Tag: Jesus

Encountering God in the Midst of Tragedy, Disappointment, & Pain

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Photo Credit: Time Warp Wife (Pinterest)

“Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress…Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. “ Psalm 36:3-11.

We live in a sinful world. It is a world not immune to tragedy. It is a world that if studied for long periods of time can bring great grief, pain, and hurt. If that is where the story ended, we could cry and live depressed lives. Life will hurt. Disappointments will come. No person is immune from the potential of disaster or a tragedy striking. Jesus said, “In the world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

I would not be able to write this post if I had not walked through my own personal tragedies with God. The unexpected phone call. The friends who have betrayed me. The loved one who didn’t get healed. The loss of something held dear. Or even an accident that changes life forever. I’ve been there. For seven years I felt I lived there. Year after year it seemed someone was dying or a part of my life was dying. I spent most of my teens and early twenties trying to survive. My life is still not immune from trials, hardships, or pain. This year alone I’ve lost three aunts, was in a car accident that totaled my car, and have had some overwhelming disappointments.

Looking back:

I recall the day my mum died. I prayed like my life depended on it that she would live. We lived at the hospital, and I knew God healed. I had seen it with my own eyes. I went to work the day she died. I worked a full day. They told me to come home instead of go to the hospital. I knew something went wrong. I arrived home and felt like the bottom of my chest ripped open. One of my best friends was gone. Where was God in the midst of my pain? He was was holding a fragile 20 something together. I had just graduated college and life was changing forever. God flooded my heart with worship. During those moments and even after her death, I did not have anyone to hold me. Everyone had their own grief; I had God.

People have called me independent, but I’ve learned to lean on God. I know what it’s like to try to lean on people who cannot help you and some don’t want to. They don’t like their own pain, let alone yours. I knew and know there is no better source than Jesus. In moments of suffering with God, I can confidently say, “God is able!”

What God showed me through grief:


He’s bigger than any disappointment or pain and God’s ways are higher. My mum told God she wanted to go home. She had her own personal relationship with God. Her life belonged to Him. She was tired of being sick. Her life had already touched so many for Jesus. We all have an appointed time to die. This life is but a whisper. I was hurting, sad, and thought of all the ways God could have done things differently. Looking back, the more I surrendered my pain to God, the more comfort He provided.

God doesn’t watch our pain, He enters into our pain. He doesn’t watch His children suffer and provide comfort from a distance. He stands right in the middle of the fire with us. We hurt, God hurts.

God is good and can handle our doubts of His goodness. It’s impossible, at least in my thoughts, to go through a tragedy, betrayal, or trauma and not have the thought pop up, “If God is so good, why did He allow this to happen?” I think of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Lazarus died and Jesus stayed where He was. Jesus waited until Lazarus was good and dead before showing up to resurrect him. It was for the glory of God. In our situations God can use anything for His glory. I am not saying God causes the pain and suffering. I am saying He can use it.

Suffering builds compassion. I truly believe compassion is a much needed trait. And not the pat the person on the head ministry. I mean the ability to enter into someone else’s pain like it is your own. Jesus entered into people’s pain. He had compassion on the sick & healed them.

Cry it out, scream it out, let it out. God is not afraid or offended by our emotions. Some pain or grief is quickly healed. Some grief or pain lingers for years. And some grief and pain seems to go on with us for a lifetime. We will never forget the people we’ve lost. We may never forget how we felt the day the bad news came or the trauma occurred. I can say, though we may not forget, God heals memories. He brings comfort to them. He is the Healer.

God’s plan is good even when it doesn’t feel good. God has our best interests at heart. It does not always seem that way. Some things we will not understand until heaven when we see Him face to face.

There is always hope in Jesus. It’s easy to get jaded by life and say, “If God didn’t do this, then He won’t do that.” Disappointment is a horrible thing to be our foundation for what God can or will do. He can do anything. Just because He does not answer the way you or I would like, does not mean He is limited in any way. God is God. He is all powerful.

As someone who’s walking through this sinful world with you, I say these words of encouragement; there’s no better friend, Healer, or Savior than Jesus. God loves you! No matter how bad it hurts, He will never leave or forsake you!! This I can promise. May you invite Him into the pain. He will give you beauty for ashes and joy for your mourning. I’m practicing what I teach as I continue to invite God into my own pain, hurts, and disappointments. God bless you. You’re in my prayers.

