Paul wrote the second letter to the church at Corinth because there were people in that church who accused him of being worldly.

2 Corinthians 10: ¹Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

²But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

⁴(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Problem

We live in a fallen creation that is no longer perfect or even good. Sin and death have entered the world. Every human being is born with a sinful, rebellious nature.

WORLD-This Satan Controlled Organized Rebellion Against God 

Willful

Organized

Rebellion

Led

Demonically

There is a war;

War =conflict carried on by armed forces

On one side is God our Creator. He is armed with love, justice, kindness, mercy, grace,    forgiveness, longsuffering and the desire for a personal relationship with every human being

On the other side is the devil and the fallen angels in rebellion against Him and armed with the evil intent to use sin to prevent and interfere with a personal relationship between God and every human being

In this war there are:

Weapons =device used in combat for attack or defense

We are flesh

Our weapons are not of this world. Neither are they human.

Our weapons are the helmet of salvation; the breastplate of righteousness; the belt of truth; sandals of peace; the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God

The enemy’s weapons are lies always-lies to encourage the desire for things and the ease of getting what we want; lies about our identity; lies about God’s identity.

Strongholds =a well-fortified place, serving as the center of the group

Is there some stronghold in your life holding you captive and interfering with your personal relationship with Jesus?

Have you talked to Jesus about the strongholds in your thoughts, attitudes, actions?

Have you talked to Jesus about the strongholds in your circumstances?

We do not war after the flesh. We are insufficient for the warfare. Paul gives specifics about not walking in the flesh.

⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,

Imaginations =forming concepts not present to the senses

Do you have unwelcome thoughts or imaginations?

Are you looking to yourself for the strength to walk obediently?

Is there some area where you think highly of self?

Have you asked Jesus for help?

Captivity =state of being held and confined; limiting ability to hear/understand the gospel

Many seeking truth remain in bondage to life-dominating sins and thoughts.

bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Have you talked with Jesus about submitting every thought to Him?

This concept has grabbed my attention. How can I capture every thought to the obedience of Jesus? When I react in anger – how can I bring that angry thought to the obedience of Jesus?

Obviously I need to be conscious of Him at all time. I need to see myself as He sees me, helpless and in need of His strength. I need to immediately ask forgiveness for wrong thoughts and ask Him to help me not to repeat that sin. What else do you think?

Power

Jesus alone has all the power Matthew 28:¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Our weapons are made powerful through Jesus for the pulling down of strongholds.

Jesus is able to use our speech, our actions to pull down the strongholds

Prayer

We cannot trust our own judgment or abilities

We have 24/7 access to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

1 John 5:¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

¹⁵And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

What do these words mean to you?

This spiritual war with its strongholds and captivity affects you and me personally, also. Our enemy wants to use sin to interfere with the personal, intimate relationship we have with Jesus Christ.

Paul offers this hope

2 Corinthians 9:⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will         accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

How able do you think Jesus Christ is? What do you need from Him? Do you wonder whether His help is sufficient for you? What are your circumstances? What do you need?

In the first century A.D. after Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine, rose from the dead to prove our justification before our righteous Creator, and returned to Heaven in glory as King of Kings, His Church was growing.

Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus

Ephesians 3:²⁰Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ²¹Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Jesus Christ is the Lord of Hosts. Jesus Christ is the God of Options.

What does that man o you?

Paul in his 2^nd letter to the church at Corinth

2 Corinthians 9:⁸And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Grace is Jesus giving us what we do not deserve

For what do you need His grace?

In what do you need to be sufficient?

Jude in his letter to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

Jude ²⁴Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Because you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior:

He provides His strength to keep you from falling into sin

He will by His mighty power and grace present you without fault to Himself!

What does that mean to you?

He is Able – Henry Smith

He is able, more than able To accomplish what concerns me today.
He is able, more than able To handle anything that come my way.
He is able, more than able To do much more than I could ever dream,
He is able, more than able To make me what He wants me to be.

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will         accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

Evolutionists insist the earth is billions of years old. What does God, our Creator, say? How old was the earth at the time of Noah when the earth was flooded?

