As we step into 2014 I hope each of you took the challenge I placed before you last week to journey through the NKJV Chronological Bible using Iva May’s blog site at www.chronologicalbibleteaching.com. Click on ‘menu’ and then click on ‘blog’ to follow daily writings to enhance your study from the word that day.
I pray that you also have been taking to heart the look at God's character attributes we are reading about over the last months. I keep saying this, but I must say it again, “We don't trust who we don't know!" You cannot live a life of faith apart from trusting God. This means trusting that He is who He says He is and that He will accomplish that which He says He will accomplish and He has the power to do it. All of this is in spite of how we "feel" and what our "circumstances" are at the time. I want to continue looking at His attributes today but first let me encourage you to be in pray for us as we solidify our trips overseas this year. We are continuing to work on Tanzania, Ghana, and Thailand. As you know we prayerfully seek God on where He would have us go. We have learned that just because you can go doesn't mean you are supposed to go. We want to be where He is directing us to go. Also, I want to thank all of you for your giving last year and look forward to how God will use you to further His kingdom work through prayer, giving, gifting, and going in 2014.
The attribute of God I want us to look at today is God is Loving (Love)... God so loves that He gives Himself for another, even to the laying down of His own life. He desires the other's highest good without any thought for Himself. This love is not based upon the worth, response, or merit of the object being loved.
1 John 4:8 (ESV)
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:19 (ESV)
We love because he first loved us.
Romans 5:8 (ESV)
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Deuteronomy 33:3 (ESV)
Yes, he loved his people, all his holy ones were in his hand; so they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you,
Deuteronomy 33:26 (ESV)
There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty.
Psalm 103:17 (ESV)
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,
Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)
The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Charles Spurgeon said of John McDuff...."he writes popularly, yet he is by no means shallow".
Enjoy these words He penned regarding God's Love..
THE LOVE OF GOD - "God is love." 1 John 4:16
"The only real mystery of the Bible," says an old writer, "is a mystery of Love." "God so loved the world that He gave His only- begotten Son." What! that for a lost and ruined world, the Prince of Life should leave His Throne of glory, travel down to a valley of tears, and expire by an ignominious death on the bitter tree! Love unutterable! unspeakable! The reflection of the skeptic of a by-gone age, may have formed at times the musing of better minds, "This is far too great- it is far too good to be true." Infinite majesty compassionating infinite weakness! The great Sun of heaven, the Fountain of uncreated light, undergoing an eclipse of darkness and blood for the sake of a candle that glimmered in nothingness in comparison with His beams.
"God so loved the world." Man never can get farther in the solution of the wondrous problem. Eternity itself will form a ladder- the saints climbing step by step its ascending glories- but, as the prospect widens, each new altitude will elicit the same confession, "the love of Christ, which passes knowledge."
My soul! seek to enter into the secrets of this Love of your adorable Redeemer! Before all time, that love began. We have glimpses of it bursting out from the recesses of a past eternity- "Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him!" And "when the fullness of the time had come," though foreseen were all His untold sufferings- nothing would deter Him from pursuing His anguished path- "He set His face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem;"- no, as if longing for the hour of victory, He exclaimed. "There is a terrible baptism ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished!"
Think of that love now! The live coals in the censer of old form a feeble type of the burning ardor of affection still manifested by our Great High Priest within the veil, in behalf of His own people. There He bears the name of each indelibly engraved on His breastplate; loving them at the beginning, He will love them even unto the end. Earthly love may grow cold and changeable; earthly love may die. Not so the love of this "Friend of friends." It is strong as death- surviving death, no, as deathless as eternity! Listen to His own exponent of its intensity- "As the Father has loved He, so have I loved you!" "You see in Him;" says an old writer, "an ocean of love without bottom, without bounds, overflowing the banks of heaven, streaming down upon this poor world to wash away the vileness of man!"
Blessed Jesus! How cold, and fitful, and transient has been my love to You in comparison of Your love to me! Bring me more under its constraining influence. May this be the superscription on all my thoughts and actions; my occupations and my time– 'I am not my own. Lord, I am Yours! How can I love You enough, who have so loved me! My life shall henceforth be one thank-offering of praise for Your redeeming mercies.'
Standing this night on the shores of this illimitable ocean- surveying its length and breadth- every wave murmuring, "Peace on earth and good-will to men," "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8 (From - THE NIGHT WATCHES by John MacDuff)
Love you all,
His,
Vickie
