God Loves Me

6-2-06

Don't let satan convince you that God is up there in heaven, way up there, too high, too important, too holy, too whatever. Don't let your image of God become legalistic, judgmental, overbearing, untouchable, or impersonal.

The one thing that God wants is an intimate, up close and personal 'best-friend' relationship with you. It is more like a married relationship. Look at Psalm 139, no matter where you go or what you do, He is there. He's closer than a brother or a best friend.

The only thing that can hinder that relationship is you and your attitude. Your sin separates you from God because He is holy. But He came to earth and became human just so He could remove the separation. He was tempted in all areas just like we are, except He never acted on it, never sinned. He took the punishment for our sins just so the separation between us would be abolished. That is why the veil of the temple tore from the top down!

Matthew 27:51 (NKJV) "Then, behold the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

That is also why the erroneous myths about Jesus sinning before the cross are false. For Him to be the redeeming sacrifice, He could have no spots or blemishes (sin). He had to be perfect, in thought, word, and deed. Otherwise, it was all for nothing. (And the veil would not have torn!)

All we need to do is realize we have sinned, ask His forgiveness, and then come into His presence. He's waiting eagerly for you! Have a conversation with Him, talk and listen. The more you practice it the easier it gets. And soon, that's all you want to do because it is refreshing. It is peaceful and joyful and comforting and satisfying at the same time. It's like being wrapped up in a big hug. And He understands you, even when you can't say anything. It makes you sleep better, and wake up more refreshed. It makes the problems of the day more bearable.

He feels your pain.
He hears every cry.
He sees every tear.
He knows when you're so tired all you can do is crawl to Him.
He knows your name.
He died for you.
And He says, "My child, come to Me. My yoke is light. Let Me refresh your soul."

Psalm 34:4, 6, 7, 17-19 (NKJV) "I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears . . . This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them . . . The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all."

Psalm 40:1-3 (NKJV) "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a Rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth--Praise to our God. Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD."

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV) "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

John 10:14 (paraphrased) "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and My sheep know Me."

Isaiah 28:11-12 (NKJV) "For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, to whom He said, 'This is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest,' and 'This is the refreshing.' "

Acts 3:19-20 (NKJV) "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the LORD, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before."

Psalm 25:16-18 (NKJV) "Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged: bring me out of my distresses! Look upon my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins."

Deuteronomy 33:26-27 (TLB) "There is none like the God of Jerusalem--He descends from the heavens in majestic splendor to help you. The Eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrusts out your enemies before you; it is He who cries, 'Destroy them!' "

Revelation 21:3-5a (NKJV) "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' "

Deuternonomy 7:13-14a (NKJV) "Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers, and He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. You shall be blessed above all peoples."

Micah 6:8 (paraphrased) The LORD requires of us:
1.) Do justly
2.) Love mercy
3.) Walk humbly with God.

Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:29-31 (paraphrased) Jesus' commandments:
1.) Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
2.) Love everyone else.
Note: If you fulfill these two, you won't break the others.

Romans 5:8 (NKJV) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV) "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our LORD."

Ephesians 2:4-8 (NKJV) "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God."

1 John 4:7-11 (NKJV) "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God for God is love. 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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

John 3:16-17 (NKJV) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

John 1:1-4 (NKJV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."