How Would You Describe God’s Love?

 

By:  hadia Hrichi, cbn.com

Have you ever felt as if a sermon or Bible passage had been aimed directly at you? Imagine that you and a friend read or hear the same message. Almost without exception, each of you will be personally impacted by God’s love and truth in profoundly unique ways. It is no coincidence that the Bible describes the Word of God as, “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12).

The Dimensions of God’s Love

In Ephesians chapter three, we are challenged to try to grasp the “width, length, height, and depth” of God’s love. Sometimes when I read this illustration, I picture Christ as the carpenter. Carefully constructing His Church, He positions each person in their proper place, at the proper time, in the proper order. He does this so that together, we support and strengthen each other as we become vessels of God’s love in a hurting world.

But at other times, my heart and mind may gravitate to one particular aspect. Over the years, each one has seemed to jump off the page at one time or another. They serve to remind me of a specific attribute of God that speaks to my heart in my current situation. How about you?

How Do You Envision God’s Love?

• Consider length. It may remind us of God’s faithfulness. It is an awesome and humbling joy to realize that God has been, and will continue, watching over the full length of each of our lives, beginning from before we were conceived, through birth, life, death, and even beyond the grave!
• Width serves to remind us of God’s omnipresence: at any given moment, God is involved with every detail of our lives. Carefully orchestrating each one with perfect precision so that despite the difficulties, we might draw closer to the One who has loved us since before time began.
• The depth of God’s love may cause us to reflect on the fact that God knows us fully and completely, even better than we know ourselves. It may bring to mind the fact that Jesus was willing to leave His heavenly throne, suffer death on a cross, and be raised to life. As a result, He is able to meet us even in the darkest corners of our hearts.
• And lastly, height lovingly lures the mind and spirit of each one of us to bask in God’s holiness and sovereignty. To be reminded that He is above all things and yet, though He created the entire universe and everything in it, the greatest object of His affection is us.

“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.”Ephesians 3:18 NLT

“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT

Watch the Bubbles

 

 

By: Diane Virginia, cbn.com

As my car crawled along the automated car wash track, my thoughts drifted to times past, when my husband and I would take our children through the car wash for the express purpose of playing “watch the bubbles.”

“Daddy, my bubble is racing yours!” our son would say.

“Mine is turning swishy circles!” our daughter would say.

I stroked my silver-steaked hair and prayed, “God, why do I still want to watch bubbles? My children are driving their own cars now. This is silly.” Just then, a scripture came to mind,

“… for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:11b KJV)

For God’s pleasure, and for ours, He creates. God invents the science behind what makes car wash bubbles fascinating to watch, but He doesn’t stop there. He creates snails with stripes and bushes with glitter dots. He makes a dove’s feathers to sing as she takes flight. He fashions the honeybee’s wings to interlock like a zipper during flight. God, the masterful creator, wants us to enjoy His creation the way He does. But there’s more …

Father God loves His people so much He gives them the innate ability to create, for He made mankind in His image. Only after God created people did He see that,

“… it was very good …” (Genesis 1:31b KJV)

Of the rest of His creation, He saw that

“… it was good.” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 KJV)

Paul records the works that we are created to accomplish with the Lord’s empowerment,

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 KJV)

There is even more …

The Heavenly Father treasures mankind so much He comes into the midst and sings His children a love-song. Scripture records His thoughts,

“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty … he will joy over thee with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 KJV)

Even though this is a song a person can’t hear with the natural ear, rest assured that He sings. And sometimes, when a worshipper is in the midst of praising His Creator, the Lord allows this melody to bubble within the heart.

Friend, since you are loved so much by your Creator that He sings over you, then enjoy the world He has fashioned. Next, praise Him for the ability He places within you to accomplish the works He has ordained you to do. But most of all, Praise Him for being the magnificent Heavenly Daddy who has uniquely created you.

Father God, thank You that You created all things, including me, for your enjoyment.

Your Plans May Change but God Never Will

 

By: Shadia Hrichi, cbn.com

Ever been here: you have a major event coming up. So you plan. You prepare. You make your list and check it twice. No detail is left undone. Then, in a moment’s notice, everything changes. Circumstances force a change of schedule. Suddenly, it makes no difference how hard you worked. Everything is on hold.

For the past two and a half weeks, I’ve been hard at work preparing to begin videotaping my Legion Bible study teaching series. The open door to begin filming was a huge answer to a long-awaited prayer. Production was scheduled to begin tomorrow. Then … lightning struck. Literally. Overnight, hundreds of fires broke out from one end of the state to the other. Between the smoke and risk of evacuation and/or power outage, the video producer and I realized we had no choice but to nix the scheduled video shoot.

