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a Christian Church
And you (at physical birth) were (spiritually) dead in your trespasses and sin…
But God (the Father), being rich in mercy, because of His great (unconditional) love with which He loved us…
…even when we were (spiritually) dead in our transgressions, made us (spiritually) alive (born again) together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…
…and raised us up (in resurrection) with Him (the Lord Jesus Christ), and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in (union with) Christ Jesus…
…so that in the ages to come He (God the Father) might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us (who are) in (union with) Christ Jesus.
TODAY’S STUDY
How Do You End a Study of Unconditional Love?
“For what great nation is there (like Israel) that has a god so near to it as is the Lord (Jesus Christ) our God…(near) whenever we call on Him?”
“Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord (Jesus Christ), He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other (God).”
All Scripture is inspired by God (theoneustos…God breathed) and (is) profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training (instruction) in righteousness;//so that the man of God may be adequate(mature), equipped (thoroughly furnished) for every good work.
Then God (the Father) said, “Let Us (the Triune Godhead) make man(kind) in Our image, according to Our likeness…”
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way (to salvation), and (I am) the truth (my thoughts are the content of the Word of God), and (I am) the (Zoe) life (the resurrection life); no one comes to (God) the Father but through (believing in) Me.
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For all His ways are just…
Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality…”
“…but in every nation the man who fears (respects) Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) and does what is right is welcome to Him.”
For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.//For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through (the Lord) Jesus Christ.
…but grow in the (sphere of) grace and (in the ) knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
The Lord (Jesus Christ) is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness (as some accuse Him of being), but is patient toward you (unbelievers), (and He is) not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (a change of mind about the Lord Jesus Christ).
“What do you think about the Christ (the Messiah), whose son is He?”
But now faith, hope, love, abide (in the sphere of) these three; but the greatest of these is (unconditional) love.
BREAK
Awesome is the Lord Most High
When I Think About Home
ON UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
Dear Pastor:
Recently, I was thinking, if every relationship in our lives were great, how could we ever learn unconditional love? If every circumstance in our lives were perfect, how could we ever learn faith? If there were never people in our lives that hurt us and scared and scarred us to our very core, so deeply that we are not even sure we will ever fully heal, how could we ever learn forgiveness?
Learning the “principles” of unconditional love is great…so I don’t mean that…I mean, without experiencing these painful circumstances in our lives which require unconditional love, how could we ever consider ourselves able? In those times when we think we are about to shatter into a million pieces...and God comes swooping in from every angle with His unconditional love and holds us together, teaching us all the way, strengthening us in a way that produces hope…a tremendous gift from God…if we could not live that hurt, and feel the pain of that love, how could we ever really know love?
I found myself asking God recently why he gave me two very painful relationships in my lives. One person who squeezes me dry of every drop of everything that I can give and then asks for more…even when I see and absolutely know deep in my heart that more will never be enough. Why did God give me another person who puts the “butt” in “butthead,” one who always finds a way to put me down and to pretend it isn’t happening?
Why can’t I just walk away from them? Why can’t I ever say enough is enough with them? Why do I just keep going back for more of their pain over and over again, even though I already know the outcome of loving them? Why do I love these two people so much that it makes me feel like a fool?
This is why... if every relationship in our lives were great, how could we ever learn unconditional love? If every circumstance in our lives were perfect how could we ever learn faith? If there were never people in our lives that hurt us and scared and scarred us to our very core, so deeply that we are not even sure we will ever fully heal, how could we ever learn forgiveness?
Today I am grateful to God for the people in my life that hurt me. And while God gave me an amazing spouse and amazing parents…He also gave me amazing siblings and amazing friends…some of them are teaching me how to RECEIVE unconditional love, while the others are teaching me how to GIVE it.
I see now that the word LOVE has so many other words dancing in between its letters that are not so visible, unless you truly look closely. I see the word WAR dancing in between its letters…I see the word CONFLICT dancing in between its letters, I see the word PAIN dancing in between its letters…I see the word TEARS dancing in between its letters…I see the word ANGER dancing in between its letters.
But I also see God dancing in between its letters…I see the word FORGIVENESS dancing in between its letters…I see PATIENCE dancing in between its letters…and I see GRACE and KINDNESS and other gentle words that can be used to build each other up dancing in between its letters. What a word! LOVE.
No wonder LOVE is such a hard word to wrap the mind around…because I don’t think it is just one word…or one feeling…but it’s a word that represents a canvas of colors in our souls. It’s a word that gives us texture. It’s the most important word in the universe.
The one who does not love (unconditionally) does not know God, for God is (unconditional) love.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have (unconditional) love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have (unconditional) love, I am nothing.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have (unconditional) love, it profits me nothing.
(Unconditional) Love is patient, (unconditional) love is kind and is not jealous; (unconditional) love does not brag and is not arrogant…
…(unconditional love) does not act unbecomingly; it (unconditional love) does not seek its own, (unconditional love) is not provoked, (unconditional love) does not take into account a wrong suffered…
…(unconditional love) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth…
…(unconditional love) bears all things, (unconditional love) believes all things, (unconditional love) hopes all things, (unconditional love) endures all things.
(Unconditional) Love never fails…
But now faith, hope, love, abide (in the sphere of) these three; but the greatest of these is (unconditional) love.
For we (believers in Christ) must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed (compensated) for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,//I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
…to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called…
CLOSING SONG
When I Say I Love You
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for listening!
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