God so Loved the World that He Gave His Son: The greatest Spiritual battle ever fought – part forty six
I was doing my daily Bible reading on Thursday of this week, when a verse from Psalms 44 really caught my attention. It always surprises me when a passage of Scripture seems to jump off the page at me. In this particular case the Psalmist was pleading for God to help His chosen people the Israelites. It seemed like… well here, I’ll just show you the verse:
Psalm 44:26 (NLT2)
26 Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love.
I can almost hear you saying, “What’s so special about that verse?” I know… I felt the same way! I had to ask the Lord why it was almost bringing me to tears. Then, He put this thought in my mind: “It is My Love! My Love for you has touched you deeply in your spirit.” He went on to put it on my heart to write about His Love this week in my blog. I would like to call your attention to the fact that in Psalm 44:26 above… His Love is unfailing! Wow! I have a feeling that there will be a lot of Scripture passages in this post. Of course we have to start with the most well-known passage in the Bible:
John 3:16 (NLT2)
16“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:3-6 (NLT2)
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. 6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Isaiah 54:10 (NLT2)
10 For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
In the next passage we are told that God Himself IS LOVE!!!
1 John 4:16-19 (NLT2)
16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.
In the next Scripture, we see a passage that is often read at wedding ceremonies; however, we are going to see it as God’s Love for us. I will take the liberty to insert the word (God’s) where He wants me to emphasize that it is His Love:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT2)
4 (God’s) love is patient and kind. (God’s)Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 (God’s) Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Romans 5:8-11 (NLT2)
8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
In the following Scripture, Jesus commands us to love others the way He loves us!
John 15:9-14 (NLT2)
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
it’s kind of a culmination of the things you’ve been writing about for the past year. “when we were utterly helpless, CHRIST CAME AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, and died for us.”. “…. while we were still sinners.”. Mike, I had to read this one twice, thank you dear friend.