May 19, 2018 Saturday

““Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. “And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”” (John 17:24-26 NKJV)

            The plan of redemption is that through Jesus our sins are paid for so we can be with God.  God’s desire for us to be with Him can be seen in the response to our fall. 

“Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”” (Genesis 3:9 NKJV)

God made the greatest of sacrifices by giving Jesus, the only begotten Son, to take on our sin and prepare us to once again be able to walk and talk with God!

            Over and over Jesus would declare His obedience to the Father so the disciples and crowds would learn to live this way.  Much of the teaching of Jesus drew people to the Father and called them to obedience to God rather than to Moses or the prophets.

            When we experience the love of God who is willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son we are changed forever and are able to love with God’s love. 

            Do you realize the Father thought it was not enough of a sacrifice to die Himself but declared our value by offering Jesus to remove our sin and bring us to God?

            Such a love changes us so much we are able to love God and others with the love of God.  By this love we are able to go beyond our often selfish and self-centered ways and discover a new way of living with the joy of seeing God change lives.

            We are able to continue to be obedient and faithful if we maintain our relationship with God realizing “And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” 

            Jesus is not just with you but is actually in your life and as you walk with God your life becomes a great adventure as you experience the wonderful, miraculous love of God!

            Do you hear God’s cry to you to know Him?  Do you seek to hear God’s cry and walk with God?  Are you living a great adventure (life) or just making it day by day (existence)?

            Today was one of those tale of two days.  I stayed out of bed most of the day and was able to do some things but I had this general pain all over which did not go away.  Bonnie and I had our devotion and time of prayer.  There is so much to pray about and for.  So many people and places are suffering so much and the congregations and denominations in America are either too busy caring for themselves or fighting about matters which God has already decided for us.  But God’s people are still changing lives which changes the world and even eternity!