I was thinking this morning about what the Word says God is.  It says, He is “Love!”  This lover of the universe who was God became man to bring the truth to undo sin's impact upon our lives.  Listen to His loving words, 1Thes. 4:13-14 Message, "And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don’t want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will bring those who have died in Jesus, back home."

 I love the Story!  The Bible says we were named before time.  We existed as a created spirit being oriented and in total understanding of the image we bore, that of Love.  Satan was cast out of Heaven and the War began between 2 Kingdoms in a garden.  The Kingdom of God with the Kingdom of Satan.  It was not about Adam and Eve, they were used in the War to  birth sin.

Sin’s assignment was to separate man from God and dehabilitate Love.  And then in time, we were called into a physical body where our state of being, ground in love was lost because of sin.  At conception, death and sin weaved it’s way through our thinking, instincts, actions and reactions losing who we were intended to be.  Understanding and the ability to live in the power of this love was lost. 

Being totally deceived, independence became the over riding trait of mankind.  We truly believed we could fix anything and make it all by ourselves.  But the day finally came when we collided with our Creator, a Loving Father who sent His Son to pay the debt of our sin, to dehabilitate sin and death’s grip upon us.  At that time we were called us into a spiritual body, the Church of Jesus Christ.

Out of the riches of His grace, love and mercy, this Loving Father made us alive in Christ.  Old things pasted away and we were made new in Jesus, and began to discover Who We Are!!

We have been captured by the Relentless Lover of the Universe to become the Lover that touches and impacts all the lives He brings into our lives.

 

This process of being rehabilitated may seem slow, but do not despair, this Loving Father will restore, transform and establish you to live life fully alive, driven by a love that reflects the relentless tenderness of the image we bare.

This Loving Father says, Isa. 41:10, “fear not, for I am with you; Do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you in your difficult times, yes I will help you.   I will hold you up and retain you with My victorious right hand.”

Love Never Fails!

Carol and I have been reading 1 Cor. 13 giving us a fresh picture of God’s love for us which says, Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, 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, and always perseveres.  Love never fails.

The teachings we grew up with depicted the Holy Spirit as being easily hurt and offended and that God was mostly angry where He gave us an offer we could not refuse: “Turn or burn!”  He has to be short tempered, or we might just go out and sin.  We’ve wonder many times if Christians found out hell was officially closed, how many would really choose a relationship with God.  But we read 1 Cor. 13 and discover a loving God that always gives a second chance to the end!

We were also taught to use the name of Jesus and Scripture in an effort to “legally” force God to follow through with what He said He would do for me.  Sermons many times seemed to be “How To” teachings regarding provoking God to answer and bless us.

Have you ever been in a church service where the speaker said, “The Spirit of God is in this room?”  Many times we felt the audience didn’t know whether to be sensitive, careful to not hurt the Spirit or be careful to not make God angry.  Biggest problem was so many went home disappointed.

Have you ever been made to feel that if you don’t pay your tithe you can’t ever expect God to hear you let alone answer your prayers?  God would never take something as beautiful as giving and force it into something mechanical.  Your Father doesn’t need to be provoked into helping you; He finds personal pleasure continually blessing the ones He loves.

Be encouraged today.  God will never turn His face from you!  His eyes are constantly on you in loving affirmation.  To even say that God would turn from you is an anti-Christ mentality.  It denies the work of Christ on the cross.  It will simply never happen.  Don’t ever worry that God is not watching over you.  You are everything to Him!  Nothing you ever do will cause Him to be provoked and turn away from you.

The Holy Spirit is focused on your heart.  He is sensitive because He is sensitive to you.  Don’t ever worry about hurting His feelings.  He is secure, and He loves you, and love is not easily provoked.

When we speak Vangela, Brock or Sasha’s name, it erupts with power the moment it leaves my lips.  Even though they are not here, we can hear their voices the moment their namea are spoken.  We can feel their hair in our hands and smell their breath as if they were standing right before us.  Their names has the power within it because of our relationship.  Before we had them, their names meant nothing.  It was just another name among millions.  But once we knew them personally, it exploded with meaning and power.

The name of Jesus is much the same way.  It was never meant to be used as a bobby pin to pick a lock in the spiritual realm, or as a clove of garlic to ward off vampires.  Its power is contingent upon relationship.  Only in relationship can the essence of Jesus hit the air when the name is spoken from your lips.

The same is true with faith.  As we exercise faith, it becomes aroma of our relationship, not keys to get what we want.  Believe it or not, when your name is spoken by God, it explodes with power in the same way.  God does not use things like your job, your children, and your marriage as tools to manipulate you to greater performance.  The power comes from relationship.  Faith viewed through the lens of love and relationship will come to be more than you ever dreamed, something beautiful and life-changing.  Never again will you worry about God’s being easily provoked because that’s 1 Cor. 13.

We Love You, Paul and Carol