Category: God’s Heart

Your Real Enemy

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The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,~Jesus. John 10:10

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

In every story there is a hero and a villain. Our hero is Jesus Christ who took on all the sins of the world. He came to free us. He came to give us life abundantly. He came so that we could have life eternal. Sometimes in life people forget about who the villain in the story is. I dare not give him any glory as he is a defeated foe, but he is still very real. His first name was Lucifer.

Lucifer was an archangel. He was beautiful. He was quite an amazing creation. However, his heart grew proud and he decided he wanted to worshiped instead of worshiping God who created him. See verses below.

“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14:12-14.

He was thrown out of heaven and all the angels who rebelled with him. They were sent to earth. We can see his first desire was to be worshiped above God. He comes to steal worship from God. He longs for people to worship anything other than God. He hates God.

What are his main objectives?-To steal, to kill, and destroy. He is filled with hatred for all people. He cannot love, there is no love in him. He has the exact opposite nature of God. God is love. The devil is filled with hate. God forgives, heals, restores, brings truth, and brings life. The devil longs to bring death, doubt, division, deception, fighting, quarreling, strife, and death. He is not equal to God in any way. He is not all powerful, all knowing, omnipresent, and he cannot read people’s minds. Enormously big God; itty, bitty devil.

He comes to steal the word of God from people.

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Mark 4:15.

He comes to steal joy and afflict with pain, sickness, disease, and death. See the story of Job (Job 1).

He comes to tempt people to sin. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,~Romans 6:23.

See the story of Adam and Eve.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1

He even tempted Jesus.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’’ Matt 4:4-7.

He comes to lie and murder.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies, John 8:44.
He comes to convince us that people are our enemies instead of him.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, Ephesians 6:12.
He comes to bring your sins up against you leading to guilt, shame, and condemnation. He is the accuser of the brethren.
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God, ~Revelation 12:10.
Essentially our real enemy is mostly unseen. He attacks us through people. He seduces us through media and by the use of people. He whispers lies to cause us to doubt God’s goodness, love, provision, and he comes to steal from us. He’s crafty, often subtle or other times bold. He does not love anyone or anything. He is a cruel, controlling, task master. He loves it when people blame God for things he’s doing. He loves to see people sick, hurt, dying, fighting, or being destroyed. The good news is, Jesus defeated him on the cross. Without the cross there would have been no hope for mankind to escape death. Jesus died and was resurrected bringing life, hope, healing, and restoration to all who believe in Him.
Satan (the devil) is not equal to God, and he is doomed to hell for eternity. He is beneath God’s foot. He cannot do anything he wants. He has limited power and will never be more powerful than God. He must bow to the name of Jesus which is above all names. There’s no need to fear he devil. The devil gains access to our lives through sin. Jesus paid for all sins. Scripture says, Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, ~James 4:7.
So live loved friends. God is not your enemy. People are not your real enemy. May we know who our real enemy is and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Jesus is our hero and He already triumphed over the enemy. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross, ~Colossians 2:15.

God=Love. You are deeply loved.

Grace (from I Thought I Knew What Love Was)

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The grace of God is so beautiful, and a precious gift. I hope this excerpt from I Thought I Knew What Love Was fills your heart with hope and joy. God’s love for us is vast beyond measure. You are loved beyond comprehension. Live loved.

Ephesians 2:4-9 But God,  being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when  we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you  have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly  places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the  immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by  grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is  the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Grace

Copyright © 2011 Erin Lamb, all rights reserved.

There is something so incredible about grace;

like freshly fallen dew,

grace falls so sweetly each day,

watering,

refreshing,

and renewing the soul.

It glistens like the brightness of the sun,

reflecting back to the most luminous One.

He is the most brilliant One,

who showers us with His mercy and grace.

His grace is

the unmerited favor

that we do not deserve.

Grace is one of the most priceless gifts.

It is His empowering presence

that enables us and gives us power to do His good will

and pleasure.

It is His grace

that carries us from day to day,

and season to season.

It is His unquestionable love

that is beyond all human reason.

We cannot fathom or understand,

how someone so perfect

could have such overwhelming, lasting love for us.