As difficult as the decision was, I knew there were people dealing with far worse: homes threatened by fires, first responders battling the blaze. As I was praying today for protection over the homes in harm’s way, the firefighters—and for rain (it seems impossible to see rain in the middle of a heatwave, but I am asking anyway because God is the God of the impossible)–as I was praying, I lamented over all of the devastation: the homes in danger; the lives at risk. Then my mind went to all of the people suffering because of the pandemic—this, on top of the economy being hammered by lockdowns. It all seems so overwhelming.

But then I remember: we have a big God. We can trust He is working—even in the midst of all the chaos that is swirling around us. Jesus said,

“My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (John 5:17 ESV)

And so I found myself praying for revival—for hearts to turn back to God in the midst of all the chaos. To seek Him when all seems lost.

If we put our hope in this world: whether in our health, or home, or a 401k, things can change in a moment’s notice. It is times like these when we are reminded that there is only one true, everlasting hope–and it can only be found beyond this world. In this life, nothing is guaranteed, but God is the “same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” When we put our hope in Him, we will never be disappointed.

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39:7 ESV)

If you are facing a difficulty, here are some favorite passages I turn to in difficult times:

• Psalm 91 (when in need of comfort or reminder of God’s protection)
• Romans 8:31-39 (when in need of courage or perseverance)
• Ephesians 1:3-14 (when in need of an eternal perspective)

What are some of your favorite ‘go to’ Bible passages?

A New Season

 

By: Nina Keegan, author, cbn.com

We had just had our first “cold” spell of the season in Houston. Having been born and raised near Chicago, I found it quite amusing that the temperature falling to the high 60’s was considered a cold sn

Everyone, it seemed, could not get enough of the faint, cool, breezes that crooned through the trees. The crisp, new, chilly, autumn air unearthed an enthusiasm and a “get up and go” attitude that had been missing for quite some time.

What is it about a simple change in weather that can bring out the best in people? It’s almost like each new season is a new beginning of sorts. Its very representation of newness stirs up changes in our souls. Autumn visions of our favorite warm cozy sweater, rich hot cocoa, and steaming hot apple cider spring into action in our hearts.

The Bible also references new changes and beginnings in our lives as being seasons. Seasons are metaphors for God’s perfect timing in delivering us through all the changes He makes in our lives. These certain seasons can bring about the blessings we reap from having been obedient in following him through those changes even if we did not fully understand or welcome them.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 ESV)

This scripture tells us to never give up. No matter how long, strenuous, and painstaking the road or trials are in our lives, there is always a new season ahead, a season of new beginnings.

Every day we can make the decision to begin again. We can adopt a positive mindset to overcome, conquer, and live triumphantly. All beginnings must eventually come to an end so a new beginning, a new season, can commence. We need to take the opportunity to look ahead at what can be and forget the what-might-have-beens. We can challenge ourselves to be better, live higher, rise above our own self-appointed limitations. We can look ahead to a new season of thinking, speaking, acting, and living more positively. Each subtle change we implement towards living a more positive life will eventually take root and manifest itself into our days, weeks, months, and years.

A beautiful tree full of wonderful green foliage and rich, ripened fruit can offer shelter, nourishment, and shade, but only temporarily. The leaves eventually turn brilliant hues of crimsons, golds, reds, and oranges, offering us a wonderful spectacle to behold, a brushstroke of genius only God can artfully paint. Then, those leaves must fall, leaving that beautiful tree bare and vulnerable as it must survive the harshest of seasons. The tree must go through that season to begin a new life, a new cycle, with budding blossoms fragrant and beautiful.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:3 ESV)

We need to be incessantly grateful and thank God continually even when our future seems unclear. We can still stay firmly planted in faith so we will never wither but always prosper and produce good fruit.

All glory comes then from daring to begin, daring to change, ushering in each new season, and forever trusting God with each unpredictable new step. Never stop believing and growing. We can never fully know what God’s intentions are for us, but we can always do our absolute best with where He has placed us right now. Only then, when we have learned all there is to learn and are truly grateful in this place, this season, will God move us to a new, more bountiful, and blessed season.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV)

Chasing After Wind

 

By: Cathy Irvin, author, cbn.com

Are you content with what you have and are you resting in the Lord? Or are you striving for more and feeling turmoil in your spirit?

