The love God offers us is not the emotional, heart-pounding physically exciting love that man knows (though there are aspects that are emotional, heart pounding aspects). It is a decision He has made to love you, no matter what. It makes no difference what you've done in the past. Once you belong to Him, and ask and receive forgiveness, as far as God is concerned, your sins NEVER HAPPENED. He chooses to forget them. His love will free you from it.
Praying is the greatest privilege. There is not any way we could ever deserve that privilege - it is a gift for those who have accepted Jesus' sacrifice. Don't look at it as a duty. Try not saying anything, but "Father, I love You and just want to sit in Your presence." Close your eyes and imagine yourself surrounded by His glory.
What would you say to Him if Jesus suddenly stood in front of you? That is how you should pray. It's such a wonderful experience to speak and KNOW that God hears you.
__________________
America has removed God from the schools, the courts, and the public arenas. So why are we surprised when people act Godless?
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Romantic love is a mutual [obsessive] ADMIRATION (no real comparison to parental love). As a 'rule of thumb', people will like you according to how good you make them feel about themselves (so much for romantic and friendship love).
A mother will love her child very strongly because the child is actually a piece of her body (heritage/legacy). A father will love the child strongly because of possessive ownership and being ultimately responsible for the child's existence, but because of the rigors of life and unjust selfishness (neglect, laziness), earthly parental love is not perfect.
God is the perfect parent (of 6.8 billion children at present) and cannot show favoritism to any of His children (but you know He will favor/enjoy those who truly love/adore Him).
If we limit ourselves to having only an earthly heritage (whether it be parents, Israelites, or tribes), then we limit our existence. I don't have an EARTHLY heritage, my heritage is GOD.
Love does not make sense, it goes beyond rationality and cannot be put into rational words or expressed in a literary form (such as the written words of the bible, etc.). Neither can the common colloquial words spoken from a pulpit, radio, etc. express Him.
It takes the heart of a poet to even begin to express the sentiment of knowing God...
Acts 17:28
"as even some of your poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring'.
God gave humanity UNDYING LOVE at the cross, not "I wanna save my butt so I will LIKE God".
A "book" devotion is equivalent to UNREQUITED love.
True love is made out of the COURAGE to trust, instead of make gestures and 'patronize with PRAYER'.
We "INTERPRET" His will and His words to mean something more convenient to us because we really don't find His will to our liking (the bible SHOULD NOT be "interpreted"...would you "interpret" a cooking recipe?). My parents didn't like it when I changed what they said to mean something else, neither do I like it when people ignore my wishes by changing my words. God doesn't like it so much that He provided the "strong delusion" to those who ignore His will...
Ephesians 5:17
"Therefore do not be foolish, but UNDERSTAND what the WILL of the Lord is".
Love cannot be forced or made a law/rule (legislated), it can only be freely given, but people think that God is FORCING us to love Him in Mark 12:30. In that verse, God is telling us the METHOD/attitude of loving Him with ALL of our soul (without any FEAR of Him).....God only PROVIDED the strong delusion, but it is actually self imposed.
My dear friend forgive me if I was bragging, as I do not know love completely as you have said. I have done many things in my life also that ones have thrown at me. We all fall short, and Jesus still loves us even when we don't believe in love as you have said. My heart goes out to you in your lack of love. Yes love is unlimited and unfathomable. God's love is without bounds, higher than the heavens, deeper than the deepest oceans. There is a place that we can experience a touch of that awsome love and that is through the work of the cross. The Word tells us that God gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall be saved. That is where I first had a touch of His love. It overwhelmed me and through the power of that love by the Spirit of God he has been transforming me from a low down junkie/crackhead/thief/ and many more to numerous to name. He knows them all, and has put all upon Jesus and laid them all upon Him as He was nailed to the tree/cross. When I realized for myself that He did that for me one that did not deserve his love, but he still did it. He died for me and for you, may God let those words soak into your heart and may he bring light into your understanding. For when you get touched by his love it will cause you and I to have compassion for others that are in darkness, even when they don't see the darkness, never the less all have and do fall short of the requirements of God, but thank God our relationship does not depend on my righteous acts, but only upon the righteousness of Jesus.
one man set free sharing that freedom to others,
Jeffrey
Hi,
Do you think God loves everybody?
And what do you think Jesus meant when He said the Father had not abandoned him because he always did the things that pleased his Father? Is not our obedience pleasing to God, and a reason why we would stay saved? Arent people saved by obeying the commandment to love Jesus?
__________________
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The love God offers us is not the emotional, heart-pounding physically exciting love that man knows (though there are aspects that are emotional, heart pounding aspects). It is a decision He has made to love you, no matter what. It makes no difference what you've done in the past. Once you belong to Him, and ask and receive forgiveness, as far as God is concerned, your sins NEVER HAPPENED. He chooses to forget them. His love will free you from it.
Praying is the greatest privilege. There is not any way we could ever deserve that privilege - it is a gift for those who have accepted Jesus' sacrifice. Don't look at it as a duty. Try not saying anything, but "Father, I love You and just want to sit in Your presence." Close your eyes and imagine yourself surrounded by His glory.