When Reality Does Not Match God’s Promises

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“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the Holy Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny],
” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.

We live in a world that is flooded with negativity and fear. I normally cannot stomach the news, not because I like to stick my head in the sand, but because they normally don’t have anything good to say. Fear has replaced love and hope. Cynicism has replaced optimism. Sarcasm has replaced encouragement. And we call it all normal.

In this often upside down world, it can be challenging to look with the eyes of faith. I had someone call me Pollyanna once because for the most part I’m looking for something to be thankful for. There’s a difference between denying reality, and praying or expecting God to create a new reality. Even if God’s answer is no, He is still good. Either God is who He says He is and can do everything His word says He can do, or we need to throw in the towel and close all the churches.

If God no longer heals, let’s stop praying for the sick.

If God no longer delivers, let’s stopping pursuing breakthrough.

If our circumstances or what we see determine the ability of God, we have created a demi-god. The God we create is powerless. We make our circumstances and what we see more impressive than God.

The truth is, nothing is ever impossible with God. He is the One who spoke and it was. He is the One who formed Adam from the ground and breathed life into him. He is the One who came as a child, walked among us, was crucified for all sin, and was resurrected on the third day. This is the same God we are crying out to today. God has not changed. Our expectations of what He will do have changed. We’ve put God in a box.

On missions and hearing from missionary friends, there are more miracles and radical encounters with God. People are desperate for God and not the Jesus painted on the stained glass windows. It’s not for show, money, or entertainment. People come hungry and leave fed.

God change my situation:

I am no fan of bossing God around. We don’t tell God what to do. He can do as He pleases. I do believe unbelief blocks us from the richness and fullness of God’s presence. He never promised us a trouble free life. He did promise to never leave or forsake us. He did promise to be faithful to His word. He never ceases to be God. Sometimes He changes our situations, sometimes He gives us strength to walk through them, and sometimes we remain where we are because we choose complaining over praise.

No matter the circumstances, what is true of God:

God is love.

God is good.

God does not fail.

God saves, heals, and delivers.

God has already won and will be victorious again over all evil.

God’s saving power is greater than our capacity to sin.

God is faithful and keeps His word.

God cannot lie.

God’s perfect love casts out fear.

God will always love you!

God is not surprised by what’s happening in the world or ill equipped to deal with it.

God is all powerful. Nothing and no one trumps His power.

God will bring perfect justice in His time.

When your circumstances don’t match God’s word, I encourage you to dig into His Word. Pull out verses about His character. I’ve cried many nights and had great comfort in God’s presence. What’s helped the most was to look to who He is and remind myself of who my Father is.

Yes, life will hurt. Gosh, I know all too well. There are some things I’m surprised I lived through. I counted, I’ve almost died or could have died at least a half dozen times. As a young person, I feel I’ve lived a 100 years. I look back and see countless miracles. Despite it all, I’ve found none more faithful than God. He can be trusted. When we are faithless, He is still faithful.

Bless you. Praying for you. You are deeply loved.

Unconditional Love vs. Unconditional Approval

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What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,a that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God, Romans 6:1-10.

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives, Hebrews 12:6 and Proverbs 3:12.

I recommend reading the entire book of Romans in one sitting. I have included parts of Chapter 6. There’s a scary phenomenon I’ve seen on blogs and some Christian websites that say because we are saved by faith we can live however we want. It’s true God allows us to make choices. It is incorrect that God approves of a lifestyle of sin. God never approves of sin.

He forgives our sins. When we confess our sins and seek repentance, He washes away our sins. God is 100 percent holy and just. There would have been no reason to send Jesus to the cross if He were okay with us living any way we want. Sin carries with it the penalty of death, but the gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23). Someone without sin had to pay for our sins. Jesus did that for us so we could be raised from spiritual death to life.

God did what we could not do. And the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to those who believe by faith and follow Him. Following Jesus involves obedience, not to earn righteousness or approval, but out of love for Him. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you’ll keep My commandments,” John 14:15.

