Abiding in God's Love

“The more words you speak, the less they mean.”  Ecclesiastes 6:11

My grandmother used to tell me growing up, “Do you know God loves you?” And not giving it much thought, I would nod and say, “I know.”   But I really didn’t know and I really didn’t know why it was so important to know God loved me.

Now that very question echoes in my soul.   It's not a question filled with emptiness but it's a question that fills the voids of my heart.  Uncertainty is filled with certainty as I grow in the knowledge and reality of God's love.

Do you know God loves you?  Do you really know?

These past weeks with bombings in Boston, an industrial explosion in west Texas, sickness of friends, a violent shooting of a friend’s brother, and a homicide of a friend of the family… it has only reemphasized that our days are mystery to us and our faith in God’s love is the most valuable thing we can hold onto in a fallen and twisted world.
      

“We pray for blessings, we pray for peace, comfort for family, protection while we sleep, we pray for healing, for prosperity, we pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering, all the while, You hear each spoken need, Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things.” 
 Lyrics by Laura Story from the song “Blessings”

Psalm 118:1& 29 says, “ Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever

God has been speaking to me about his unfailing love and faithfulness that endures forever.   God wants us to have more then a small “mental” descent of his love… He wants us to live in it.  Through his love we walk and live effectively and productively.  In God’s mighty love we become free from the suffocating tentacles of life that our enemy wishes to squeeze the joy, peace, hope, from our lives. 

But this can’t happen unless we genuinely accept and submit to God’s love.  We can’t earn God’s love just as we can’t earn salvation.   It is a gift because of what Jesus Christ has done.  This fact leads me believe that when everything in this life is boiled down to the bones of truth, the purpose of this life is know God’s love and find out what it means to walk and live in his love.

That through these days, however long or short… that through all the experiences, situations and circumstances of life we will see God’s unfailing love and faithfulness has always been there for us.  We will see God’s love in family and friends.  We will see God’s love in the valleys and on the highest mountaintops.  We will see God’s love on the roads and when there was no road at all.  We will see it in the thorn in our side and when we soar so high.   We will see it in the rays of the sun and in the drops of rain.  We will even see it in the time we have been given.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love.  Death can’t and life can’t.  The angels can’t, and the demons can’t.  Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.  Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Jesus is the key to knowing God's love and finding out what it means to walk and live in his love.
 

Jesus said ⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. John 15:9-10

This shows me that God LOVE US even before we know Him.

Remember this verse “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God did not sent his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”
  

LOOK what Jesus is saying God loves you but you and I can’t abide in the empowerment of his love unless we keep His commandments.  You can’t be saved by his love unless you submit and accept his love.

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Matthew 22:37

I have found in my personal life I cannot love the Lord my God with my heart, my soul and my wandering mind unless I accept and submit to God’s love first.  

1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”

Think about it…  Did you as Christian not have to accept God’s love first in order to reciprocate that love back to God?  God loved you first did he not?

And it is not also true, as you matured in your understanding of God’s nurturing love that your trust, appreciation and thanks for God’s love also grow? 

We rely on God’s love.  Note: 1 John 4:16

Acceptance and submission to God’s love… is it not a great benefit in finding peace in all the unknowns in life?   Acceptance and submission to God's love... is it not how we obey the commandments?  Acceptance and submission to God's love... it it not how we live by the Spirit of God.  Hence we abide in God's love and in abiding in God’s love we are made perfect in hope, faith, and love. Note: 1 John 4:18

⁴⁶ I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46

Father God, when life has seemingly surrounded us could you remind us with that question, “Do you know I love you?”  Remind us of the empowerment we receive in accepting and submitting to your love.  We thank you for all you give us and provide for us.  We thank you that nothing can ever separate us from your love.   Father God, thank you for your unfailing love and faithfulness that endures forever.  Thank you for loving us first so we could come to know your love and faithfulness.  Thank you for your love that empowers us as we abide in your love.  Thank you for this word… may you mature and instill it in our hearts in Jesus’ name Amen.

