GOD’S LOVE FOR US
BY
Dr Augustine Joseph
Dr Augustine Joseph Bsc, DBA, Mdiv, Phd, DD(Hon)
Founder & President - The Channel of Peace Ministries
Founder & Chairman - S E R O C (NGO)
Website; thechannelofpeace.yolasite.com
Blogs : tcopseroc.blogspot.com
Orphanagetcopseroc.blogspot.com
Face book : Augustine Joseph
Counsellor : Addicts, Depressed, Divorced & Broken families
Speaker : Motivational Speaker, give talks to youths seminars
Couple Seminars, leadership training, stress management
Inner Healing Sessions.
Author Book - GOD'S LOVE , drajbook.blogspot.in
Author Book - GOD'S LOVE , drajbook.blogspot.in
Contact email id; winsouls10cr@gmail.com
We have a Choice To Make
Believe in GOD , or Dismiss Him?
Accept His Claims, or Reject Him?
There is no middle ground! Either we…
Submit to Jesus, Live under his Daily Direction, and Receive the Benefits of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection… or we -- Deny Him, and Live only for yourself and under your own Power. You have to make a Choice! You cannot remain neutral!
Believe in GOD , or Dismiss Him?
Accept His Claims, or Reject Him?
There is no middle ground! Either we…
Submit to Jesus, Live under his Daily Direction, and Receive the Benefits of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection… or we -- Deny Him, and Live only for yourself and under your own Power. You have to make a Choice! You cannot remain neutral!
I. The God of hope declares that we can abound in hope (Romans 15:13)
The bible speaks repeatedly of our God and his high hopes for us. Our Father is not in despair about our future; he wants us to face the future with hope. He makes his desires come to fruition by giving us all we need.
a. Hope fills us with excitement and optimism.
i. Paul speaks the truth when he says that as Christians we are able to “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2)
ii. He also speaks about rejoicing in hope (Romans 12:12)
iii. Hope is one of the great characteristics that endures, along with faith and love, to the very end. (1 Cor. 13:13)
b. Hope produces patience and persistence
i. Without hope, there is little chance of our developing the patience and persistence needed for living the Christian life.
c. Hope helps us face our future.
i. Why would we have hope?
1. Hope is a produce of the promises of our Lord to us.
2. Hope is a product of the presence of our Lord with us.
3. Hope is a product of the power of our Lord, which works within us (Phil 2:13)
II. The God of hope desires to fill us with joy.
It is significant that our text expresses the hope that God might fill us with “all joy”. Joy is an elusive and misunderstood concept. First, it is mistaken for happiness. Happiness is linked to what happens to you and to those you love. Joy is something much deeper. Second, joy and pleasure are often confused. Pleasure is the pause we experience between two pains.
Christian joy is not dependent on the circumstances of man. Joy is thankfulness for who God is and for what he has given us through his Son’s death.
The bible speaks repeatedly of our God and his high hopes for us. Our Father is not in despair about our future; he wants us to face the future with hope. He makes his desires come to fruition by giving us all we need.
a. Hope fills us with excitement and optimism.
i. Paul speaks the truth when he says that as Christians we are able to “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2)
ii. He also speaks about rejoicing in hope (Romans 12:12)
iii. Hope is one of the great characteristics that endures, along with faith and love, to the very end. (1 Cor. 13:13)
b. Hope produces patience and persistence
i. Without hope, there is little chance of our developing the patience and persistence needed for living the Christian life.
c. Hope helps us face our future.
i. Why would we have hope?
1. Hope is a produce of the promises of our Lord to us.
2. Hope is a product of the presence of our Lord with us.
3. Hope is a product of the power of our Lord, which works within us (Phil 2:13)
II. The God of hope desires to fill us with joy.
It is significant that our text expresses the hope that God might fill us with “all joy”. Joy is an elusive and misunderstood concept. First, it is mistaken for happiness. Happiness is linked to what happens to you and to those you love. Joy is something much deeper. Second, joy and pleasure are often confused. Pleasure is the pause we experience between two pains.
Christian joy is not dependent on the circumstances of man. Joy is thankfulness for who God is and for what he has given us through his Son’s death.
a. God wished to fill us with the joy of forgiveness
b. God wishes to fill us with the joy of eternal life.
c. God wishes to fill us with the joy of belonging in his family
d. God wishes to fill us with the joy of knowing that we will go to heaven when this life is over.
e. God wishes to fill us with the joy that comes as the result of serving others and helping others enter the life of faith.