God loves us no matter what we do. His love is agape, unconditional. He does not approve of or delight in sin. He never has and never will. It violates His nature as holy. His unconditional love is not unconditional approval. Jesus didn’t throw away the law, He fulfilled it and gave us His Spirit to empower us to live differently. Being born again means being given a new nature. We are no longer slaves to sin and sin becomes uncomfortable or unnatural.

Just as a human parent does not approve of their child disobeying, getting in trouble, abusing others or themselves, God does not delight in evil. He wants the best for us. He corrects us knowing sin is destructive. He’s not out to get us, but to help and protect us. Adam and Eve didn’t listen and we are still suffering from their choices. Sin is not our friend.

Key notes:

There is nothing we can do to make God love us more or less. Out of love He corrects us and leads us away from sin. He never approves of sin.

Grace empowers us to live righteous lives because of Christ in us. He changes us from the inside out.

Following Jesus includes making Him Lord over every area of our lives.

God doesn’t come to shame or condemn, but to convict and restore.

Jesus died for our freedom from sin!

Sweet friends, no matter the struggle, if our hearts long to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit will lead us on a path to becoming like Him. We don’t strive, we abide and follow. God loves us too much to leave us the same. If we harden our hearts it can lead to destruction (Romans 1:28). It is in our best interests to submit to God in every way.

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You Are Loved!

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The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness, ~Jeremiah 31:3.

You mean the world to God! You were chosen to be the object of His affection. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, the value of something is determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it. Jesus paid for us with His life. He didn’t just die, He was beaten, humiliated, mocked, abused, rejected, scorned, and He suffered. You were worth dying for.

So, today, no matter what you face may you rest in the truth that God loves you!

God loves you and it’s not with a blanket love. It’s personalized and on full blast aimed at your heart! He adores you! He will never leave or forsake you.

No matter the problem, God has a solution.

No matter the pain, He offers His comfort.

No matter the joy, He always has more available in Him.

You are beautiful, set apart, a holy priesthood, a holy nation, the apple of God’s eye, deeply loved and cherished. There’s nothing you can do to make God love you more or less.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love in Christ,

Erin

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Chosen

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From now on I call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that you love one another,~John 15:15-17.

Oh, to be chosen. There is a security that can be found in being chosen. We don’t have to be insecure. God  desires and loves us. His love is not based on what we have, or what we do. There’s nothing we can do to make Him love us more or less. God’s love is independent of our weakness and on full blast towards us.

While we were still sinners and enemies of God, He chose us. Romans 5 gives us some sweet news and affirms our security in relationship with God.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation, ~Romans 5:6-11.

You were, are, and will always be the object of God’s affection. You were chosen! You were selected by the Creator of the Universe to be loved, cared for, and cherished. There is security in knowing at our worst state, God said, “I want to save you! I want to love you! I want to be with you.” We are His choice.

  • When you’re feeling unloved, recall God chose you!
  • When you are uncertain of your future, know that since God chose you He will take care of your future.
  • When you think there is no way God can use you, rest in the truth that He knew what He was getting into when He chose you.
  • When you can only see devastation, know God’s promises wrapped up in Christ extend to all His children.
  • When you feel alone, trust that God is always with you and wants the best for you.

When someone selects you, there is comfort in knowing they saw someone worth choosing. We don’t pick up or select things we don’t deem valuable.

You matter to God, enough for Him to pay the highest price to be with you. He gave His very best to have a relationship with you.

If you are not investing in an intimate (close) relationship with God, I highly recommend Him. No one will love you better. His love is the most powerful. His love is life changing. Make Him the number 1 priority of life and watch your life be radically transformed. You are and will always be deeply loved.

Love in Christ,

Erin

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Intimacy…Closeness to God

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When you say the word intimacy in our culture people normally relate it to only a relationship between a couple in a romantic relationship. Our culture defines intimacy in terms of physical affection. Intimacy is far more than physical touch. Intimacy can be defined as closeness, knowing (being known). The most intimate (close) relationship we can have is with God.

A friend, spouse, child, person cannot know everything there is to know about us. They cannot meet all our needs. God created us to need Him first, then people. Adam had a personal relationship with God before He had a relationship with Eve. While Eve was being created, Adam was asleep. They both knew God before they ever knew each other.