Witnesses Saw Angels Pull People of Car Crash

Witnesses Saw Angels Pull People Out of a Horrific Car Crash from keephopealive on GodTube.

"THe STAND" by Hillsong & Esterlyn "Holy"

Hillsong UNITED 

"The Stand"

How beautiful and great is this!  Can you imagine what Heaven is going to be like with all God's people praising and worshiping HIM?  

Esterlyn 

"Holy"

I believe right now AIR1 is giving a free download of this song.

http://www.air1.com/music/free-songs.aspx 

For the Battle is Not Yours, But God's Pt. 10

THE NEXT MORNING while King Jehoshaphat took his army through the wilderness of Tekoa to valley where God said the mighty army would be, the king suddenly stops the people.  2 Chronicles 20:20

It is as if the king senses some burden in the air amongst the people and he says, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm.  Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”

NOISE.
I have found that noise doesn’t necessary have to make a sound to be noise.

Even though the people are recorded as saying nothing, the king sensed the wrong “noise” in the people by the way they acted.   They weren’t acting as people who had victory but people of burdened.  The deafening quiet was obviously something that the king needed to address.

I remember coming back from a retreat with some students once.  They had a great time enjoying the speakers and worship time but the next time we met the concerns of the world and life had crept in and taken over.  The concerns of life bullied, pushed, persuaded and selfishly boosted their way into these students' life until they overtook what God could had used to build them up in the Lord.  The excitement and joy had been let out of of them like a balloon deflated of it's air.   The Lord showed me, it was just another way the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.   You get something good from Lord and the enemy wants to quickly steal, kill and destroy it so you won't glorify the LORD and all his goodness.  I personally was heart broken but the Lord showed me this was no different then what Moses experienced with the people in the wilderness.   Where gratefulness of being saved from Egypt turned to ungratefulness and complaining not long after.

There is a song sung by Enya, called "May it be".  One of the lyrics is: "May it be when darkness falls, your heart will be true."

When darkness falls does our heart remain true knowing God's love for us or do we allow it to falter to the pressures of life?  May God give us the strength in our heart, mind and soul to not allows us to falter.  

The people in 2 Chronicles 20:13 had just been told the day before by the Spirit of the LORD “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  They were to march out and stand still and watch the LORD’S victory.  For the Lord was with them!

BUT the way they were acting it seemed that they had received a very different message.  They had forgotten what God had told them or at least become double-minded.

Had they started off in faith but now as they ventured through the wilderness were they just following the pack? -So to speak.  When we venture through the wilderness of life do we start off in faith and then just begin to follow the pack -uncertain of things in life because we have forgotten about God's love for us?

Can you imagine not having an email program without a junk mail folder?

If we aren’t carefully our minds can become like an email program without a junk mail sorter.   Where we allow junk mail to pile up in our “inbox” and when our hearts come to read the mail they are unable do so quickly and efficiently because of all the junk mail taking up space in our inbox.

Had they allowed junk mail to pile up in their “inbox”?  Are we selective in what we fill our minds up with?

Imagine being a college student for a minute.   God has put a message for you on a bulletin board in your dorm room - for you to see, remember and meditate on throughout your day. This bulletin board is important! It reminds you of all the things that need to be remembered but somehow the bulletin board slips outside of your room and into the hallway where it becomes a "community" bulletin board.  Students, pizza joints, bands, pubs, campus clubs and so on quickly post their messages on your bulletin board until the whole thing is covered and plastered with pieces of paper.

Your bulletin board that God has put his message on can hardly be seen in the midst of confusion and the puzzlement of papers.

Life brings lots of NOISE and it can overwhelm us like those pieces of paper on that bulletin board, quickly covering up and hiding the message God wants us to remember. 

"God Loves you and the battle is not yours, but God's."

How often do we come home and our minds are filled with the noises of the day?

Lots of junk mail happening internally, lots of things that leave a person with unrest, lots of things that can bring psychological strains not just affecting the mind but the rest of the body as well.

