The Love of God
How much does God love you?
Are you sure?
(Eph 3: 17-19) … I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and [how] long and [how] high and [how] deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Some of you think God let you down or dropped you, so you feel His love is conditional.
Some of you think that God does not love you, because you are not worthy of His love.
Some of you think that God is disappointed in you.
I’m here to tell you, that you are wrong!
(John 3:16) For God, so loved the world, [YOU], that He gave His only begotten son…
The Father, sowed His only Son, [the Son of God], as a seed, towards a harvest of a multitude of Sons of God.
And he is doing that THROUGH you and I.
(Rom 8:14-17) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they [YOU] are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba {Daddy!}, Father.
16 The Spirit [His self] beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ;
God loves you so much that He wants to adopt you!
And THIS is what Jesus did for you.
Remember when Jesus’ was praying in the garden where he prayed and his sweat turned into blood?
The lyrics of a song, go:
He said “Father if it be thy will” …
his sweat turned into blood.
Then all at once His heart stood still,
overcome by love.
With 10,000 reasons why, it did not have to be,
in mercy, love and mercy, he thought, of me.
(2Tim 1: 9) …Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began…
He projected out ahead in time, for you
Jesus prayed: “Father if it be thy will…
But, Jesus willingly made that decision, ON HIS OWN!
He HAD to.
Otherwise he would not be the savior.
He DECIDED to shed his blood and die for you.
(John 15: 13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
He was there for me!
He was there for you!
My sins put Him there.
My inequities put Him there on the cross.
My sins drove those nails through His hands.
Your sins those nails through His feet.
Our sins put that crown of thorns upon his head.
Our sins caused His side to be pierced, when water and blood gushed out.
We put Him there!
Our sins put Him there!
He went there because He loved you!
He gladly went to the cross to redeem you.
He gave to you the gift of redemption.
He’s bought you back from the devils hand.
He’s bought you back from the domain of darkness.
He’s bought you back from Satan’s grasp!
You are free in Christ!
Whom the son sets free, is free indeed…
Awesome! Wonderful!
Thank you Jesus. Thank you Father. Thank you, For we are no longer in bondage to sin!
But there’s MORE!!!
How could there possibly be more than that?
(Eph 3: Vs. 20) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or [even] imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
I want to paint a word picture of what else Jesus did for you and me.
When he was praying in the garden, and making that decision, you were on his mind!
When they came to take him, while being questioned and sentenced , you were on His mind!
When the Chief Guard turned Him over to the soldiers for scourging, you were on his mind!
Now these Roman soldiers were far away from home and filled with pent up anger built up from the Jews that daily sneered at them, spit on them, threw rocks at them… they were filled with frustration from all the times they were commanded to show restraint while being mocked and pompously derided right to their faces. Now here, handed to them, was, not just an ordinary Jew!, but the King of these Jews!, and this time no restraint was ordered.
They began by jeering and shoving Jesus. Cursing, spitting in His face, trying to get Him to respond. They mocked His kingship, stabbing that’crown of long nettled thorns into his scalp and ears, tripping him, dusting him off and knocking His legs out from under him again and again. All this time He thought of you!
As they covered his head with a burlap sack, and smashed his face and body with fists and canes, saying mockingly, “PROPHET!, PROPHESY WHO HIT YOU?”. As each in turn hit him, and asked, “WAS IT I?” Jesus thought of you! As they ripped clumps of beard right out of his face, Jesus thought of you!
His face was now unrecognizable, swollen, bruised and bloodied eyes, ears, nose and split lips now ran with His blood.
Enraged that the beating failed to yield anything but silence, they roughly hoisted him into position, stripped him and began selecting instruments of scourging.
As the short lengths of thick knotted rope began to beat His whole body into black, purple and blue blood blisters, he strained to keep focused on you.
Then out came the whips. These short, multi-tailed whips had pieces of bone, stones and glass woven into the ends that would pierce the flesh, and cause terrible damage as they ripped out.
