Writing On Eagles Wings

Scripture: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” – 2 Chronicles 16:9

Examination: In this chapter, Asa, the king of Judah, is being attacked by the king of Israel. Instead of seeking help from the Lord to fight his enemies, he goes to the king of Syria. Asa is then warned by a seer that God is displeased with his reliance upon man instead of the Lord. The seer reminds Asa of previous victories when he depended upon God, but Asa imprisons the seer. Asa is then stricken with a serious illness, but he still refuses to seek God’s help.

Application: When my kids were becoming more independent as teenagers, I insisted on keeping in touch with them via pagers (pre-cell phone days). I did this because they were my children, and I loved them. Knowing their whereabouts would allow me to get to them at a moment’s notice if needed, plus it gave me peace of mind since teens sometimes are a wee bit forgetful when it comes to checking in!

While I needed some technical help in keeping track of my children, God needs no assistance in keeping track of us. He saw everything that Asa did; nothing was hidden from Him. It is the same in our lives; God sees everything… where we go, what we say, what we do. There is nothing that happens in our lives of which God is unaware; He sees all and knows all. Psalm 139:2 records David’s words, “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.”

God desires to be involved in every area of our lives because He loves us and cares about us. Each one of us was created by Him for a specific purpose. Ephesians 2:10 states, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” As a child of God, He promises that if we place our trust in Him, seek His guidance and will for our lives that He will definitely bring our plans to fruition. Jeremiah 29:11 affirms this. “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.”

However, God doesn’t force Himself into our lives; He waits for an invitation from each of us. Once He gets that, He is involved as much as we let Him. In Proverbs 8:17, the Lord says, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Furthermore, God doesn’t simply sit back on His throne and watch us; He is deeply involved in His children’s growth in faith and trust in Him. He is working in each life and will continue to do so. Philippians 1:6 reminds us of this. “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:”. Being loved by an involved God is the best kind of love ever!

Memory Verse: “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” – Psalm 37:5

In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along;
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.

(from “God Leads Us Along” by G. A. Young)

Scripture: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

Examination: In the first half of Romans 5, Paul is explaining the benefits of a relationship with God. In the latter half of the chapter, he compares the disobedient man (Adam) with the obedient man (Jesus), and goes on to explain that it is through Christ’s righteousness that one can have eternal life.

Application: Today is the birthday of George Washington, our nation’s first president. He loved the country that had come into existence on July 4, 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted by the Continental Congress. Washington served as the Commander-in-chief of the Continental army, leading the colonial army to victory over the British forces. He endured long periods of hardship side-by-side with his soldiers, including near starvation and freezing conditions, and risked everything he had, including his life, to fight for our country’s independence. Washington proved his love for this country by his actions.

A true love is reflected in action. Today’s verse clearly shows God’s love in action. His love was manifest in the life of Jesus, His beloved Son, and culminated in the long walk up Calvary to the cross. We must remember that Jesus chose the path He walked. The Bible records Jesus’ words to His disciples when He was arrested in Gethsemane. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) Because Jesus loved the Father, He chose to do His Father’s will. Because Jesus loved us, He chose to die on the cross in our place. That is love in action.

Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is the Saviour of the world. Our heavenly Father sent Him to redeem us back to Himself because of only one reason. 1 John 4:9 states, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” Without a doubt, God loves us.

He proved it at the cross.

Memory Verse: “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.” – John 3:16

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene
And wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean

Oh, how marvelous, how wonderful and my song will ever be
How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own
He bore the burden to Calvary and suffered and died alone

Oh, how marvelous, how wonderful and my song will ever be
How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me

(from “I Stand Amazed” by Shane Barnard)

Scripture: “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” – Psalm 100:5

Examination: This beautiful psalm of praise to God is only five verses long, but it is full of phrases of worship and adoration to the Lord! It ends with the joyous proclamation of God being so good and the eternality of His mercy and truth!

Application: My mom grew up in a small town in Japan. Only a small group of hills separated her town from the bustling city of Hiroshima. She was 17 years old on August 6, 1945, and vividly remembered a blinding flash of light, the intensely forceful blast of hot air, and the enormous mushroom cloud rising in the sky. The devastation was beyond belief; destruction was complete, but my mom and her family were among the survivors of the first atomic bombing the earth had known.

