Love of God

Human beings are fickle when it comes to love.  We rely on emotions that ebb and tide with situations or mood and then respond to those emotions.  (I know this is a very simplistic statement but I am not a psychologist nor do I want to spend a great deal of time expounding on this topic.)  The love of God toward us is the total opposite; it is not dependent on who we are, what family we're from, have we been "good" today, all of which boils down to do we deserve His love.  Scripture says, God is love and the goodness of God toward us comes from that love.  Wow!!  What a statement!!   (See Psalm 69:16 and Psalm 109:21)  Can we accept and believe in God's love without question, even in tough times??  What does God's love look like and what does it mean to return God's love?  Lofty conversation for a little blog!!! 

God's love and what God expects as our response to love is described very succinctly in the New Testament book of 1 John.  Chapter 4 verses 7 - 12 says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."   This one passage tells us that God is love and His love is demonstrated for all through the atoning sacrifice of Christ for sin so that we might live. Our love is demonstrated back to God by our love towards each other.  In fact, this passage says that IF we love one another then God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  Another WOW statement!  We show each other the love of God by our love toward one another. 

1 John 4 continues in verses 13 - 17, "This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."   God IS love (again) and whoever accepts the sonship and sacrifice of Jesus can know and RELY on the love of God.  Not only that but God will live in us and we in him by his Spirit.  God's character is constant, it does not change which means that his love toward us does not change.  As I said earlier this is the opposite of human love and can only be accomplished through the Spirit which lives in us when we believe in the work of Jesus. 

We all struggle with very individual situations.  It is easiest to question God's love in the struggles but scripture indicates that it is by holding on to our faith during struggles and allowing God's work to take place that we gain a character that will be rewarded with the crown of life promised to those who love him.  See James 1. Hold on to the love of God toward you and continue in faith and love.  Don't doubt but pour out your heart to a God who loves you and gives of his goodness in many ways both seen and unseen.  

Blessings to you,
Carol

Please read the whole book of 1 John which compares and contrasts the love of God with love of the world, light versus darkness, and love versus hatred. 

Christ Child

Here we are almost to Christmas and I am wondering where the year went.  But let's slow down and contemplate Christmas before moving our thoughts to the New Year, the coming of which is a relief for many.  I know so many of you are struggling right now, our thoughts and prayers are with you.  I pray that the scripture below from Isaiah gives you hope in the fact that we have a Mighty God who cares about us and those around us.  Let's meditate on the aspects of Christ below and consider the Child given to redeem us and bring comfort and hope.
If there are any specific prayers we can focus on for you, please feel free to contact Shelley and I at elohimprayer@gmail.com. 

Isaiah 9:6 
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Father,
Thank you for the gift of our Lord who is a Wonderful Counselor when we need wisdom and hope.  Thank you that when we "see" him we also "see" you our Mighty God and Eternal Father.  We know that he is truly the Prince of everlasting Peace and that we can draw from the living waters of Christ to find our own peace in this world. 
Be with us as we contemplate the gift of Christ and all the spiritual blessings of knowing Him. 

Blessings to you. 
Carol

Psalm 30 prayer

Psalm 30 has been my altar cry for many months. Like many of the psalms, it holds powerful emotion that I identify with, as well as warm promises and blessings that I crave. No one knows our struggle the way our Heavenly Father does, and it seems no one can voice hope for deliverance the way the Bible does.

For those who fight an addiction, or who love someone who fights, know that we lift you to the Father in prayer:

Lord, my loved ones are lost. They ridicule your name while I mourn.
They destroy their lives by chasing pain and pointlessness.
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on us.
Lord, be our helper!


I will lift you up, because you have lifted me up.
You do not let the enemy rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, heal the ones I love.
Bring their souls up from the grave and keep them alive,
that they might sing praise to your name and give thanks.


May your anger last but for a moment, and your favor for life.
Weeping endures for the night, but may joy come in the morning.
Turn our mourning into dancing, Lord.
Put off our sackcloth and clothe us with gladness.
We will give thanks to you forever. Amen.