Tag Archives: Adore Him

That’s the Way Love Goes

Family Ministry, God Loves You, Self Care, Spiritual Food, , , , , ,

1 John 4:17-19 NKJV Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

OK so I guess I was having a Pastor Jamal Bryant moment with the title choice today (Pastor Bryant is known for his very provocative sermon titles).  However, when I read these three verses, and read them together it was the first thing that popped into my mind.  Why?

Maybe it was because it’s the title of a song that somewhat redefined Janet Jackson’s entire singing career.  That song and that album turned Janet from an international singing super star, who had just rose from under the shadow of her famous brother, to a global sensation and sex symbol who had now put herself among the same plan as her brother because she had displayed a new side of herself that no had ever expected.  WHAT??  Then why would I see John’s words and think of this secular star.  

One my brain could be a little warped and these three verses are considered the Consummation of Love; that word consummation means the completion, achievement, attainment, execution or conclusion of love.  It denotes the action of making a marriage or relationship complete by having sexual intercourse. The completion of the covenant. Just as this song and album completes Janet’s quest to become a global phenomenon this section of scripture consummated Jesus’ Love Toward Us when HE died on the cross for our sins.

The crazy thing is this; each of these verses have been preached, taught, meditated on and had entire conferences centered around them.  But when you read them together.  It just makes everything Crystal Clear!!!  

Love Consummated (or perfected)

  1. Perfect Oneness-(The Two Become One): Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.  
  2. Perfect Security: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
  3. Perfect Pursuit: We love Him because He first loved us.

This radically changes how you see a relationship.  Because our relationship with God was perfected the minute He had Jesus come to earth to live and give His life so that we all would be able to be loved.  Jesus made it possible for God to truly demonstrate His love for us.  The cross allowed us to become one with Jesus and be seated at the right hand of God.  Because of His sacrifice, sin which kept us apart from God was destroyed, removed as a barrier to Him.  Now He could pour out His great love toward us like never before.  We were able to literally become One with God (John 17:22 NKJV And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one).   

Next we understand the true Security of His love for us.  To be secure is the be safe, have a feeling of safety or even the constant state of being protected against any danger or threat.  Being secure, stable, firm in your place.  I just looked up the three biggest fears of mankind and they are; death, abandonment, and failure.  Man, O could cry crocodile tears right there because that is the way the devil (our enemy) comes at me damn near every day.  Death, he is always reminding me of when my father and grandfather died so why do you think you will live to much longer; showing me a ton of people dying in and around that age.  Then he attacks with abandonment, being isolated loosing relationship focusing on how everyone around me wants nothing to do with me, I’d they had their choice they would be somewhere or be with someone else.  Always pushing me towards isolation.  Let me tell you first hand for a people person that sucks… Yet, let me also tell you what God says to us (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV…For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”) Jesus died on the Crosss and was resurrected to the Father, He never abandoned us but gave us Forever Help (John 15:26 NKJV “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me).  We are not alone….

Then lastly, that failure attack!! It is a non-stop attempt to minimize any accomplishment, overemphasize or stress any setback or unmet goal.  It literally diminished almost any success and makes the world come crashing down with any and every inevitable missed opportunity, problem, or unmet expectation.  I see this every single day as a business owner.  It becomes so hard to celebrate the small victories because of the constant thought of one dropped ball bring the whole thing crashing down.  However, when I find myself here I have to recall Jesus’ perfect love which gives me the option to cast all of these cares on Him (1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you).  A big part of God’s perfected love is that He does not force anything, this then causes us to submit ourselves to be loved.  You have to humble you to give all of this stuff in us to God.  When we won’t humble ourselves and allow Him to love us we hold on to the fear of abandonment afraid that if we give it He may decide it’s too much and leave as well not accepting the fact that He cares for you.  His care for us loves the mess out of us.  

God came after us, it was a full out Pursuit.  God chased us down.  To show us why we needed him (the Law; wages of sin); to demonstrate true love (that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us) and lastly giving us blessed assurance (John 16:33 NKJV These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”) He has paved the way for us to overcome and He has made a place with Him forever (John 14:2-3 NKJV  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also).  When we were pursued in the manner that God pursued each of us we cannot help but be loved and then return that love (because He first loved us). 