As the two beat Him, the flesh of His back, breasts, abdomen and thighs was split and hung loose in bloody tatters exposing rib bones veins, muscle and bowels. As His blood to ran and splattered the courtyard, he struggled to stay focused on you.
The returning guard had to physically stop the obsessed soldiers from killing Jesus right there.. and as they cut Him loose and He fell to the ground, numb and dazed, he still thought of you.
Isa 52: 14 … his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
As Pilot washed his hands and Jesus’ blood trailed him down the Via Della Rosa, and Jesus was barely able to place one foot in front of the other, He kept going because, He knew He HAD to get to that cross, for you!
Why?! Why did he have to go through all this torture?! Wasn’t shedding His blood and dying for us enough?
Open your bibles to Isaiah 53. We’ll be referring back, so put a marker here.
There is so much that God has done for us in Christ upon the cross. And we see here a glimpse of what he’s done for us.
(Isa 53 vs 4 amp; 5 reads like this) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Here we see this great redemptive work of Christ for us upon the cross.
That He took our place there upon the cross.
(again vs. 4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…
Now, the Hebrew word there for GRIEFS literally is SICKNESS amp; DISEASE!
It could read like this: (again vs. 4)
Surely he hath borne our sicknesses or , Surely he hath borne our diseases…
Then He says this
(again vs. 4) … and carried our sorrows…
Now, the Hebrew word there for SORROWS is the word pains.
It could read like this:
(again vs. 4) Surely he hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains…
So upon the cross, he bore not only our sins, but he bore our sicknesses, and our pains as well.
It could read like this:
(again vs. 4-5) Surely he hath borne our sicknesses or our diseases and carried our pains… : yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, (or our sins), he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
So, vs. 4 talks about healing, then vs. 5 talks about sin and then ends up with healing once again.
So, there’s sort of a sandwich there.
There’s forgiveness of sin in the middle, and on the 2 ends of the scripture here, are both the healing of our sicknesses and the healing of our diseases.
Upon the cross, Christ bore both!
Upon the cross, He paid the price for both!
Now, most people understand the fact that Christ dies for our sins.
I don’t think that many people in the’church world’ doubt that Christ died for our sins. We’ve been well taught throughout the ages that Christ died for our sins and His blood was shed to wash away our sins.
But, we have either:
not been taught, or
have been mis-taught, or
been taught by tradition
that he didn’t die for our sicknesses, when the bible clearly says, that’He bore our sicknesses and carried our pains’;
When the bible clearly says,’by His stripes we are healed’!
Someone says,’YEAH, BUT THAT’S TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL THINGS THERE!’,’He bore our sicknesses FROM THE SPIRITUAL STANDPOINT !’,’by His stripes we are healed MEANS FROM A SPIRITUAL STANDPOINT !’
I’m glad you said that!
Turn to Mat. chap. 8.
Everybody with me so far?
I have various sets of commentaries, both books and CD Rom, and commentaries are great! But, when the bible, has a commentary about itself, it’s infallible!
When the bible quotes the bible, the application it brings it into is that application.
It’s infallible,
cannot be changed,
cannot even be challenged.
When the bible quotes the bible, it MEANS what it says!
There’s no:
‘IT MIGHT BE THIS– OR MEAN THAT…’
It means what it says, in the word of God.
And, the bible is the word of God!
So in Mat 8, notice here vs. 14:
14 And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, (watch now), she arose, and (ministered unto /served) them.
See God wants us well,’WHY?’, so we can arise, and serve!
He didn’t heal our eyes, so we could watch TV with better focus!
He wants us to arise, and to serve!
And he heals his mother-in-law here, and she arises and begins to minister to them.
She begins to serve them!
Notice that He DID NOT SAY:
‘Oh, you stay sick for my glory!’
I put that fever on you to try to humble you!’
‘You go ahead and endure that pain, for after all, we’re perfected, by our sufferings!’
After all, you keep that pain, you keep that sickness, you keep that fever, you keep that 103 degree temperature on you!’
‘You learn something from it, here!’
‘Oh, you learn, how good I am, as I pass you by, and don’t heal you.’