Today there is a lot of controversy about whether this was a good act or a bad one, but whether good or bad, it was a very horrific event. Chaos and uncertainty were everywhere; people at ground zero were simply vaporized, while others were slowly dying from the radiation and injuries incurred from the explosion. Friends and family members went missing, and tomorrow was not guaranteed.

Why would God allow something like this to happen? I cannot begin to know the mind of God, but I do know that He is good all the time, and all the time He is good. Psalm 52:1 says, “…the goodness of God endureth continually.” God never promises that everything that happens in the lives of His children will be good, but He does promise to make all things good. Romans 8:28 states, “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.” Trusting God in the dark times is not easy, but He asks us to do just that. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5).

God’s ways are so much higher than my own; I am not privy to the reasons that God acts in the ways that He does. I am not the Creator, merely His creation, but He has given me His Word to help me understand what I need to understand when I need to understand it. Here are three very important reasons the Bible provides as to why God allows difficult times to cross our paths:

• To strengthen our faith – “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” – 1 Peter 1:7
• To give us hope – “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope:” – Romans 5:3-4
• To know the power of God – “And 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.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

There are many more reasons that God allows us to experience struggles in this life. When I pray and pray, but God doesn’t respond as I would like, I have to remember Nahum 1:7. “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” He is ever faithful, ever loving, and I definitely can trust Him for every outcome of every situation in my life.

By the way, my mom endured years of a chronic illness that her doctor felt was an aftereffect of radiation exposure. That was definitely a challenge for her, but there was good that came of it. 48 years after WWII ended, my mother met her best friend. In 1992, she put her faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour! A year later, she met Him face to face! Truly, the Lord is good and doeth good! (Psalm 119:68).

Memory Verse: “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” – Psalm 145:9

Life can be so good, life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day will bring to where you are
Sometimes I forget and sometimes I can't see
That whatever comes my way, You'll be with me

My life is in your hands, my heart is in your keeping
I'm never without hope, not when my future is with you
My life is in your hands and though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing 'cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands

(from “My Life is In Your Hands” by Bill Montvilo and Kathy Troccoli)

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

Examination: Titus, a disciple of Paul the apostle, ministered primarily on the island of Crete. In this letter from Paul, Titus is instructed to reject any false doctrine and to persevere in teaching the truth of the gospel.

Application: Grace is defined as the undeserved favor of God that is manifest through His love, forgiveness, and help in our lives. It is the grace of God that allows us to have a forever relationship with Him through the salvation that Jesus provides. Ephesians 2:8 states, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”. There is nothing that anyone can do to earn the salvation that God gives. It is simply offered to us, and we can accept it or reject it.

It has been wrongly believed that God demands certain acts from us to make us worthy of His salvation, but if that were the case, we would all be lost. There is nothing we can do to satisfy the demands of a holy and righteous God to merit His forgiveness of our sins. Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that in and of ourselves, our works are as filthy rags, but when we put our faith and trust in Christ, His grace works through us. James 2:18 explains the role of works, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” Our works for the Lord come after salvation. They are the manifestation of our faith in Him.

Furthermore, it is the grace of God that enables us to serve Him. The Holy Spirit of God, which takes residence in us upon salvation, changes our hearts from desiring worldly treasures to setting our sights on the things of God. The Spirit empowers us to fulfill God’s will for our lives. 1 Corinthians 15:10 states, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

God’s grace is the expression of His love given to us in order to have a relationship with Him now and forever. “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17. That is truly God’s amazing grace!

Memory Verse: “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Timothy 1:14

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!

The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield And portion be, As long as life endures.

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we'd first begun.

(from “Amazing Grace” by John Newton)

Scripture: “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23

Examination: Jeremiah writes of the anguish in his soul. Because of all the troubles he is facing, he feels abandoned and without hope until he begins to think about the goodness of God. Although his suffering is not alleviated, he remembers that it is God who promises deliverance from his enemies and his tribulations, and he recognizes that the Lord will be faithful now as He always has been; He never gives up on those He calls His own.

Application: Raising two teenagers was quite challenging for me. As the first of my friends who married and had children, I was embarking alone on a new adventure with zero guidance. I definitely had unexpected obstacles to overcome, but I never gave up… although there were times when I felt I was failing miserably as a mother. In hindsight, I know it was the Lord who brought us all successfully through those years.

In every season of my life, there have been time when my world was tumultuous and seemed to spiral out of control, but as a child of God, that really is never the case. While I may choose paths to follow that are not completely aligned with the Lord’s will, He never abandons me. He is always quietly helping me, even when I think things are beyond help. The truth is that once I was saved, the Spirit of God indwelt me 24/7, and He has always brought me successfully through every seemingly hopeless situation. I know that I will never be separated from my Saviour, and He will never give up on me!

Philippians 1:6 tells us of God’s promise, “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:”. This simple statement speaks volumes. It tells me that once I am saved (the good work that He began in me started at that moment), God began working on my life, making me more like Jesus every day, and He won’t be finished until that moment He takes me to my heavenly home. Even when I am unyielding to Him (which unfortunately occurs more times that I’d like to admit), He never gets tired of chiseling away the unwanted parts of me in order for His righteousness to be seen in me by the world. Isaiah 40:28 states, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”

God’s love never expires. He continually loves His children, doing His work in each of us to accomplish His perfect will in our lives. One day, His work in us will be finished. We will be exactly what He has always desired for us to be, a reflection of His precious Son. That’s the result of His persistent love!

Memory Verse: “And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” – Isaiah 46:4

Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hast provided;
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

(from “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas O. Chisholm)

Scripture: “And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.”  – Jonah 2:2

Examination: As a prophet of the Lord, Jonah had been given the task to warn the people of Nineveh of the coming judgement of God. Jonah chose to disregard the command, and he fled to Tarshish. When a fierce storm threatened to destroy the ship on which Jonah found passage, the sailors ultimately tossed him overboard. After he is swallowed by a great fish, he prays from inside the belly of the whale and miraculously, God hears him and delivers him.

Application: When my children were youngsters, I could usually differentiate their voices above others when we were in a crowded environment like the playground, the schoolyard, or someplace similar where lots of other children were excitedly talking. However, when they were a bit older and played a bit farther away, I didn’t always hear them calling out to show me something they’d found or a new trick they’d learned until they waved their hands and got my attention.

Fortunately, God always hears us when we call out to Him. The Bible tells us, “But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.” (Psalm 4:3). No matter where I am or where I go, God is always able to hear my voice, and each time I call out to Him, He listens as if I were the only one praying! 1 Peter 3:12 affirms that God hears His children. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:” In fact, God loves us so much that He wants to hear from us constantly! Here is what He says in His Word.

• “Pray without ceasing.” – I Thessalonians 5:17
• “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” – Colossians 4:2
• “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” – Romans 12:12
• “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” – Ephesians 6:18

In a world where the busyness of life often gets in the way of us really listening to one another, it is good to know that God never is too busy to hear us when we pray.

Memory Verse: “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.” – Jeremiah 29:12

Trouble knockin' on your window pane, stormy weather at your door
And the outlook for the day ahead like the day before
People tell you prayin' changes things, but the words don't stop the fear
The prayer is only pious rambling without a Father's ear
He will not turn away when His people pray

When God's people pray and take the pains of earth to the doors of Heaven
When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven
And miracles you can't explain away when God' people pray

(from “When God’s People Pray” by Wayne Watson)

Scripture: “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.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Examination: Jeremiah is writing to those in captivity in Babylon. He explains that their captivity will last for 70 years, but that God will never abandon them. His plan for them is to return to Israel and prosper after 7 decades.

Application: When I was in high school, my dad and I had several talks about my future career choices. He recommended teaching or nursing to which I was dead set against. I had more grandiose ideas! Maybe a cardiac surgeon or famous singer. Regardless of what path I would choose, he was very firm about me attending and graduating from college… the first to do so in my family. No matter what would later become my chosen career, my father most assuredly had definite plans for me that would help in being successful in whatever I decided to do.

Dad wanted only good things for me in life. He offered me advice, steered me in the right direction, and surprisingly to me, I settled on both of my father’s suggestions! I was a nurse for many years before switching careers and teaching middle school. It was my father who had my best interests at heart. Not a neighbor or even another member of the family. My dad wanted the best for me; I was his daughter, and he loved me.

Our heavenly Father also wants only the best for His children. He has a divine plan for each one of us as stated in 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.” It begins with our salvation, and then He continues to work in us to make us more like His precious Son. Philippians 1:6 affirms this, “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:”

God desires for us to have an abundant life with Him, starting now in this world and continuing for all eternity because of the great love He has for each one of us. Jeremiah reminds us of God’s declaration, “…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (31:3)

However, we must remember that God is also a gentleman, and He doesn’t force any of us to place our faith and trust in Him. While Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to be our Saviour, it doesn’t happen automatically, nor does God compel us to be saved. He extends the invitation, offers the gift, and it is up to each of us to accept it. That’s the amazing love of God! Every wonderful thing that God has planned for you is just a prayer away!

Memory Verse: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” – Psalm 32:8

Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee,
Ever, only, all for thee.

(from “Take My Life and Let It Be” by Frances Ridley Havergal)

Scripture: “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” – Revelation 21:5

Examination: Most Christians know that Revelation is the last book of the Bible and chronicles the events of the future tribulation and judgment upon the earth. In this second-to-last chapter of the Scriptures, we read about the glorious beginning of eternity-future, where Jesus declares Himself as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end! The new Jerusalem has been created and is for those who are found righteous in Him. This is a time when He wipes away every tear forever, and all things are made new!

Application: In Japan, there is an art form known as “kintsugi” where broken pottery is not tossed out, but rather repaired with powdered gold. The end product is considered a work of art and is often more valuable than the original piece. Once restored, it serves as a reminder that from brokenness can come beauty.

A kintsugi bowl is a beautiful example of mankind’s relationship with the Saviour. In our sin, we are “broken” when compared to the righteousness of our Creator. We are scarred by our sin nature, and thus, we are so unworthy of His love. But that’s not how God sees us.

The Bible tells us that in His eyes, we are precious. Psalm 139:17 states, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Instead of discarding us, God had a plan to redeem us, but instead of gold, He used the sinless blood of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

When a sinner repents and accepts Christ as his or her personal Saviour, the marks of sin are covered by His blood that He willingly shed on the cross of Calvary. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that God, in reference to His Son, “… hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” We are no longer an unsaved sinner on our way to an eternity in hell without the Lord, but we become the redeemed children of God with a promised forever in heaven.

Psalm 23:3 states, “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Because of Jesus’ great love for us, we can be restored to an eternal relationship with God! In a sense, His love has enabled us to become a “kintsugi” child of God! Wholly restored, beautiful to behold, and beloved in the eyes of our Father forever.

Memory Verse: “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” – Jeremiah 24:7

Restore in us, O God, the splendor of your love;
Renew your image in our hearts, and all our sins remove.
O Spirit, wake in us the wonder of your power;
From fruitless fear unfurl our lives like springtime bud and flower.

Bring us, O Christ, to share the fullness of your joy;
Baptize us in the risen life that death cannot destroy
Three-personed God, fulfill the promise of your grace,
That we, when all our searching end, may see you face to face.

(from “Restore in us, O God” by Carl P. Daw, Jr.)

Scripture: “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” – Jude 1:21

Examination: Jude is warning believers to be wary of those who have infiltrated their assembly to spread false doctrine. He cautions that the false teachers may not be easily recognized, so the Christians must be diligent to hold to what they know is the truth.

Application: After my mother-in-law passed, I had the responsibility of going through her belongings to determine what should be kept and what could be donated to a local charity. One item was a beautiful set of silverware, and I remember her polishing it on a few occasions. Upon examination, I discovered her collection was actually multiple sets of silverware mixed together. One group of utensils was sterling silver, which was of great value, and another was silver-plated and not worth much at all. The reason was that one set was made of a costly precious metal, while the other was an imitation and had only a thin coating of silver over other more common materials. It was hard to tell the difference, but since I knew what to look for, I could distinguish which set to keep and which to give away.

In today’s world, there are many different Christian denominations, and within those denominations, there are often many different subgroups. The differences often are based upon culture, history, and traditions that have been passed down through time. Ultimately, the source of one’s beliefs must be based upon the Scriptures alone.

Because there are so many distinct divisions within the religious realm, we must be diligent to know the Bible ourselves, not rely simply on the man, or in some cases, the woman, standing behind the pulpit. Acts 17:11 shares the example of the Bereans, who strove to authenticate what they heard preached. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Even when a Christian belongs to a church with a pastor who diligently searches the Word of God for his messages, it continues to be the responsibility of the hearer to read the Scriptures as well.

God loved us so much that He wanted us to know Him personally. To do that, He gave us His Word, the Bible. Within its pages is the love story between Creation and its Creator. Even when we sinned against Him, the Bible details the restorative plan God had to reconcile us to Himself. Additionally, the verses of Scripture provide teachings on how we ought to live, how we should worship and honor the Lord, how we can serve Him… there is so much within the Bible that God wants us to know. There is no way that sitting in a one-hour church service each week will provide us everything God desires for us to know about Him. We must be diligent to study and know the Bible ourselves. 2 Timothy 2:15 clearly defines our responsibility, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

If we do not make time to spend in God’s Word, we will be utterly defenseless when false doctrine invades our places of worship. We will rely on the interpretation of men instead of the illumination of the Holy Spirit, and fall prey to deception as the truth of God’s Word is slowly adulterated with the lies of Satan.

Be like the Bereans. They knew that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16). God’s Word is just like His love; it is undisputed, it’s been proven, and it endures forever!

Memory Verse: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” – Isaiah 40:8

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.

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure: the saints’ and angels’ song!

(from “The Love of God” by Frederick Leyman)

Scripture: “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” – John 15:11

Examination: Jesus is speaking to His disciples at His last Passover just prior to His crucifixion. He is giving His last words to them, urging them to remember who He is, and that if they continue to follow His teachings and example, they will be blessed by God. He reminds them of who they are in Him, and that when He is gone, He will send His Spirit to continue to give them strength, wisdom, peace and joy.

Application: In the dictionary, joy is defined as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune” and “a source or cause of delight”. The biblical definition of joy is “a deep-seated, spiritual contentment and abiding happiness.” True joy is rooted in a relationship with God; it is not circumstantial.

The joy of being loved by the Lord is manifested in two ways. We have an eternal joy that emanates from our salvation. Being forgiven of our sins and adopted into the family of God creates an everlasting joy. We know to whom we belong and where our eternal life will be, but there is so much more to the joy of being loved by God.  We have a “here and now” joy as well. Jesus didn’t come just to provide an eternal home for us with Him. He came to give us a life of abundant joy. In John 10:10, Jesus told his followers, : “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

What does a joyful life in Christ look like?

• Joy in the realities of life
  • The joy of the Lord doesn’t disappear when we face tough times and the outcomes are unknown to us. His joy offers encouragement, hope, and peace in good times as well as hard times. Psalm 30:5 promises, “… weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
  • Even in the most difficult times, we are kept in the hand of God, and He will see us through every struggle we face. How? By trusting in Him and remembering that God loves us and is faithful to His promises. Knowing those truths brings us His peace… the peace that passes all human understanding. Isaiah 36:3 states, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
• Joy in reaching out to others
  • There is so much joy in sharing with others our God-given gifts like teaching, hospitality, singing, etc. Galatians 5:13 states, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
  • When Christians gather together, there is a joy that is almost indescribable. We share a common salvation through Jesus that will last forever, and we are all brothers and sisters in the family of God! Psalm 133:1 explains, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
• Joy in the relationship with Jesus
  • There is a deep contentment in being close to God. Knowing that He wants me to speak to Him through my prayers and teach me through His Word fills my heart with so much joy! After all, He is the God of all creation! The joy in knowing that He loves me so much fills my soul to overflowing! When I think that the Lord Jesus Christ knows my name and calls me His own, my soul rejoices! Psalm 16:11 affirms this, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Today is a day to celebrate love, and there is no greater love than that which Jesus demonstrated long ago on an old rugged cross. His love is beyond measure; nothing can ever compare with it, and nothing will ever separate us from it. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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.” (Romans 8:38-39)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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

I have found His grace is all complete, He supplieth ev'ry need;
While I sit and learn at Jesus' feet, I am free, yes, free indeed.
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, oh, the half has never yet been told.

I have found the joy no tongue can tell, how its waves of glory roll!
It is like a great o'er flowing well, springing up within my soul.
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, oh, the half has never yet been told.

(from “Joy Unspeakable” by Barney Elliott Warren)