Post by setfree on Oct 30, 2006 9:00:47 GMT -5
by T.L. Bench (and me)
Ephesians 3:14-21 [NIV] For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
All the measure of God will be active and fruitful in our lives when we understand God's immeasurable love for us. He loves us so much he has given us his name- CHRISTians. Just as you are given your father's name when you are born on this earth, we are given HIS name when we are born again.
God has power to work within us to mold us into his image. Our part is to be willing to do as he asks, His part is to comfort, guide, heal, restore us.
Ephesians 5:1-3 [Message Bible] Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love is like that. Don't allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed.
Christ should be our role model in how to love others. As we believe and receive God's love, we will learn how to love others, and we will love ourselves.
It is not right that Christians have such a low self worth because of what they have been taught from the pulpit. It's not right that any human being go through life downtrodden, and hating themselves, and believing that God hates them. What the body of Christ, for the most part, has been taught drives them from the presence of God- where their very hope, health, and life come from. It is God's love that leads us to repentance, not God's wrath, disappointment, or judgment. God is not judging anyone today. There is a judgment day that will come, but it is future tense on ONE day- the judgment day that the Bible refers to. On that day unbelievers will be judged for their sins, and believers for their good works done out of a pure heart.
God's love is the very essence of who He is.
I. Corinthians 13:4-8 [NIV] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
That kind of unconditional love is the love God has for us, and the unconditional love we should strive to have with others. Real love isn't self seeking, but giving of oneself to another in the service of love- no strings attached. That is the way God loves us- no strings attached, unconditionally, fully, passionately, extravagantly, wildly. He pours His love on us because he sees us with value despite our bad or good performance.
God loved us before we were ever created.
Jude 1:20-21 [NIV] But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
It is no wonder that the enemy has so fought speaking in tongues because it is through that, that helps to build our faith in God and his love, to pray out God's will on the earth, and allows us to pray when we don't know what we should pray for. Speaking in tongues has not passed away and it is not of the devil. It is a spiritual gift from God with an important purpose that the devil has tried to do away with by creating fear over something we should not be afraid of.
Galatians 2:16 [NIV] knowing that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will by justified.
We are not saved by the law, and we do not gain or keep God's love or salvation by the law.
(continued later)
Ephesians 3:14-21 [NIV] For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
All the measure of God will be active and fruitful in our lives when we understand God's immeasurable love for us. He loves us so much he has given us his name- CHRISTians. Just as you are given your father's name when you are born on this earth, we are given HIS name when we are born again.
God has power to work within us to mold us into his image. Our part is to be willing to do as he asks, His part is to comfort, guide, heal, restore us.
Ephesians 5:1-3 [Message Bible] Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love is like that. Don't allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed.
Christ should be our role model in how to love others. As we believe and receive God's love, we will learn how to love others, and we will love ourselves.
It is not right that Christians have such a low self worth because of what they have been taught from the pulpit. It's not right that any human being go through life downtrodden, and hating themselves, and believing that God hates them. What the body of Christ, for the most part, has been taught drives them from the presence of God- where their very hope, health, and life come from. It is God's love that leads us to repentance, not God's wrath, disappointment, or judgment. God is not judging anyone today. There is a judgment day that will come, but it is future tense on ONE day- the judgment day that the Bible refers to. On that day unbelievers will be judged for their sins, and believers for their good works done out of a pure heart.
God's love is the very essence of who He is.
I. Corinthians 13:4-8 [NIV] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
That kind of unconditional love is the love God has for us, and the unconditional love we should strive to have with others. Real love isn't self seeking, but giving of oneself to another in the service of love- no strings attached. That is the way God loves us- no strings attached, unconditionally, fully, passionately, extravagantly, wildly. He pours His love on us because he sees us with value despite our bad or good performance.
God loved us before we were ever created.
Jude 1:20-21 [NIV] But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
It is no wonder that the enemy has so fought speaking in tongues because it is through that, that helps to build our faith in God and his love, to pray out God's will on the earth, and allows us to pray when we don't know what we should pray for. Speaking in tongues has not passed away and it is not of the devil. It is a spiritual gift from God with an important purpose that the devil has tried to do away with by creating fear over something we should not be afraid of.
Galatians 2:16 [NIV] knowing that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will by justified.
We are not saved by the law, and we do not gain or keep God's love or salvation by the law.
(continued later)