This Is Love

 

It's not our love for God but it's God's love for us that sent Jesus to die the death we deserve to give us what we don't deserve (forgiveness, salvation, eternal life with Him in Heaven). Sin separated us from God. God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. Because God is holy, righteous, and just, sin has to be dealt with. Out of love, God gave His one and only Son to be the atoning sacrifice (propitiation/the mercy seat) for our sin (to pay the penalty for our sin once and for all/to satisfy God's justice and wrath towards our sin), in order to restore our relationship with Him.

God is the Source of true love (agape). Agape love is unconditional, sacrificial, and selfless. It seeks the highest good for another no matter what the cost may be, as shown by Christ's sacrificial death on our behalf. God offered His Son to rescue us regardless of our decision to accept or reject Jesus, His gracious Gift. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Christ died for our sins even when we're still enemies of God. God loves us first before we turn to Him...before we seek Him...before we love Him. He did not wait for us to love Him first before showing His love to us. God's love for us does not depend on who we are or what we do. God loves the guilty, the rebellious, the wicked, the unworthy, the ungrateful, and the unloving. God's amazing love for us never changes. God loved us to death (literally) before we did anything deserving of love. Christ's death on the cross was the ultimate expression of God's love for mankind. The most glorious display of His lovingkindness! We must follow God's example. Take the initiative in loving others, loving everyone, including the unlovable. Love like Jesus!

"When you love the unloving, you get a glimpse of what God does for you." (Max Lucado)

"We cannot choose whom we will love if we claim to be Christians." (Unknown)

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me before I even knew You! Thank You for Christ's sacrifice for my sins! My heart is overwhelmed with Your unfailing & unconditional love for me. Please love through me...help me love others with Your agape love. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Friday's Fave Five #24

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My fave five this week include:
1. Congratulations to our 17 yo daughter, Alyssa, for placing third in the local Bible Bee competition and for qualifying for the National Bible Bee! We will not be able to go to Illinois for the national competition due to the expenses.  We are thankful and pleased that she enjoys hiding God's Word in her heart.  "I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11) To God alone be the glory!

2. Summer Reading Program at our  local library.  My 3 kids and I participated in it.  We turned our reading logs in for chances to win prizes (we love to read, anyway :)).  I won a $5 giftcard for a local coffee shop and Alyssa won a $50 Fred Meyer giftcard.

3. Free evangelism training webinar hosted by The Way of the Master. 
Great speakers included Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron, Emeal Zwayne, Tony Miano, Mark Spence, and Stuart Scott.

4. My latest post on Faithful Feet: How You Live
To read other posts written by me on that international Christian blog: click this link http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com/author/livingforgod/

5. This video by The Way of the Master: Are You a Good Person?. 
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice." Romans 3:23-25a

Nothing But the Blood

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the videos.

Nothing But the Blood (Words and Music by Robert Lowry, 1826-1899)


Nothing But the Blood by Matt Redman

"Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Hebrews 9:22b
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood." Romans 3:23-25a

Only the shedding of God's Son's blood can satisfy God's justice for our past, present, and future sins.  Christ's blood makes us righteous (have right standing with God).  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your precious blood that makes me white as snow!

"Nothing can for sin atone--nothing but the blood of Jesus; naught of good that I have done--nothing but the blood of Jesus." ~Robert Lowry (from the hymn above (the first song); this stanza was not sung in the video).


Previous Songs:
- Redeemer
- Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
- Faithful One
- Your Love Broke Through
- Until the Whole World Hears
- Take My Life
- In Christ Alone
- Sweetly Broken
- Be Thou My Vision
- God With Us
- Offering- Christmas Version 
- How Many Kings
- Give Thanks
- When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
- He Knows My Name
- Oh Lord, You're Beautiful!

- What the Lord Has Done in Me

- I Surrender All
- Mighty To Save
- Could I Be Called a Christian?
- Cry Out to Jesus
- Jesus, Be the Center
- God of Justice
- Love That Will Not Let Me Go
- I Will Offer Up My Life
- When It's All Been Said and Done
- Knowing You, Jesus

Book Review: Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

Book: Dug Down Deep

Author: Joshua Harris

Summary:
What will you build your life on?

With startling transparency, Joshua Harris shares how we can rediscover the relevance and power of Christian truth. This book shows a young man who rose quickly to success in the Christian evangelical world before he realized his spirituality lacked a foundation—it rested more on tradition and morality than on an informed knowledge of God.

For the indifferent or spiritually numb, Harris's humorous and engaging reflections on Christian beliefs show that orthodoxy isn't just for scholars—it is for anyone who longs to know the living Jesus Christ. As Harris writes, "I've come to learn that theology matters. It matters not because we want to impress people, but because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. Theology matters because if we get it wrong then our whole life will be wrong."

Whether you are just exploring Christianity or you are a veteran believer finding yourself overly familiar and cold-hearted, Dug Down Deep will help you rediscover the timeless truths of Scripture. As Harris challenges you to root your faith and feelings about God in the person, work, and words of Jesus, he answers questions such as:

What is God like and how does he speak to me?What difference does it make that Jesus was both human and divine?How does Jesus's death on the cross pay for my sins?Who is the Holy Spirit and how does he work in my life?

With grace and wisdom, Harris will inspire you to revel in the truth that has captured his own mind and heart. He will ask you to dig deep into a faith so solid you can build your life on it. He will point you to something to believe in again.

Author Bio:
Joshua Harris is senior pastor of Covenant Life in Gaithersburg , Maryland , which belongs to the Sovereign Grace network of local churches. A passionate speaker with a gift for making theological truth easy to understand, Joshua is perhaps best known for his runaway bestseller, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, which he wrote at the age of twenty-one. His later books include Boy Meets Girl, Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is), and Stop Dating the Church. The founder of the NEXT conferences for young adults, Joshua is committed to seeing the gospel transferred to a new generation of Christians. He and his wife, Shannon, have three children.

My Review:
This is the first book by Joshua Harris that I have read.  I enjoyed the book , appreciated his honesty and humility, and loved his drawing.  He shares about his experiences along his faith journey...the good, the bad, and the ugly.  He comes to the conclusion that what we know about God is truly essential in our Christian walk.  The author tries to help readers understand and realize the importance and practicality of theology, doctrine, and orthodoxy.  He proceeds to dig into various Christian doctrines such as the doctrine of God (theology proper), the doctrine of Scripture, the doctrine of the person and work of Christ, the doctrine of atonement and propitiation, the doctrine of salvation, the doctine of sanctification, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and the doctrine of the church.  In the last chapter, he reminds us to boldly (not arrogantly or pridefully) stand up for God's truth and at the same time, to remain humble, gentle, and gracious.  This is a down-to-earth book that digs deep into what we believe and why we believe it.   


~This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.