God, in His act of perfect love,

offered up His Son,

His one and only Son.

He sent His love down

like rain from heaven,

to wash away our scarlet sins;

He leaves our hearts white and pure as snow.

We could not earn this gift,

so precious and priceless a gift.

In His loving-kindness

He sent His Holy Spirit,

the one we call the Helper,

to dwell with sinful man.

He sent His Spirit

to comfort,

to lead,

provide wisdom,

and to empower us with His gifts

that are heaven sent.

This precious gift of grace returns,

day after day, to shower creation

with His unconditional love and unmerited favor.

Instead of giving us what we are worthy of,

He offers us so much more.

He offers mankind

a taste of His sweetness,

a touch of His goodness,

and a vision of His glory.

Just as the dew replenishes the soil,

His grace

softens our pride;

it soothes our hurts and pains.

His grace

refreshes our weary hearts

and seeps into our most desperate place.

We are in desperate need of His grace,

for we stumble and we fall.

We need His direction and love to pave the way.

He alone has made the way,

the only way,

for all our hearts to be fully restored.

Grace sinks into the desperate heart,

a heart so willing to receive.

Grace saturates the hurting heart

that has acknowledged its deepest need;

the need for a Savior,

the need for a friend,

the need for forgiveness,

for a love that does not end.

As love pours in,

guilt and shame pour out;

forgiveness and acceptance take its place.

There is something so remarkable about grace!

We cannot earn it.

We are not worthy of it,

and nothing we can do, or fail to do, can change the status of grace.

Grace comes in the most beautiful package,

falling from heaven

like freshly falling dew,

with a beautiful embroidered message

addressed to me and you.

It reads ever so tenderly,

“I give you My grace, free of charge,

simply because of My love for you.”

Copyright © 2011 Erin Lamb. Excerpt from,  “I Thought I Knew What Love Was.”

All rights reserved. No part of the material may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, without the written permission of the Publisher, Westbow Press (www.westbowpress.com), or Author, Erin Lamb. The only exception is in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Book available: http://www.westbowpress.com, http://www.barnesandnoble.com and http://www.amazon.com

You And I Are One (Poem)

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Photo Credit: Microsoft Clipart

Many times we believe that God is watching the things that happen to us and it does not deeply impact His heart. I was going through a challenging time and God spoke to my heart, “You and I are one.” When you abide in Christ and He in you, He not only sees what you see. He feels what you feel. What hurts you, touches His heart.  Even for humans when we see someone we love hurting, it impacts us in a way. For we are connected to them through love and relationship. God loves us more than we can love anyone.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me, ~John 15:4.

To abide means to dwell, to remain, or reside. This verse is speaking of the fruits of God’s Spirit, but if you take a plant say a vine and you chop off a portion of it or injure it, it will affect the rest of the plant. If you are in Christ then the things that happen to you touch Him as well. He’s not watching your life from a distance. He is in your life living it with you. We are also told in scripture that the Holy Spirit lives in believers.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,~ 1 Corinthians 6:19.

Even if you aren’t in fellowship with God, He loves you. He cares for you, and He longs for you to know the depths of His love.

You and I Are One written by Erin Lamb, all rights reserved.

I am there on the nights sorrow comes to rattle your soul.

I am not distant,

but it is I who holds your heart close.

With every tear you shed,

I whisper to your spirit to hold on.

Hold on for a new day is coming.

Hold on for the sun will rise again.

Hold on for I will turn your mourning into dancing.

You will have joy again.

The tears you’ve cried,

I’ve bottled every one.

If only you could see,

what hurts your heart, hurts Me.

I do not delight in your suffering,

nor do I glory in your pain.

My heart wells up with compassion,

and I want to hold you close to Me.

You and I are one.

Your heart is an extension of My heart.

I put My heart on display for the world to see how wonderful are the things that I create.

I created you for Me.

I created you to be loved by Me.

Oh, My child can’t you see,

I’ve given you the very best of Me.

I never want you to forget all the promises wrapped up in my Son.

I gave Him for you,

so there will one day be no more sorrow,

and no more pain.

There will be a day where you will see Me face to face.

