God Loves You Most

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Romans 5:8

My thoughts:

“Who do you love?  Yeah, who do you love?”  Famous singer, Bo Diddly, in the 1950’s coined these lyrics, and they have been sung by millions upon millions since.  When it all comes down to it, we don’t really even know what love is.  For there is only one true, pure love and that is agape love, from the Father.

You kiss your spouse goodnight and whisper “I love you”.  When you leave your date at her doorstep and turn to walk back to your car, she tells you “I love you”  When your child is struggling to get it right, and everything looks negative, you calmly take their hands in yours and tell them “I love you”  When your best friend is going through a hard time and your there to provide support and a shoulder, it’s so easy to say those three little words, “I love you”  When you show up at the hospital and the family is crowded around the parent in their bed, you lean in close and hear those words for the very last time, “I love you.”

The words fall from our lips with ease and trigger emotion in our soul that is often followed by tears, joy or comfort.  When we say the words though, how often are they said as a cliché, or out of habit vs the authentic, deep, heart tugging love that we ought to have for one another?  You see, I think the words have lost their meaning, especially since we have removed the importance and sanctity from the words.  Love is now one emotion that is shared between anyone at any given time without the sincerity or heart felt truth behind it.  Most of you are aware that there are multiple Greek words for love: Eros ~ love of the physical nature; Phileo ~ love your friends; Storge ~ familia love as in parent to child; and Agape ~ love that is beyond understanding as in the Love from God.  Paul warns in 2 Timothy 3:1, that one mark of the “terrible times in the last days” is that people will lack natural love for their own families.  Have we come upon those days?

The love of the Father though is unlike any of these, and so incomprehensible in human terms, because we cannot love in the same manner.  His love exceeds anything we can imagine or conjur up in our mind when we try.  You see, His love transcends all other things, any emotion, any physical boundary, any action, any thought, and any sin.  He cannot stop loving you in the most extreme sense of the word.

Several years back I coined a phrase in our home and with my friends – “I Love you more”  It wasn’t intended to be a statement of superiority over their love for me; but rather a statement that they could be confident that regardless of what happened between us, my love was stronger.  It was a statement that I love you more than this temporary setback or strife that may have come between us.  Even then though, this commitment of loving them pales by comparison to the love the God promises us. 

Our only action to receive this love from the Father is to be conceived.  There is no amount of good works that you can achieve in this life that will make Him love you more.  For if this were true, than His grace becomes a farce.  For through His grace, He loved us when we didn’t deserve it and still does to this very day.  You are unlovable but yet He loves you more and always will.

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

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Love them All

Make 2014 a year for sharing

“My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism” – James 2:1

I have noticed in my 49 years that most people have some sort of biasness towards certain types of people (race, culture, sexual orientation, age, addictions or financial position) and a particular disdain against others. We look at some and see their differences and it causes something to rise within, not because we are particularly evil, but because we have a hard time understanding their circumstance, history or choices.  We are naturally drawn to those that think like us, act like us and believe like we do; but is this a service or disservice to our faith?

If you are completely honest with yourself and your thoughts on life, you will realize that it is much easier for you to have discussions and interaction with others that have similar position and interests as yourself.  If you are a Christian, it is much safer and easier for you to have a discussion about faith and beliefs with other Christians than it is to sit down and have that same discussion with a Muslim, Jehovah’s Witness or Atheist.  If you are homophobic or repulsed by drug addicts, are you doing a service or disservice by withdrawing from them?  What is to be gained in that?  How is the Kingdom of God expanded if we are unwilling to reach out to those who believe differently? 

Every person on the face of this earth is created by the Almighty Father in heaven for a purpose.  The Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross on Calvary, and poured out His blood, was resurrected again; so that every person could be saved from eternal Hell.  God’s provision was not for a few of us, but for all of mankind, who have chosen to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Your neighbor, the teenager who lacks respect for adults, the murderer on death row, the Atheist professor teaching our children in college, your wife/husband, your children, the President and every sinful man or woman ever born is given the opportunity to repent and accept Jesus Christ.  If in that choice they have chosen to turn away and deny Him, then they should be on your prayer list, and in your path of pursuit.

