Delivering LOVE!

Delivering Love

\tFor God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life ( John 3:16 ).
\tGreater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends
( John 15:13 ).

\tGod so loved the world that He “gave.” This is the secret of love, to give, to share, that others may benefit. Jesus Christ, the begotten Son, was given to the world to share His mercy and grace to all.
\tGod delivered His love through the Son. It wasn’t enough for God to speak from Heaven and say, “I love you, world.” Love shows action. The delivering love of God was seen by His Son dying on the cross for our sins.
\tWhen Jesus Christ walked this earth, He showed His love.

\t1. Sharing love. Jesus opened the eyes of the blind, healed lepers, caused the dumb to talk, and raised the dead. He gave power to His disciples over all the forces of the devil. Christ gave us an example, that we ought to love one another. This can be seen in reading, John 13:34-35.

\tAs Christ loved us, we are to love one another.
\tWe are not disciples of Christ by building a huge Temple.
\tWe are not disciples of Christ by giving large sums of money.
\tWe are not disciples of Christ by looking holy.
\tWe are disciples of Christ if we love one another.
\t
\tAs Jesus shared His love, we are to share our love to our neighbors. Love your neighbor, be gentle, kind, and considerate.
\tWhen Jesus walked this earth, He showed:

\t2. Enduring love. Jesus endured hunger, that we might be fed. He endured the shame and beatings for our sake.

\tHe endured the crown of thorns.
\tHe endured the nails in His hands.
\tHe endured the stripes upon His back.

\tHebrews 12:2, tells us He endured the cross, despising the shame. We are to endure all things for Christ’s sake ( II Timothy 2:10 ).

\tLet us have the enduring love of Christ.
\tLet us endure the trials and persecutions.
\tLet us endure the shame and ridicule, living for Him.

\tPaul told Timothy to endure afflictions. Christ endured more than we will ever experience.
\tJesus tells us in Matthew 10:22, that we will be hated of all men for his Name sake, but if we endure to the end, we shall be saved. My friend, endure all things, and hold on to enduring love.
\tWhen Jesus walked this earth, He showed:

\t3. Faithful love. Christ was faithful unto death, even the death of the cross. He was faithful in His service. He was faithful in His cause for salvation to all.

\tWe today, are to demonstrate faithful love.
\tWe should be faithful to the House of God.
\tWe should be faithful in giving of our substance.
\tWe should be faithful in our praise and worship.
\tWe should be faithful to our word.
\tWe should be faithful to our spouse.

\tIf we remain faithful in this life, we will rule over cities ( Luke 19:17 ).
\tIf we remain faithful unto death, we shall receive a crown of life
( Revelation 2:10 ).
\tGod today, wants us to demonstrate faithful love.
\tWhen Jesus walked this earth, He showed:

\t4. Forgiving love. When He was on the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus, in His dying hour, forgave those who were against Him.
\tWe need to demonstrate this forgiving love today. Peter was admonished by Jesus to forgive his brother seventy times seven ( Matthew 18:21 ).
\tLet us forgive others, as Christ forgave us of our sins. Our world would be a better place, if we demonstrated forgiving love.
\tWhen Jesus walked this earth, He showed:

\t5. Saving love. While on the cross, Jesus saved a thief, who cried out for mercy. In His earthly ministry, He forgave and saved others. His willingness to die on the cross, was an act of saving love for the whole world.
\tJesus came to save, heal, and proclaim the gospel, and the Kingdom of Heaven.
\tLet us go forth today, with the saving love of God, and reach out with the gospel of Christ.
\tPeter preached the gospel on the Day of Pentecost, with saving love. He was concerned for the lost souls of his generation.
\tWhen Jesus walked this earth, He demonstrated:

\t6. Conquering love. Jesus conquered death, Hell, and the grave. He conquered the forces of Satan for our behalf. He stands today, as the world greatest conqueror.

\tHe conquered more than Alexander the Great.
\tHe conquered more than Caesar.
\tHe conquered more than Napoleon.
\tJesus conquered through love.
\tLet us go forth today, with the conquering love of Christ, and set the captives free.
\tWe can conquer temptation.
\tWe can conquer the forces of Satan.

\tPaul said, in Romans 8:37, that we are more than conquerors through Christ.
\tWhen Jesus walked this earth, He demonstrated:

\t7. Sustaining love. Jesus was the burden bearer. He bore our sins on the cross. All things were sustained by Him. We should cast all our burdens on the Lord, for He will sustain us ( Psalms 55:22 ).