What a delight that will be,

for you to look into the eyes of Love,

and see what I’ve always wanted you to see.

Pure, unconditional love.

A love that was here before you.

A love that breathed life into you.

A love that died and was resurrected for you.

A love that is here for you.

You and I are one.

I would do it all again

just to give you the chance to be My friend.

My heart longs for you.

My heart aches for you to see

that what matters to you,

matters to Me.

You are loved.

You are cared for.

You will always find comfort in Me.

Come rest in a love that will fill you, heal you, restore you, and change you into the person I created you to be.

I love you now,

and I will love you for all of eternity.

 

Does God Delight In Your Suffering?-The Perfect Father

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Photo Credit: Microsoft Clipart

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matt 11:28.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give, Jesus said to the disciples. Matt 10:8.

As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one, Luke 4:40.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick, Matt 14:14

Imagine a father who wants to teach his child to love him so he injects his child with diseases, surrounds the child with other kids who beat him up, tells him often how awful he is and needs to get it together,  floods his tree house and destroys what he loves when he doesn’t obey, and then says, “I did that so you could learn to be strong, a better person, and learn to love me.” You’d have that parent arrested. If you are under the train of thought that God enjoys watching you suffer, I hope this post opens your eyes to one of the most beautiful parts of His heart, compassion. Some of us were taught that God delights in our suffering or causes our suffering. If He was an earthy parent, He would have been in prison by now. He’s been blamed for natural disasters (acts of God they call them), putting sickness on people, and causing traumas in their lives. We call it God’s way of teaching us a lesson, refining our character, teaching us to be holy, and to fear Him. Well, if you read all of the Bible there are quite a few passages that contradict that train of thought.

1. Jesus came and healed the sick, delivered the demonized, fed the hungry & poor, raised the dead, brought justice, and told the disciples to do the same things they saw Him doing. If God wanted us to be sick to teach us to be holy, then it wouldn’t make sense that all throughout scripture God is healing people and telling us to heal the sick.

2. God often says, “Come Me and I will carry your burdens (Psalm 68:19) and I will give you rest.” If He was the One giving us burdens to teach us to be more like Him, why would He ask us to give Him our burdens? It doesn’t make sense. You don’t give someone something and then ask for it back.

3. There was no suffering in the garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned. They lived in paradise, in perfect communion with God. God called the condition of the world very good. See Genesis verses below.

God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good, Genesis 1: 29-31.

There is no mention of suffering until Genesis 3 when sin entered the picture. Suffering is the result of sin in the world. There were no natural disasters in the garden. No hurricanes, droughts, or earthquakes.

4.There will be no suffering in heaven. As there will be no sin in heaven.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away, Rev 21:4.

5. If God wanted to destroy the world, why did He send Jesus to save the world? Why would He commission us to share His love with those who don’t know Him? Why would He wish for none to perish, but all to come to know Him?

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him, John 3:17.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance, 2 Peter 3:9.

I hope some of that background info at least lifted some of the thoughts that God is out to get you or anyone else in the world. Also it’s difficult to receive love from someone we believe wants to hurt us. Sin hurts us. Living in a sinful world hurts us. Living apart from God hurts us. Making poor choices hurts us. I believe that the reason we are told to delight in suffering in the Bible is because God has a solution for the problem (sin). He will also reward those who endure hardships for the gospel and His children for living committed to Him in this broken world. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted, Matt 5:4. God will use what was intended for evil to bless us, and He gives great rewards.

I also believe because of Adam and Eve’s sin and we are born not loving God, many people come to know Him in times of tragedy. Not that God causes those tragedies, but I’ve seen in my own life that He’s taken the opportunity to step in and say, “You are hurting, let Me help you. I love you. I will comfort you. I will be your friend. I will heal you.”

We can easily blame God for the bad things the happen and miss the fact that evil exists because of the devil and sin. The devil hides behind the scenes telling people, “God did this. Why didn’t God stop this from happening to you? If God really loved you this never would have happened.” or “God is trying to make you holy through this cancer, loss, tragedy.” All those things lead us to believe that God is cruel, unkind, and unloving. It doesn’t draw us to God’s heart, it often pushes us away.

