[I pray that]...you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-21 

[I pray that]...you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Ephesians 3:14-21 where Paul - from prison - thinks not of himself - and prays for the church in Ephesus.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V15: Every family is named from God - as Creator his imprint and image is on every human being.  This text calls to mind Psalm 139:13-16. V16: God's glory is a treasure - that we should treasure Him.  Vv18-19: Paul describes God's love as immense in metaphorically unlimited physical dimensions - in breadth, length, height, and depth - it surpasses knowledge.  Vv20-21: While we may feel Paul's prayer is seemingly impossible, Paul describes God as "able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us[.]"   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: V14-19: Paul is in prison yet He prays for the church in Ephesus.  This prayer is the epitome of the 2nd greatest commandment to love others - denying self and praying for others that they (a) "be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (b) "may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge," (c) and that they "may be filled with all the fullness of God."  This is a powerful prayer indeed that someone may both know and be filled with the fullness of Christ.  This is a BIG (seemingly impossible this side of Heaven) prayer - one of course that I suspect God likes because it is a BIG ask that only He can fill and that He be loved and treasured is what He seeks. It is the first and most important commandment.  We should pray this prayer for non-believers to come to Christ and for all believers to have this love.       
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid underestimating God's love and power.  Claim the promise that You can never be separated from His love.  Follow Paul's example to love others so much that You pray such BIG prayers for them.  Pray for others!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God whose love surpasses knowledge and is beyond comprehension.  And You loved me while still sinning and hostile to You....Thank You for this love, for my salvation, and for the blessings You pour out every day for me.  I know my faith is not of my own doing and I am not deserving of how You love and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Galatians 5:22-23

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34

I continue preparation to host and lead worship services at the Gardens and the Lodge this Sunday 22SEP on behalf of my church - using the RayFowler.Org Fruit of the Spirit Sermon series, and for this upcoming Sunday, the focus is the Fruit of Love.  The sermon follows the following broad themes and this morning my focus theme #3.

1. Love and God
2. Love comes first
3. Growing in love

In introducing theme #3, the sermon shares how the Bible provides a number of ways to grow in love, including:

A.  Meditate much on God’s love for you in Christ: Referring us to John 13:34 and 1 John 3:16, the sermon shares that as we realize how much God loves us we "can’t help but change [our] attitude towards others."  We should know God and as we get to know Him, all of His attributes, with love being the most important, we inevitably grow in our love for God and others.

B.  Choose to forgive others when they wrong you: Referring us to Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13-14, the sermon shares that we are to forgive, recognizing that this is sometimes difficult.  We are reminded that love is not a feeling but a commandment: "[i]t is a commitment. It is a choice. When you choose to forgive someone, you are choosing God’s way of love. You still may not feel like forgiving, but that’s okay. Sometimes you just need to make the right choice first and let your feelings catch up with you later. So, that’s a second way you can grow in love. You are never more like Jesus than when you are forgiving someone who has wronged you."

C.  Seek to honor other people above yourself:  We are referred to Romans 12:10 and Philippians 2:3-4.

D.  Ask God to develop the fruit of his love in your life: Referring us to Luke 11:9, 13 and James 4:2, the sermon shares that "[o]f course, we can’t do any of this without God’s help. Remember what we learned last week: the fruit of the Spirit is something God does rather than you do. So finally, ask God to develop the fruit of his love in your life."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are love, love comes from You, and You never stop loving us - despite our sin.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love nor my salvation.  My sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Jude

To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Jude 1b-2

I proceed with my study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of a commentary-assisted review of Jude 1-2.  Per the commentary:

Main idea: "Because of the mercy, peace, and love of God shown through Jesus Christ, Christians can rejoice in their status as the Lord’s servants."

Excerpts from the introduction (for the entirety of the book):

• Jude writes "a word of encouragement about “the salvation we share,” [and] is redirected by the Holy Spirit to bring a word of warning, calling all believers “to contend for the faith”".
• "[Jude] will expose the false teachers for who they are, and he will prescribe a plan of attack that allows us to take the fight to these spiritual terrorists. However, he lays the foundation for the battle both at the beginning and at the end of the letter with a word about our security: we are safe in Christ (vv. 1,24)."
  