Then add external noise to the internal noise and they might as well be kryptonite to spiritual superman.  If we aren’t able to get away from all that kryptonite thinking then we will suffer BUT when we find some quiet time to be with the Lord- we can find rest and focus for our souls.  The junk mail is thrown into the trash where it belongs and the bulletin board of our life is cleaned off and put back into our room where it belongs with only God’s postings.

These soldiers I am sure had a lot of noise in the minds and hearts.  They were thinking about their families, their possessions, their homes, their animals, their crops, the immense army etc.... IT was probably so noticeable on their facial expressions and in their body language that the king could not help but observed it.  The noise of their silent poor condition compelled the king to address it.   
   
King Jehoshaphat had to reposted God’s message to the people.  He had cleaned off their bulletin board- so to speak – but he knew had he had to do something more to keep the people’s bulletin board uncluttered. So he, the king, spoke to the leaders.

After consulting with them he appointed some singers to walk ahead of the army, singing “Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!” 2 Chronicles 20:21

THE POWER OF A SONG.
Ever wake up singing a song? I don't know if it God singing a song over us as we are about to wake or the Holy Spirit encouraging us with a song that he lovingly places in our head to remind us of God's love.  Perhaps it is both.

"The LORD you God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
 
“But as for me, I will sing about your power.  I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love.  For you have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress.  O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.”  Psalm 59:16-17

Songs of praise…

Songs of worship…

Songs of admiration…

Songs of focus….

Whatever you may call them, sung in all sincerity, truth, and Spirit has this supernatural ability to diminish and stop the internal noises that aim or tend to tear down and undermine ones faith.  

There is power in a song to God, why do you think there are so many of them in the bible?

Song is like prayer.  When we HONOR God with not just our lips but with our heart -spiritual strength and nourishment flows into our lives.  We can be in despair, anxious, fearful, hurt, dry, overwhelmed, discouraged, dejected, frustrated...  we can be looking for direction, understanding, encouragement, strength, peace, patience,  softening of your heart... and when we humbly turn to God and speak to the LORD, we honor HIM and HE blesses us.  He gives us what we need as our Heavenly Father.  (Like that tree in the background of the video, prayer to God encourages foliage and fruit and replaces our bareness.)

Ever felt his Spirit come over you and surround you in your time of need restoring and comforting you?

“God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.  God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted….”  Matthew 5:3-4

I remember being heart broken as I sought the Lord one night.  I had turned on some Christian music and began to sing along with it and as I did something unexpectedly happened - I saw a vision of Jesus.  He was standing in a tree and when I saw his smile shining upon me all the brokenness was instantly healed and I began to laugh with joy.

These words have come to mind:

“May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you.  May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26

A WORD THAT CHANGES A MOMENT.
I don’t think it was by chance the king had the singers sing, “Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!” 2 Chronicles 20:21

Think about when you are listening to praise and worship music… and a song comes on, that directly touches your heart and speaks into your situation.  The praise and worship leader has picked a song that touches your heart.  You know somehow and some way that this song didn’t get played by chance. 

Think about ministers on the airwaves who speak a word that touches your heart and speaks to your situation. You know somehow and some way this word didn’t come on by chance.

Think about when you are at church and the pastor gives a sermon on what you just needed to hear.

God knew exactly where you were going to be at that moment and knew exactly what you needed to hear to be encouraged in his love at that moment.

God is love and he's about showing and giving his love.  He wants his chosen creation (All human beings) to come and know him... in Word , Spirit and Truth

But the reality of God's love is not possible unless we give God our lives.... where not religion tells us the importance of Jesus in our lives but the Holy Spirit.  The word of God will turn from words of black and white to words of greater and deeper meaning.  They will finally make sense.  We will have a changed heart toward things we formally had a biased or prejudice about particularly the bible, christian music, church, prayer, and so on.   A "new" insight and understanding will emerge in us.  One thing that will need to remain constant- our faith from start to finish will need to guided, watered, feed and encouraged in God's love in times of peace and times of battle.  

 The WORD then says:

“At the moment they began to sing and praise, the LORD caused the armies of the Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.” 2 Chronicles 20:22

The mighty army made up of three armies turned on each other and “when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, there were dead bodies lying on the ground for as far as they could see.  Not at single one of the enemy had escaped.” 2 Chronicles 20:24

Sometimes I am a little dense and it takes me a day or two- but ever notice the things God does for us to help the day go by smoothly?  We ask and put our trust in him to make provision for us but unless we are really paying attention the reality of that provision doesn't become obvious until we have time to think about our day or week.   Not saying we don’t hit any hiccups but they are minor things compared to what could have had happened.   And the hiccups are usually fixed in a matter of minutes.

We find that God removes certain people or situations from our path and yet makes sure others are in our path so they can either be helpful to us or we can be a blessing to them in those situations.   God supplies all our needs as we trust in Him.

The things that seemed ominous never overtake us but are laid to waste.

The passage ends with:

“King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables- more then they could carry.  There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all!  On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the LORD there.  It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.   Then they returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, full of joy that the LORD had given them victory over their enemies.  They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres and trumpets and proceeded to the Temple of the LORD.   When the surrounding kingdoms heard that the LORD himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them.  So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.”  2 Chronicles 20:25-30

Battles have been said to be the valleys of our life…

“Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and staff protect and comfort me.”  Psalm 23:4

BUT in and amongst those dark valleys we find something more wonderful then we would had ever expected. We discover, as we trust God, how much God truly loves and cares for us.  We see HIS love truly is faithful and we see HIS love truly endures forever!  We see and experience this more then if we only lived on the mountaintops of life.

I have spoken about this before but growing up in Washington state fruit is grown in the valleys not the hilltops.  Same with us, fruit is grown in us in the valleys of life.

When we see the valley as it really is, we get to grow in what means to walk in victory by the mercy, grace, love and peace of God.  We get to understand the battles in this life are not ours but God’s.

We find in the midst of those valleys- blessings that are too many to count, too many to remember, too many to notice and too many to collect.

We will find in the midst of those valleys, our faith strengthened.  We find greater peace that seldom do others ever find because of the battles in life - which lead to valleys of blessing where we are sure to find a greater trust in God.   And in this trust we understand he gives us the victory amongst insurmountable odds.

THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD’S

For the Battle is Not Yours, But God's Pt. 9

 THE LOVE that SETS US FREE                  

 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Let all of Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”

Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” Let all who fear the Lord repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.”

In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. Psalm 118:1-5 (NIV)

We often hear and see stories about freedom.   We are inspired by such stories are we not?  But freedom is more then being physically free; freedom is about being spiritually free.   If we are not spiritually free then physical freedom is of little comfort.  God is all about setting us spiritually free in the understanding of his love and wisdom of his love.

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his son and forgave our sins.   He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:7-8

God showered his kindness on us.  That means God’s kindness is passionate.  It is pure.  It is full of Him; it is not half-heartedly given but given in the fullness of HIS LOVE.
 
Through humble submission and trust in God’s love we gain a greater strengthening understanding and wisdom that expels the things that aims to tear down and undermine the love of God in our lives.  The love we desperately need at all times in our lives.   The love we especially need in those times -where the situations of life seem to be waging war against our soul.

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.  So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.  Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear.   If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.” 1 John 4:16-18

Think about what happens inside of us when we put an emphasis on the world, circumstances, others, and ourselves…  don’t we all succumb to the pressures of life?

I have never found putting emphasis and favor in the world, circumstances, others or myself a good thing.  These things can all change at a moments notice.  They are insecure and unstable but I find when our attention, focus and trust is on God and HIS love - worries and anxieties, comparisons, trying and difficult circumstances, what if’s, worldly enticements and persuasions, debilitating thoughts, are subdued and put to rest.

