “God loves me! HE loves ME! Yes, ME!” For some of us, that is the first time we have ever heard, said or experienced that. God’s love IS transformational isn’t it? Oh yeah! So will we accept this God’s gift of love today? Everyday? Will we echo these words in Psalm 6:4, “Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.” I invite you to do so today. If you have for the first time please email me at info@c3ocala.com and we will discuss your next steps in this marvelous love relationship with God.
Check out this powerful song. “Yes Jesus loves me. Even ME!”
You are loved friends. Truly. God loves you!
Pastor Doug Reed
See you this Sunday at 9 or 10:30 AM either online or in person as we celebrate God’s love for us! See you soon friends.