III. The God of hope fills us with his wonderful peace (Romans 15:13)
People have always sought a trouble-free life. The heart longs for serenity. Humans, as sinners, experience inner tension, making serenity impossible. We are distracted by desires and ambitions that are contradictory. We are pulled apart as if we are in a civil war. The minds and hearts of people are battlegrounds on which they become split personalities like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
a. God wants to bring order into chaos of people’s lives.
i. God wants to bring
The Father God wants to give to us the gift of peace that comes through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)
i. The Holy Spirit of God, who dwells within us from the moment of our conversion, seeks continually to bring us into harmony with the will of God, making inner peace possible.
ii. Our text affirms that it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that the life of hope, joy, and peace is make possible.
iii. This power of the Holy Spirit and these blessings from God come to us through believing in and trusting in the goodness and the graciousness of our God. (Hebrews 11:6)
i. The Holy Spirit of God, who dwells within us from the moment of our conversion, seeks continually to bring us into harmony with the will of God, making inner peace possible.
ii. Our text affirms that it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that the life of hope, joy, and peace is make possible.
iii. This power of the Holy Spirit and these blessings from God come to us through believing in and trusting in the goodness and the graciousness of our God. (Hebrews 11:6)
Psalm 145:9 The Lord is Good to all “Well, all means everyone. In other words, all means YOU
And, to give you an opportunity to delve deeper into God’s goodness for yourself, we've put together a powerful combination of materials—The Goodness of God Package.
Now you can have your perception of God match what the Word says. You can know and receive His goodness…the goodness that blesses YOU beyond measure! With the materials in this special package you will begin to:• See God in the light of His never-changing goodness.
• Know that God intends His goodness to be the substance and source of your life.
• Receive God’s goodness…His immeasurable blessings!
You can take hold of a new way of life—a limitless life—when you recognize the unlimited goodness of God and His unlimited goodness to you!
God wants us to increase in wealth and riches, prosperity, anointing, Blessings, Joy and Happiness.
The God Who Loves Me As I Am
Elijah became weak because He stopped trusting God. Peter failed (question 1b) because he stopped trusting God. In God’s sight, sin of adultery and murder (David) is just as bad as that of not trusting Him. Romans 14:23 says, “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” The wonderful thing about Jesus Christ is that He knows all about our human weakness and failures. Our God accepts us as we are.
· What does He tell us to do with our fears?
· Name some practical ways you can do this.
Think About It: There is only one way to determine your identity that cannot be shaken, one foundation that cannot be taken away from you: “I am a child of God.” Now you might be a child of God who happens to be a businessman...or a Now you might be a child of God who happens to be a businessman...or a mother...or an athlete. But the core source of your identity is your relationship with your God and Father. Only in this way can you ever begin to discover true security…At moments of failure, we need to be reminded of who we really are so that we can return to dependency upon Him and act in accordance with our true identity. We never outgrow our need to be reminded of who we are in Christ! It is something that God is trying to teach us from the first day of our Christian lives until the day we go home to heaven, and this truth provides a constant standard against which we learn to measure our thinking and responses throughout life...It is only as we learn and rest in what the Word of God teaches us about our total acceptance before God that we can become free.
7. He responds to my need. Fear, confusion and despair distorted Elijah’s thinking, and he ran instead of praying. He withdrew from his sphere of influence and neglected his body’s needs. He wallowed in self-pity. God responded to Elijah’s need.
· Have you ever followed Elijah’s stressed-out steps? What happened, and how did God help you out of such a painful place in the past?
· Have you thanked Him for this? Consider writing or drawing something to express your thankfulness today.
Preventing despair is far easier than recovery! Next time you encounter a frightening situation, dwell on Philippians 4:6-8; John 14:27; and Psalm 27.
God can achieve His purpose either through the absence of human power and resources, or the abandonment of reliance upon them. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on Him made possible the unique display of his power and grace. He chose and used “somebodies” only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources.
GOD IS IN CONTROL
a) To say yes would bring us harm we don't foresee.
b) God has something far greater in store for us.
Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to heal Lazarus, but He had resurrection in mind.
We ask for health, but often sickness and suffering or something less than wealth is the best way to produce holiness and maturity in us.
Our premature daughter Becky, who only lived nine days: God's plan was our growth plus full lives—taking care of her would have severely restricted us. Plus 2 active boys!
b) God has something far greater in store for us.
Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to heal Lazarus, but He had resurrection in mind.