What would you say to Him if Jesus suddenly stood in front of you? That is how you should pray. It's such a wonderful experience to speak and KNOW that God hears you.
I have read many bible scriptures where God started to hate His people He once loved. He loved them when they were obediant, and when they werent, he hated them. He eventually divorced them.
If I suddenly I was in front of Jesus, I wouldnt be able to say anything except scream in terror! I wouldnt want to be that close to him. I would prefer to just look at Jesus from far away.
__________________
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I have read many bible scriptures where God started to hate His people He once loved. He loved them when they were obediant, and when they werent, he hated them. He eventually divorced them.
If you will continue to read, God has always had it in His plans to come back to His people. He cannot abide sin, and when His people sin, He has no choice but to react with passion. God is a passionate being. But He has always, always invited Israel to come back to Him.
If I suddenly I was in front of Jesus, I wouldnt be able to say anything except scream in terror! I wouldnt want to be that close to him. I would prefer to just look at Jesus from far away.
If I have my greatest wish, I will rest in His arms. And I mean curled up under layers of billowy blankets, with my head resting on His chest listening to His heart beat. I am sure there will be fear, of the deep reverential kind. But true love casts out fear. Jesus was and is sweet, gentle, meek and loving. The fear reaction will probably be automatic, but He will lift our faces to Him, and we will see the immense love in His eyes. That love will deliver us from all fear forever.
Yes, fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but as wisdom grows, that fear is replaced by reverent respect and deep love.
__________________
America has removed God from the schools, the courts, and the public arenas. So why are we surprised when people act Godless?
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Peace and harmony are logical, evil is illogical (this is the way of God).
Do you think God loves everybody?...
It depends on whether the person will be/become completely reprobate/rebellious and REJECT Him. It's the same as a parent's love for their children.
If a parent sacrifices everything for the child...
....and the child runs away...(a truly loving parent will still love the child and do everything to retreive/rescue the child and return happiness to the child's life)
...but if the child insists on rebelling and rejects forever the parent/goodness, no matter how much love the parent has, the parent's love is simply useless (human parents might forever love the child with a broken heart, but to what actual benefit to anyone if the child refuses to return home repentant?) .
God doesn't make this mistake of 'useless sentiment', it simply does not accomplish anything to love a child that has disowned you as a parent.
The parent and God will accept a truly repentant and loving child someday (God will know if they are truly repentant) if the child makes that decision.
The prodigal son committed a 'wrongdoing' and rebelled (ran away, rejecting his dad). the prodigal son eventually learned the error of his way, trusted in the loving kindness of the one he ran away from and returned home, then he admitted that he "sinned against" heaven/rightness (no real problem, heaven can suffer no harm/damage). The son also realized THE REAL VICTIM (his dad's gift was ruined) and apologized (compassion/repentance to a VICTIM/person is what God is looking for...called "rivers of living water" spirit, John 7:38). The dad treated the prodigal son the same as God treats us.
When did Jesus say that... the Father had not abandoned him because he always did the things that pleased his Father?
Is it simply that you misunderstood a verse and THINK that this is true?
My dad ALWAYS loved me. There were times that I obeyed him (he appreciated that, but he always loved me). Overall, this should really not be anything to fret about not understanding fully, God still loves us, we may at times be mischeivous little children because of our feeble understandings (we are not in a behavior/sin contest, it is only what comes out of our heart/mind/soul...our COUNTENANCE that God can cherish if it is righteous, just, and humble to Him.
Romans 12:2 "be transformed by the renewal of the MIND"
...(we only become a hypocrite by being a 'bleeding heart compassionist', but "living water" produces SORROW...the precursor of LOVE).
It is only a TECHNICALITY that being peaceful (Godly) can be called "OBEDIENCE" (because we have NOT REBELLED or done anything 'contrary' to God, we have not acted AGAINST God). There are people (Christian or not) that are peaceful (by default, they are "OBEYING" the law of the universe willingly) and some people who find no use for PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE (peace and harmony are logical, evil is illgical). There are also some people who have an evil lifestyle and will REPENT (become righteous) when they learn of God's truth...
Luke 15:7 "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance".
You said..."Arent people saved by obeying the commandment to love Jesus?".
There is no commandment that a person MUST love Jesus...because if a person has to be FORCED to love, that is not TRUE LOVE.
.....................diregard the font difference..............................
Mark 12:30 is not COMMANDING anyone to LOVE God (love cannot be commanded/forced). In the verse, God is telling us to 'love Him only' without also FEARING Him (ALL our heart, mind, soul, and strength means 'with every fibre of our being' leaving NO ROOM FOR THE FEAR OF HIM). Unbelievers should fear not knowing God (it is the BEGINNING of wisdom), but once we come to know Him, our love should become PERFECT and no longer include any fear of God...
1 John 4:18
"perfect love casts out fear".