Jesus suffered for us, for our sins. And if we suffer for following Him, He promises a great reward. I believe it’s one of the reasons why Apostle Paul wanted to fellowship in suffering with Christ. When someone has suffered for you, you are more than willing to partake in their suffering. There is a blessing God places on people who suffer for His name. However, if you are sick in your body, your mind, your spirit, your finances, you’ve lost a child, parent, relationship, fill in the blank, God wants you to know that He does not delight in your suffering. It brings no glory to God to see us in pain or without. There’s a difference between suffering because you’re preaching the gospel, and suffering because of someone else’s sin or the results of sin in this world. If that were so (God delighted in your pain), He would not have sent Jesus to heal, deliver, restore, or the Holy Spirit to comfort. God bless you friends. Whatever your pain, God sees. God knows. God cares. You are deeply loved.

Love,

Erin

My Hero (The Perfect Father)

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I told you last time I would post at least two blog posts about my walk with God. Here’s number two. I hope my journey inspires you to want to know God in a deeper way, to trust Him even when it seem illogical to do so, and to fall in love with a hero.

I grew up in a home with a pastor and Sunday school teacher. We will call them papa W and mama J. Two people who shared love with every person they met. Looking back, our home was filled with love and joy. I don’t recall an unhappy moment. Though they shared the good news with me, it wasn’t until I was 7 years old that I encountered Jesus. It was Easter and my family decided to watch the Easter movie. As a 7-year-old I was simply excited to spend time with parents. I had no idea my life was about to change. There’s this point in the film where Jesus is about to go to the cross. He’s beaten, mocked, and though not as graphic as recent films, it touched my heart. “He did that for me,” were the words that came out of my mouth. And I wept. I had met my hero, Jesus. He was willing to take on the sins of the world so I could have eternal life. I knew at seven; I wasn’t sin free. I did not always do what was right. I was a good kid, but I knew I wasn’t perfect, not like God. Here was my hero taking nails for me. He took my punishment so I wouldn’t have to. He was perfect for me and that was a good deal.

Well, a year later my biological mom came to take me with her. We’ll call her mama M. I had met her before. I knew who she was. However, I never thought in a million years I would have to leave my parents and go with her. She had tried for years to get me back and this time she won. The day I left mama J and papa W was a day I will never forget. Seeing my dad cry and the look of devastation on his face is still in my memory. I still recall looking through the back window of the car, my heart in a million pieces. As we drove away from the farm-house I could only think, “What will life be like now?”

Mama M is a good woman. So, please don’t judge her. She and my biological father were married. When she was 8 months pregnant with me, he bailed. He decided he didn’t want to be married or have children. He left her. Papa W offered to adopt me to help out and she could have me back when she finished college and was able to rebound.

As a child you’re looking for a hero. I thought my hero had bailed. Where was God? Where was this loving God? I’d lost a stable home with two parents? I had no idea where my biological father was or why he’d abandon a pregnant woman and his child. I begin to grow angry with God. Yep, angry. Outwardly, I was the perfect kid. I did what I was told. I got great grades in school. However, inside my heart grew more and more cold.

Mama M and I were as different as night and day. She’s not emotional. She’s extremely logical. She rarely shows weakness. She’s tough. I was a marshmallow. I learned from her not to cry, to be strong. I learned to be better than everyone else at school work because I needed to show the world what I was made of. I learned from Mama M to strive to be the best. So, I put those things on God too. God must have wanted me to suck it up and deal with life. God must have demanded perfection, and I needed to shape up. The truth is, God required none of those things. Since I believed He did, I became even more angry with Him. Why? I could not be perfect. Every time I tried and strived, I failed. He became cold, unfeeling, and stern in my eyes. I still refused to turn away from Him completely, as hell didn’t sound enticing. But He wasn’t my hero. I believed a lie that I needed to be good in order to receive God’s approval since that is what I needed to do for certain people in my life. It’s a lie that is crippling and damaging. God’s love is freely given. We don’t earn His favor. It’s a gift. Jesus was perfect for us so we rely on His righteousness and not our own.

So, when did God come to the rescue and become my champion again? It started with a boy. I told you last post I had to ditch him due to his verbal abuse. Well, he didn’t start out that way. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been with him. At first he was charming, loving, and sweet. Awe, until he wasn’t. He wanted to get married and ride off into the sunset. I was still working on two engineering degrees at the time and the workload had me swamped. Getting married wasn’t even in my mind. He kept insisting it was the right path. So, I prayed. Yes. I got down on my knees in my room and asked God (who I was still angry with) if I should marry this man. Funny thing happened. Our relationship went from okay to awful. The more I prayed, the worse things were. Hmm….that’s not good. I kept praying because I needed an answer. Feel free to laugh. One day in deep prayer (means longer than 2 minutes), I cried out to God, “Should I marry him?” And I heard a voice with my natural ears say, “NO!” I at first thought I was losing my mind. I had never heard God speak. At the time I thought, “God only spoke to people in the Bible.” He spoke to priests and holy people. He wasn’t talking to me. Maybe it wasn’t God, I resolved. But it was. Sometimes God speaks to us and other times He speaks through our circumstances. He saved me from hitching my life to someone who was not good for me. I should have seen with my own eyes, but He made sure I knew the answer was no.

Since then He’s saved my life a few times; from allergic reactions to medication during a routine surgery which almost killed me, to changing flights prior to September 11 (I was supposed to be leaving for Florida that day and changed my flight to leave days earlier. For some reason I couldn’t book the flight for the 11th), to being trapped in a car under water and getting out even when 911 didn’t show up. He (my hero) kept stepping in to save my life. Some could call the incidents flukes or luck, but I know they were God. I’ve had too many moments where my life was spared. I’ve seen Him do amazing things through prayer. Even when I was angry with Him, He still loved me and continued to pursue my heart. When I was in college and quite broke and hungry, He’d send random people to give me money or food. He became my best friend. When I had no real friends, God was there for me. Gosh, my heart’s been through the ringer but God’s always been there. He never left my side. He heals. He saves. He delivers. Jesus is my hero.

Looking back as a child I could have simply believed God was love and experienced His love. I could have rested in my identity as His child. I had no grid for what that meant, so I took the long road. I learned more by experience. Being angry with Him was not beneficial for me, however He didn’t seem offended by my misunderstanding of who He was. He didn’t send His wrath down to teach me a lesson. God loved me right where I was. He didn’t condemn. He extended grace, love, and mercy. He was loving me all along, I just couldn’t always see it. I was blinded by pain and hurt. Neither of those things kept Him from pursuing my heart.

So, my friends. As you embark on this journey with me to know His heart, I hope and pray you dive in deeper with Him. If you’re angry with Him or don’t understand Him, talk to Him. It may seem like you are talking to the air, but you’re not. He’s listening. Keep talking. Keep seeking Him. He will speak to you. He will answer. My prayer is that He reveals His great love for you in ways that you’ve never imagined. God loves you. He is for you. He is not intimidated by your anger, sin, or failings. He is merciful, kind, compassionate, loving, forgiving, and your biggest advocate. Thanks for reading my longest blog post ever. You’re in my thoughts, in my heart, and forever in my prayers…

You are deeply loved!

The Perfect Father’s Discipline

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The Perfect Father’s Discipline

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clipart

Written by Erin Lamb, all rights reserved.

God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love, ~Psalm 145:8.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance, ~2 Peter 3:9.

Dear friends, nothing raises more arguments than the subject of how God disciplines His children. Some cling to the Old Testament examples of God striking people dead while others believe that God is okay with whatever we do. Let’s allow the pendulum to swing to truth and dissect a perfect parent’s discipline.

1. The Perfect Father protects. God is holy (has no fault; He is perfection) .God hates sin. Why? Sin is falling short of His standard. He is spotless, and sin is pollution. Sin also separates us (His children) from the best life possible. Sin is like cancer, it multiplies and destroys its host. Think of it this way, we keep poisons away from children. We tell them no when they try to get to them. We do these things out of love. We know more than they know that what they are after leads to death. The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, ~Romans 6:23. Adam and Eve didn’t die physically when they sinned but they did die a spiritual death. We too suffer when we choose our way above God’s way. He is always right. So…

The Perfect Father points His children away from things that will harm them, especially sin. He doesn’t say no because He hates us or wants to spoil the party. He knows that sin will lead to our destruction. God is love, life, peace, hope, and joy.

