Conversations with the Pastor Study Group

IRRESISTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 10 He Comes As He Came

Our passage for consideration today is Luke 19:28-41.

What if, when Jesus came into Jerusalem that day, he was actually riding as a King into the battle; not as a King who was coming home in peace after the war was ended? What if he was riding on a donkey so that he could reverse the attitudes of the people or for the element of surprise? And what if the surprise was that he was ready to go to the cross and the grave for humankind?

Maybe he was coming for war. He had left the home land in glory with his Father to fight our battle for us. He had not yet returned to the Father. Jesus said to Mary (when she realized that he was not the gardener but that he was actually the Christ), “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. (I just arrived for the battle.) But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

Was Jesus really coming home in peace or was he heading out to Jerusalem to start something, a war? Was he going out to “…bring fire to the earth”? Jesus said, “…and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law (Luke 12:49-53) This does not sound like peace.

What kind of king is this that made the Pharisees think that he was creating such division among his own people? Jesus himself said to the Pharisees once, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? … But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:25-30)

And what if Jesus’ death and burial represented a kind of binding of the earthly strong man? Or what if it means a binding of the things or powers that keep us from freely giving making ourselves available to Christ?

The truth is that Jesus was planning a war against the things that bind us, against the kingdom of Satan and not simply trying to ruin his own people. He said in that same passage above that “if you are not with me”. This could mean that there some of them who were not yet of the household of God and therefore Jesus was not destroying his own household. Somewhere in our journey there has got to be a joining with Jesus or a becoming a part of the family of God or the household of God. If this does not happen we could be included in the “whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” category.

Jesus is the King who had left his Father’s home and lived on earth so that he could wage a war against Satan, and by association, those who are not with him (Jesus) but are a part of Satan’s entourage. Jesus set an example of leaving his family to become a part of us. We may need to leave whatever we are attached to and become a part of him Jesus. The Apostle Paul says, “…though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross”

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-8). What if we became part of the body of Christ? Could that mean that we too, who might have given up our earthly encumbrances, would be honored along with Jesus Christ and experience a better quality life, or a more abundant life?

And what if we do not attempt to accept our welcome into the body of Christ would we be left out of the benefits of being Christian; i.e. of living better quality lives, or more abundant lives?

Jesus came to give us a ‘hint’ of God and to journey as a King to wage a war against Satan and the kingdom of Satan so that the household of Jesus might be free to live better quality lives. As Maxie Dunnam stated, “Christ has made the way clear, and we are to walk in it by faith. When we fail to take that seriously, we invite judgment.” Jesus came to wage war so that we can have peace. Walk in the peace that passes understanding and may your heart and mind by kept in the knowledge and Love of Jesus the Christ.

IRRESTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 9 Why We Still Preach the Cross?

What a comforting request made by Jesus on the cross that day. That day was an awful day. The images are just horrific. A thief hung on his left side. A thief hung on his right side. His mother and some friends were standing somewhere in the crowd. The soldiers were mocking him while they were fulfilling their responsibilities. The religious authorities had gathered too. And of course, there was the crowd. And you know the thing about the crowd that struck me was that they were not there to advocate for human rights, or women’s rights, or gay rights, or civil rights. They were not complaining about climbing up the hill to Calvary, or the noon day sun. They were just there, to observe maybe? All those people, in the crowd, women, and men, and children, perhaps even grandchildren too. None tried to take Jesus down from the cross. [Some would say that it was God’s will for Jesus to be on the cross so no one was suppose to try to get him down; ok, that may be so.]

Still there was no opposition to any of these crucifixions. Those who might have been expected to put up some kind of resistance disappeared, his disciples. They resisted Jesus too, you know, earlier in his ministry. Remember when Jesus had to rebuke Satan when Peter tried to stop him from talking about his death. And then there was the other time when a sword was drawn and an ear was cut off a slave. They WERE the resistance. But I am not saying that Peter and the other disciples should have been there. I am just making an observation about who was taking a stand against the opposition that day at Calvary. Not even Jesus’ earthly daddy was there that day. It just seems as if everyone accepted Jesus’ sentence or his fate that day. He was only on death row for a few hours and then the execution.