We need this Love, but the majority of the world does not accept it and they look for it everywhere else.  

But you know what….That’s the Way Love Goes.  

My Security is In Jesus 4

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We’re in part 4 of a word of encouragement from the Lord for those of us bold enough to admit we’re insecure. God has a Secure place for us. We learned in Part 1 that we can each declare that “I Praise God; For Choosing Me to Love ; For Bringing Me Home and For Accepting Me As I Was.”

For Bringing Me Home

Eph 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Isn’t it so powerful that God chose to bring us home to be in His family. The truth is we can be confident of a few things according to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:

1. We’re His Child: having predestined us to adoption as sons. We have been predestined; which means to predetermine, to decide beforehand, to adopt (the action or fact of legally taking another’s child and bringing it up as one’s own); to become sons/daughters of God. God made this decision well before we were born (before anyone was borne for that matter). The term as sons in Greek speaks of the same relationship that God was pleased to establish with the Israelites; and the condition of the true disciples in Christ; and those who by receiving the Spirit of God become sons of God. Each of these demonstrates just what a special position we’ve been blessed with as sons.

2. Were His Decision: by Jesus Christ to Himself. Jesus made the decision to adopt us as sons while the Triune Godhead before the foundation of the world. However, after making the decision, Jesus Christ followed up and executed the decision on the Cross as Messiah. Truly amazing; Jesus, the Son gave His life so that we might switch places and live in the Son.

3. Were His Pleasure: according to the good pleasure of His will,. Finally, we need to comprehend this last piece. We please God!!! But it’s not what you think; we don’t please him by how good we act nor what nice deeds we do. We please God because we believe in our hearts what Jesus did on the cross and have declared with our mouths that Jesus is our Savior. Jesus pleased God so we wouldn’t have too. We bring our Daddy pleasure and they is so Sweet.

We praise God because He chose us; He loves us and He made a home for us in His family and allows us to be ourselves. Paul’s text lays out a tremendous path for us to receive God’s insatiable love for us and I hope you can appreciate it; I’m learning to more and more everyday.

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him!!!

Giving Thanks, God Loves You,

Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

As we prepare to celebrate this Christmas with our family and close friends, I cannot help but remember the greatest gift who is so often forgotten.  Jesus Christ is the reason that we celebrate every December 25th, not because that was his actual birthday, but because God sent Him as a redemptive gift that we can received for free.

I love the lyrics “Oh Come Let Us Adore Him” from the very popular Christmas favorite “O Come All Ye Faithful.” I absolutely love hearing these word because it sets my soul on fire; encouraging me to stop everything (all of the craziness or this world) and go worship Christ Jesus.  At the end of the day that is all that really matters.

In Matthew, three Wise Men also called Magi (Magi were men who were the advisors to kings in some countries; often asked to interpret the kings’ dreams and gained much of their wisdom by studying the stars) dropped everything they were doing in order to go and worship the coming “King of Jerusalem” (Somehow, when a very special star appeared in the sky, they knew they should follow it).

These Magi were chosen by God to seek out and bless His only begotten Son.  We have been given by God, the indescribable gift of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  He is our Savior, Redeemer and Friend.  We have the privilege of relationship with Christ, and the opportunity to receive His unfailing love.  Oh Come Let Us Adore Him; the word adore, according to Webster’s is 1) to love and respect (someone) deeply;  2) to worship or revere.  Oh Come Let Us Love, Respect, Worship and Revere Jesus Christ our Lord:

-We Love Him because He first Loved us, giving His life on the Cross for ours.
-We Respect Him because He didn’t come to earth to be served (He deserves it) but to serve each of us.
-We Worship Him because He is the Great “I AM,” King of Kings, & the Messiah; who deserves worship.
-We Revere Him because everything about Him is all together lovely & as He is so are we in this world.

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him Jesus Christ our Lord!!!

Happy Birthday Jesus