2. God disciplines primarily through words, not killing people. If you pick up a Bible and read it, you will notice God spoke to people either directly or through someone else to warn them of their behavior. He asks questions. Why did you do this? If He was out to kill every person who didn’t do what He said, then we would all be in trouble. Adam was the first sinner. He directly disobeyed God. Adam lived.  Abraham lied on several occasions and he lived. He became a great father of faith. David committed adultery and had someone killed to have their wife. David lived and was called a man after God’s own heart. God never condones bad behavior. He does however give us a chance to repent (change our ways), and He is generous with forgiveness. See 2 Peter 3:9.

4. God knows our hearts and weaknesses. Some of us do the wrong thing and have no idea we are falling short. There are some of us who willingly do the wrong thing. God knows whether we understand or we don’t understand. For example a parent would have a different response to a 2-year-old who destroys something in the house and a teenager. Either way, God is patient with us. If He weren’t, I certainly would not be typing to you.

5. God is not out to get you. There are so many people who have an unhealthy fear of God. It is true that we reverence Him as God. However, He is not sitting in the heavens looking down for someone to pick on. He is not cruel or blood-thirsty. God is love. More than anything He wants a relationship with His children, to protect them from harm, and to bless His offspring. Jesus came not to destroy the world, but to save it so we could all be reconciled to the Father (John 3:17).

6. The Perfect Father gives freedom. God gives us many chances to choose the right path before He allows us to be turned over to our own desires. He pursues our best interests right up until the point we say, “I don’t need or want you.” I have seen people self-destruct not because of what God was doing, but because of their own poor choices.  Even still, if they turn around and want Him, He runs with arms wide open (think..prodigal son story-Luke 15:11-25)

Lastly, just like the photo in this post, God is looking at you with the eyes of love. He is saying, “This is my child and I want nothing more than to be in this moment with you. I am so glad I made you.”  God is a loving, patient, and caring Father. My prayer is any ideas of Him you have that contradict that truth are uprooted. He does not want to harm you, but to give you an amazing life. You are deeply loved.

Encountering the Perfect Father in a Dark World

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“I have told you these things so that in Me you would have peace. In the world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world,” ~Jesus. John 16:33.

Written by Erin Lamb, all rights reserved.

The photo above was taken the day my friend David died. David was the type of person you wanted to know. David was the first person to show up when someone needed help, and he was willing to sacrifice his life for others. He radiated God’s love. He loved, served, and helped so many. He gave his life working on the restoration of Haiti. He was murdered this February while serving orphans in Haiti. In the midst of building an orphanage He was robbed and shot. His death tore my heart in many places.  I wept and wept. Why do I share this with you? We live in a world that is filled with pain, suffering, wrongful death, sickness, disease, hatred, abuse, abandonment, and sorrow. In the midst of it all you may wonder how someone can say that God is good. How can we say God is love? If He is so good and loving, then why is our world filled with so much darkness.

It all started with one man, Adam. God made man in His image. He placed man on earth and said, “This is your dominion, rule and reign,” Genesis 1. Adam had everything he needed. God gave him beautiful landscape, all the food he could eat, a lovely wife, and complete communion with Him. He also gave Adam the ability to choose for himself what he wanted to do. Fast forward. Eve is deceived by the crafty serpent and Adam sinned. This is where death, destruction, sickness, and darkness entered our world, Genesis 3. Not only that, Adam surrendered authority and dominion to the devil. If you believe in God, you must believe in the devil. Evil exists and he propagates it. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy, John 10:10. He hates people. He hates love. He loves it when people blame God for his activities. He sows hatred, division, strife, death, and evil in our world.