It was at the execution, while he hung on that cross till his death that he breathed the most passionate words in all of Christendom: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” I used to think that ‘them’ and ‘they’ meant the people who were gathered there at the cross that day who participated in the crucifixion, and it may be correct to think that. [Forgive those people, Father, who have crucified me today.] What if we use ‘them’ to refer to all the people, those gathered there that day, those who could not make it for any number of reasons, those who were afraid to go and then all the other people, us included. What if ‘them’ meant ‘us’, you and me? If that were so Jesus would have just asked his Father to forgive you and me. And isn’t that what Jesus was actually doing on the cross anyway. He was securing our forgiveness so that we would not be burdened by the power of sin and be welcomed into the joy of everlasting life, beginning here on earth.

Even though we might not have been there that day we were certainly on Jesus’ agenda. He wanted us too to have life and to have it more abundantly. He wanted us to live free from the power of sin and from its consequences. What an awesome God we serve that he loved us so completely, long before we entered this world. It’s like the couple who died and left an inheritance to their children, and to their children’s children even though they had not met their children’s children. God’s love is that complete. It includes ‘them’ two thieves on the cross, ‘them’ who had gathered there that day, and ‘them’ who were not even born yet, including us. Yes, I think ‘them’ includes us.

And the interesting thing about this request for forgiveness is that it includes those persons who were doing what they were doing while they were doing it. It feels like a kind of present continuous tense of the verb, ‘doing’. And even though they were continuing to do what they were doing there is this loving God whose Son made a request that his Father be merciful to those who were doing what they were doing but did not know what they were doing while they were doing what they were doing.

For those gathered at the cross that day with their hammers, nails, and swords, they did not know that they were crucifying the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that the crucifixion of Jesus was a one-time sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. And for those others of us who might not have been there and are still doing what we are doing, there is the possibility that what we are doing could have adverse effects on those around us who can both see what we do and suffer directly from what we do. And even there God’s loving forgiveness has reached. God is an awesome God. And God’s loving forgiveness lasts from generation to generation.

This forgiveness is the gracious gift of a God who acknowledges that we suffer in a state of burdensome disconnection from each other [us and God]. God’s forgiveness unburdens us and allows us to rise up and pursue life in all its fullness. It is not given so that we might return to being oppressed by our sin or guilt or whatever the circumstances may be. It is given so that we may live more meaningful lives. Receive God’s forgiveness and live.

IRRESISTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 6: A Roadmap For The Journey

I know a pastor who would say that we are stuck more on the bible and less on the Jesus of the bible. Stuck or not the Bible is of profound significance for the Body of Christ. It is through the bible that we have come to discover so many things about God, the church and Jesus Christ. The bible is extremely important for those of us who use it as the primary source of authority for doing theology or talking about our search for God. Look with me at Psalms 119:97-112:

Oh, how I love your law!
It is my meditation all day long.
Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is always with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for your decrees are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
for I keep your precepts.
I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
I do not turn away from your ordinances,
for you have taught me.

How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to observe your righteous ordinances.
I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O LORD, according to your word.
Accept my offerings of praise, O LORD,
and teach me your ordinances.
I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.

Your decrees are my heritage for ever;
they are the joy of my heart.
I incline my heart to perform your statutes
for ever, to the end.

For some reason the Psalmist was enchanted by the word of the Lord, or the statutes of the Lord, or the ordinances of the Lord, or the precepts of the Lord, or the decrees of the Lord. He experiences the Word of God as a lamp, a light and life giving. The Psalmist must have spent much time delighting in the word of the Lord. In the very First Psalm the Psalmist said,

“Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

The Psalmist found happiness and delight in the word of God and was dedicated to meditating on it day and night. And his meditation on the word of God had such an impact on him that he offered in Psalm1 an option for persons to delight in the word of God or the law of God and meditate on it day and night are be like trees (not shall be like trees, ARE like trees) planted by streams of water, and bear fruit when it’s time to bear fruit. And he assured the reader that their leaves, which they need to assist in the fruit bearing process, will not wither. And in everything such person do they prosper.