We ask for health, but often sickness and suffering or something less than wealth is the best way to produce holiness and maturity in us.
Our premature daughter Becky, who only lived nine days: God's plan was our growth plus full lives—taking care of her would have severely restricted us. Plus 2 active boys!
c) We pray at cross purposes with other believers.
• Two Christians on opposing teams, praying for their team to win.
• Two Christians applying for the same job or to get their child in the same preschool spot.
God has to say "no" to one to say "yes" to the other.
• Two Christians on opposing teams, praying for their team to win.
• Two Christians applying for the same job or to get their child in the same preschool spot.
God has to say "no" to one to say "yes" to the other.
d) We pray for things where a "yes" is impossible.
• That a child be found alive when they've been murdered.
• We pray for lost things that are not found.
• That a child be found alive when they've been murdered.
• We pray for lost things that are not found.
e) We pray for things that are already determined.
• Praying for a boy or girl that's already been conceived.
• Praying for the salvation of someone who's already dead.
• Praying for a boy or girl that's already been conceived.
• Praying for the salvation of someone who's already dead.
f) We get discouraged in prayer by thinking God has said no when in fact He's said nothing at all.
"Wait" is an answer. Delay is not denial.
God often delays His answer to cultivate patience and persistence, and build our faith. Or to bring our will around to conform to His own.
"Wait" is an answer. Delay is not denial.
God often delays His answer to cultivate patience and persistence, and build our faith. Or to bring our will around to conform to His own.
g) God's "No" is not rejection, but redirection
Close a door—open a window? No!
God's "no" to one thing is a "yes" to another.
2 Sam 7 - God said "no" to David's desire to build a temple.
Close a door—open a window? No!
God's "no" to one thing is a "yes" to another.
2 Sam 7 - God said "no" to David's desire to build a temple.
h) God's "no" isn't punishment, it's preparation
Rom 5:2a-5 - "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”
Rom 5:2a-5 - "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”
God is preparing us to be His Son's bride. We will reign with Him; we must be made into a bride worthy of our position. He develops perseverance, character, and hope as we trust Him in prayer. Prayer and spiritual warfare is His means of preparing us for bride hood.
i) God's "No" will sometimes bring greater glory to God.
j) God's "No" opens the door to an adventure with God.
Elijah, 1 Kings 19. He prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors." God said "no" because He had an adventure planned for Elijah!
Elijah, 1 Kings 19. He prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors." God said "no" because He had an adventure planned for Elijah!
2 Kings 2:11, "Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out. 'My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!' And Elisha saw him no more."
WHY SHOULD HE LOVE US SO?
IT’S BECAUSE WE “BELONG TO JESUS”
I mean, is there any group in the world that is better known for showing love & compassion to those who are in need than Christians? All over the world you can find Christians helping the poor, feeding the hungry, visiting the lonely, & ministering to the helpless. In fact, Jesus said in John 13:35, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
I mean, is there any group in the world that is better known for showing love & compassion to those who are in need than Christians? All over the world you can find Christians helping the poor, feeding the hungry, visiting the lonely, & ministering to the helpless. In fact, Jesus said in John 13:35, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 Paul wrote: "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ & through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved & those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”
GOD’S LOVE
we learn that love is the supreme expression of God’s personhood and flows out of His goodness. It affects all His other attributes.
When you think about it, God’s love is the only reason we exist. His power is the how of creation and His love is the why. Love demands an object you and I are that focus of God’s affection. Love flows from Him as a pure river of grace and mercy without detracting in any way from His holiness and righteousness. As we understand and experience His love, we find that this attribute is a doorway to knowing God intimately.
When you think about it, God’s love is the only reason we exist. His power is the how of creation and His love is the why. Love demands an object you and I are that focus of God’s affection. Love flows from Him as a pure river of grace and mercy without detracting in any way from His holiness and righteousness. As we understand and experience His love, we find that this attribute is a doorway to knowing God intimately.
- Our Loving God of the Second Chance because He is our loving God, He promises us a fresh start whenever we need one.
- Our Loving Knowable God His love reaches down to us so that we can actually get to know Him He initiates the process.
- Our Loving Holy God His holiness is linked to His love so that we can be overwhelmed by His majesty, drawn to His mercy, and motivated to be involved in His mission.
- Our Loving Creator God We see God’s creative beauty all around us and recognize His unique loving care for the preborn.
- Our Loving Omnipresent God We can count on God’s love to be with us no matter where we are because God is everywhere present at the same time.