Divisions for Jude 1-2:

1. Know Who You Are in Christ (1): Jude, like many from Jesus' family, did not believe in Him during Jesus' earthly ministry years; however, the "resurrection changed everything" for Jude. In v1 Jude describes himself first as a "servant of Jesus Christ." We are referred to 1 Corinthians 6:20 where believers are "bought with a price." We are owned and belong to Christ. Also in v1 we are called, and "[h]ere the word means the effectual calling of God that opens the heart to freely respond to the gospel.  In Scripture there are two types of calling. There is a general call (see Matthew 11:28-30), and there is an effectual call (see Romans 8:30).  There is a mysterious wonder in this truth that the sovereign God effectually brings persons to salvation in perfect harmony with their freewill response to the gospel...This is the only place in the Bible where this phrase “loved by God the Father” appears. There is a sense in which God loves all persons indiscriminately as his creatures (John 3:16), but there is also a sense in which God especially loves his children. It is comparable to the difference between the love I have for my friends and that which I have for my wife and sons....Kept: by his work on earth, Jesus obtained my salvation. By his work in heaven, Jesus maintains my salvation. God is preserving fallen angels and apostates for judgment (vv. 6,13). God is preserving you and me for glory!"
   
2. Know What You Have from Christ (2): "[Mercy] is a characteristic of God that moves him to seek a relationship with persons who have no right to be in relationship with him. The word speaks of compassion, loving kindness. It is gracious, undeserved, and unmerited; yet it is not blind, dumb, or ignorant. It is something in God that moves him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves and we do not deserve....God saw us beaten by Satan and left for dead by sin; and he went into action and sent his Son, binding our wounds, healing our souls, and making us his own!...God is the Lord of peace. Jesus is the Mediator of peace. We are the heirs of peace....Jude prays that his readers would see...love from God as ever real and ever increasing toward them....In John 17:23 we are told, amazingly, that as the Father has loved the Son so he has also loved us. In Romans 8:31-39 we are informed that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus. And in 1 Corinthians 13:8 Paul reminds us that because love is at the center of who our God is, it will never fail, never end! Jude knows the power of this love, and he wants his readers to know it as well....Because we are his, we have internal security in our hearts, external security in the world, and eternal security in heaven."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who showers me with mercy, peace, and love - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Jude

To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Jude 1b-2

With my study of 1,2,3 John coming to a close, today I start a study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of an unassisted review of Jude 1-2 which is covered by the first chapter of my commentary (that I will lean on tomorrow). Jude, a brother of James writes to believers to encourage them, wishing them to experience the mercy, peace and love of God.  He is directing these blessings to believers.  Jude seeks not just that they experience these blessings of faith, but that they experience a "multiplication" or as the dictionary defines this word, a "spreading" or a greater amount of these blessings.  Jude wants these believers to have more of these blessings.  If we truly believe in God we should experience an overwhelming abundance of mercy (see Lamentations 3:22-23), peace (see Philippians 4:7), and love (see Ephesians 3:18).  God intends for believers to act in such a way that others see something supernatural in our lives so that others may be drawn to God through us.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You ARE mercy, peace and love and bless me and all believers with these blessings - thank You Jesus.  My cup overflows...I am certainly not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

 2 Thessalonians 2

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5

I continue my pause on my study of 1 Corinthians as I participate in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Today, my focus is 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 and I lean on DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book (aka Lab) Part 1 for this text.  Here, Piper focuses on v13 and while six other labs focus on the remaining verses of the text.  As unpacked in the lab, Paul shares why he is thankful for the Thessalonians: 

• they are loved by Lord; while God holds out in "many and various ways" salvation for all people, He uniquely loves those are believers, the elect (not of own choosing or doing), whom He makes alive in Christ with this unique "choosing or saving love", also described by Paul as great love; see Ephesians 2:4-6 
• they are chosen by Lord; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-6 (salvation not of own doing)
• they were chosen before creation (or from the beginning as some translations use, which is consistent with scripture elsewhere) - use of from the beginning vs first fruits de-emphasizes how the Thessalonians were the first converts by Paul which is not true, the Philippians were; see also Ephesians 1:3-6, 2 Timothy 1:9
• they are for salvation; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 

Piper concludes the lab by sharing that Paul seeks for us (believers) to deeply understand how we are uniquely loved by God - unlike everyone else.  Piper refers us to 2 Thessalonians 3:5 - where Paul prays that God direct our hearts to the love of God - this unique and great love and to find rest, joy, confidence, courage, peace, etc. in love of God.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion and grace for me - loving me beyond human comprehension.  Thank You Jesus for Your love for me.  I am not deserving of such great love!  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3

[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7

I maintain a pause of my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series, to continue my study of Ephesians for 3 days per week as I participate in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. For my study this morning (Day 3), I remain in Ephesians 3 - with a specific focus on v14-21. As I did yesterday, I lean on DesiringGod.com Lab videos on Ephesian 3. Specifically, for this morning I watched this video from the series as John Piper describes, using the text, how Paul prays for believers (Jews and Gentiles alike) to be strengthened such that they might comprehend and grasp the breadth, height, depth, length of Christ's love, and be filled with the fullness of God.  Piper shares how this is a huge prayer as God's love and His fullness know no bounds, so to more fully comprehend these things God must provide us with supernatural powers (which He can do via the Holy Spirit).  Piper goes as far to share how such a prayer requires a miracle - which again God can do! Of course, we should understand that believers exist to glorify God so we should certainly pray this for ourselves as well as all believers!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me Your Word and the Holy Spirit so that I can more fully understand Your love and Your fullness - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings. My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

["]The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[."]

Exodus 34

["]The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[."] Exodus 34:6

I pause my study of Isaiah for today, and listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional - which today focuses on God's infinite love for us as believers. John Piper states that "[God] wants us to understand and feel that the resources of his love are not limited. You can drink at this mountain spring all day, year after year, generation after generation, and it never runs dry....[H]e does not need us to fill up any deficiency in himself. Instead his infinite self-sufficiency spills over in love to us — to sinners — who need him, and the gift of himself in Jesus." Indeed!  Believers, be encouraged by God's limitless love and make use of this invaluable resource!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and whose love is limitless - thank You Jesus for making this love available to me, for saving me, and for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin is great and it continues daily....seeking comfort and joy in the world vs God - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from this sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

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? Romans 8:35

I pause my study of Proverbs and Isaiah to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today focuses on how Romans 8:35 describes the inseparable nature of God's "present and powerful love" towards believers. John Piper describes this love as present and powerful based on three reasons:

1. "Christ is loving us now."
2. Christ protects His bride - believers and the church (according to Romans 8:28) - no matter what.
3. "This omnipotent, effective, protecting love does not spare us from calamities in this life, but brings us safely through them to everlasting joy with God."

Believers should be encouraged this morning to see this love of Christ, from which we are inseparable, as not some ephemeral or intangible love, but as real and significant.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who never leaves or forsakes me - I am inseparable from Your love.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

1 John 3

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1 John 3:16

I am taking a short pause on my study of Isaiah to listen to John Piper's devotional for today that focuses on Jesus' intentional steps to Calvary - as He loved us with each step (and still does). Jesus could have stopped His death on the cross at any moment (as Piper references in Matthew 26:52-54), but He knew that His Father sent Him to fulfill scripture and part of the plan was for Him to die on the cross...and for Him to rise from the dead three days later. Jesus' obedience was not just an act of love for the Father but also an act of love for each one of us who can experience freedom the sting of sin and death. 

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My Prayer: Jesus, I know You love me because You died for me...You also never leave or forsake me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us...[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:1-11

God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us...[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:5, 8

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:5-8 which my commentary refers to using the heading We Know a Love Like No Other Love.

V5-8 starts with how the hope we have referenced in v2 and v4 does not put us to shame as the Holy Spirit helps us during our period of need during times of trouble - and this help manifests as God pouring love (v5) into our heart - what an incredible image.  I can't image God pouring a small amount of love as He is infinite! We then see how God loved us SO much (John 3:16) that He sent His Son to die on our behalf - while we were still sinners. Paul remarks how dying for another is rarely done for a righteous person, and it might happen for a good person (v7), but he has made it clear (see also Romans 1-3) that none of us are righteous and all of us are broken, sinful, and undeserving of God's gift of salvation. 

My commentary begs to differ with those who describe Paul as a writer of arguments while John writes of love.  It points out that Paul refers to the word love 75 out of the 116 times the word is use in the New Testament. The commentary then goes on to state:

1. the greatness of God's love is displayed on the cross (v8); "[G]enuine love is always sacrificial" and we see Jesus redeeming us at a price we can never fully comprehend. An appropriate response is to love others as God love us and this is in fact what God commands (John 13:34)
2. the greatness of God's love is displayed in our unworthiness (v6-8); Paul in v9 refers to us as enemies of God yet God still died for us!  That is love for sure like no other!

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My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are indeed amazing that You would die for me - Your enemy!  I am so undeserving of what You have done for me and what You continue to do for me and I am in awe of how You love me. Thank You Jesus!  Yet again I am undeserving.  My sin of anger, etc. continues. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy....And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.

Titus 1-3

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy....And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. Titus 3:4-5, 8

Day 351 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this morning I read the Paul's first letter to Titus. My commentary* indicates: "Titus is apparently facing some of the same challenges as Timothy in his efforts to preserve doctrinal purity and to establish effective local congregations. Therefore, Paul’s letter to Titus bears a resemblance to his letter to Timothy in its emphasis on false teaching, church organization, and instruction in Christian living."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

The latter words of scripture from Titus remind me of a book I recently read by Tony Merida, Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down. The book discusses that God's love should be understood as so "deep and wide" that we are both overwhelmed and compelled to love Him and others in return.  We so deeply care to serve Him and others that our lives become "living sacrifices" through daily acts of justice, love, hospitality, care, advocacy, and humility. It is through these daily acts that the world see in us something that is supernatural and people are drawn to Him. 

My hope and prayer is that I am and can demonstrate what Pastor Merida discusses in his book and what is clear from scripture.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loved me while I was still sinning, and loved me even before I even existed, knowing everything about me, including how I am broken.  Yet You love me and You died for me...thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time...and completely undeserved.  My sin is great - worry, gossip, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 3:21-8

 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Day 340 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this evening the focus is chapters 3:21-8 of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome. Like other entries from my study with this commentary, there is much upon which to reflect.  Paul writes about righteousness from God, how God's promise is for all who have faith, how we have freedom the condemnation and the law, how we have freedom from both sin and death, and how believers experience the Grace of Christ. 

My focus this evening rests on these two great verses at the end of chapter 8 where Paul emphasizes how believers grounded in faith (and the spiritual disciplines of study, prayer, etc.) will always be near to God's love.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome man who loves and who has helped grow my desire and faith in Him. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin continues, including gossip, hateful talk, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 1-3

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. v21-24

Having long desired to do so, I began a chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith).

Of note from my reading this morning - consequences of sin include:

• sin produces shame* - see Genesis 3:6-7 for Adam and Eve's shame of their nakedness.
• sin produces fear* - see Genesis 3:8-10 where Adam and Eve hide from God in fear of punishment.
• sin produces blame* - see Genesis 3:11-13 where Adam blames Eve and Eve blames the serpent.

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

None of these consequences are good for us and of course sin separates us from God.  But as believers we know that God sent His Son Jesus for us because He loves us and does not want us to be without Him.  We get a glimpse of God's abounding love and grace in Genesis 3:21 where He clothes Adam and Eve and while He does banish them from the Garden of Eden, He spares their lives.  God is good indeed.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good indeed!  I know You are good and You have poured out blessings on me well beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. v16-19

Until we meet Jesus face-to-face in Heaven, we won't know the fullness of God, but Paul desires for us to experience the love of God that he experienced.  John Piper describes this love here.  Paul wants us to know that God's love for us is so wide, long, high and deep that it surpasses knowledge! It is so great that our human minds cannot comprehend its dimensions.  We must ponder on this and allow this to deposit in our hearts so that we can access this love as part of a deepening relationship with Christ that serves to transform our hearts and lives.  It is love that is undeniable. It must drive us to Him.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God whose love for me is beyond my comprehension - I know You love me.  It is clear.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such love - I know this as well.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. v37-39

As a follow up to my post yesterday, I am further encouraged by the verses for today - v31-39.  In v35 Paul poses a question:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? v35

In v37-39 Paul answers his own question by indicating that NOTHING shall separate us from the love of God. 

We must remind ourselves that such love does not spare us from difficulty but we are nonetheless not far from God's love.  See also John Piper's post on this.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is always with me and always loving me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily.  Please help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 


 

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Zephaniah 2

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger. v3

The Lord is "slow to anger and abounding in love", and He is full of grace and compassion.  In fact, it is by grace alone that we as believers are saved:


For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

In this passage of Zephaniah, even in God's anger, You can see God's perfect love.  He is angry and full of love as He provides an opportunity to repent and turn to God.  We all face this moments in our life and we must take the gift AND recognize that it is only by God's grace that He can save us.  

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE an awesome God who wants to save ALL of His children...even those who deny You and are full of sin.  You love us THAT much...even then we cannot understand the depth and breadth of Your love.  Thank You for Your perfect love, Your grace, and Your compassion.  I am not worth such love. I worry far too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You and help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Help me serve You, my family, the church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 30

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. v5

When we sin, we disappoint God and we are separated from, yet we can ask for His forgiveness and He will forgive us and purify us.

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Our God is slow to anger and abounding in love. See here for at least seven other verses in the Bible that use these exact words. Indeed, anytime God IS angry...it is for good reason as He is just. And as the verse for today speaks, God welcomes us back into His arms - He loves us so much that He died for us even though we were still sinners!  See also the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Above all, we must follow the greatest commandment - love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind (Matthew 22:37-38). As part of this we must have a "hunger and thirst for righteousness" because if we do, we will be "filled" (Matthew 5:6).

What a great God we have in Jesus Christ!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed a great God - slow to anger and abounding in love!  I have felt Your love in my life and You have blessed me beyond what I deserve.  I continue to worry about my kids and I know I should not.  Thank You for how You have blessed me but please forgive me.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and side effects from chemo and radiation. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 27

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. v5

When raising kids, it seems as if every day you are dealing with one thing or another regarding behavior that is inappropriate, wrong, or sinful.  In this category alone, I feel tested and troubled and I worry whether my kids are going the right direction - many times this results in a reaction that is not Christ-like.  Yet God calls us love others as He loves us (John 13:34-35).  When God calls us to love in this way, this includes showing love in all senses of the word and what comes to mind are the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23):

• love
• joy
• peace
• forbearance
• kindness
• goodness
• faithfulness
• gentleness
• self-control

This morning, I know I failed on at LEAST two of these counts in dealing with my kids - Father forgive me!  I have the same request that David has:

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. v4

As David does, I desire to be with God all the days of my life, in the Word and with the Spirit.  

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God, full of love for me - this I know.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve with Your love as it is abundant.  Thank You Jesus for such love. Yet again, I am undeserving.  Please forgive me for my lack of love and grace for others.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin, and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Psalm 8

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? v3-4

What an amazing statement from David on God's abounding love for us...a love that we cannot fully comprehend. 

Praying for the church in Ephesus, Paul writes:

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

Paul encourages us to grasp the magnitude of this love as a path for us to be filled with God (vs idols and/or worldly matters).  Don't miss the latter part of Paul's statement that we should "know this love...surpasses knowledge".

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an amazing God that has created the heavens and the earth and all their inhabitants.  It is difficult to fathom as David writes how you can bother with us...being as broken as we are...yet You do...as You suffered and died for us...for me.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worthy of such a God...I too often concern myself with worldly matters. Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.