We were born with a deep-rooted desire for intimacy. God created us with the desire and need to be known, accepted, and unconditionally loved. He gave us a desire and need that He can fill. I’ve heard people say we have a God sized void, I believe it’s true. We can try to fill it with so many things, but none of them will completely fill us. People try food to fill emptiness, it leads to food addictions and obesity. People try relationships and sex to fill emptiness, and find they need more and more and aren’t completely satisfied. People try activities and busyness, and they end up discontent. Our need for intimacy must first be met by God in order for there to be balance in our lives.

Our world puts God somewhere towards the bottom on the list of relationships. He’s someone to seek out when we’re bored, hurting, need something, or not at all. The One who created all things, pursues our hearts with pure love. He longs for us to have an intimate (close) relationship with Him. He does not need our love. He wants our love. He knows that His love transforms who we are into who we were created to be.

Covenant Love:

God invites us into a covenant with Him. A covenant is an agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons. Covenant love is binding, it’s intended to be for life and in the case of God, for eternity. We have to refuse Him and walk away from Him; He is always faithful to us.

Old vs. New Covenant:

Under the old covenant, people could not come boldly into God’s presence. Priests performed rituals in order to be able to enter His presence. Under the new covenant, Jesus paid the price so all who have faith in Him can come boldly into the presence of God. He paid for our sins, so we could have unhindered access to the Father and the deposit of His Holy Spirit. God extends an invitation to intimacy. God has always longed to be with His children. He has always desired relationship with us.

The fundamental basis of this new covenant relationship is the conversion process, whereby each day the believer draws closer to God:

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

“ . . . for it is God who works in you both to WILL and to DO for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

This change of nature results in an intimate relationship with God.

We all have the opportunity to have a flourishing, close, and intimate relationship with God. Nothing on earth can fill the void in us; it’s where He belongs. He loves us more than we can imagine, and His love fills us to overflow. When we receive God’s love and love Him in return, we have overflowing love for others. All areas of our lives flourish when we put God first. When God is first, addictions diminish. When God is first, insecurities diminish. God always wanted and planned to be first in our lives…

You are deeply loved friends. Have a great week. Praying your relationship with God goes even deeper…

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Dream with God

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If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!~Matthew 7:11.

I love Matthew 7:11. Sometimes I think we forget that God is not only interested in giving us salvation, but other good things as well. As a loving parent, He cares about what we care about. We can put God in a box and say, “As long I do what God wants, He is pleased. And when I get to heaven He will give me good things if I perform well on earth.” God does care about obedience and there is blessing in doing what He says. However, our favor with Him is based on what Jesus did, not what we have done. We can’t earn what’s given in His Son.

God is quite generous and longs to bless us. Many fear talking about His generosity for fear they will be labeled as someone promoting a “Prosperity Gospel.” A prosperity gospel says, “If you follow Jesus, you will have everything you want when you want it, and your life will be problem free!” That is not what this post is about or what Jesus taught. We will have troubles in this life and God is not obligated to do what we want when we want, but He does long to be good to His kids. We can have a great time if our complete trust is in our Father. There is love, peace, joy, hope, and blessing in God. 

God cares about the things we like and desire and invites us to dream with Him. He delights in us and takes delight in our enjoyment of His blessings.

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart,~Psalm 37:4. If our hearts are evil or have evil intentions, God won’t grant our requests. He doesn’t lead us to sin, harm ourselves, or others. The verse says, “Delight yourself in the Lord.” If our hearts are delighted in Him, then our hearts are being transformed by Him. Here’s an excerpt from my book, I Thought I Knew What Love Was.

God continually challenges me to dream with Him, to seek Him for the desires of my heart, to believe Him for good things. He is not and will never be a dead beat dad. Hope this blesses you and you dream big! God is unlimited, and He loves you.

Dream Little Ones
written October 16, 2004 by Erin Lamb (all rights reserved)
Dream little ones.
Don’t let this time pass you by.
The tides of life will roll away,
and what will you say for the time that has been lost?
Dream little ones,
and reach for those dreams;
don’t allow them to be strangled by life’s uncertainties.
Reach out,
like you are reaching for heaven.
Dream little ones,
and leave the past mistakes behind.
Fill your heart and mind with all that can and will be.
You are not alone on this journey.
I have made provisions
to send you help from heaven.
Dream a dream that you think you can’t achieve,
and I will lift you
to the heights you can’t reach.
There is nothing too large,
or too far out of My reach.
I hold it all in the palm of My hands.
Dream little ones,
and don’t give up.
Don’t give in.
You have so much potential
that lies within.
I have built a bridge of love in your heart
that leads from you to Me.
I am looking forward to getting you to the place where you are
content in My embrace.
I do not want to stifle you,
or cripple you;
I only wish to grant you love.
So dream little ones,
and trust I can make dreams a reality.