Did God leave us helpless? Absolutely not. Jesus came, lived a perfect life, and died on a cross to restore us to right relationship with God and take back the authority Adam gave to evil. Jesus fixed the problem, we don’t always see the evidence of His work. He took back authority and dominion for those who believe in Him. Jesus provides hope and healing for those who lean on Him, and He cheated our worst enemy, death. Those who believe in Him will inherit everlasting life, John 3: 16. He handed over the authority He took back to every believer. He paid for it all. Jesus is the solution.

So, why doesn’t God rid the world of all evil? Loaded question. I will give you my understanding, but recommend you ask Him yourself. I believe that love involves freedom. God gives us the freedom to choose Him. If He was the only option, then there would be no choice. I believe God is already victorious and though our world looks dark, He continues to work through His children to bring peace, love, joy, healing, and heaven to earth. I believe and know He will make all the wrongs right. I believe that if we trust God we will see that the end of the story is better than any of the suffering we have witnessed. I believe that God is good and though He is blamed for evil, nothing in His nature is evil. I have seen Him turn tragedy into triumph, victims into victors, and the worst of situations into something beautiful. We (humans) still have the ability to choose evil. God won’t force us to love. So, when you fill a planet with people who can choose evil, there will be evil.

How do I deal? Good question. Prayer is powerful. Since God gave people dominion on this planet, He moves when we pray and ask for help. I hate to admit it but until heaven, there will be evil in the world. I’ve found no greater solution than prayer. I pray. You pray. We pray, and we ask God for help.

Final thoughts. I’m not a person typing to you who hasn’t suffered. One day maybe I will share my story in its entirety. I know what it’s like to endure physical and great emotional pain. I have had more than one near death experience. I have seen God do amazing things because someone prayed. I have seen Him heal the sick, bring life to dead situations, and so much more….You are loved my friends. No matter what you have faced in life or will face, God LOVES you! He is your best advocate. Praying you are blessed this week, beyond measure.

You Are My Child (Poem)

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Photo Credit: Microsoft Clipart

Written by Erin Lamb©, all rights reserved

God’s love is overwhelming once our hearts have a revelation of how incredible it is. His love for His children does not fail. We live in a world that may at times make it challenging to see God’s love. As stated in the post The Perfect Father, God is not cold, cruel, or aloof. He loves us deeply and purely. The words below were pressed into my heart today. I hope they bless you. Whether you know God or not, He loves you. You are the object of His affection. You are loved….today and every day.

You are My child;

the one that I came for,

and the one My heart loves.

Before I set the stars in the sky

I thought of you, and I knew you.

I pieced together your DNA in My mind.

Everything about you,

I knew you before the creation of time.

You were and will always be the one My heart longs for.

Every moment of the day

I am eagerly waiting for you to look My way.

I’ve stored up abundant blessings for you,

beyond your wildest imaginings.

I have always loved you,

always known you,

and I have always wanted to be with you.

You are My child.

You are an extension of My creativity.

How delighted I was to pour out My heart and speak life into you.

I neither slumber nor sleep;

My eyes are careful to watch every step you take.

All for love,

I reach down

in ways you cannot always see.

Oh, to meet with you,

to be with you;

there is no place I’d rather be!

Every hair on your head;

I know them.

Every tear you’ve shed;

I have bottled them.

No one knows you better than Me,

and no one can love you as well as I can.

There is a void inside you that is longing to be filled.

And I stand with arms wide open,

longing to fill your heart with so much love that your heart’s cup overflows.

I am the One who knows your destiny and true identity.

I created you for Me.

Your name is engraved upon My heart,

and your dreams as well.

I long to see you soar to the highest heights

I am your biggest fan.

You are My child and nothing can cause Me to love you less.

I love you!

I love you!

I will always love you!

If you cannot feel My love or sense My affection,

look to that rugged cross.

There My Son took many lashes.

He took them for you.

So that you and I could be together for eternity.

You were worth dying for.

You were worth saving.

You are My child,

and My love is always here for the taking.

The Perfect Father

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The Perfect Father

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clipart
By Erin Lamb, all rights reserved

“For God so loved the world He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life,” John 3:16.

“The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love,” Psalm 145:8.

