Do you have dignity and value just because you exist? Yes.

 

He Will Give Us Eternal Life -- Audio Podcast

Audio Podcast. 
From the Series: Inspiring Promises from God
Message title: He will give us eternal life


                                              Click here to listen!

First Church of God

4600 W. 111^th Street

Oak Lawn, IL

EASTER WEEK!

Good Friday Service, 4/19/19, 7pm

Easter Services: Sat., 4/20/19, 5pm

                    Sun. 4/21/19, 9am and 11am

It's amazing! The One who knows us best, loves us the most.

God Is Not Out To Get You

I had an informal discussion with a couple of people recently and in response to their concerns about spiritual matters I felt compelled to say something I have said many times. Even though I have said this many times, however, it seems necessary to repeat this truth again and again because there is a persistent misunderstanding with which many people seem to wrestle. The truth is: God is not out to get people.

Some people have gotten the impression that because God is a being of perfect justice this truth about His nature, in some way, indicates He actually wants to deliver punishment. The idea comes across like this: “God is watching our every move just hoping we mess up. He can’t wait for us to make a mistake and fall into sin. He loves it when this happens because then He can happily swoop in to deliver the severe justice no-good hooligans like us so richly deserve!”

[ Did you notice I used the word “hooligans” instead of “punks?” I’m expanding my vocabulary. ]

It is true He is a God of justice, however, He is also a patient God who is loving, merciful and gracious. We have assurance from His word that His desire is no one would perish.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

God is not out to get us. He loves us. He wants us to enter into life with Him.

This is the most often quoted Bible verse because the truth it proclaims is so important and so vital: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

So, I’ve said it before but I will say it again: He is not out to get you.

God Is Not Out To Get Us... He Loves Us!

At our Bible study, last night, some of the discussion which occurred reminded me of an important truth about God. The truth is: God is not trying to hide from us; He is not trying to keep us from knowing Him; He is not trying to make it difficult for people to experience salvation in Him.

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus makes it clear that He wants us to experience His grace and mercy. It is His desire that we come to know life in Him.

According to the Bible He wants all people to be saved. Check out this verse: “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

You might think, “Well this is obvious, isn’t it?”

Yes, in a way, this is obvious. Except that in the world of religion there can sometimes be a tendency to complicate things.

I realize this is odd, but sometimes the truths of God are communicated in such a way that a person could get the impression God is actually out to get us. Based on what they have heard, some people wonder if maybe God is gleefully rubbing his hands together and looking for some technicality which will lead Him to withhold His love, grace and forgiveness from us.

This “God-who-is-out-to-get-us” impression is incorrect. In fact, it bothers me. God loves us. Going to extraordinary lengths, He did everything that needed to be done in order for us to come into relationship with Him.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

God’s preference is not that we are lost so that He can…

“Finally get to dish out the punishment you no-good punks deserve!”

His preference is that we walk with Him, know Him and find life in Him.

“[God] …is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

God Loves Gay People, The Church Loves Gay People, I Love Gay People

God loves gay people. The church loves gay people. I love gay people.

The things Jesus said about love and the extent of our love for others makes it clear that we are to love everyone. In fact, when Jesus told the parable which has come to be known as the story of the Good Samaritan, part of the point He was making is that we are called to love all people. Jesus specifically crafted the story to help us understand the comprehensiveness of our love for others should extend to the point that we would even love people we may not be naturally inclined to love.

Over the years I have actually been criticized a few times by people who have suggested I am over-emphasizing the concept of love in my teaching. My response is that it is my intention to speak God’s truth about love—love cannot be separated from truth—with the same emphasis it is given in the Bible; and this is a very strong emphasis.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1Corinthians 13:13

However, God has designed sexuality—which is a good thing—to be expressed within a certain context. The context for sexual expression is one man and one woman in a marriage relationship.

It is, perhaps, a bit ironic with all the discussion these days regarding homosexuality that I have had more conversations—uncomfortable conversations—with Christian heterosexual couples who were not living within God’s boundaries for sexual conduct than with homosexual men and women who struggled with God’s boundaries regarding sexual conduct.

One of the issues that has made the topic of sexuality so caustic and difficult to discuss with grace, respect and love is that sex has become an idol in our culture. The fact that certain issues regarding sexuality are held to be “no longer up for scrutiny, debate or honest disagreement” is evidence that sex is an idol (i.e. a replacement for the real God).

I want you to know that before I posted this message I prayed diligently with the hopes that I would communicate truthfully, graciously and effectively. In fact, I have shared this same message on Facebook and last night I prayed by name for all my friends on Facebook. I even prayed for the families of some of my friends on Facebook who are now deceased. […And, by the way, this prayer time took a while. Lol! It was actually a very good and meaningful time of prayer.]

I know some of you will disagree with what I have written here, I respect your right to disagree. Please know I love you even if we disagree. But more importantly, Jesus loves you.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Love and blessings,

Dan

God Already Loves You, Right Now

God is not going to love you someday after you have met certain conditions. He already loves you, right now. In fact, He has always loved you. Before you were born He loved you.

The Bible tells us important evidence of His love is found in the fact that He sent His son to die so that we might have life. (Check out John 3:16 or 1John 4:9)

I don’t know what will happen today. It might be a crummy day or it might be the most wonderful day you’ve experienced since that time you quarterbacked the winning Super Bowl game back in ’86. But whatever happens you can be sure of this: the One who created you and sustains all things loves you.

Loving As God Has Called Us To Love

I understand this is likely to seem foolish to some of the people who read it. However, I write this as a challenge to my online friends who are authentic followers of Jesus. I accept that some people will consider this post to be foolish and naïve. That’s alright.

The Evil One wants to see division, mistrust, fear, misunderstanding and hatred among people. He is particularly effective at using areas of life we typically point to as differences to stir up trouble. Of course, one of these areas happens to be racial classification.

If you are a follower of Jesus with even a moderate level of spiritual maturity you know that Jesus does not have a preferred race. He loves everyone. I do not intend for this to be understood as a meaningless little Sunday School cliché, I mean this literally and I believe it is extraordinarily significant: Jesus loves EVERYONE.  If you do not believe this then you do not understand Christianity. One of the most well-known Bible verses begins like this: “For God so loved THE WORLD that he gave his only Son…” John 3:16 (emphasis mine).  The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news of salvation for “the world.” That means it is for every single person who has ever lived.

To my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, our challenge is to love people the way Jesus loves. 

Do not honor the divisions some people try to emphasize: Love people, all people, the way Jesus loves.

Do not give in to fear. Love people, all people, the way Jesus loves.

Do not allow misunderstandings to create a permanent breakdown in communication.  Love people, all people, the way Jesus loves.

Do not live with a perpetual mistrust of others. Love people, all people, the way Jesus loves.

Do not cultivate feelings of hatred toward others. Love people, all people, the way Jesus loves.

We are called to a life of love, even if we are not loved in return. If you are a Christian and you are thinking, “Why would I do this? Why would I love people with this kind of reckless abandon?” 

The answer is: We love like this because Jesus loved us when we had done nothing to merit His love. What I’m writing here may seem impossible, but it is not. The love of Jesus can overcome. It can shine like a bright light even in a dark world.

It is my desire to love everyone I encounter with the genuine love of God. I pray that is your desire, too.

“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” 1 John 4:19-21