Check out, I Thought I Knew What Love Was. You can purchase right here on the site there’s a link entitled Get Your Copy or you may purchase through these wonderful sites: http://www.westbowpress.com, http://www.barnesandnoble.com. and http://www.amazon.com or iTunes store.

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.

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Love is Always Available

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Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself,“~Jeremiah 31:3.

The same words God spoke to Israel He speaks to me and to you! God loves with an everlasting love. According to the dictionary everlasting means.

1. Lasting forever; eternal: everlasting future life.
2. Lasting or continuing for an indefinitely long time.
3. Incessant; constantly recurring.
4. Eternal duration; eternity.
We tend to think of life in relation to time. We live in a realm of time and space. It is challenging to think of eternity; never-ending, ceaseless, infinite, and without any limitation. We are limited. God is not limited by time, space, or anything. He loves every person with a love that is almost incomprehensible.
People spend their lives looking for unconditional love. Searching for someone to bring out the best in them. They search for wholeness, life, hope, encouragement, and for someone to be a witness to their lives. Many search for love in the arms of a person. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be loved by a person. The problem comes when there is an expectation of perfect love from a person. It will not happen. All human beings are limited, and God never intended for people to replace Him. I am convinced God allows people to disappoint us from time to time so we see that He alone can love perfectly.
If love is always available, then why don’t more people feel loved?
Relationship leads to confidence…
When we first encounter someone, we don’t believe they love us either. We grow to understand their love through relationship and experience. We grow to understand their love through relationship. God invites us into relationship with Him through His Son. It’s a personal relationship. It’s not a distant relationship, but a close relationship. Think of it this way. A child never meets their Father. They read about him. They receive letters from him that say he loves them. They listen to other people talk about how great their father is and how much he loves them, but they have never met him and have no personal relationship. It would be highly unlikely the child would have great confidence in the father’s love for them. God invites every person to be in close relationship with Him. It is not like the old testament days where no one but a purified priest could come into His presence. Any person can have access to God through His Son.
  • Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence,~Ephesians 3:12.
  • Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us,~Ephesians 2:18.
  • Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,~John 14:6.
I highly recommend the entire book of Ephesians to read about all Jesus paid for.
What we believe and see can limit what we feel…
Aside from relationship there are so many other things in the world that are aimed at leading us to believe God doesn’t love us. God is blamed for almost every tragedy that happens, and if He is not blamed for causing it, He is often blamed for not stopping the horrible events. There are people who scream, “God is punishing you for your sins.” People teach God is always angry, critical, a cruel task master, or child abuser.
For some, circumstances have made God seem unloving. People say, “If God loved me, then this would not happen, or my life would be better, or this relative would not have died.“
I don’t have all the answers why God allows certain things to happen. I can say these verses have helped me along the way with some extremely challenging circumstances.
  • 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).
  • I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,~Jesus (John 16:33).
  • And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,~Romans 8:28.
If this life here on earth is all there is, then it would seem unfair on so many levels. This life is not all there is. There is eternity which far exceeds the life anyone lives on earth. Most average people will not live to be 100 yrs old. Eternity is forever! God will make wrongs right. There will be justice. There will be no pain, sickness, death, or sin in heaven.
The wonderful thing is also that God sent His Holy Spirit to abide with His people. So He comforts, guides, provides wisdom, delivers, heals, unites believers, speaks, and does wonderful things here and now. Some people have neglected the work of the Holy Spirit, but He is very much alive and at work in the earth. We are not without hope, an Advocate, a Helper, a Sustainer, or Healer. This life is not meant to be suffered through, though there will be suffering. We have Someone, the greatest Someone, who promises to be with us every step of the way.
There is no one and nothing more powerful than God. And God loves His children. If it’s not good yet, He promises to work it for our eventual good.