For if one of the shepherd’s sheep strays away, the shepherd will leave the 99 to pursue the one.  Remember, they are just as important to the Father as you are.  His love is immeasurable for all mankind equally, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who acts as our Intercessor to the Father in heaven.  We are redeemed because of His perfection, not because of anything we have done.  You cannot do enough good acts or say enough “Hail Mary’s” to receive eternity in heaven.   There is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ, the same way that every other person in the world is accepted.  God’s love is immutable, never changing and is available to each of us equally, for there are no favorites in His eyes.

In the biblical days, the Pharisees and Sadducees would look at the non-Jewish of the world with disdain.  They would not reach out to these people with love and compassion, but with contempt and condemnation.  The Samaritans, the Lepers, the Romans, the harlots, prostitutes, tax collectors and poor were cast away from the accepting arms of their holiness.  They elevated themselves above all others, as servants of God worthy of His love and forgiveness while all others were condemned to Hell.  This is not a far stretch from many of the Christians in today’s world if you honestly stop and think about it.  Let us not be too quick to cast aspersions on those who are different, but rather reach out to them with the love of the Father and the Son, in every attempt to help them find the Savior and Lord as well. 


© Sondove Enterprises, 2014,
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Word of the Father

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”  – John 1:14

Christmas lights have always captured my childhood wonderment.  I drive home in the evenings and see the beauty of the lights on the rooftops and front lawns of homes and it brings a sense of warmth and joy.  There’s something about the colorful expression of individuals that invokes Christmas’ from my childhood.  I used to lie on the floor in my parent’s living room, staring at the lights on the Christmas tree, intentionally blurring my vision by looking cross-eyed and watching as the lights would seem to multiply.  Blinking colors of red, blue, green, amber and white with Bing Crosby Christmas album playing on the record player in the background and I would be lost in the magic of Christmas for the night.

Lights are nothing without the electricity that flows through them.  When the Christmas lights are unplugged at night they go back to the state of being dark because the essential element that heats the filament is missing.  The light bulb is simply a container of argon and nitrogen gas with a tungsten filament.  When the light switch is turned on, electricity flows through the filament and creates heat which is expressed through the illumination of the gases causing light to then fill the bulb.  This light then allows for the human eye to see in the darkness.

We read in John 1:1, the Word was God;  so in John 1:14 above, we discover that God became human through Jesus Christ, born to live amongst us and enable us to see the Father .  He filled the human form with His very essence so that His righteousness would shine to all that looked upon this man.  Jesus was 100% human, in that his physical form and needs were that of a man.  He required food, water and rest.  He communicated through the spoken word and showed emotions of love, anger, joy, compassion, fear and pain.   Yet, at the same time, God the Father dwelt in him during his 33 years on this earth in the physical form of man. 

We know that the slightest crack or broken filament in a light bulb will cause it to no longer illuminate the presence of electricity.  The slightest imperfection in Jesus life as a man would have brought an end to his ability to glorify God’s perfection.  We see him in the garden on the night he was betrayed, crying out to His Father to take this cup.  The enormity of the world’s sins bearing down upon his shoulders and the fragile human form felt the pressure.  Because God had become man within this form though, Jesus Christ was able to fulfill his purpose through his death and resurrection. 

The perfection of God is immutable.  Just as electricity fills a light bulb, God’s perfection filled Jesus Christ; and in doing so created the Light of the World, so that all mankind could see God’s presence.  As you observe the Christmas lights this season, take in the warmth, the glow and the beauty; but realize that they will go out in a month.  Look for the Light of the World in Jesus Christ and never be without light again.

