EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2022.
SUBJECT: THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IN YOU!
Memory verse: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (First John 2 vs 15.)
READ: John 5 vs 41 - 45:
5:41: I do not receive honor from men.
5:42: But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.
5:43: I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.
5:44: How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor from the only God?
5:45: Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust.
INTIMATION:
The love of the Father is unfathomable; the love that gave in exchange an asset of inestimable value for something completely worthless. The love of the Father for the whole world that made Him gave His only begotten Son—Jesus Christ—as a propitiation for us, who sacrificed His life, died a shameful and painful death on the cross to pay the debt we owed (the wages of sin), that we may have life, not just life, but abundant life—eternal life wiiHim. Whenever I imagined God’s demonstration of His love for me, I have always felt a shiver ran through my spine.
What assurances it gives to the heart when we come to know that the Father loves us so much so that He gave His only Son, in whom He is well pleased, to die in our place for our sins when He knew no sin. He loves us even as He loved Jesus, that He is vitally interested in us as He was in His Son when He walked the earth. Jesus revealed the extent of the care and love of the Father for us when He said:
“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who come to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6 vs 37 - 40).
All believers are in the Father’s will. Jesus said He would not lose even one person whom the Father had given Him. Therefore, anyone who makes a sincere commitment to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior is secured in God’s promise of everlasting life. Jesus will not let His people be overcome by Satan and lose their salvation. Out of the sincere and unparalleled love He has for us, He has promised and we, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1 vs 6).
Jesus Himself is “the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12 vs 2), and He who began a good work in us continues it throughout our lifetime and will finish it when we meet Him face to face. God’s work for us began when Christ died on the cross in our place. His work in us began when we first believed. Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, enabling us to be more like Christ every day. The Christian process of growth and maturity that began when we accepted Jesus, continues until Christ returns.
It’s not unusual to sometimes feel as though you aren’t making progress in your spiritual life, especially when you misstep and fall into sin. Do not condemn yourself when it’s obvious that, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8 vs 1). “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Romans 8 vs 34).
Sincerely confess your sin and restore your fellowship with Him, knowing that, “If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (First John 1 vs 9).
When God starts a project, He completes it! God will help you grow in grace until He has completed His work in your life. When you are discouraged, remember that God won’t give up on you. He promises to finish the work He has begun. When you feel incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings, remember God’s promise and provision. Don’t let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to Him.
As Christians, the Father’s kind of love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us by the Father (Romans 5 vs 5). This love has God as its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments. Also, this love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered; it ought to have no boundaries just as God’s.
The Father’s kind of love seeks the welfare of all (Romans 15 vs 2), and works no ill to any (Romans 13 vs 8 - 10). It seeks opportunity to do good to all, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith (Galatians 6 vs 10).
Love is considered something we owe, because we are permanently in debt to Christ for the lavish love He has poured out on us. The only way we can even begin to repay this debt is by fulfilling our obligation to love others in turn. Because Christ’s love will always be infinitely greater than ours, we will always have the obligation to love our neighbor. We may not have to die for someone, but there are other ways to practice sacrificial love; listening, helping, encouraging, giving, and so on.
Therefore, examine yourselves and gauge the quantum of the love of Father in You. What will be your answer when you stand before Him, to a question such as, “My child, how did you use the My love poured out in your heart?” You can start now to prepare your answer in deeds of good works. Hallelujah!
Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to practice the love of the Father to all, that I may be a true ambassador of Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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