You are loved sweet friends and pure, unconditional love is always available for you!

P.S For more in-depth study please join me on http://morena242.wordpress.com for an identity in Christ Series.
Love in Christ,
Erin
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Things my father taught me about God

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In thinking about Papa (father God), I have been pondering my earthly father and what he taught me about God. My dad is one of those people who can’t go anywhere (I mean anywhere) without reaching out to love someone, offer to pray for someone, or sharing the Gospel. I watch him in awe because he is the opposite of timid. I spent most of my youth following him around. He was a Chaplin. So, when he went to the hospital to pray for the sick, I went too. Our home was always open to strangers. My parents visited and welcomed in the poor, sick, orphaned, widows, the hated, and even their enemies. Before I was born they lost their oldest son. He was murdered by his best friend. The man who killed him never served a day in jail. I saw my parents love the man who took their son away. I saw my dad offer him not just the opportunity to know God, but love.

My dad doesn’t just preach the Gospel, he tries to live it. He is not perfect, but here are some things he did and does that are exactly what God the Father has done.

Adopted into a new family. I was adopted. My dad gave me his name. I have all the same rights and privileges of the other children. He treats me no differently. He honors, respects, loves, and adores me. I am his child. God adopts us into His family.

Bragging rights. My dad embarrasses me at times with his constant bragging and campaigning for what I do. If I do something, he tells all his friends, the people at the bank, and sometimes strangers. He is my biggest cheerleader. God is our biggest cheerleader.

Merciful, forgiving, and kind. I watched my dad love the man who stole from him. I watched him extend love to people who hated him. He is merciful and kind to all people. God is merciful and kind to all people.

Faithful. My family’s motto was this, “Your word is your bond.” My dad (though not perfect) attempts to keep his word. He was faithful to my mom and family. He was faithful to his job while working. He has been a faithful pastor for over 43 years. He has been faithful through hard times, and I’ve never heard him complain. God is 100% faithful. He keeps His word.

Generous. If you were ever to visit my dad, you would leave with something. He cannot help himself. He will find something to cook for you. He will give to you even when he needs it more. When I go visit, I don’t have to beg him to do something or have something. All he has, he offers to me. And if you ask him, he will tell you, “Take what you want.” He is not just generous to those who are related to him, he’s generous to everyone. God is even more generous.

Protector and provider. This goes along with being generous, but my dad has always been a protector and provider. He cares for his own and the rights of others. God is a Protector and Provider. No good thing will He withhold from those who love Him.

Cares for the sick, widows, and orphans. I went to visit my dad last Christmas, and I was exhausted by the time I got home. He had to visit the sick, orphans, widows,etc…I am not sure how I am more tired than he is. God gives each person the grace to do what He has called them to do. God cares about the poor, sick, widows, and orphans.

Every single detail. My dad cares about every single detail of my life. He wants to talk every day if he can. I hate talking on the phone, but he is the exception. He is interested in my life. He has kept every single drawing I did in school. Every single one, all the way back to kindergarten. God is even more interested in your life. He cares about everything! God has your life recorded in His heart.

Loving sinners. My dad is an evangelist. He will share the Gospel with anyone. His motives are to love people. He loves sinners. He wants to see people reconciled to God. Our heavenly Father is the same way. He is actively pursuing the lost. He is looking for the prodigal to come home. Our Dad (Papa) loves sinners.

Loved despite behavior. I only remember one time getting in trouble with my dad. He did not stop loving me. He did not stop caring for me. His love did not change based on my behavior. God’s love for us is not based on our behavior. It’s who He is.

Prays for you. Every morning at 6 am (normally) my dad is up praying for his family. I know because when I visit I hear him get up and I can sometimes hear him talking to God. Jesus lives to intercede for us. He is praying for us all the time. We have an Advocate who does not sleep.

I spoke last time about how a lack of human examples can cause us to doubt God’s love. I am sharing one of my examples with you in hopes that you may be able to see God is better than any human being. My dad taught me so much about God, the reason being, he was in love with the One who is love. Any good I saw or see in my dad, came from Jesus. I honor my dad for his commitment to God. I thank him for living a life that glorified Jesus. He does not use computers so he will not see this post, but I do hope he knows the great impact he’s had on this life for Jesus.