Can you imagine what your life would be like if the same thing happened to you when you find joy in the word of God, meditated on it day and night, used it as a lamp for your feet and a light to your path. Look at Moses. God knew everything about Moses and yet invited him to have fellowship with him and to work on the Exodus Project. God knew that he had killed a man in Egypt and that he was running for his life. God knew that he was hiding out on his father-in-law’s property for 40 years. God also knew that Moses had great leadership abilities. God knew him. Where would Moses have been if he had used the word of God as a lamp for his feet and a light for his path? Wherever he would have been when he did have his “burning bush” experience with the angel/God he was restored to a new walk with God and this time God had him take his shoes off so that he could experience what it is like to walk of holy ground, and to have his feet experience the word of God as a lamp, and a light to his path, all the way back into Egypt.

Sometimes the word of God can have an impact on the very things we run from and help us to endure as when the sun comes out in all its scorching glory but do not cause the leaves of the trees to wither. Listen the word of God is awesome. Pay attention to it so that when you too are afflicted you might be able to say like the Psalmist, “…give me life, O Lord, according to your word.

IRRESISTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 5: Coming Home

In our small group discussions we have had the opportunity to discuss the sorts of things that would stand in the way of a deeper relationship with God. This might have been an easy conversation for some as well as quite uncomfortable for others. First, we must have an understanding of just who God is or the nature of our relationship with the God of our awareness. Once we know the nature of the relationship we can tell what could get in the way of deepening such a relationship. Our text today from the Gospel of Luke 12:32 suggests that there might be at least one emotional thing that could affect the deepening of our relationship with God. That one thing is FEAR. I do not know how many times in the bible that we encounter the term fear. But the command, “Do not be afraid” [it’s going to be ok in the long run] shows up 67 times in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Luke 12:32 states: “do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” This almost feels like the angel speaking to Mary and saying to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.’ It’s like something good is going to happen eventually. Even though the appearance of the events seems less attractive, the outcome seems worth the pain. And in this passage the event was the selling of one’s possessions and giving to the poor. It might have been more difficult for those who were without some evidence that they could survive the selling of their stuff and giving the money away. They were just challenged to perform an act of faith. But we have evidence.

The writer to the Hebrews suggests that we have witnesses. Look at Hebrews 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. The writer suggests that Jesus is our greatest witness. Jesus endured the cross for the joy of being able to take his seat at the right hand of God. What is more affirming is that Jesus endured what he did so that we would be encouraged to face our own fears.

Let’s look at Hebrews 12: 3,4 - “Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.” The writer was bold enough to declare to the Hebrews, “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” Although this is another matter, we should note that in our pursuits of righteousness it might have cost us some time, going to church, and even the money we might have put in the offering. But for many of us it might not have cost us any blood. But Jesus loved us so much that it cost him a great deal of blood, and his life. But the returns far outweighed the cost: You and I do not have to be afraid about what the future may hold. Jesus’ sacrifice has won us the favor of a God whose good pleasure it is to give us the kingdom, unfailing treasure in heaven and a desire for our heart. Let not your heart be troubled then, “strive for God’s kingdom, and the things you worry about will be given to you as well. What do you want to get out out these 40 days? Keep up the Journey. 35 days left.

IRRESISTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 4: The Picture of God

As you journey through these days with Maxie Dunnam what picture of God have you formed in your mind?

Will you for a brief moment picture the kind of God that our study has helped to shape for you.

Can you see yourself chasing hard after this God?

Keep chasing YOUR God and maybe you will discover that you have already been found by him.

IRRESISTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 3: A Gracious God

One of the most encouraging verses in the New Testament is John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” This text could mean all sorts of things. It could be that God wants us to have what we do not have. Maybe it’s an opportunity for God to add to our lives the things that we think might be missing. What a magnificent life we would have if we could have all that things that we wanted to have that we did not have. The truth is that that is not always true. Sometimes ‘more’ means ‘less’. For example, we read in the Gospel of Mark 10:17-22 of the man who came to Jesus and asked him what he should do to inherit eternal. He wanted more. He probably just wanted to become a disciple of Jesus as well because he addressed him as “Good Teacher”. Clearly he wanted more in his life. I don’t know what eternal life meant to him but whatever he was doing since he was a boy was not working. And whatever he was doing had gained him great wealth for we are told that he had many possessions. This is one example of where ‘more abundantly’ means ‘less’. The text states, “Jesus, looking at him loved him and said, “You lack one thing; [a need for more] go sell what you own, and give the money to the poor … [have less].”

One could say that if his desire was to become a disciple of Jesus, he was seeking more of God. He had a thirst for God. And sometimes our thirst for God requires us to surrender ourselves, or give up something so that we might experience what this abundant life really means to us personally. Some people have made history giving up what they own and ended up experiencing an awesome abundant life. Sometimes to have more one has to make room for it. What some of them did was to develop habits like the ones that Maxie Dunnam spoke about in our reading for today. It is a life of seeking hard after God, like this rich man did. And it is also the willingness to live the abundant life, once it is offered to you. The rich man in our text sought after it but thought that it was too costly for him to live it, once it was offered to him.

Maybe we do not know what we are seeking after. Maybe when we find it, like this rich man, we may be shocked and disappointed. But he was not shocked at what he had found. He was shocked at was it was going to cost him. He might not have been looking for treasure in heaven. Maybe he wanted to add to his treasure here on earth. Let’s not look at what abundant life is going to cost us today. Let’s look at what it is we are seeking. Or rather who it is we are seeking. Maxie Dunnam pointed us to 2 Corinthians 1
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s Thanksgiving after Affliction
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion [mercies] and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves have received from God.

Here we find lots of hints as to the kind of God we may be seeking. God is a God of Grace and a God of Peace. God is our Father and God is the Father of compassion [mercies] and a God of all comfort.

God is a God of grace. Grace is underserved, unmerited favor of God that is given unhesitatingly, without any cost and Paul’s wishes for those he greets to remember that the community of which they are a part is as a direct result of this grace that was bestowed upon them by the God of Grace. Grace is the love extended to them and us in spite of our character traits; i.e. not just in spite of what we did, grace also considers what we will do. The God of grace knows who we are inherently and loves us still. What a way to greet someone, “Grace be unto you”. May the favor of God be upon you in spite of your character flaws or your circumstances.

God is also a God of peace. It is the ability of God to provide total well-being for his people. It is not just a wish but an actual righting of the circumstances which have created brokenness and lack in the lives of the people of God. Peace is the end of the brokenness between God and the people of God. What a way to greet someone, “Peace be unto you” or “may there be nothing missing or broken in your relationship with God”. And when we put both together we get “Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Gather and the Lord Jesus Christ.” What a way to greet each other instead of just saying, “Hi”.

God is also the God of compassion. This is the response of a God who is moved to the core by the troubles we see. God is not emotionally uninvolved in our lives. Imagine with me for a minute that everything that you experience in your life has an impact on the heart of God. All that you are going through is moving God in ways that causes us to stand and pinch ourselves and say, “ouch! We are still here. We have not been consumed by our actions or the consequences of our actions.” That is because we have a God of compassion or mercy.

As for the God of all comfort we are encouraged to think of one who is able to address all our troubles. Some are troubles which cannot be consoled by human comfort. You might remember the troubles of Job and his friends who tried to comfort him. Job’s response to them was “… miserable comforters are you all.” (Job 16:2) Sometimes what we possess does not give us the comfort for the troubles we have. But God is the Comforter (excuse the pun) for all our troubles. God is the God of ALL comfort. God’s comfort is attractive. The Psalmist said, “Let your steadfast love become my comfort… My eyes fail with watching for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?”” People seek the comfort of God. And Paul has made it clear that this comfort is not to be received as a personal possession to add to all that we already possess. This comfort is the channel through which others receive comfort.

Keep seeking hard after God as a deer pants for water in a dry and thirsty land.

IRRESISTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 2: God's Creation is Good

Everything that God created is good. However, there was one thing that was not good. It was not man, because all that God had created was good. What was not good was that man was alone. God fixed that. And then in the New Testament there seems to be some further evidence that what God had fixed needed fixing again. We read in 1 John 5 that “if we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Let’s talk about darkness for a minute. Darkness is defined by Accurate & Reliable Dictionary as: A state of privacy; secrecy. A state of ignorance or error, especially on moral or religious subjects; hence, wickedness; impurity. Want of clearness or perspicuity; obscurity; as, the darkness of a subject, or of a discussion. A state of distress or trouble. An unenlightened state; “he was in the dark concerning their intentions”. An unilluminated area; “he moved off into the darkness”. Absence of light or illumination. Absence of moral or spiritual values; “the powers of darkness”.

It could be uncertainty, fears, anxiety, not knowing just how things would turn out, being in the clutches of a terminal illness, a lie, deceit … Let us remember this, that God is Light. And remember that darkness was created only after God created the heavens and the earth. In the beginning God transformed the darkness by creating lights in the sky. Remember also that as long as anything exists in the path of the light darkness is created. Remember also that God is light. God is our spiritual light. [Think of all the things that light does and ascribe that to God.] Since God is light when we are in the presence of God there should be no darkness or shadows at all, unless we have found a way to cover ourselves from the presence of the God while still being in the presence of God (like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden). And if we did find a way to cover ourselves from the presence of God we would have created such a deep darkness for ourselves that we would need help to get out of it.

The Gospel of John has a lot to say about help for deep darkness; and he has a lot to say about light. John 3:19 states, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” And the wisdom book, Proverbs, states that “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:19).

One thing we can say about Proverbs 4:19 is that wickedness is a state of separation from the awareness of the presence of God. Hence no (spiritual) light is perceived by the wicked and they stumble. Jesus once said something interesting to his disciples in John 11:9 when they were preparing to go to Jerusalem to visit Jesus’ friend Lazarus who was sick. He said to them, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." We Christians need light IN us. There is a difference between the light of the world and the God-light. The God-light that Christ speaks of is in us. The light of the world is the sun that rules the day and the moon that shines in the night.

The God-light that is in us would have allowed the disciples to see the need to visit Lazarus and to understand that Lazarus was not dead but asleep. In order for us to see such radical things we need to be in that Light and that Light needs to be in us; The Light of Christ, the God-light. The Gospel of John says that This God-light shines in darkness; and the darkness does not even comprehend it (John 1:5). This God-light is wisdom and insight and the courage to face the challenges of life and death and the world and the world to come. This God-light is the God who dwells within us, the light of the world.

Look at these verses of Scripture:
John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’

John 12:35,36 Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

Finally, as we meditate on these passages please pay attention to 1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

God has chosen YOU as a royal priesthood and a holy nation, God’s own people and has invited YOU to out of darkness into God’s own marvelous light in order for YOU to proclaim the mighty acts of the one who has called YOU out of your darkness. Could worship be a way of proclaiming the mighty acts of the One who has called us out of darkness into the marvelous light of God?

IRRESISTIBLE INVITATION

2009-10-05T15:11:00.002-07:00

Conversations with the Pastor

Day 1: God’s Love is Amazing

GOD’S love is so amazing that very often he looks beyond our lack of response to his urging to do or not to do and helps us out of the consequences. His love is so amazing and tough at the same time that he commands that the exiles gather up their courage, in their wilderness, and build a highway for their God. For the next 40 days I would like to challenge you to build a HIGHway for our God. Take the courage to create a measure of space for exploring this Irresistible Invitation. Give it highest priority. And remember that regardless of what’s going on in your life God Loves YOU. When you are in a situation that leaves you overwhelmed and comfortless you have a God that loves you and who is completely committed to you.

Your mountains, and your mole hills, and all the business of the day cannot keep God from you. Those things might keep you for God but Paul says in Romans 8: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” We already have this assurance. As a matter of fact we are more than conquerors of all that we experience from day to day through him that loved us. “For I am convinced,” Paul continues, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, not powers, not height, not depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the [amazing] love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What is it about God that makes his love so amazing? It’s not just a head thing or a heart thing. God loves us with the all the nature of God. We are told that:

And I told them of the hand of my God which had been upon me for good, and also of the words which the king had spoken to me. And they said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good work. Nehemiah 2:18

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1Peter 5:6

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. Genesis 6:8

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the entire earth, to strengthen those whose heart is true to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

The eyes of the LORD [are] upon the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their cry. Psalm 34:15

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Act 13:22

God uses his hands, his eyes, his heart and finally God uses his only Son, whom He loved, as a sacrifice, so that we might live better quality lives.

Do not fear to share yourself with the Lord for a few moments each day. God has your back.

Get yourselves up and build a highway. The faster you can have hope in God for the future the better the future looks and the more creative you can be in your present situation. Build a Highway for your God. Get him here quickly. It is urgent that Your God comes to your aid.

Is anything too hard for the LORD? “At the appointed time I will return to you, in the spring, and Sarah shall have a son.” Gen 18:14

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. James 4:8

Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Don’t then just make space for God, make a Highway for the Lord by putting him first in your life today, everyday. Consequently he is able for all time to save* those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.