We love Him because He first loved Us (Part 4 of 5)

Hello Friends! 

 

Welcome back to part four of “We love Him because He first loved Us.”

Let’s continue our study with the fourth lesson: THE POWER OF HIS LOVING DELIVERANCE…

We love Him because He first loved Us (Part 4 of 5)

Look at our verse again: “We love Him, because He first loved us.” John is saying that God’s love for us is the cause – the effectual cause – of our love for Him. Once again, he is not saying merely that God’s love is a motive or an incentive for our love. Rather, John’s point is that God’s love is the actual productive cause of our love. 

Remember that it is impossible for an unregenerate person to love God. The heart of fallen flesh is by definition an enemy of God. It has no power to change itself any more than a leopard can change its spots. It is the nature of a sinner to love sin and nothing is more contrary to a sinful heart than love for God. So it is morally impossible for the sinner to love God. 

“Who then can be saved?” Do you remember Jesus’ answer to that question?

 

With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible – Matthew 19:26

He does the impossible. His own love for us is such that He purchases us and pursues us and persuades us lovingly to love Him. And in order to make that love possible, He even graciously gives us new hearts that are capable of loving. That’s the promise He makes to His people in the book of Ezekiel: 

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them – Ezekiel 36:25-27

That speaks of God’s regenerating work, whereby He resurrects us to a state of vibrant spiritual life, enlightens our minds to understand His truth and makes the glories of His love so attractive to us that we find them absolutely irresistible. In fact, that is exactly the expression we sometimes use to speak of this truth – irresistible grace. 

Some people misunderstand that term and imagine that there is some type of violent force or coercion involved in God’s drawing us to Jesus Christ. But irresistible grace isn’t something that pushes us against our wills toward Christ – it draws us willingly to Him! 

It is similar to my love for my wife Ann. I find her irresistible. But she doesn’t force my love for her. It is her sheer attractiveness and charm that draws me to her... But she is irresistible to me! 

God’s saving grace is irresistible to the elect in the very same sense. We speak of it as “effectual grace” because it always secures its object. God always procures a reciprocal love from those upon whom He has set His redemptive love. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died – 2 Corinthians 5:14

He died for us – so we cannot live unto ourselves. Think about what this means: We cannot take personal credit for loving God. Our love for God is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is the work of God in us. “We love Him, because He first loved us.” – our love for Him is the natural fruit of His great love for us. This is the power of His loving deliverance!

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate lesson #5…

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><

 

All is not Lost

15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. Esther 8

I'm the type of person that wonders and asks questions a lot.  Sometimes it's seen as an offense, like I'm questioning authority or trying to poke holes in someone else's argument.  I just like getting all sides of the picture clear.

Reading the Bible, I have a lot of those questions, and a lot of those questions aren't answered in other historical texts.  I won't know those answers in this lifetime - and that's ok with me.  But I'll still wonder.

For instance, what was going through Mordecai's mind when he realized Haman's attack on the Jews was because of Mordecai's actions?  Was he immediately faithful in his heart, "That's ok, God can handle anything and we'll get out of this."  Was he second guessing himself, "That was a bad idea to not kneel to Haman.  What made me do that?"  Was he remorseful, "I'm so sorry that I brought this upon my people."  Or was he distraught, "I'm a failure.  Everyone will know my stubbornness got them into this mess and I've doomed everyone."

There's no way of knowing what it was, all we see are Mordecai's actions regarding Haman's proposed attack.  We see that he was rewarded upon Haman's death, when King Xerxes sees the mess Haman had created.  Things improved vastly for him, because he kept his faith in God.

He may have questioned things or felt depressed at first, but he got over it.  He ultimately trusted God.  You and I have the same human struggles.  Earlier this week, I felt like I had failed.  I was mentally beating myself up for having been unable to lead someone closer to Christ.  I was criticizing myself by asking, "If I can't help to lead this person, what chance do I have to lead my children?"  I went to sleep (it was really late night when this happened), and the next morning, I felt peaceful.  I could hear God telling me that it was one hurdle of many, but to leave my faith and trust in him.  He would take care of everything and do what I could not.  All was not lost, and I needed to put the situation back into God's hands.  He will triumph!

Justice Served

Have you ever wished someone would get in big trouble? Maybe you wished a reckless driver would get pulled over or that your boss would walk by when your co-worker walks in late or regularly surfs the net. Has anyone gotten in bigger trouble than you even dared to wish?

My uncle did. He had supposedly cheated on my aunt for years. After their divorce and on his wedding night with his new wife, he died suddenly of a brain aneurism. Rumor was, he died in the very “act.”

Well, some of the religious leaders thought Jesus deserved to get in big trouble. In fact, they tried to trap Him over and over and even conspired to administer “justice” themselves, but Jesus got worse than they even dared hope.

Matthew 26:1-5When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, ² “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” ³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴ and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ⁵ “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

What I find so interesting is that the chief priests and elders didn’t even hope to arrest Jesus during the Passover or have him killed publically, but that’s exactly what happened. It seemed far better than they could have planned, but was just as Jesus prophesied. I wonder if the religious leaders celebrated their seemingly wonderful fortune?