Jesus wants you to know so He documented the years.

We know that man was created on the sixth day of the first year. Genesis 1:²⁶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. ²⁹And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the whichis the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. ³¹And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Earth Age according to Genesis 5

Man	Son	Man’s age at son’s birth	Earth age at son’s birth	Man’s Age at death	Earth age at man’s death
Adam	Seth	130	130	930	930
Seth	Enos	105	235	912	1042
Enos	Cainan	90	325	905	1140
Cainan	Mahalaleel	70	395	910	1235
Mahalaleel	Jared	65	460	895	1290
Jared	Enoch	162	622	962	1422
Enoch	Methuselah	65	687	365 translated	987
Methuselah	Lamech	187	874	969	1656
Lamech	Noah	182	1056	777	1651
Noah		600 at flood time	1656 at flood time	950	2006
			Year 1656

Our Creator is good. Our Creator is just. Our Creator is love, all-knowing, everywhere-present. Our Creator documented His laws on how we should live. But you and I have a sinful, rebellious nature. Sometimes we break His laws willingly and sometimes we just make mistakes.

Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve. Grace cannot be earned. Grace is never deserved. Grace is a gift. What sins and disobedience have you and I committed against a holy God, Who created us? How do those acts of rebellion compare to the acts of Paul?

You remember Paul pursued those who professed Jesus as the Messiah. He actively searched for them to imprison and execute them. But one day He met Jesus and his perspective changed. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul talked about that amazing grace of God. 2 Corinthians 9:¹⁴ And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Paul calls God’s grace an unspeakable gift.

How can you explain God’s grace?

How can you describe God’s grace?

We do not deserve His forgiveness

John 3:¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

1 John 1:⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What does His forgiveness mean to you?

We do not deserve His redemption

Jesus’ death and resurrection purchased our freedom from the slave of sin.

Titus 2:¹¹ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

¹²Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

¹³Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

¹⁴Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

What does His redemption mean to you?

We do not deserve His salvation

We are saved from the penalty of our sin. We are being saved from the pattern and habit of sin. Some day we will be saved from the very presence of sin and lose our sin nature.

1 Thessalonians 5:⁸ But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

What does His salvation mean to you?

We do not deserve His love

Jeremiah 31:³ The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

What does His love mean to you?

We do not deserve His relationship

Ephesians 1: ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

What does a relationship with Him mean to you?

We do not deserve His acceptance

Ephesians 1:⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.

What does His acceptance mean to you?

We do not deserve His strength

2 Corinthians 9:⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:⁶ For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

What does His strength mean to you?

Grace like any other gift can be refused. Grace is offered by your Creator to you. Will you receive His grace or will you refuse His grace? The gift is His. The choice is yours.

All Because of God’s Amazing Grace – Stephen R. Adams

Amazing grace! Oh, how sweet the sound That saved a poor sinner like me!

Though once I was lost Yet now I’m found Tho’ I was blinded now I see!

 

And it’s all because of God’s amazing grace!

Because on Calv’ry’s mountain He took my place!

And someday, some glorious morning I shall see Him face to face,

All because of God’s amazing grace!

 

Thro’ disappointment and danger, too. Thro’ labors and sorrows we’ve come!

But God’s grace was guided safely through; And it will surely lead us home!

 

 

Then with the ransomed around God’s throne We’ll praise our Redeemer and King!

We’ll tell how His mercy for sin did atone, Thro’ countless ages this song we’ll sing!

 

It was all because of God’s amazing grace!

Because on Calv’ry’s mountain He took my place!

Oh! someday, some glorious morning I shall see Him face to face,

All because of God’s amazing grace!

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed  and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will       accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

 

Will you accept God’s love for you or reject God’s love for you?

Our Creator is not a dictator. He has not created us to be His puppets. He has given to each of us free will. We are able to choose to accept His love and enter into a relationship with Him because Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sins through His death and resurrection.  We are able to reject His love and count on our own judgment and abilities to navigate through life.

This is the age of grace. God gives us what we do not earn or deserve.