\tHe will never suffer us to fail, or to fall.
\tHe will uplift us.
\tHe will support us.
\tHe will enlighten us.
\tThank God for the sustaining love of Christ.
\t
\tYes, God delivered His love through Jesus Christ, our Lord, that we might be saved today.
\tOh, the delivering love of God.

Author Unknown.

1. We wish to see Jesus.

Jn 12:21. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of
Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

2. We see Jesus.

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by
the grace of God should taste death for every man.

3. We shall see Him.

I John 3:2.Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall
be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The first is the plea of the sinner, the second is the privelge of the saint.

and third is the promise of the word of God.

Blessings out of Sufferings
What is your response to suffering? There is no escape from intense pressures in this life, but it helps when we get God into the picture.

The apostle Peter wrote to a group of suffering Christians with words of encouragement. “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).

“After you have suffered for a little,” says Peter. The suffering is temporary, in contrast and comparison to the eternal glory that is in store for the believer.

Before God blesses us there come times of trouble, distress, grief and pain. We can rejoice knowing the suffering is for a short time, but out of the suffering comes blessings that cannot be had any other way.

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Our suffering is temporary, but it produces in us character that will last thought out eternity.

God equips believers for His service through suffering. He strengthens character in the fires of pressure.

“After you have suffered for a little while,” indicates the blessings come only after we submit to the refiner’s fire. We cannot disregard the sufferings.

Who will bless us? “The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ . . .” He is faithful and consistent in the way He treats us. He is the “God of all grace.” Everything He does will be consistent with His eternal glory. Whatever He begins in His grace will lead to His glory. What He begins He will see through to completion. One day He will say, “Come to Me you blood-bought sinners. Come unto My eternal glory.”

We have been called, not just to eternal glory, but God “called you to His eternal glory in Christ.” He called you and me, sinners saved by His manifold grace, to His eternal glory. He called us to that very glory and honor in which the LORD God invests Himself forever. Yes, we who have “sinned and come short of the glory of God” are called into His holy presence dressed in His robes of righteousness.

The promise is “in Christ,” and to His glory. Everything comes through Christ. He is the atmosphere or climate of the whole Christian life.

He gives us grace to meet every situation in life (Heb. 4:16). The standing invitation is “Come unto Me all you that are weary and heavy laden.” Come you who are persecuted for righteousness sake; come you who are weary, tired, hurting; come you who are suffering for the cause of Christ; come you who are ravaged by a terrible disease. He gives out of His infinite grace. God gives us His strength to meet the demands of life.

He is the God of all grace—quickening grace, pardoning grace, cleansing grace, believing grace, sustaining grace, sovereign grace. The God of all grace, manifold grace, has a storehouse that never runs out. It is infinite, boundless, limitless, amazing grace.

Out of that constant supply of saving and sanctifying grace God does a marvelous work in us. His goal is to “perfect” us. The word for “perfect” in the original means to equip, to adjust, and to fit together, “to put into order, to mend, to make whole.” It is also used for mending of torn fishing nets, and the “setting a broken bone.” Everything that happens in our Christian life is used to conform us to Christ. Whatever God has begun He will complete in the day of Christ. God will make us just like Christ. Shall God fail in His eternal purpose? Never. And He will not in your life or mine.

You cannot be perfected except by the refiner’s fire. God uses the rod to chastise His children. Nothing but the rod will remove the foolishness in our lives. The Holy Spirit uses these fires to remove every corruption within. How is God restoring your broken nets, and setting your brokenness?

God uses stress to set up, fix firmly, to establish and strengthen the believer. “Confirm,” or “establishment” is to make solid like granite. God tempers us in the hot fires of suffering. Sufferings make us steadfast. It secures and stabilizes us and makes us mature believers. Suffering has a way of focusing our eyes on Christ, and off of ourselves. Pressures in our lives force us to rest upon the Rock of Ages. Our hope is fixed upon His blood and His righteousness. We cannot be established on the solid foundation without suffering.

Peter also prays that the suffering will produce a solid foundation for spiritual growth. Suffering also strengthens us spiritually. We gain new strength by wrapping ourselves around the Lord. He gives us strength to bear up under incredible suffering. When we depend upon God’s grace our suffering will glorify God. The Christian learns to face life with the sense that God is all he really need. Watch the Christian who has God with him.

Moreover, God strengthens His people as they undergo suffering. He gives us grace and power in time of need. As we submit to Him, He gives us the grace we need for the moment.

Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006