They had a selfish and evil plan, but God used even them to accomplish His sovereign plan in His perfect timing. He is the only one who has authority to administer complete justice. Justice was served the day Jesus died, but it wasn’t for what Jesus did. Through God’s judgment of our sin by sacrificing Jesus, He chose to offer grace and mercy to you and me! Have you submitted to Him and now live under His grace? Or, will you suffer the full penalty for your sins?

For believers, when was the last time you and I humbly thanked Jesus for taking the punishment for what we deserve? Will you do that right now?

Alice

It's Not About Me

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
      my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will bring justice to the nations.  Isaiah 42:1

We all remember the first moments of our being born again.  I was reminded of that this past Sunday during church service.  The pastor talked serving God above all other things.  It took me to the very first thing that I learned in my first days as a born again Christian.  I had started reading Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life, and the very first sentence of the book has been my guiding principle of my walk of faith.  It simply says, “It’s not about you.”  That phrase always gives me peace and clarity as to God’s expectations of me.  When I feel like complaining or don’t really feel up to doing the right thing above ‘the easy thing,’ I am reminded it is about serving God.  It’s not about me.

We should always remember that our walk of faith revolves around serving God and not how God can help us.  In the book of Isaiah, the prophecy of the coming Jesus Christ is told.  While we know He is the son of God, He is noted as a servant who is upheld as an authority figure by God.  In living a life like Christ, we are to remember that our relationship with God is one of admiration, love, and servitude just as Jesus’ relationship as the Son is.  Put another way, we are to give of ourselves selflessly and completely toward being a servant of God.  We are giving without expectation, and following without question.  That latter one is tough for me because I always want to understand why.  However, my understanding is secondary to God’s expectation of me to be a good and faithful Christian servant.

While our walk of faith is both rewarding and fun, it is not always easy.  Even Jesus asked God for clarity when following the path which led to His crucifixion (see Matthew 26:42).  What is noteworthy is Jesus asked that God’s will be done over all that he might have wished for.  That is what we must understand.  Us doing God’s will trumps all.  What are your struggling with God about?  How can you be more submitting to God’s will?  My prayer is that we remember that it’s about serving God. It’s not about me.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Differences between pro sports and God...

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 “Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.”(NASB)

Hello,

As a sports fan you get used to players coming and going from your team. You look to each offseason to see if they will bring in the big star to help your terrible team (Come on Dumars!). Drama is created about who will go where, how they will fit together. Other players are asked to restructure their contracts to make more room for the new guy. Then, you play that year and do it all over again. Ironically, this verse that talks about being a steward of the mysteries of God made me think of free agency – and how they are the exact opposite!

The free agent touts their abilities and looks to be rewarded in a way that maximizes themselves. The steward touts the abilities of the one who entrusted it to them, and looks to maximize the owner.

The free agent is always at risk to move to another team. The steward is committed.

For success, the free agent needs just one good season to capitalize. The steward is asked to be found trustworthy on a consistent basis.

Now, I have nothing against pro athletes getting paid – if I was one I would be getting paid too – but I am concerned about the free agent mentality when it comes to our beliefs and actions. Are we looking to maximize our chances, or Gods? Are we looking to jump around to whatever seems fun and attractive, or are we committed to whatever it takes for God? Are we looking for the quick splash and fun, or are we ready to be consistently trustworthy for God?

Have a good day!

Will Hill

We love Him because He first loved Us (Part 3 of 5)

Hello Friends!

Welcome back to part two of “We love Him because He first loved Us.”

Let’s continue our study with the third lesson: THE PARTICULARITY OF HIS SAVING WORK…

We love Him because He first loved Us (Part 3 of 5)

We’ve reached lesson three. Our verse “We love Him, because He first loved us.” not only highlights the perverseness of our fallen state and teaches us about the priority of God’s electing choice; thirdly, it shows us His saving work.

What do I mean by that? Look at the verse again: “We love Him, because He first loved us.” Those words express John’s conviction that God has done something special for us. “We love Him… ” but not everyone loves Him. God has done something on our behalf and in our hearts that He does not do for everyone. He has demonstrated a particular love for us.

The apostle John was always keenly aware of this fact. He gloried in the knowledge that Jesus’ love for him was a special love. That is the implication of his favorite self description: 

…that disciple whom Jesus loved – John 21:7

John used that phrase again and again because he delighted in the knowledge that Christ loved him in particular. God had redeemed him in particular. He was not merely the beneficiary of a general goodwill that God has for all creation; he was convinced that Christ’s love for him was personal and special. Jesus loved him in particular. 

You know what? Every born-again person will say that. He loves me in particular. He loves me with a special love. I’m not merely a dog, licking up the crumbs of God’s general love for all mankind. I am one of the children He has seated at His table. Every believer could refer to himself, as the apostle John did, as “That guy whom Jesus loves.” 