But there is coming a time when your life on earth will end and you will face God as judge. Because God loves you and me, He gives us this free will. Because God is righteous, He also will judge our choices.

If we receive God’s love in the Person of Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior, our judgment was carried out at Calvary.

If we reject God’s love in the Person of Jesus Christ, we will be judged for our sin, the wages of which is death, eternal separation from the God Who loves us.

Who would want to face the only Person, Who ever loved you unconditionally, and know your rejection of His love causes you to be separated forever from Him? God loves you so much He allows you to choose.

Jude gives guidance for those who receive God’s love in the Person of Jesus Christ-Jude:²¹ Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Focus on God’s love for you

Thank God for His love for you

Celebrate His love

Share God’s love with others

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

What will you do with God’s love?

Everyone needs to be loved for who they are

not for what they do,

not for what they look like,

not for what they have accomplished,

not for what they possess

God loves you for who you are – His creation. He designed and created you to be you – not like any other person in all the world, in all of history. You are His unique creation. There is only one you!

1) Quality of God’s love for you is unconditional.

     There is no ‘I will love you if’.

There is no ‘I will love you when’.

There is no ‘I will love you until’.

2)  Scope of God’s love for you is everlasting through all stages of your life

There is nothing you need do to earn God’s love

There is nothing you can do to diminish God’s love for you

3) Power of God’s love for you is stronger than death

Romans 8:³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

4) Cost of God’s love for you is free for you, cost everything for Him –

Your cost is explained in Ephesians 2:⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast

His cost is explained in Isaiah 53:¹ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵ 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.

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

⁹ And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

¹¹ He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

5) Depth of God’s love for you is that of a father and His identity

 Who is the Father?

2 Corinthians 1:³Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Psalms 103:¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

¹⁴ For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

The Father’s identity is love according to 1 John:⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

What will you do with God’s love for you?

Will you accept God’s love for you or reject God’s love for you?

Our Creator is not a dictator. He has not created us to be His puppets. He has given to each of us free will. We are able to choose to accept His love and enter into a relationship with Him because Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sins through His death and resurrection.  We are able to reject His love and count on our own judgment and abilities to navigate through life.

This is the age of grace.

But there is coming a time when your life on earth will end and you will face God as judge. Because God loves you and me, He gives us this free will. Because God is righteous, He also will judge our choices.

If we receive God’s love in the Person of Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior, our judgment was carried out at Calvary.

If we reject God’s love in the Person of Jesus Christ, we will be judged for our sin, the wages of which is death, eternal separation from the God Who loves us.

Who would want to face the only Person, Who ever loved you unconditionally, and know your rejection of His love causes you to be separated forever from Him? God loves you so much He allows you to choose.

Jude gives guidance for those who receive God’s love in the Person of Jesus Christ-Jude:

²¹ Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Focus on God’s love for you

Thank God for His love for you

Celebrate His love

Share God’s love with others

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will         accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

 

In this study we are examining God’s love and how we can use that love as an anchor when the storms of life hit.

Someone once said we are all either living in a life storm, just exiting a life storm or just entering a life storm. Where are you today? Be assured God knows, cares and can enable you.

The next aspect of God’s love we will examine is the depth of His love for you.

Depth of God’s love is that of a father and His identity

 Who is the Father?

He is given to you and He is everlasting according to Isaiah 9:⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Psalm 68:⁵ A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

He is the Father of mercies according to 2 Corinthians 1:³Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Psalms 103:¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

¹⁴ For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Where is the Father?

He is in Heaven according to Luke 11:⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

He is in believers according to Ephesians 4:⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

He is not far from unbelievers according to Acts 17:²⁷ That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

²⁸ For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

²⁹ Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

What does the Father do?

He adopts us into His family according to Romans 8:¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they 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, Father.

¹⁶ The Spirit itself 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; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

He bestows love on us and calls us sons according to 1 John 3:¹ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

He chooses to receive you and be your Father according to 2 Corinthians 6: ¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Some have known the love of an earthly father while some have never known the love of an earthly father. But God’s love is perfect. It’s everything a father’s love should be or could be.