Fear has always been used to control 'THE PEOPLE' (by corrupt politicians/military, the powers that be, etc.), it is also used by the modern day 'moneychangers'/false prophets in the "church of man" to keep us all 'in line' so we keep giving them MONEY....(it's the routine to give money....rote)
Isaiah 29:13
"And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men learned by rote".
The Lord abolished the sin laws and all rules/ordinances (worship rules, etc.) so that the good that we do would not be forced (by compulsion), but would be of our own freewill (for those who will do what is good, it must be of your own choosing, so must LOVE also be of your own choosing)...
Ephesians 2:15
"by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances".
....(the different fonts only happened because I used copy and paste on some of your post. The fonts have no meaning otherwise).
Last edited by more excellent way; 7th November 2009 at 01:31 AM.
Peace and harmony are logical, evil is illogical (a DICHOTOMY is a PRINCIPLE).
It is human nature to resist personal progress because the 'natural' human being tends to have an innate modesty to say the least (we really don't believe that we are worthy of real truth, goodness, and success.....we feel that we are deserving of misfortune, hostility, and everything that is NEGATIVE...'primal conscience').
So, we believe that we should not have a creator that is gentle and loving (LOVE ONLY...WITHOUT FEAR).
Our "natural" or 'primal' conscience tells us that we deserve JUSTICE for not being perfect.
We really do NOT have a creator that should be fearedHe should be LOVED ONLY by those who have decided to know Him).
God does not put anything in scripture that cannot be verified in another part of scripture. Actually, it is impossible that any real truth not be repeated and verified by other areas of scripture (every truth in scripture is a universal PRINCIPLE and is INTEGRAL with ALL truth,...all is the same and 'in one').
Many times, people like to look at one verse ONLY in order to claim that it can be true ONLY IN 'CONTEXT' (this is the standard EXCUSE used to deny/ignore any TRUTH) and that it refers only to a particular situation (such as 1 John 4:18 and "punishment",...this is because humanity insists on being deserving of misfortune, fear, and any NEGATIVITY).
1 John 4:18 is not the only verse I quoted about FEAR.
Please tell me what you think Mark 12:30 means (since you chose to ignore this verse so that you could continue to FEAR God).
Please also explain what you think Isaiah 29:13 means (since you chose to ignore this so that you could continue to fear God).
It's not just you, nasa1, at least 95% of the world's population FEELS more COMFORTABLE "fearing" God than loving Him only (whether they are an unbeliever or a Christian).
If you do not understand yet that God should no longer be feared by those who have come to know Him, I would enjoy hearing how you truly believe that, in Mark 12:30, God is actually informing everyone who reads the bible that we should love Him.
If someone pointed a gun at you and told you to love them (fall in love with them), would you actually have a true heartbreak love for them? (I don't think so). You could shower them with gifts and flatter them, but true love cannot be FORCED (it can only be freely given).
Human nature is subconsciously self destructive (self detrimental). Many people INSIST on fearing God (because of 'social conscience').
It is true that we DESERVE spiritual justice, but God doesn't give us what we DESERVE, He gives MORE than we DESERVE (He is GRACIOUS).
God wants us to understand PRINCIPLES (like a 2 sided coin, either/or, Hebrews 5:12)...the PRINCIPLE of love excludes fear.
..........................................What are you thinking John 8:29 refers to? why do you ask about that verse and which version of scripture are you using? The wording is different in each version and some versions have been changed in meaning.
Last edited by more excellent way; 8th November 2009 at 07:34 AM.
God's love is nothing like we have experienced in the world. With people, "love" is sometimes defined as a selfish, feelings-based thing... with God, it's an act of self-giving, a choice, wishing the others person's good.. but it's more than that, too. God loves us personally... individually. Not as a group. Jesus gives His Heart to each person. I think it can be said that we don't really know true, 100% real love until we get to know God.. even if we've experienced love in our families, through friends, etc. I think if we were to meet Jesus, at first there would be fear because He can see right into our souls, but He does this with so much love and compassion that we know we can be totally ourselves with Him...we don't have to hide anything, even the stuff we hide from everyone else.
God bless
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"My Mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of My goodness? For you I descended from Heaven to earth; for you I allowed Myself to be nailed to the Cross, for you I let My Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of Mercy for you. Come then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My Mercy" (Jesus to St Faustina)
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)
"For one pain endured with joy, we shall love the good God more forever." St Therese
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Jesus)
God's love is nothing like we have experienced in the world. With people, "love" is sometimes defined as a selfish, feelings-based thing... with God, it's an act of self-giving, a choice, wishing the others person's good.. but it's more than that, too. God loves us personally... individually. Not as a group. Jesus gives His Heart to each person. I think it can be said that we don't really know true, 100% real love until we get to know God.. even if we've experienced love in our families, through friends, etc. I think if we were to meet Jesus, at first there would be fear because He can see right into our souls, but He does this with so much love and compassion that we know we can be totally ourselves with Him...we don't have to hide anything, even the stuff we hide from everyone else. 
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