 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be the glory giv'n;
Word of the Father,
Now in the flesh appearing

Prayer:
Almighty God,
You have dwelt among us in the flesh through Your Son, Jesus Christ.  We can look upon His life as an example of Your perfection and see Your presence through Him.  Just as You filled Him with Your glory and essence, let us be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we may live within Your perfect plan.  Help us to see the Light of the World this season as we gaze upon the Christmas light displays and share His light with those we meet.  In Your name we pray - Amen

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
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He's Right There

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”   - James 4:8

I look at him and help him up onto my lap.  I wrap my arms around his 7 year old frame and hug him, not in a playful, bear hug manner, but rather in a “I love you so much” way.  There are times I just don’t want to let him go, for fear of what might happen or because I want him to know that I love him.  I flex my muscles and draw his body close as he sits on my lap, and closing my eyes I say a small prayer that God watch over him when I cannot, bless his every step throughout the day and protect him from harm, verbal or physical.  As a father, I cannot tell you how much I love my son and daughters, because it cannot be expressed in words.  There are times when I’m tucking them in at night that after stepping from their room, and shutting the door, I find myself choked up with the emotion of loving them.  I would do anything physically possible to keep them from harm or to make their life easier.  I’m not sure I can say that about a casual friend or an acquaintance though.  Those relationships do not possess the same level of commitment as I have with my children and my wife.

How often are you asking the question, “Where was God?”  Perhaps it was a situation where you lost your job, perhaps it was the loss of a loved one or a friend, perhaps it was a situation of abuse to someone you know or even yourself, or perhaps it was a devastating tornado or flood which shredded your belongings.  Reflect on the last time you found yourself asking this question and then ask yourself this question, “What did I expect from God at that moment?”  Did you expect that God would miraculously change the circumstances so you did not have to experience the pain?  Did you expect Him to in some way change the circumstances to your favor rather than your detriment?  In our humanity we observe situations and circumstances as single point in time events and often times treat God as a genie in a bottle to be used at our beck and call.  Yet, we find ourselves walking our own path and controlling our own life for the other 95% of the time.  The truth is God is not a genie in a bottle for your convenience; He is the omnipotent, sovereign Lord of all creation and is not at your disposal when you feel the need.

God is omnipresent, which means He is everywhere, at all times.  When the scriptures tell us to draw close to God, how is this possible when He is everywhere; how does one get closer?  Drawing close to God is not a physical presence, it is a spiritual presence.  God loves us so intensely, just as I love my children, and His desire is for our joy and happiness to be found in worshipping and loving Him.  He can’t draw closer to you, or love you anymore than He does.  His love is immutable and He has demonstrated this through the sacrifice of His own Son that we might have eternal life.  There is no deeper love that He can give to you, than the grace provided to redeem your sinful nature and allow for you to enter into heaven.  His perspective is not moment by moment, but eternal. 

Drawing close to God means understanding Him more, familiarizing yourself with His ways, His desires, His purpose and plans.  I want you to compare the amount of time you spend preparing for school, for work, for your own desires with the amount of time you spend strengthening your relationship with God.  Do you spend 10% of your time (2.4 hours) with God each day?  Learning, listening, studying and growing?  No…what about 1 hour, perhaps 30 minutes, maybe 15 minutes?  No….hmmm, maybe you spend a few minutes before you get in the shower each morning, or a few minutes in prayer at the dinner table or before bed.  Are you seeking God’s forgiveness and redemption each day for those things that stand between you and Him?  Are you acting mindful in living up to the character of God in your daily walk, through your speech, your actions and your habits? 

Every relationship requires that both parties participate in the relationship.  If you aren’t willing to contribute and hold up your end of the bargain, but expect God too, is that not double minded?  God’s cards are on the table, He’s not going to change and He’s not going to lower His standards or expectations, just for you.  If you want God’s presence in your life to overcome adversity, pain and hardship; then you need to draw closer to Him in your daily walk and commitment to the relationship.  He is right there waiting for you to draw close and likewise He will draw closer to you.

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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