The Father’s identity is love according to 1 John 4:⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

As your Father, God is intimately involved and concerned with the details of your life and daily circumstances.

Your Father provides- Matthew 6:⁷ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Your Father protects-Psalms 33:¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

¹⁹ To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰ Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

Your Father directs-Proverbs 3: ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

You Father corrects-Hebrews 12:⁵ And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

⁶ For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

⁷ If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

⁸ But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

⁹ Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

¹⁰ For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

¹¹ Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

¹² Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

¹³ And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

The Love of God – Frederick N. Lehman, 1917

1. The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
   It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell;
   The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
   His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—The saints’ and angels’ song.

2. When years of time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
   When men who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call,
   God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless and strong;
   Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—The saints’ and angels’ song.

1. Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made,
   Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade;
   To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry;
   Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

Verse 3 was penciled on the wall of a narrow room in an American insane asylum by a man said to have been demented. The profound lines were discovered when they laid him in his coffin.

 

Questions for Reflection

1) What does the love of God as your Father mean to you?

2) Where are you in your understanding of God as your Father?

3) How much time do you spend with your Father daily? Why?

Results of God’s love for you

You have everlasting life and no condemnation- John 3:¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil

Condemnation = strong censure or reproof

You have evidence of the greatest love –

John 3:¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God

John 15:¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

1 John 3:¹⁶ Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

You have an advocate – 1 John 2:¹ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Advocate =one who speaks in defense and pleads on behalf of another; intercessor

You have complete propitiation for your sins- 1 John 2:² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Propitiation =utter saisfaction

You can enable God’s love to be perfected in you – 1 John 2:⁵ But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Perfected = exactly fitting the purpose

What does God’s love mean to you?

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will        accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

 

In this study we are examining God’s love and how we can use that love as an anchor when the storms of life hit.

Someone once said we are all either living in a life storm, just exiting a life storm or just entering a life storm. Where are you today? Be assured God knows, cares and can enable you.

The next aspect of God’s love we will examine is the cost of His love for you.

Cost of God’s love is free for you, cost everything for Him –

Your cost is explained in Ephesians 2:⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast

 

His cost is explained in Isaiah 53:

¹ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵ 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.

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

⁹ And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

¹¹ He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Colossians 2:⁸ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

⁹ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

¹⁰ And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

¹¹ In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

¹² Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

1 Peter 2:²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

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.

²⁵ For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

One of the definitions of stripes is a badge of combat wounds. When Jesus fought and conquered death it was for you and for me. Even though He now reigns in a glorified body He still carries those stripes. Fanny Crosby’s words come to mind as I consider.

My Savior First of All by Frances J. Crosby, who was blind

1. When my lifework is ended, and I cross the swelling tide,
   When the bright and glorious morning I shall see;
   I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side,
   And His smile will be the first to welcome me.

• Refrain:
  I shall know Him, I shall know Him, And redeemed by His side I shall stand,
  I shall know Him, I shall know Him, By the print of the nails in His hand.

1. Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face,
   And the luster of His kindly beaming eye;
   How my full heart will praise Him for the mercy, love and grace,
   That prepare for me a mansion in the sky.
2. Oh, the dear ones in glory, how they beckon me to come,
   And our parting at the river I recall;
   To the sweet vales of Eden they will sing my welcome home;
   But I long to meet my Savior first of all.
3. Through the gates to the city in a robe of spotless white,
   He will lead me where no tears will ever fall;
   In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight;
   But I long to meet my Savior first of all.

Questions for reflection

1) When you consider what God’s love for you cost Him, what do you feel?

2) In a conversation with Jesus right now, what would you say to Him?

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will       accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

 

In this study we are examining God’s love and how we can use that love as an anchor when the storms of life hit.

Someone once said we are all either living in a life storm, just exiting a life storm or just entering a life storm. Where are you today? Be assured God knows, cares and can enable you.

The next aspect of God’s love we will examine is the power of God’s love for you

Power of God’s love is stronger than death

Romans 8:³¹What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What is death?

Genesis 3:¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis 5:³ And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

⁴ And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

⁵ And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

1 Corinthians 15:²⁰ But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

²¹ For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

²³ But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

²⁴ Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

²⁵ For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

²⁶ The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

What is spiritual death?