By the way, I do believe with all my heart that God has a general love of God for everyone in the human race:

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works – Psalm 145:9

Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things – Acts 17:25

Those are tokens of a genuine goodwill and loving kindness that extends to everyone who was ever born. This is known as general grace. In fact, God even loves His enemies:

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust – Matthew 5:45

Yet God’s love for the elect is a particular love. He loves them with the love of a Father for His own children. He loves them each uniquely. He loves them in a special way. His love for them is the highest and most sacred kind of love known to man. No greater love can possibly be extended to any creature. And that great love is manifest in a particular way. It is a sacrificial kind of love that will stop at nothing to preserve its object. Jesus Christ’s love moved Him to give His life for His friends:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends – John 15:13

The proof of His electing love—and the thing that lovingly guarantees the salvation of His people—is the atoning work of Christ. Look back a few verses:

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins – 1 John 4:9-10

God the Father gave Christ the Son to die for them in order to be a propitiation for their sins. That simply means He satisfied justice on their behalf. He satisfied the wrath of God on their behalf. He bore their guilt and shame. He died in their place and in their stead, so that they wouldn’t have to suffer the penalty for their own sins. He bore the wrath of God on their behalf. He paid in full the penalty of their sins. He was their substitute. He died for them in particular. 

So let’s talk about “limited atonement.” Some of you may be thinking, now there’s a doctrine not every Christian presupposes! Actually, I think anyone who believes the atonement was substitutionary presupposes this doctrine of the atonement. Jesus Christ suffered in my place and in my stead. He wasn’t such a substitute for Judas’s punishment, because if what Jesus said about Judas is true, Judas is in hell this very moment, bearing the wrath of God for himself. I personally don’t like the expression “limited atonement,” because it suggests that the atonement is limited in its sufficiency.

No true Christian believes that. If you have the idea that there is a limit on the value or sufficiency of the atonement, forget that idea. Anyone who denies that Christ’s death was sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world is not thinking Biblically. Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was infinite in its sufficiency. The death of Jesus Christ is infinitely sufficient and that one sacrifice could have atoned for the sins of the whole world – if that had been God’s design. 

But was that God’s design? Or was the central and supreme object of His death the salvation of those whom God had loved with a special love from before the foundation of the world? I believe those questions are definitively settled forever by the Apostle Paul:

We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe – 1 Timothy 4:10

In the design of God, the atoning work of Christ has a special significance for the elect, because it was the means by which He secured and guaranteed their salvation forever:

The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep – John 10:11

And most believers would affirm the basic gist of that truth – Jesus Christ’s atonement is efficacious only for those who actually believe.

Notice: when John writes, “We love Him, because He first loved us,” he is addressing those who were the particular objects of Christ’s redemptive work. Look once again at verse 9:

 

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him – 1 John 4:9

This was the object of God in the death of His Son: “that we might live through Him.” He undertook this saving work for us in particular, because we are special objects of His eternal love...

 

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate lesson #4…

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><

Storm Out of the Room

7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. Esther 7

Esther just squealed on Haman to the king.  The king was furious at hearing about how Haman had decreed that all the Jews were to be killed, which included Esther.  The king left the banquet in a rage.  He couldn't look at Haman, or even be in the same room with him.

Have you ever been angry enough where you stormed out of a room?  I'll admit that I have.  Looking back, it wasn't one of my finer moments, and I am sure that I could have handled things a little better, but in the heat of the moment, I was dumbstruck and couldn't think of anything other than a need to get away.  Conversely, have you ever made someone angry enough that they stormed out of a room?  

I'll argue that each of us have done some terrible things that could have made someone so angry and disappointed in us, that they should have walked out of the room, and yet, they didn't.  When was the last time you sinned against God?  Does he blow up at you and storm out of your life?  Not at all.  He is great and merciful, and he will remain there.  He may be disappointed and he may even be angry, but he has unconditional love for us and he will always remain.  We will mess up, it's a part of our nature, but God is the ever-constant.  He will always love us, no matter what we do.

Glorious!

What’s the most glorious thing you’ve ever seen? A beautiful garden, sunrise, ocean, mountain range, waterfall, or sunset?

Even with the presence of sin in this world, the earth is still full of God’s glory. (Isaiah 6:3 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”) I marvel at the uniqueness throughout creation. In fact, a few weeks ago Joe and I were on a walk and noticed a unique cloud cluster. Most of the sky above us was clear blue, but the large cloud cluster to the South of us caught our attention. Later, as we were finishing our walk and almost home, we saw the cloud cluster light up and then light up again in another spot. Flashes of lightening were streaking the clouds over and over again. We didn’t hear the thunder, but stopped and took in the natural “fireworks” display for several minutes. We’ve never seen anything like it! Once inside, Joe looked up the nearest storm and found one over Sandusky, over 2 hours away. What amazing power displayed within just a group of clouds and water!

Can you imagine what it will be like when Jesus returns in full glory for all to see?

Matthew 25:31-34       ³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. ³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

I can’t imagine how glorious the new heaven and new earth will be, the kingdom prepared for believers since the creation of the world! All the marvelous wonders on this earth won’t even begin to compare with what is yet to come. So, if you are a believer, don’t worry about getting to all the places on your bucket list, because we’ll have even greater and more glorious things to explore for all eternity!

Alice