Yet, tradition, has given us that very spin, on healing!
It’s told us that God makes people sick for His glory!
Here’s a funny thing…
God makes them sick… and the Son of God, makes them well.
(What’s wrong with this picture?!)
Here’s a funny thing…
God the Father, makes them sick… and the God the Son, makes them well.
Sounds to me like God is confused!
That God is double minded.
That the Son is in rebellion against His Father!
That can’t be true!
Tradition has lied to us!
Tradition has mis-taught us!
The bible has all the answers!
Notice here again, Mat 8. He says in vs. 15:
And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and (ministered unto /served) them. (The same day now…)
vs. 16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and, (watch now), and, healed ALL that were sick: (and, healed ALL that were sick)
Someone says,’YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE NEVER SAYS, THAT JESUS HEALED, ALL THAT WERE SICK!’.
But I want to say,’You’ve never read, Mat. 8:16!
Because in Mat. 8:16 he says: He …healed ALL that were sick…
Now, not every time does it say this, but this time it does!
It says here: He …healed ALL that were sick… What does that mean?
Every one that was sick there that day, were healed by Jesus!
In fact I challenge you, to examine your bible, in Mat., Mark, Luke amp; John, the ministry of Jesus, go through it with a fine toothed comb, and find one person, that he ever told to stay sick for His glory!
Find one person, he ever said, no I refuse to give healing unto you!
Find one person, he ever turned down, who came to Him, who walked away sick!, To whom, he said, no, I have a purpose in this!
Tradition says, that God uses sickness to humble us!
When the bible says,
(1Pet 5:6)’Humble yourself, under the mighty hand of God’.
Tradition says that God uses sickness to teach us, when the bible says,
(2Tim 3:16) …that scripture, is given for our instruction!
Tradition has told us these things, but you’d think that if that’s really what God wanted, out of all the thousands that Jesus came in contact with, there would be record of at least one being told by Jesus,’NO, YOU’RE ONE OF THE ONES, I’M TRYING TO HUMBLE, YOU STAY SICK FOR MY GLORY… MAYBE NEXT TIME! WHEN I COME BACK THROUGH HERE IN THE FALL, WE’LL SEE ABOUT IT THEN, BUT FOR NOW YOU STAY SICK FOR MY GLORY.’
You’d think there’d be at least one person, in a crowd of thousands, but, that’s not the case!
There is not one person.
Listen!
THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON, in these gospels, in this bible, to whom God said you stay sick for my glory.
Someone says,’YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW THAT PAUL HAD THAT THORN IN THE FLESH!’
The bible says it was’a messenger of satan, sent to buffet him’.
Read the scripture! (2 Cor 12:7)
Read it!
So, the issue is this. We’ve heard, but we’ve not read!
We heard someone say this, or we knew so-and-so who said this, or so-and-so thought that. We all have good thoughts, but what does the bible say?!
What does God say about it?!
What does scripture say?!
Look at Mat 8, vs 16 again:
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and, healed ALL that were sick:
VS. 17 That, (everybody say ‘THAT’!) (It was on purpose here. Now, he healed ALL that were sick: That…), it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Now, Mat. translates this from literal Hebrew!
Listen, Mat. 8:17 is a new testament commentary on Isaiah 53:4!
It’s infallible!
It’s unchallengable!
It’s Crystal clear!
It’s in black and white!
And it says here that He fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, not forgiving sins, no… healing the sick! It says here that He healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet!
So, for those who say,’OH, WHEN HE BORE OUR SICKNESSES, THAT MEANS SPIRITUAL’, no!
It’s literal sicknesses!
It says here, that he healed the sick, TO FULFILL Isaiah’s prophesy!
Healing, (LISTEN!) is part of our redemption.
It is not a grace, that is separate from our redemption.
It is part and parsal of our redemption!
You can buy a package insurance policy, that has a whole list of benefits, that are in the policy automatically.
Then you can also buy some ‘optional’ insurance.
Right? Pay a little extra, and you get the’optional’ benefits.