God has been presented as cold, stern, demanding, punishing, and even aloof. On this journey to exploring His heart those statements have been proven to be the furthest things from the truth. God is passionate, loving, patient, filled with joy, compassionate, forgiving, and involved. His love for each of us is personalized. He is the perfect Father.

So, what constitutes the perfect father? They say people filter their view of God through their parents. If a person has loving parents, then it is far easier to see God as loving. Set aside the view of your earthly parents and come join me on the journey to knowing the perfect parent, God.

Some Characteristics of the Perfect Parent:

Unconditional Love. The perfect parent loves their child not based on their performance or abilities. Their child is the object of their love because they are an extension of who they are. We are made in God’s image, Genesis 1:27. We are His children.

Patience and Mercy. The perfect parent is filled with patience. God is perfect in patience. He knows our weaknesses and limitations. God is not a cruel task master. He knows without His help we are doomed to fail. He did the work for us on the cross, so we could depend on Him.  He overflows with mercy, as well as patience. When we fail, He asks we confess our sins, then He forgives us our sins. He extends mercy.

Provides Instruction & Lovingly Corrects. Leadership is a fundamental characteristic of the perfect parent. They lead by example and correct in love. If they see their child is headed for disaster, they will do all that they can to help their child get back on track.

Protect, Provide, Comfort, and Encourage. The perfect parent is concerned with the well-being of their child. They make the best interest of their off-spring the highest priority.God cares about every detail of His children’s lives. The perfect parent is their child’s biggest cheerleader.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”  Matthew 6:26

Leaves an Inheritance/Blessing. The perfect parent has blessings set aside for their child. The Bible states a righteous person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, Proverbs 13:22.  God has given all those in Christ a share in His inheritance. God offers blessings and every spiritual blessing in heavenly places for those who receive Jesus as Savior, Ephesians 1:3.

Those are just some of the characteristics of God as the perfect parent. There is so much more. He loves us more than anyone on this planet. My prayer is that we have a deeper revelation of His love.  We are deeply loved.

P.S Check  out http://www.facebook.com/erinlambpoetry for your opportunity to win a free copy of I Thought I Knew What Love Was and a gift card (US residents only for the card).

God’s Love Letter (Poem)

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God’s Love Letter

Written by Erin Lamb © Copyright 2011

I see you,

right where you are,

and I delight in you.

Your name runs across My mind

more times than you can imagine during the day.

Even in the night,

I ponder the great work that I have made in you.

The seeds of promise within you

are waiting to spring forth from your faith.

I blow sweet kisses at you during the night,

and you sense My smile in the sunlight.

I bottle your tears.

I want to cast away all your fears.

I support your dreams

and all those things,

you feel I am too big, or too busy to notice.

I watch over you carefully;

you are My precious possession.

You are My family,

one of royalty,

and of great value and worth.

Nothing can separate you from My love.

My love is constant and never wavering.

I will never leave.

I am as close to you

as you want Me to be.

I have great love for you;

this I want you to see.

Every day I wait eagerly

to speak My words of affirmation over you,

to share life with you,

and I am so pleased with what I have made.

I know you,

and I love you.

I chose you,

and I love you.

I gave you life,

and I love you.

You are My beloved,

and I love you with a ceaseless love that stretches far beyond your

mental capabilities.

When you think I am far away,

I am here.

Here, with you, is where I’ll always aspire to be.

Call out to Me,

and I will draw close to you.

For My love,

I never break a promise.

I never betray My vows.

I am committed to love you

and care for you.

This love is not based on what you do,

what you will accomplish,

or what you’ve done.

This love is not limited by what you have failed to do.

My grace flows over you.

My Son’s blood washed over you

and made you new.

I chose you before you knew Me,

and I knew you before you were a thought

in anyone else’s mind.

I know every intimate aspect of your life.

I will know you forever.

I loved you then,

and I love you now.

I will love you, for all your days.

Copyright © 2011 Erin Lamb. Excerpt from, “I Thought I Knew What Love Was.”

All rights reserved. No part of the material may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, without the written permission of the Publisher, Westbow Press or Author, Erin Lamb. The only exception is in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Book available (USA and Canada): Purchase I Thought I Knew What Love Was

http://www.barnesandnoble.com and http://www.amazon.com