To answer the question why I chose finishingwithlampsburning as the title for my webpage: and why I always finish my blogs with Hebrews 12:1-2, I share with you the thoughts Jesus Christ has given to me.

 

Each of us is saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

But His purpose in saving us is much more than redeeming/saving/forgiving/creating

anew/freeing/adopting/translating us so we can enter Heaven. He has prepared specific works for us to do while still here on earth.  I cannot perform the works He prepared for you. You cannot perform the works He prepared for me to do. The works are uniquely prepared and we are uniquely equipped with spiritual gifts, position in His church, personalities and meaningful experiences  to accomplish those works as we live out our new life in the Lord Jesus.

 

Ephesians 2:

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them

 

Revelation 19:

⁸ And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

⁸ And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

⁹ And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Jesus compares the wise and the foolish at the end of the race -Matthew 25:

₆ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

 ⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

 

Notice that:

• there is a Bridegroom according to Isaiah 62:

     5b – and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

• There will be a meeting with the Bridegroom, Revelation 22:

³And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

⁴ And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

⁵ And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

⁶ And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

⁷ Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book

¹² And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

¹³ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

¹⁴ Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

¹⁶ I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely

²⁰ He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

 

• The wise were ready
• The foolish were not ready
• The lamp needs oil, gives light
• The marriage will be evermore together – the Bridegroom and His Bride
• There is a prize according to 1 Corinthians 9:

₂₄ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

• There is a recommended way to run: with purpose      (to obtain)

Running with purpose requires focus on the goal, avoiding distractions, endurance

 

    Your Bridegroom provides instructions for running your race in  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.

Notice that:

• There      are witnesses – Hebrews 11 “the faith chapter” provides historical      recordings of those who successfully ran their races. With God, nothing is      impossible. Like 1:37
• The race      is set

Jesus has a specific end to your race already established according to Jeremiah 29:

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil,   to give you an expected end.

• There      is weight – we live in a fallen creation with a fallen nature fighting      against our new

nature, with an  inability to see God face to face- we walk by faith not

by sight

• Sin      besets us – attacks and surrounds us with the intention to best us
• We      are instructed to run (continual movement, effort, don’t stop),
• We      are instructed how to run

• With patience – knowing our God reigns and enables and will bring justice, our strength comes from  Him alone, we endure and await Him– Colossians 1:

¹⁰ That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

¹¹ Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

¹² Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

• Looking unto Jesus the Author & Finisher of our faith

Jesus began and will continue His work in you, according to Philippians 1:

⁶ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

 

Jesus endured our punishment because He focused on the joy to come. What an example for us!

Think of stepping across the finish line; leaving behind the fallen nature, fallen creation,coming into His presence, looking on His face; examining the nailprints; touching Him, feeling His touch on your face, thanking Him, loving Him, worshiping Him, never again to be physically separated from Him.

 

 

 

 

 

It Will Be Worth It All by Esther Kerr Rushthoi

1. Sometimes the day seems long, Our trials hard to bear.
We´re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair.
But Christ will soon appear to catch his bride away!
All tears forever over in God’s eternal day!

2. At times the sky seems dark, with not a ray of light;
We’re tossed and driven on, no human help in sight.
But there is One in heaven, Who knows our deepest care;
Let Jesus solve your problems, just go to him in prayer.

3. Life’s day will soon be o’re, all storms forever past;
We’ll cross the great divide to Glory, safe at last!
We’ll share the joys of heaven: a harp, a home, a crown;
The tempter will be banished, We’ll lay our burdens down.

 

CHORUS:
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.
One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase.

So, bravely run the race till we see Christ.

 

To God alone be all the glory for what He alone will do!

 

Coach Patti

Abraham’s Example of Hope

Romans 4:

 ¹⁸ Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

¹⁹ And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

²⁰ He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

²¹ And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

 

The Process of Hope

Romans 5:

² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

³ And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

⁴ And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

⁵ And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

As you meditate on these verses, ask God for help in applying them to you situation

 

Psalms 21

²⁴ Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

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.

²¹ For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

²² Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

 

 

  Jeremiah 17

⁷ Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

 

Lamentations 3

²¹ This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

²² [It is of] the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

²³ [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.

²⁴ The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

²⁵ The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.

²⁶ [It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

 

 

Joel 3

¹⁶ The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

 

1 Corinthians. 9:

 

⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

¹⁰ Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

 

 

2 Corinthians. 5:

⁴ Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

⁵ For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith

 

 

Ephesians 1:

¹⁶ Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

 

 

Ephesians 4:

⁴ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Colossians 1:

³ We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

⁴ Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

⁵ For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

²³ If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard,

and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

²⁴ Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

²⁵ Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

²⁶ Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

 

Let us run with patience the race He set before us, looking unto Jesus!

 

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

 

3) 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

retribution for unpardoned sin

unbroken power of sin

continued unhappiness and no joy

eternal separation from God

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.

Here are some 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

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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

George Mattheson, 1882

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 min

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.

Let us run with patience the race He set before us, looking unto Jesus!

 

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.

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

A. 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.

B. 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.

C. 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

       D. 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.

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?

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Let us run with patience the race He set before us, looking unto Jesus!

 

Coach Patti

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this study we will examine 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 first aspect of God’s love we will examine is the quality of His love for 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’.

1 Cor. 13; John 19

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

There is nothing we can do to diminish 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 done,

not for what they possess

 

How God defines love 1 Cor. 13:

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

 

Here are some exercises for reflection:

 

1) The evidence of God’s unconditional love:

John 19

What love do you see in these verses?

2) How do you define love?

3) What does love look like to you? How do

you know it when you see it?

4) Who do you love unconditionally? Why?

5) Who has shown unconditional love to you?

6) What do these verses mean to you?

John 14:23 – any man

John 16:27- you have loved Me and

believed

Mark 10:21 – rich young ruler

John 13:1/Matt 26:56 – deserting disciples

John 3:16 – the whole world

 

 

 

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.

Let us run with patience the race He set before us, looking unto Jesus!

Coach Patti