Well, Healing, is NOT optional!
It’s PART of the package!
It’s not a SEPARATE grace given by God.
It’s PART of the package!
Now God does heal some, just by His grace!
There are some people in this bible, who were healed, that make you wonder,’WHY DID HE GET IT?’
The guy at the pool of Bethesda, in John 5 for example… This guy didn’t even seem to expect it!
He even seemed kind of bothered, by it!
And yet, he gets his healing, anyway!
Why? God wants us healed, so much! But, by and large, most people in the bible, who received their healing from God, received it by faith.
They received Jesus!
They received His word!
They believed what He said!
And, they received healing by faith!
Now go again to Isa. 53.
OK, this is SO IMPORTANT, now!
We’ve been redeemed, by Jesus!
We’ve been redeemed, from the devil’s dominion in our life!
Notice here again: vs.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, (or literally: borne our sicknesses/ our diseases), and carried our sorrows, (or our pains): yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, (these are sins, now), he was bruised for our iniquities, (again, these are sins):
So, one part deals with the outer man, the physical man, the other part deals with the inner man, the spirit man.
Both, are dealt with at our redemption!
Notice again:
… he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with, (or by), his stripes, (BY HIS STRIPES?) we are healed. What does it mean,’BY HIS STRIPES, WE ARE HEALED’?
A better word for stripes might be wounds or black and blue bruises.
‘By his wounds, or by the bruising he took, we are healed’
So he paid the price, (now listen!), that was PART OF His crucifixion!
The scourging, the beatings, were part of His overall suffering!
It wasn’t separate from it, it was all part of one big thing!
Now go the Matthew 26: vs. 26
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Then… (Everybody say ‘THEN’!)
See, he did the bread first. He didn’t throw the bread into the cup, and say,’HERE, WASH IT DOWN GUYS!’
It was separate.
It was part of one supper, but there were two distinct, components to the one supper.
He gave the bread 1st!
He… blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
vs. 27 And (then) he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all, of it, (all of you, … it was for everybody!);
vs. 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, (covenant), which is shed for many for the, (watch now, …for the), remission of sins.
So, the bread, signifies His physical body, and… the cup, signifies His physical blood!
He said, ‘THIS IS MY BODY, THIS IS MY BLOOD.’
(Verse 28 says: The) blood … is shed for … the remission of sins.
Remission means to cleanse away.
To wash away.
To cancel out a debt. To totally set free from.
We are remitted of our sins, by the blood of Christ.
(Now listen to me carefully!)
If the only thing, that Calvary provides the believer, is the remission of sins, then… Let’s just take the’cup’!
Why have the bread?
Because the’cup’, (the blood of Christ), cleanses away our sin.
We know his blood was shed, and was nailed to the cross, to wash away our sins.
Could there be more that Calvary offers us?
Could there be more to His sin sacrifice?
Could there be more that is included in our atonement upon the cross?
Could there be more?
YES!
Absolutely Yes!
He gave the bread 1st!
Then he gave the cup!
Yet most people, for all they believe of God, could just take the’cup’ and be totally fine in there lives, …for what they know about redemption.
Because they never heard… HEALING is part of our redemption.
They’ve only heard the remission of sins is our redemption.
They never heard… HEALING is part of our salvation.
They’ve only heard the remission of sins is ALL of our salvation.
Now, granted, the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to have our sins washed away!
But, Christ, paid for both!
One is an eternal blessing, and one is a temporal blessing.
But, He wants us to have both!
And, both are paid for in one sacrifice!
Now, if Calvary’s benefits are limited to the forgiveness of sin, let’s just take the’cup’, and why have the bread?!
What’s the bread? …An appetizer??!
In that case, give me a cracker with some cheese!
No, It’s part of’lords supper’!
(And listen!)
It is NOT a LESSER part! It’s part of one supper!
There are two courses or two components, to the one supper!
We know what the cup signifies, here… The blood shed for the remission of sins. But, what about the bread?
(Remember?)
He was scourged, FIRST!
We take the bread, FIRST! …then the’cup’.
He was scourged, FIRST!
Then, nailed to the cross!
We take the bread, FIRST! …then the’cup’.
He said’ ‘Take, eat, this is my body… We take the bread.
What’s the bread signify?
By His stripes, By His stripes, By His stripes, we are healed!
Healing is part of our redemption.
(Now, listen carefully!)
What God has joined together, let not man put asunder. (Mark 10:9)
God put them together.
God put the bread and the’cup’ together.
God put healing of our diseases, and remission of our sins together!
Both, in one atoning work of Christ, upon the cross.
Therefor,
it is’no more His will’, for His children to live a life full of sickness,
than it is’His will’ for His children to live a life full of sin.
It is just as much His will for me to be healed, as it is His will for me to be forgiven of my sins.
Yet, we’ve heard the one side… we’ve heard about the’cup’, heard the’cup’ and heard the’cup’!
But we’ve traditionally, neglected the bread!
By His stripes you were healed!
He took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses!
Many have not been taught.
You say, ‘I KNEW SO-AND-SO AND THEY LOVED GOD AND STILL DIED YOUNG!’
Did they know this?!
Had they heard this from the word of God?!
Or, were they taught traditionally, ‘If it be thy will…’
You see, when I learned this… I STOPPED praying:’If it be thy will…’
Why? Because It IS His will!!
The bible says so! And, there’s no IF about it!
If I am going to pray:’If it be thy will…’, I might as well pray:’If the bible is true…’!!!
It is saying the SAME THING! Because the bible is crystal clear…
The bible is MORE clear about THIS, than it is about HEAVEN!!!
Isn’t that amazing?!
God want us well, so much, that He died for it.
He went to the cross for you and for me.
By His stripes, By His stripes…
Lets quickly look at Luke 22:
Mat, Mark and Luke all record the ‘lords supper’.
All three record it in the same manner: bread, then the’cup’.
It NEVER says’cup’ then bread.
It’s always in this order… bread then the’cup’.
He was scourged first, then He was crucified .
And all three record both as part of one overall supper.
Notice how it reads here in Luke 22:
vs. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
(Now, watch)
vs. 20 Likewise also the cup AFTER SUPPER, …
(First the bread, then the’cup’, [two distinct instances], but it’s part of one overall supper. So after supper He took the cup…)
… saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Two distinct workings in one supper.
Two benefits, stream forth from Calvary!
Physical healing of every sickness and disease, and remission of every sin, freedom from every type of spiritual darkness or bondage.
Let’s go to 1st Peter 2.
Earlier we read Mat. 8: where it quoted Isaiah 53:4.
Here we see here Peter quote Isaiah 53:5.
So, with these two scriptures, we have complete, New Testament commentary, on Isaiah 53:4-5.
It cannot be disputed, It’s crystal clear in the word of God.
1st Peter 2: 24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye WERE healed.
Notice the’Past Tense’!
As if it were a SETTLED fact… and it is!
Peter’s looking BACK to Calvary. by whose stripes ye WERE healed!
Healing belongs to us. It is part of our redemption.
It is part of our salvation!
But, it won’t just happen to you… just because.
Someone says,’O.K., IF THAT WAS TRUE, IF GOD REALLY WANTED EVERYONE HEALED, WHY DOESN’T HE JUST, HEAL EVERYONE?’
Let me ask YOU a question!
IF GOD WANTED EVERYONE SAVED, WHY DOESN’T HE JUST, SAVE EVERYONE?
Because, It does not, work that way!
THEY have to RECEIVE salvation.
He wants them all saved, so He commands US to go tell them… that He wants everybody saved.
He died for their sins.
He died for my sins.
He died for your sins.
We have to go tell them…
Faith comes by HEARING the gospel, the good news, giving them an opportunity to receive Jesus as Lord and savior.
And, if they choose to RECEIVE Him, then they can.
We tell them it is his will, but they have to receive it.
And ALL of salvation is received that way.
All of the different benefits of salvation, are received by faith.