“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV)

Let’s get some perspective on what it is we are seeking and what drives us to be discontented. We must face the fact that we really do get into the flesh. It is called being “carnally minded.” The desire for so much materialism can rob us of our peace and can empty out our financial resources. We tend to strive to keep up with the neighbors or feed off every ad that we see or read. It is the “I gotta have it” syndrome.

We can get so caught up and consumed by the first thing we see that we are not looking for the best buy. We lack the fruit of the Spirit called patience.

And don’t think materialism is just a problem for women. Men can get just as easily distracted at big sales for recreational items and automobiles. We are all guilty of lusting for more.

Is there a way of escaping this dilemma? Yes, help is on the way. Jesus has a plan to help us: to exercise self-control and to be wise in our financial decisions.

We must not chase after material things because it is like chasing the wind. We are running, yet we are never satisfied. You will find yourself caught up in a whirlwind all the time.

Last year I eliminated my debt and got rid of my credit cards. I have learned to live without them. I had to put my mind to it and discipline myself with my finances. It was worth it!

Whether it is our eating habits, our exercise habits, or our spiritual habits of reading the Bible, praying, and attending church, we must take the time and effort to work on these areas.

The point is that we all need to find out what is important in life and then learn to use some self-control.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NASB)

I thought I could not make it without charging. Now if I really want to purchase or need a more costly item, I save a little at a time. Then when there are sales, I take the time to find the best bargain. I had a small, older TV, so I saved the money and got a new and bigger one in the mid-price range. The Lord certainly provided.

Matthew 6:19-21 speaks of our treasures in heaven:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (NIV)

It isn’t wrong to buy nice things but is wrong to be consumed by them. If they take up all of our time and focus, then we need to remind ourselves that we need self-control.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 NIV)

That is the key for us. We need to walk after spiritual things and to desire them more than the things of this world!

Adoption Parallels

 

Terry Meeuwsen, author, cbn.com

As many of you know, a couple of years ago, my husband and I felt led to pursue adopting three sisters from Ukraine. In fact, we learned about the girls from a guest on The 700 Club.

In the beginning, our objective was to give the girls a family and keep them from being split up. We weren’t long into the process when we began to realize that we were caught up in something much bigger and more complicated than we had ever imagined. Paperwork, waiting, preparations, financial commitments, roadblocks! – And that’s just the physical stuff. Spiritually, we were being stretched and changed as we learned to trust God more deeply.

We soon dubbed this unique experience – The God Adventure. We knew from the get-go that we were in over our heads and if God didn’t show up and guide us through it, we were doomed to failure. God did show up every inch of the way—and He’s still guiding us from day to day. He is faithful and trustworthy!

We’re blessed with three new daughters, the girls are reading God’s Word and realizing He has a plan and purpose for their lives and nine of us are learning to live together in harmony and appreciate each other’s differences – well, we’re still believing for that last part. We’re in process, and MOST days we’re moving forward.

As I’ve sat back and thought about all of this, God has used our adoption of the girls to show me some amazing parallels of His adopting us into His family.

1) Before the girls even knew we existed, we were thinking about them and preparing for them to join us. We loved them before they were actually ours. We had to travel all the way to Ukraine to get them. And the adoption process is an expensive one.

The Bible says God knew us when we were being formed in our mother’s womb. He loved us before we knew anything about Him. He has prepared a place for us and it is in Him. He is willing to go to great lengths to get us, and He has paid a great price to make us His own.

2) Part of the adoption process was giving the girls a new name. Legally, our name became their name – our home their home!! When we commit our lives to Jesus, we become Christians. As we live in Him and He lives in us, we begin to look more and more like Him. His ways become our ways. We are set free from our old identity and our past and we walk in newness of life.

When we walked out of the orphanage, our girls smelled differently than we did. It was an institutional smell. We took them to our hotel and gave them all kinds of packages and gifts we’d bought for them. Shampoo, toothpaste, body lotion, cologne – we supplied everything they needed to be clean and beautiful.

God does the same thing for us. When He first finds us, we usually smell like the world. He wraps us in His love, washes us in the blood of Jesus, fills our hearts and minds with His Word, and floods us with His Holy Spirit. We begin to smell and look like we belong to Him.

3) Finally, we went to court and before a judge declared our intention and desire to make the girls a legal, permanent part of our family. The judge’s finalization and approval meant that our girls were now legal heirs to all that we possess.

You know, it’s that way with God. When we become His children we inherit all that is His – and it’s forever. He doesn’t have favorites – it’s true for all of His children, and there is enough for everyone.

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” Galatians 4:4-7 NIV