A life of sin -Ephesians 2:¹ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Alienation from God -Ephesians 4:¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

¹⁹ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Destitute of the Spirit -Romans 8:⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Consequent specific acts and emotions -Titus 3:  ³For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

⁴ But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

⁶ Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

What is physical death for unbelievers?

Ecclesiastes 12:⁷ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Hebrews 9:²⁷ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

John 8:²⁴ I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Going from probation to: 1) retribution for unpardoned sin; 2) unbroken power of sin;

3) continued unhappiness and no joy; 4) eternal separation from

God;

5) aloneness

What is physical death for believers?

2 Corinthians 5:⁵ Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

⁹ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

1 Thessalonians 4:¹³ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:⁹ For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁰ Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

What is regeneration? –

It’s a washing for cleansing according to Titus 3:⁴ But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

⁶ Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

⁷ That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

⁸ This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Remember what Jesus said about the washing in John 13?

⁸Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

It’s God’s on-going work of changing the old to the new creation according to Matthew 19:²⁸ And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

It’s freedom from sin according to John 8:³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

³³ They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

³⁴ Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

³⁵ And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

³⁶ If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Questions for your Reflection

1) What difference does passing into eternity without your sin nature mean to you?

2) How can you use the knowledge that God’s love is stronger than death to face today’s

problems?

3) How does spiritual death differ from physical death?

4) Why do you think God sees death as an enemy?

The words to this song mean so much to me when I am in a life storm. I want to share them with you.

O Love that Will Not Let Me Go – George Mattheson, 1882

1. Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee;
   I give thee back the life I owe, That in thine ocean depths its flow May richer, fuller be.

1. O light that foll’west all my way, I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
   My heart restores its borrowed ray, That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day May brighter, fairer be.

1.  O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee;
   I trace the rainbow through the rain, And feel the promise is not vain,
   That morn shall tearless be.
2. O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee;
   I lay in dust life’s glory dead, And from the ground there blossoms red –Life that shall endless be.

This song was written on the evening of Matheson’s sister’s marriage. Years before, he had been engaged, until his fiancée learned that he was going blind—that there was nothing the doctors could do—and she told him that she could not go through life with a blind man. He went blind while studying for the ministry, and his sister had been the one to care for him through the years, but now she was gone. He was now 40, and his sister’s marriage brought a fresh reminder of his own heartbreak. It was in the midst of this circumstance and intense sadness that the Lord gave Matheson this hymn, which he said was written in five minutes.

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will         accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti

 

In this study we are examining God’s love and how we can use that love as an anchor when the storms of life hit.

Someone once said we are all either living in a life storm, just exiting a life storm or just entering a life storm. Where are you today? Be assured God knows, cares and can enable you.

The next aspect of God’s love we will examine is the scope of His love for you.

Scope of God’s love is everlasting through all stages of your life

1. Why God loves –Isaiah 43:¹ But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. ² When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.³ For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. ⁴ Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

1. Outcomes of God’s love –

Isaiah 63:⁹ In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Jeremiah 31:³ The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

OK! I agree these passages are talking about the nation of Israel. But in a much larger sense they are revealing to us God’s character; Who God really is.

 Remember His Word in Acts 10:³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: ³⁵ But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.

1. God’s Love Plan for you is revealed in Romans 8:²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified

Foreknew – You were designed to be His

Predestinated – Ephesians 1:³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: ⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ⁹ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: ¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: ¹¹ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: ¹² That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Called –to life from death, to fellowship with Him, to dwelling in His kingdom eternally

Justified –absolved from guilt, debt paid so nothing is owed

Glorified –everything that hinders fellowship with God is removed

1. You will never be an age for which God did not plan

2 Timothy 2:¹⁹ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Questions for Reflection

1) Are you seeing God thru circumstances or circumstances thru God

2) What matters most to you about God’s calling you?

3) Can you think of a time when you couldn’t sense God’s love? Why?

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed  and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will  accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run being yoked to Emmanuel!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run to obtain an incorruptible crown!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when together you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti