Everything you do in your life has its roots in how you think. Good, bad or indifferent, how you view yourself, and your environment has a huge impact on your life's outcome.
The most important reason for how your your life plays out is directly related to how you view, or don't view God.
Most people have some idea or thoughts about God and who He is. Whether it be that He is indifferent to man and has no real input into our everyday lives or if He is a totally hands on God who directly intervenes or someplace in between, those of us who believe there is a God have our own ideas of who or what He is and does.
Some people base their thoughts about God on what they've heard or what they've been taught while others have a more intimate relationship with God and know Him from personal experience.
Today's topic is GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
It's vital in our Christian walk to understand that God has unconditional love for us. Nothing we do or say can make Him love us any more or less. His love is not based on our performance or non performance of what we think is required to be a "good Christian".
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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.
But having unconditional love for us doesn't mean that God is okay with everything we do and say.
There are things we do and say that God is downright angry about. And He will do/allow what He deems necessary to get our attention or challenge us to change. To change, as a Christian, means there should be forward movement. Too many times in our walk we become stagnant and sometimes even go backwards. It's during those times that God's unconditional love is most noticeable.
Jesus promised He would never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5b) That means not ever, not even for a moment. He's always there watching over us, urging us to walk on His path. Even though it may seem as though God isn't there, He most definitely is.
The really good part about God's love for us is that He's able to give us unconditional love because He sees our hearts - the motives behind our words and actions that no one else sees.
Isn't that remarkable?
Here are some thoughts to ponder.
- Can you think of any specific instances where you saw God's unconditional love in action towards you?
- Has there ever been a time when you KNEW that God had protected you or forgiven you for something you KNEW was wrong, even in the midst of doing it?
- How do you really view God? Is He a bully, full of impossible rules and regulations or a loving God who disciplines out of His love for you?
- Is He terribly judgmental and unfair or does He try to guide you to the right path even though sometimes it's hard and/or painful?
What a wonderful scripture to begin with. I have to say that it holds large value in the way of my life right now. As I read it another scripture from romans the twelfth chapter I believe its in.....and its the second part of a scripture but it tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. God knew that we couldn't be completely made over if we can't change the way we think. Our mind truly is the vehicle in a sense of getting ourselves under the right desire for what God commands and desires of us.
ReplyDeleteIn response the discussion questions basically asking if I see God as loving or mean and unbearable....I have to answer honestly and say yes I sometimes feel He is unbearable, unfair, harsh and mean. And that's because I have gotten in my way and forgotten all that God has been for me in my life. I am truly guilty for having forgotten times God had spared my and my children's life before I even acknowledged Him. Times where tough love from Him made me the wiser and stronger woman that I am now. God is awesome by and by,through and through. Most of the time we don't feel that its because we have forsaken Him. Not because He has forgotten us.
2Timothy 3:10-11
ReplyDeleteBut thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
This is what God has done for me through Christ Jesus. He has delivered and purified me in many areas that were not of Him.
All I can do is let Him to continue to lead, guide, direct, and touch me in all that I am lacking from my own sottish ways.
1. Can you think of any specific instances where you saw God's unconditional love in action towards you?
ReplyDeleteSo many times that I am aware of as well as many I am sure I am not aware of. God has blessed me more then I can say!
2. Has there ever been a time when you KNEW that God had protected you or forgiven you for something you KNEW was wrong, even in the midst of doing it?
Oh yeah, there were times. I think that God does this to show us how much like man He is not. A lot of times we compare God to who we know in this life and it is hard for us to have a relationship with someone like God when so many others have a limit to how much they will take and stand. I think in those times God goes out of His way to forgive and love on us anyways even when it seems we don't deserve it. I know that there were moments in my life where I have experienced this so deeply that I could not do anything else but reverence God and know that there is none like Him!
3. How do you really view God? Is He a bully, full of impossible rules and regulations or a loving God who disciplines out of His love for you?
There was a time where I did. I thought that there were a lot of rules and when I was younger I believed that salvation was based on keeping the rules and regulation. As I got older and had personal God experiences for myself I quickly learned that there is a method to everything that God does and allows to happen.
4. Is He terribly judgmental and unfair or does He try to guide you to the right path even though sometimes it's hard and/or painful?
God knows what He is doing =) Even in those times where we don't. I learned that part of trusting God and learning to trust God is not judging God and what he allows to happen in our lives. How can we determine that God is unfair anyways? We are not God and can not see everything.
I have not read that scripture before but it is one that I have lived. God is so good that way. Never putting more on you than you can bare but and will still deliver you from it all.
ReplyDeleteTasha I agree so much with what you said. And we can't judge God.
God is truly awesome! He has the patience to love us through our "mess". We as men and women sometimes have a problem sticking with people who keep making the same mistakes over and over but we need to take a lesson from God.He sees us the way He created us to be, not just the way we are in the moment. If we could only see into the hearts of the people around us like God does we might be surprised at what we see. We should practice being more forgiving and patient with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have our own share of "mess" that we're trying to work through. Let's practice treating others the way we would like to be treated.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 3:1-2 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
ReplyDeleteRepentance is "the" benefit towards spiritual cleanliness. We sometimes neglect this opportunity, but it's there. We sometimes forget that God has given us a clean slate with our repentive heart, but it's there. "Everything" that we desire from God is there through Christ Jesus.
Rev.3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Has there ever been a time when you KNEW that God had protected you or forgiven you for something you KNEW was wrong, even in the midst of doing it?
ReplyDeleteI was around seventeen years of age at the time. I had never been much of a follower, yet I yearned to hang out with the other boys in my neighborhood. I knew some of the things they were doing were wrong, but the draw to commune with them was very strong. I always felt a distance between them and I. One day having nothing to do, just sitting around the front yard of my house, I saw two of the guys in my neighborhood with several others walking by. They asked if I wanted to come with them to a local teen hangout, and of course I said "yes!" Without telling anyone, because I felt that I would not be allowed to go, I jumped up and tagged along. Happy that I would finally get to share some time with them. Yes, I felt a tinge of something wrong, but I ignored it. We walked quite a bit, soon out of our neighborhood, yes I felt a tinge of something wrong, but I ignored it. We walked to a West 25th st. empty storefront, yes I felt something was wrong, but I ignored it. We went in, and at first we were the only occupants, and I told myself that it would be okay. Yes, I felt a tinge of something wrong, but I ignored it. Soon, another group of young men arrived, and once again, I felt something wrong, but I tried to ignore it, it was difficult. Fighting broke out, knives were brandished, clubs were used. This was difficult to ignore. Soon, the plate glass in the storefront was broken out and pieces were everywhere. Had never been really in a fight before, I froze. As I looked out the store front, I saw a light illuminate the pieces of glass, it caught my attention. I walked through the mayhem around me, without injury, stepped through the area where the window had been, and stopped. The light appeared to move along the sidewalk, I followed. It traveled along Lorain avenue, to west 25th. st. There I turned left and followed this light all the way home. I got home without injury, but with a peace. "He"(God) knew something was wrong, but "He"(God) didn't ignore me.
Anderson- That is truly a great story about God's mercy and grace and how He looks out for us even when we're not doing what we should. The interesting part to me is that He knew your heart. He knew your motives - the desire to be a part of the group. Yet He also knew that you would acknowledge Him and He kept you from harm. God is truly an awesome God!
ReplyDelete