- Our Loving Knowable God His love reaches down to us so that we can actually get to know Him He initiates the process.
- Our Loving Holy God His holiness is linked to His love so that we can be overwhelmed by His majesty, drawn to His mercy, and motivated to be involved in His mission.
- Our Loving Creator God We see God’s creative beauty all around us and recognize His unique loving care for the preborn.
- Our Loving Omnipresent God We can count on God’s love to be with us no matter where we are because God is everywhere present at the same time.
- Our Loving Omniscient God God knows all things and knows everything about us and is still totally and unconditionally committed to us.
- Our Loving Omnipotent God God’s absolute power is unleashed and motivated by His love on our behalf.
- Our Loving Faithful God God’s faithfulness is linked to His love so that we can always count on Him to be there for us.
- Our Loving Just God God’s justice and God’s love are fully expressed by the sacrificial death of Christ.
- Our Loving Sovereign God God’s control over all things is motivated by His love for us so that we can lovingly submit to His lordship in our lives.
- Our Loving Unchanging God Because God does not change in His love for us, we can be changed from the inside out.
God’s love is agape, the purest, deepest and most unconditional kind of love.
Here are just a few of the verses
Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Psalm 36:7: “How priceless is your unfailing love!”
Isaiah 38:17: “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”
1 John 3:1: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!”
Psalm 63:3: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Psalm 36:7: “How priceless is your unfailing love!”
Isaiah 38:17: “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”
1 John 3:1: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!”
Psalm 63:3: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
what is the love of God? How do we define it?
God loves us because that’s the kind of God He is. Period. Nothing in us causes Him to love us. Matthew Henry has said that, “The great God not only loves His saints, but He loves to love them.”
Romans 5: 6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Verse 6 says that we were “powerless.” To be “powerless” means that we can’t change our basic nature on our own. Specifically it means that we have no power to come up with a plan of justification on our own left to ourselves, none of us is able to do even one small thing to please God or achieve salvation. We were ungodly yet Christ Died for us.
verse 8 we are “sinners,” meaning that we were desperately in need of a change that we couldn’t make and didn’t want to make. We were neither righteous nor good when Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:3 adds that we were by “nature objects of God’s wrath.” The truth of the matter is that we have rebelled wilfully against God’s commands, broken His moral law, and acted in total defiance of His known will for us.
- It helps us see the depth of God’s love
- It helps us see that we don’t have any claim on His love we don’t deserve it. God’s love is not dependent on anything in you because there is nothing in you that forces God to love you.
There is no reason for God to love us. You are not a naturally lovable person and neither am I. Sin has infected our lives so much that it has distorted even the parts we think are beautiful.
And so, there is no reason for God to love us, except this: That’s the kind of God He is. He loves us because God is love and He can’t help loving us even when we are His enemies. His love is greater than our sin and He loves us in spite of our sin.
If you don’t really believe that God loves you, think about this: If God loved me enough to give His Son to die for me when I was His enemy, surely He loves me enough to care for me now that I am His child. Having given such a priceless gift as His Son, He will most definitely give all else that is consistent with His glory and my good.
Look at it this way. “Lord, how much do you love me?” “This much,” he said. Then He stretched out His arms, bowed His head, and died.
Look at it this way. “Lord, how much do you love me?” “This much,” he said. Then He stretched out His arms, bowed His head, and died.
Love of god
Revelation 1: 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 John 3
1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1. THE LOVE OF GOD EQUALIZES
In our society we are all placed into different categories....Educationally, economically, politically, racially.......yet in the eyes of God we are all equal. No matter where we come from or where we’ve been.......we’re all on equal ground when it comes to the love of God.
In our society we are all placed into different categories....Educationally, economically, politically, racially.......yet in the eyes of God we are all equal. No matter where we come from or where we’ve been.......we’re all on equal ground when it comes to the love of God.
2. THE LOVE OF GOD ENDURES.
The great news is that God will not quit loving us......no matter what. He has done to much, and given to much to ever quit loving us.
The Love of God endures time.....endures trials........endures transgressions.
The great news is that God will not quit loving us......no matter what. He has done to much, and given to much to ever quit loving us.
The Love of God endures time.....endures trials........endures transgressions.
3. THE LOVE OF GOD EMANICIPATES. Notice the words...he has washed us in his own blood.....When we are saved.....our sins are washed in the blood of Jesus....we are cleansed....we are liberated.....we are set free......no longer a slave to sin
4. THE LOVE OF GOD ELEVATES.
When we experience the love of God, we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus....we are clean from and on the inside. God reaches down and lifts us up out of the miry clay, and places us upon a rock...a sure, and steadfast foundation.....behold if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation....old things pass away, and behold all things are become new.
We need to be loved completely, and forgiven thoroughly, God can do that.
Psalm 23
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
David extols the goodness of God as his shepherd, and expresses his confidence in him .Isaiah 40: 11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd : he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young .
The shepherd does many things for the sheep:
He finds good clean water for them. Like any creature, sheep need fresh water everyday. But left to themselves, they might drink dirty or polluted water. The shepherd leads them to fresh water or digs a well for them.
· He leads them to good food. He leads them past the dry rocky ground, away from poisonous plants, to fields of green grass.
· He keeps them from wandering away. A sheep might leave the flock and get lost, or fall into a crook in the rocks and break a bone.
· He keeps them from danger. Wild animals lurk nearby waiting to attack a stray sheep. The shepherd protects his sheep. And the shepherd leads the sheep back to their pen each night.
Jesus used sheep as a symbol for people and the shepherd as a symbol for Himself.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
GOD ALWAYS COMES AFTER YOU BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE TOWARDS YOU – so be of Good Cheer.
The Bible teaches us that God is a loving, sovereign, and personal God, but the important point is not only that God is a person, but that He is the kind of person He is. This is what makes the difference.
Luke 15:4
4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
Luke 15: 32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
God neither delights nor takes pleasure in the destruction of the wicked; His desire is for men to be saved.
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
Matthew 18:2-6
And Jesus called a little child unto him , and set him in the midst of them, And said , Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted , and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Have the Character of a Child to reach the Kingdom of God.
Isaiah 66:13
13As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
Psalms 103: 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
You Can Know That You Are A Child Of God By Your Life Direction.
In other words, if you are a child of God your life will give evidence of that fact. Please note that Paul is not telling people to try hard to do the right thing in order to be a child of God. He is not giving instructions on becoming a child of God but rather he is giving a test for determining if you are a child of God.
In other words, if you are a child of God your life will give evidence of that fact. Please note that Paul is not telling people to try hard to do the right thing in order to be a child of God. He is not giving instructions on becoming a child of God but rather he is giving a test for determining if you are a child of God.
Father , Hide My Heart in You
Surrender to God and Return to HIM
If you want a full-blown spiritual life, SURRENDER YOUR LIFE to God.
James wrote to Christians with several SURFACE problems – like the tops of my hated weeds.
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:1-4)
· Fights and QUARRELS
· Selfish DESIRES
· Anger, frustration and murderous words
· Not much PRAYER and what there was selfish
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:1-4)
· Fights and QUARRELS
· Selfish DESIRES
· Anger, frustration and murderous words
· Not much PRAYER and what there was selfish
Spiritual adultery means, “to give my desires a higher PRIORITY than God” or “to think that what I want is on THE SAME level as God.”
· It always leads to PRIDE.
Pride is essentially acting as if we can do God’s work. Jesus’ first disciples tended to do that too. They told Jesus they would go through anything for him. They argued over who was the greatest. They expected to be second only to Jesus in God’s kingdom. But all their selfish plans and desires died with Jesus on the Cross.
How can I surrender to God?
“God, I give up. I’m tired of trying to do your work. I’m exhausted from working to earn your approval. I realize now that You are the only one who can meet my needs. I surrender to you.”
Responding to God:
¨ Bow your heads and close your eyes so you can focus your attention on God’s Holy Spirit.
¨ Is the Holy Spirit urging you to surrender to God today?
¨ Do you want a full-blown spiritual life? Will you surrender to God in prayer? Are you ready to tell God he is in control of your life?
THANK GOD FOR YOU
Thank God for you, good friend of mine
Seldom is friendship such as thine
How very much I wish to be
As helpful as you’ve been to me
THANK GOD FOR YOU
Of many prayer quest, one thou art
On whom I ask God to impart
Rich Blessings from his storehouse rare
And grant to you His gracious care
THANK GOD FOR YOU
So often, at the throne of Grace
There comes a picture of your face
And then, instinctively, I pray
That God may guide you all the way
THANK GOD FOR YOU
Some day I hope with you to stand
Before the throne, at God’s right hand
And say to you at journey’s end
Praise God, you’ve been to me a friend
THANK GOD FOR YOU
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