God loves you friends, more than my dad loves me. He loves you more than your parents love you or anyone else. God is LOVE! You are loved…loved…loved…If you are in Christ you have been adopted and chosen. Great things are in store for you! If you are not in Christ, I invite you to join the family. It’s more than saying a prayer, it’s an invitation into a relationship. You are cordially invited into a lifelong commitment of love with Someone who loves you more than you can imagine!

For those who do not know God:

Salvation is a gift based on faith. Believing God is who He says He is. Believing that all have sinned and fallen short of His standard. We acknowledge to God that we need Him, that we have sinned, and we ask for forgiveness. We believe that Jesus is the son of God, born of a virgin, crucified for our sins, and raised from the dead. We accept that Jesus died for our sins and receive His righteousness as our own. We choose to follow Jesus. It’s more than saying a prayer to invite God into our hearts, Jesus did not lead people in prayer. He told people, “Pick up your cross and follow Me.” God invites us to join in relationship with Him….so the invitation goes out to you…will you come?

 

Magnificent Grace!

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Magnificent Grace!

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our fleshand following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do, Ephesians 2:1-10.

One man paid the price so all could know God intimately. All who believe in Him and follow Him will inherit not only eternal life, but every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. What is so magnificent about grace? Grace is God’s gift to us and it reaches beyond what our minds can comprehend. When we understand all that God has given us, we live differently. We respond to Him differently.

Grace can be scandalous in our eyes because God reaches from on high to save the lowest of the low. I heard someone say once,”Grace is offensive to the self-righteous and seems too good to be true for the sinner. ” You see, God’s grace is not earned. We can not do enough good works to earn His favor. We are not good, He is good. We can take no credit for His favor on our lives, nor can we deny grace and mercy to those we deem unworthy. God’s grace is unmerited. We are recipients of His grace by faith alone. We can not add to it or take away from it. God’s grace covers a multitude of sins and washes away the most putrid stains. What manner of love is this that God would grant us favor based solely on what He has done, not on who we are or what we have done?

Grace is opposite of our culture. We live in a culture that says, “Only the strong survive!” The world says, “If you want it, you have to earn it!” We favor, bless, honor, cherish, and love the loveable, the wealthy, the famous, the “good” people, those with titles, gifts, talents, and fame. God extends His favor to the poor, the wretched, the weak, the forgotten, the sinner, the worst of sinners, and those willing to believe Him. He takes the lost causes and creates something beautiful.

Grace is saving power. God is so good. He says, “You’re lost, you can’t save or help yourself, so I am going to come and do what needs to be done for you. Not only that, I will give you My favor, My inheritance, My favor, My Spirit, so you have all you need to live the abundant life. It’s not about what you do. It’s about what I have done.”

Grace not only saves us, it enables us to do His good will and pleasure. We can not in our own strength and effort save ourselves. We cannot do all that He asks us to do without His help. He said, “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness,” 2 Corinthians 12:9. He encourages us to rest, rely on, depend on, and submit to Him. His yoke is easy, and His burden light (Matt 11:30).

Grace is not a license to live as we please. Paul explains it to us in Romans 1.

Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness, Romans 1:15-18

I think of sin as a deadly disease. It enters the body to infect and destroy it. It not only destroys its host, but attacks anyone in close proximity. God has provided the cure for the disease. No matter how sick we are, He has the cure. He will always administer the cure because He loves us. He’s the Great Physician. Shall we keep seeking a disease because He has the cure? Absolutely not. If you knew you’d die from eating say bananas, you’d avoid them like the plague even if you knew someone had a cure. God says, “Don’t choose sin simply because I paid to save you.”

I also think of what it cost God to save us. The Father gave His Son. The Son gave His life. Jesus left Paradise. He entered the world through the most humble of circumstances. He walked the earth for 33 years making friends and enemies. He was tempted in every way and did not sin. He chose to endure an excruciating death, all for love. When we think about what our cure cost Him, how can we willingly choose a life of sin? We entered into a relationship and covenant with God. When we love someone, we want to do what is right by them. We want to cultivate a healthy relationship based on love. How can we choose another love that leads us to destruction? He is the best thing that could happen to us.

My dear sweet friends, it truly is…Amazing Grace! Love in Him,~Erin.

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