God Is...

Friday, March 22, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day:    Jeremiah 17:7-8

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Memory verse: Romans 8:32 ►He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  

Today's reading: JOSHUA 13-15 LUKE 1:57-80

God Is...

One writer wrote this:

"Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God. (John Piper, God Is the Gospel, 47)

Most of us have never thought of heaven this way-or God. But God separated Himself from us because of sin. We lost our right to be with Him as a result of the sin of Adam in the garden.

Romans 5:12 ►Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

God loved us so much He did the ultimate in sending Christ to die in our place:

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ,

God is always about being with us-getting us back into His presence so we could learn how precious is His love for us. God wants us conscious of all His tenderness and mercy Heaven is paradise, yes, but it is so because God is there-no other reason is there for Heaven to exist-God is there-Christ at His right hand and we, in Christ, there with them in all God's glory. He wants us to know this ecstasy-in His presence.

The gospel of Christ is to get us to God-Heaven is where it all is consummated.

His love for us demands no less than we be with Him.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I confess, I need to really get closer to You and learn to love you with all I am. Fill me with Your energy to seek You.

Gentle and most loving Father,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen