The power of God’s love

Good morning everyone,

Romans 8:38 “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.”

GIVING THANKS:

    *    Beulah made it safely to Trinidad.  She is happy, doing well and reconnecting with her friends and homeland.  She will be there for several weeks.

    

 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

 

    *    JoAnne had shoulder surgery this past week. She is in a lot of pain and has a 12 week recovery period. Prayers for diminished pain levels and complete healing. 

    *   Gary and Sue Babcock both have covid.  Sue is in the hospital with pneumonia and a UTI as well.  Prayers for both to recover soon. 

    *    Our hearts go out to Joe Nuzzo at the passing of his Mother, Pat.  Prayers for Joe and his family to get through this difficult time.

    *     Leah has requested prayers for her co-worker Maureen who was recently diagnosed with cancer.  She needs to make a decision as to whether or not to have surgery.  

    *    Pat Yaglowski's pain levels are still increasing.  Prayers that the doctor can regulate her pain levels soon.  

    *    Prayers for Sam Walkup who is struggling.  Continued prayers for Sam and for Jim & Tracie as they support the family.  Sam expressed interest in getting baptized so prayers for God's will to prevail.

THE BARNABAS PROJECT – VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT:

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as in fact you are doing.”  1 Thessalonians 5:11

Mary Lou is recruiting additional volunteers who can help with the Barnabas project.  This is a card ministry that encourages those who are burdened with health issues, or dealing with trials.  Please see Mary Lou for details. Thanks Mary Lou for leading this wonderful ministry.

 

COMING UP:  

   

    *    Please join in our Wednesday evening Bible studies at 7:00 p.m. as Ron leads us in a study over the next few months on the Holy Spirit.   Watch for the zoom link.

    *    The next Tuesday ladies bible study will be  February 7th at 9:30. Watch for the zoom link.  Thanks to Lisa and Mary Lou for leading this class.  

    *    Saturday February 11th Ladies devotional at the building and cooking with Gina Porto at 10:00 a.m. to 11:30p.m. “Taste and see that the LORD is good“.  Feel free to bring a friend!   

    

  

    *    Saturday, February 25th Beyond  Reasonable Doubt video series at 6:30 pm. at the building.   Archeology and The Old Testament Parts 1 and 2.   Feel free to bring a friend.

There was a song that became very popular back in 1965 sung by Dionne Warwick, “What the world needs now, is Love, sweet, Love,  It's the only thing, that there's just too little of.”   Sadly, the lyrics are still true.  This world still lacks Love and is getting worse. People are misguided, they don't know who they are or where they are going.  They do not know the meaning of Love as God has defined it. There is emptiness, hatred, depravity, lack of respect and regard for each other as human beings.

As we begin each day with horrific news and watch our world in total decline, it's heartbreaking.  The one thing this world needs desperately, is to know about God's incredible Love for them.

The United Nations calculates our population to be 8 billion people in the world. That's a whole lot of souls. 

God doesn't want anyone to perish.  Not one soul.  

The bible from Genesis to Revelation is a love letter, written by God.   Within it's pages is the perfect love that was created, defined and demonstrated to us by our creator.    

The scriptures that reflect how much God loves us are humbling.  There are too many to include here… 

God IS Love.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, for whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.“

    

Ephesians 2:4-5 “Because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in  Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in  Christ Jesus.“…vs 10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,  which God prepared in advance for us to do.“

Psalm 86:15 “But you, O God, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.“

Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.“

Psalm 136:26 “Give thanks to the God of Heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.“

1 John 4:7,8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for Love is from God, and whoever loves, has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love, does not know God, because God is love.“

1 John 4:19 “We love because He first loved us“

God also defines LOVE for us in His word..1 Corinthians 13:4-8

God first LOVED US!  Our lives have purpose.  Every breath we take, is from Him.  He longs for a relationship with us that will bless us, and give true meaning to our lives.

Psalm 139 beautifully depicts our relationship with our Creator.

Psalm 139

“O Lord, You have search me

   and you know me

You know when I sit and when I rise;

   you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

   You are familiar with all of my ways

Before a word is on my tongue

   You know it completely O Lord.

You hem me in- behind and before;

    You have laid your hand upon me. 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.

    too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

   Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

  If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

  if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me.

  Your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,

and the light become night around me”,

Even the darkness will not be dark to you;

  the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;

  you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and 

  wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

  when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

  your eyes saw my unformed body,

All the days ordained for me were written in your book,

  before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts O God

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.

When I am awake I am still with you….

Search me O God, and know my heart;

  test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

   and lead me in the way everlasting.”

The all powerful, God of the Universe spoke us into existence with intent and purpose and love at the helm.  The creator of life and this firmament, loves US.   We are lowly, insignificant, broken, sinful beings that He cares deeply about to the point of Him giving His only Son, for the sacrifice for all sins…all for US!

He makes us significant through Jesus Christ.  Christ allows us to be heirs to the throne of God.  From the moment we take our first breath to our last, He cares about every intimate detail of our lives – our thoughts, our desires, our hopes and dreams.  He wants to be intertwined and completely in the middle of every facet of our life.  Being In Christ, we are transformed in His likeness and forgiven of our sins.

If the whole world could focus on who created them, who loves them, and who will raise them up on the last day, people would be kinder, more loving and live with true meaning and purpose. They would have hope!

Jesus loved with true compassion and demonstrated how much He loves us.  He loved all people, unconditionally.   With His arms opened wide, he endured torture, brutality, and took the hit for us. He bore it all, for us.  Why?  Because He loves us!

Here are beautiful lyrics to the song written by Carlton Pearson:

“Living He loved me, 

dying He saved me, 

buried He carried my sins far away,

Rising He justified, 

Freed me forever,  

One day He's coming,

Oh Glorious day!

Then one day

they led Him up Calvaray's mountain

That day when 

they nailed Him to die on the tree

Suffering anguish,

despised and rejected,

Bearing our sins,

my redeemer is He..

Living He loved me, 

dying He saved me, 

buried He carried my sins far away,

Rising He justified, 

Freed me forever,  

One day He's coming,

Oh Glorious day!”

We have a responsibility to share the gospel with the world.  Where do we start teaching 8 billion people about the Love of God?

Most of us have heard of the starfish story.  

 

We CAN make a difference… one soul at a time!

Invite friends, neighbors, co-workers, or anyone to church, or any of the bible studies this church offers.   

Stay focused on God's word and keep growing in the LORD.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND WHOSE YOU ARE… & KEEP SINGING…

HOW DEEP THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR US

How deep the Father's Love for us?

How vast beyond all measure?

That he should give His only Son,

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss?

The Father turns His face away.

As wounds which mar the chosen One

Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross

My sin upon His shoulders,

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,

Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held him there.

Until it was accomplished,

His dying breath has brought me life,

I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything.

No gifts, no power, no wisdom,

But I will boast in Jesus Christ,

His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer,

But this I know with all my heart,

His wounds have paid my ransom.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer,

But this I know with all my heart,

His wounds have paid my ransom.

JESUS LOVES ME

Jesus loves me this I know!

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak but He is strong.

                                                Counterpoint melody:

                                                You must become like a little child,

                                                Like a little child come, unto-Him.

                                                You must become like a little child,

                                                To enter the kingdom of God.

Yes, Jesus Loves me!               Come, unto Je-sus

Yes, Jesus Loves me!               Come into His arms,

Yes, Jesus Loves me,               Come, unto Je-sus and you will find the kingdom of God

The Bible tells me so!

Jesus loves me 

He who died,

Heaven's gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Yes, Jesus Loves me!

Yes, Jesus Loves me!

Yes, Jesus Loves me,

The Bible tells me so!

Jesus take this heart of mine,

Make it pure and wholly Thine,

On the cross You died for me,

I will henceforth live for Thee.

Yes, Jesus Loves me!

Yes, Jesus Loves me!

Yes, Jesus Loves me,

The Bible tells me so!

Passing down our faith to the children of this world is the greatest gift we can give them.  

If you have a grand-child in your life, or a little person or even a grown-up person, whom you can sing this song to, sing it. Teach them this song which they will never forget about who they are, and who LOVES them.   

Christians can shape the world one child at a time!

We close with this post from Casandra Martin…

Loved by Casandra Martin

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” – Ephesians 4:18-19 

Some days it is hard to believe God loves us. We struggle with our circumstances, how we feel, and the reflection we see in the mirror. We hear a thousand voices telling us how we fall short, mess up, fail miserably, are not quite good enough, or are just shy of what is desired. Sometimes that voice is my own. We catalog our shortcomings with the thoroughness of a museum curator, ruthless and merciless of anything less than what we see as perfection. We carry a secret ache to be loved, but put up barriers to fully experiencing that love.

Here is the soul-freeing, guilt-releasing, shame-reducing, smile-inducing truth – we will never be worthy of God’s love. Before you shake your head, think about it. This is Good News! God loves you. Period. Not because you are good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, do enough, know enough, or are worthy enough. He loves you because you are His. He set His heart on loving you, and nothing is going to change His mind. Nothing! You can’t mess it up or talk Him out of it. He is willing to wade into our struggles and love us right where we are. He longs to unleash the power of His love to help us move, heal, worship, change, and grow. Living loved isn’t about being perfect. It is about choosing today to live in His presence.

My Jesus Resolution today is to soak in the truth that I am deeply, passionately, wholly, unconditionally loved. The world will tell me that I am unworthy, broken, dejected, hopeless, unlovely, and unfit for such a love. The truth is that God takes what is broken and makes it whole. He transforms what is unworthy into something beautiful and holy. He holds the dejected and hopeless and infuses new life and peace into each moment. God meets me where I am, in whatever state I am, and loves me. He longs for that love to change my thoughts, my eyes, my hands, my feet, my mouth, my ears, and my heart. When I hear the broken record of the world tell me that I am rejected and unwanted, I am going to sing ‘Jesus Loves Me’ at the top of my lungs. He does, and He always will.

Yes, Jesus Loves me, the Bible tells me so!

Pass it on…

God bless,

Bruce & Paula