FAITH in God has a peculiar influence on our life, as we trust Him.  What normally would cause us unrest and anxiety- feelings of insecurity and alarm are reduced dramatically.   What would be considered as a daunting task before would be deprived of it definition of “daunting” by the reality of God’s love for us.

God wants to be our source of strength and spiritual supply.  God is our Heavenly Father but as our Heavenly Father he is also our Comforter, Encourager, and Advocate as well.

Ever think about why we suffer so badly internally at times?

I know when I have thrown a pity party for myself and am down right miserable, it has taken me sometime to get my focus where it is suppose, where my true source of joy, peace, hope, and happiness is meant to be kept in.  I know it’s only by Holy Spirit that I recognize where I have gone wrong in my thinking and by God’s grace he continues to perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish me in his awesome love.

God wants us to know the stronghold we have in Him.  Through faith, the Lord becomes the stronghold of our life.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

 THE PEELING of LAYERS
I have found that in the midst of battles combined with faith in God, battles do a lot for us to strengthen our faith in God’s love then if we had no battles at all.

Battles peel away the worthless layers of ourselves, the layers that get in-between God and us.  And as these layers are peeled away, they reveal another deeper aspect, confidence and assurance in our Heavenly Father.  And in this grace filled realization of our Heavenly Father’s faithfulness and love for us, a deeper faith is tunneled, channeled and solidified within us.   It is a faith, one cannot find if they don’t see a need for God’s freeing love.

Not to sound hokey but the deeper the need of God’s marvelous love, the greater assurance and confidence we have and the warm glow of God’s love lives in us.

Jesus said, “God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.” Matthew 5:3

Do you see your need?  Do you see a need for God’s spiritual blessings and love in your life?

I think how amazing this growing realization is -considering this would not be possible and known to us without Jesus Christ.

Think about it: Through Jesus we could call out to God to be saved.  Through faith in Jesus Christ, God has given us the Holy Spirit.  And He, the Holy Spirit, will not only raise our lives to eternal life in heaven but is now at work within us, raising us from our own understandings to building and maturing us in the “deep knowing” of God’s glowing and marvelous love.
 
God is working from what we were and understood to the core, which is HIM.  Where the soul was created and where it will end up.

“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word [Jesus] was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5
 
I would venture a guess -none of us really have it together in ourselves but when we trust in God - we are put together.  Our soul is built up, protected, put on the unshakable foundation of ROCK. We are armored up in God’s love.

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)

BEYOND OUR MEANS
Ever felt, “THIS IS BEYOND MY MEANS”?   When we face something that is beyond our means we should expect in faith God will intervene in that situation.  We should remind ourselves and ask God to remind us of ALL He is. We should refresh our mind in all the things he has done.   We should humbly relinquish our burdens and concerns to Him admitting our weakness for such a task.  Then we should see how he abundantly answers.

David wrote “Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” Psalm 5:3

In 2 Chronicles 20 King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah and Jerusalem found themselves in precisely in that type of situation - a situation beyond their means.

The king prayed along with all the people and this is how the LORD answered.

 “As the men of Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones, wives and children, the Spirit of the LORD came upon one of the men standing there.  His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.  He said, ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat! Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem!  This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.  Tomorrow, march out against them.  You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel.  But you will not even need to fight.  Take your positions, then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory.  He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem.  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  Go out there tomorrow, for the LORD is with you! Then King Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground.  And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD.  Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shot.”

Wow! He tells them don’t be afraid or discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not theirs but His.   Then knowing precisely what is happening and going to happen he tells them to march out against them but they won’t even need to fight them.  He says pretty much, “Watch what I will do for you!”  Then he again tells them to not be afraid or discouraged for He is with them.

I think, “That is great!" and then God tells me, “Isn’t that what I do for you as well, not just in situations that are beyond your control but in every aspect of your life?”

We all have “mighty armies” in which we face in our lives but God says go march out in faith and see what I will do for you.  See that battles are already won.   See that I am with you.  See there is no reason to be afraid or discouraged.  God loves and takes care of us more then we could possibly know!

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope for?  Ephesians 3:18-20