God is Love

1 John 4:16 “ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”

God is love! Several times in the Word, the Bible, it says that God is love. (1 John 4:18, 1 John 4:16). This is a continual ongoing state of being for Him. His love does not fluctuate or come and go. It is continual, permanent, and unconditional. God judges, this is an action He does, that has a beginning and an end. His judgment comes about because He is just. However, His love is as eternal as He is. It does not start or stop. It is constant because He is love and He is everlasting. Love and holiness are unchanging attributes of an unchanging great and mighty God. Therefore; like His word says, nothing can separate us from His love because He lives, He is eternal (Romans 8:38-39), and He is love!

Since He is love and we are His creation we do not go unnoticed by God. He is faithful to His creation (2 Timothy 2:13). At times we may have moments when we feel like no one notices us or cares. We all have moments when we feel that way, but our God notices us and loves us. Just as His eye is on the sparrow, His eye is also on us (Luke 12:6-7), and He is concerned about every aspect of our lives.

Although at times it may not feel like it but, He is with us, He is for us, He loves us, all of us, and is not willing that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Pray and tell God how you feel. He will hear every word of that prayer.

Emmanuel, God with us!

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your love. Help me to remember that you are love and that your love for me is constant.

Read More:
Psalm 136

Action Plan (James 1:22 & 25):
You are loved more than you know. By faith, decide to believe that today.

Verse of the Day

Hi All,

I have just added Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day to my blog. Now you can log on everyday and get a verse that God has arranged in advance for you to read. Please feel free to check this site often to see what verse God has for you each day. He loves you and is thinking of you constantly! He deeply desires a close relationship with you.

See the verse of the day on the right above the Roman Road to Salvation. Click on it to read the verse, then click the back button to get back to this site.
Have a blessed day!
Darlene

Gentle Nudges

Verse: Galatians 5: 22 & 23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

I had a cat that loved for me to pet her. She would stand right beside me and nudge me with her nose. She knew exactly where to put that cold wet nose so that I would have no choice but to move my arm to get away from that nose. Then she waited for my arm to come down right next to her and for my hand to land on her waiting head. It worked every time.

God is gentle, patient and loving toward us. In Galatians 5:22 & 23 the fruits of the spirit are listed as; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The fruits of the spirit are traits that we gain by imitating Christ and living in obedience to His Spirit. Since that is how we obtain these fruits, then it is true that Christ, already possesses these traits. He must first possess them in order to give them to us. When we are obedient to Him these traits are blessings that are given to us as a reward for our continued faithfulness. Since God, the Father, is gentle, then it makes sense that He would urge us toward obedience and stepping out of our comfort zone, gently.

Vine’s Concise Dictionary of the Bible defines gentle as: ‘not insisting on the letter of the law,’ and ‘sweet reasonableness’ (p. 152). In 1 Kings 19:12 the Lord spoke in a gentle whisper. Zechariah 9:9 states that He is gentle, (lowly) and Matthew 11:29 says that He is gentle and humble. From these verses we see that Jesus and God the Father are gentle in speech, and in actions, and in His request for obedience. Therefore, when we perceive something coming from Him in a forceful manner we may be interpreting His actions according to the world’s standards. Biblically that is not His nature when He interacts with believers.

If we are thinking that He is being harsh then that is most likely a misinterpretation on our part. Also, remember the fruits of the spirit. One of them is gentleness, in order for God to give these traits to us (believers), He must first possess them Himself.

Love the Lord, all His saints!

Prayer: Father, thank you for your gentleness towards me. Help me understand the characteristics you possess so that I can recognize your work in progress and join you.

Read More:
Matthew 11:28-30

Action Plan (James 1:22-25):
Ask God to show you where you can step out of your comfort zone for Him. Remember that He will be gentle about it and it will be your decision to obey. He will never force you.