In the beginning, God...
What kind of being existed in the beginning?
The One who is eternal
What kind of being speaks light into existence?
The One who has extreme power
He hung the stars...He created us... He gave His only son for us... He loves us so much!
Why would an infinite God create finite man?
To be with us!
Don't create space between yourself and God. Always talk to Him. Ask Him questions. Tell Him how you feel, let Him be there. He wants to be!
He's so big you can never be in a place He is not.
He is the God who says: "I am with you!"
He feels what we feel, he lives right with us, why do we push Him away?
Love is a choice not a feeling.
God chooses to love you!
Love: pursuing the highest good for a person.
He has the ability to reject us, after all He is God, but He chooses not to.
The Goodness of God:
At the center of every action God takes is love:
- Truthfulness- willingness to express reality as it is without any distraction or deception.
- Faithfulness- A commitment to love consistently.
- Wisdom- knowledge used in love.
- Mercy- an attitude of the heart that is totally free of resentment and bitterness.
- Holiness- living unconditional love.
Knowing God as Father:
There isn't a separation in the guidelines God fives to us and His love for us.
God's law does not give you salvation.
God designed us and tells us not to do things because He knows what we need and we don't need.
He's faithful like the dawn. It doesn't matter what season you are going through, He doesn't change! You never have to earn back His love. He is always faithfully pursuing you!
Justice:
Righteousness/Justice is a determination to deal RIGHTLY with every individual.
Justice is...different than mercy, and not the same as fairness.
He's working on your heart, not comparing you with others.
Mercy:
An attitude of the heart, to pardon, accompanied by deep grief when pardon cannot wisely be granted.
Holiness:
Set apart.
Leviticus 11:44- "For I am the Lord your God, you shall therefore sanctify yourselves; and you shall be holy, for I am holy."
Can we really be holy? We will not be sinless, but yes, we are too valuable to get caught up in the things of this world. We are called to be set apart.
The Rescue Plan:
Choosing to sin, is to choose the consequences of death, spiritual separation from God and eternal separation.
HE DOES NOT WANT THAT!
So, He rescued us from our sins on the cross!
Will you reach out and grab the rope so that you can be rescued? The choice is yours.
Is God safe?
No, He is not!
But, He is good!
We don't live in a world were when you get saved everything will be perfect.
"God never gives you more than you can handle?" Is that really true? Where is that in the bible? Everyday people go through things they can't handle. Cancer, sicknesses, suffering, etc.
God does give us more than we can handle so that we can't boast in ourselves, but in Him. If life wasn't hard, would we even need God at all?
How can we trust Him if He is not safe? Because He is good! Because He is love!
He's committed to running through this wild world right there with you! How awesome is that?
Suffering:
God never plans, wills, or wants sin to take place. God never desires suffering for His children.
-Psalm 72:18- "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things!"
There are things that God does, and there are things that the enemy does.
-John 10:10- "The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life and have it to the full."
Most of us have heard "Whatever happens is God's will." and "The reason God gave you this bad thing is so that you would learn something through it." But that is not true. God doesn't do evil things, the enemy does.
God takes things that Satan meant to destroy you and makes something good out of it.
Beauty for ashes.
*teaching by Jason Hague
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