In other words, if you were my neighbor, and you weren’t saved, and I’m praying for your salvation.
I can believe all I want to, but when it comes right down to it, you’ve got to believe it.
I can agree with you, I can encourage you, I can show you the scriptures, I can pray for you, but when it comes right down to it YOU’VE got to believe it.
And when you do, all God’s power is unleashed in your life.
And the SAME THING is true with healing.
With divine protection. With divine peace.
With all the benefits of the gospel of salvation.
We forget that we had to RECEIVE salvation.
We think, O K, now that I have salvation, everything else just kind of happens to me.
Who told you that?
Not the Bible!
Not the Word of God!
And yet in that Bible every single person who came to Jesus in faith, walked away well. Everyone, without exception.
Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Now people today either:
haven’t heard that, or
don’t come in faith, or
just hope so, or
pray so, or
say maybe so, or
think so or
they, wish it would be so.
They do everything but believe.
And therefore, they don’t receive.
Then, they said “I TRIED THAT!”
Hey try-ers try and doers do.
It doesn’t work by trying.
It doesn’t work by maybe.
It doesn’t work by wishing.
It works by faith. It works by believing.
Remember, it says
“By whose stripes you were healed”
It doesn’t say,
“I believe that one day God’s going to heal you!”
That’s hoping, faith is believing.
It says By whose stripes you were, that means it’s done.
And if I’m saying, God’s going to, I’m not lining up with the scriptures. When it says, God has already done.
(Listen carefully, that is a MAJOR, MAJOR difference.)
People are saying, God’s going to, and God is saying I ALREADY HAVE.
They say, and with such conviction,
God is going to do it.
I know God’s going to do it.
And God is saying I HAVE, I HAVE!
LISTEN, READ IT, I HAVE!
There is a major difference between Hope and Faith!
HOPE is a great goal setter, but a poor receiver.
It’s NO RECEIVER! (HEB. 11:1)
faith is the substance of things hoped for.
Hope is without substance,
Hope is great on getting your eyes fixed on something.
It is a great goal setter, a great target.
But faith is the substance of things hoped for.
Faith is not of the future, faith is ALWAYS NOW.
Now faith is …the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Let’s say my TV does not get channel 2, but all my neighbors do, the whole neighborhood does.
It would be foolish for me to call up channel 2 and say’YOU’RE DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ME! EVERYONE GETS CHANNEL 2 BUT ME!
Channel 2 will just say,’HEY DUMMY, CHECK YOUR TUNER, YOUR RECEIVER MUST HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE ARE SENDING IT OUT 24 HOURS A DAY.
THE PROBLEM ISN’T ON OUR END,
IT’S ON THE RECEIVING END.’
And that’s just what God is saying…
I might be on channel 3, THINKING I’m on channel 2.
I might be on channel hope THINKING I’m on channel faith.
Tradition has got people convinced that having hope is having faith.
And convinced that their faith is ‘their religion or denomination’.
Both are not only untrue, but both result in blocking them from ever actually using their faith to receive from God.
It wasn’t God that got them confused.
Most of God’s word is so simple, that you have to get a trained theologian to make it confusing.
Go to I Cor. 11:23
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.,
(actively call me to mind, what He did for us.
Actively call to mind, by His stripes we are healed.)
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me,
(Actively call to mind, that all my sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus.)
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.
God loves you!
He’s not angry with you!
He’s not disappointed in you!
God loves you so much that he gave his only son, so that He could adopt YOU!
Jesus loves you too!
He loves you so much that he volunteered, to pay YOUR spiritual death sentence, with HIS life’s blood, to redeem you spiritually!
And he loves you so much that he allowed his body to be tortured, bruised, torn and tattered, to redeem you physically, from sickness, disease, and every bondage of darkness!
Jesus loves you so much that he gave us, power of attorney, to use his name, in authority, over all of darkness.
Jesus loves you so much, that he sent you His Holy Spirit, the same spiritual guidance that taught Paul all that he wrote about.
The Holy Spirit is here now, in us and around us , loving us, now!
This is how much God loves you!