"Real Love" - To

 "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (John 14:21 KJV)

  "Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God." (Hebrews 11:10 NLT)

 As usual, the first message I heard yesterday was from Pastor Greg, and he was speaking about how Abraham was called a man of righteousness, even though he had blown it, time and time again! There is something we must know and hold close to our hearts: God loves us, even though we blow it, He loves us more than we could ever imagine! 

 There is really nothing we could do that would stop Him from loving us, which is what He wants us to know. That might be hard for many people to believe, but He has given us many examples of people who He loved, some of whom had some pretty terrible things they did, things that most people would say were unforgivable. 

 I can't figure it out, because it just doesn't really make sense, which is based upon my ability to love! I don't have what it takes to accept being taken advantage of and betrayed, without having a scar on my heart over it. But somehow God has the ability to erase everything and call us good and faithful servants! The things which were counted as wrong, He has the ability to make them disappear, as if it never happened. 

 There is really nothing we can say towards our own defense, because it is not ours to say! God is the Judge! He makes the rules and He says who is worthy and who is not, because He sees the outcome of every single person: their finished work, based upon the finished work of His Son! Did you receive His free gift of salvation? If so, it had to change your life! 

 I am going to say something that will not go well with some people, but I feel that it must be said. The point in which I believe Jesus is making, even though it is something that should be taken literally, it is something that matters more about being kept! He has told us what is expected of us, and we know what He wants us to do, but we sometimes fail to do them; but we still know what we were meant to do! 

 Does that mean you don't love Him if you cannot do what you were meant to do? Do you see how much He loves you, even though you sometimes mess up? Keep that front and center in your heart and mind, and it will change you, one way or another...

"So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it." (Romans 7:14-20 NLT)