God’s love for us is unconditional. It is not based on anything we do. God’s love toward us is consistent. It never fluctuate based on our performance. When we are better, God doesn’t love us more; when we are bad, God doesn’t love us less. God’s love, favour, and acceptance of us – is unconditional. It has nothing to do with who we are; it has everything to do with who He is. It is not because we are lovely; it is because HE IS LOVE.

1 John 4:9-10 “9 GOD SHOWED HOW MUCH HE LOVED us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 THIS IS REAL LOVE—NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS A SACRIFICE TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS.”

How do we know that God loves us? It’s not based on a feeling, or whether or not we have some kind of an emotion. Our knowledge should be based on His Word. Feelings are fickle. God gave them to us, and in their proper place, they are ok. But when we let our feelings dominate us, we are acting like children. Children are dominated by their feelings, as adults we know that we have to do the right things even when we don’t feel like doing them.

So, even when we don’t feel the love of God we need to simply stick with 1 John 4:9-10. Because feelings follow what we think on the most, as we spend time thinking on how much God loves us unconditionally time will come when we will start feeling loved by God. In fact we don’t need to feel anything, we simply need to know that God loves us (John 8:32). We don’t need to be prayed for, to receive the feeling that God loves us.

Romans 5:8 “BUT GOD SHOWED HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US BY SENDING CHRIST TO DIE FOR US WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.” God did not wait until we sorted ourselves out before loving us.

If we are still trying to maintain our own righteousness, thinking God accepts and loves us because of our good works, we will never truly understand the love of God. GOD GAVE THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW TO EXPOSE HOW UNGODLY WE ALL WERE – TO BRING US TO THE END OF OURSELVES. The Law condemns, it is harsh. We are not to gain our acceptance before God, and His love, by keeping the Law.

Romans 5:20 says, “GOD’S LAW WAS GIVEN SO THAT ALL PEOPLE COULD SEE HOW SINFUL THEY WERE. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.”

Romans 3:19-20 says “Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, FOR ITS PURPOSE IS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM HAVING EXCUSES, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. FOR NO ONE CAN EVER BE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD BY DOING WHAT THE LAW COMMANDS. THE LAW SIMPLY SHOWS US HOW SINFUL WE ARE.”

So, we shouldn’t think that we have to keep the Law for God to accept and love us, THE LAW WAS NOT GIVEN TO PERFECT US (Romans 5:20, 3:19-20). We receive the love of God by faith; believing that God accepts and loves us because of what Jesus Christ did for us.

GOD LOVES US! And “WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.” I John 4:19

REST IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST!

Christian Life is NOT about GOD GIVING, but about US LEARNING HOW TO RECEIVE.

We study the Bible so we can learn WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE, WHAT HE HAS PROVIDED. As we learn about our salvation, faith rises on the inside, and we start believing God. If we do not see some of the things that God has provided come to pass WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP RENEWING OUR MINDS TO THE WORD.

Contrary to popular belief, WE DO NOT HAVE TO BADGER GOD. Luke 18:1-8 clearly show this. Jesus tells a story of a widow that wanted an unjust judge to give her justice in a dispute with her enemy. In the story Jesus said the unjust judge did not fear God and did not care about people. The judge initially ignored the widow for a while, but finally was wearied by her constant request and granted it. (Many people have interpreted this to mean that we must badger God until He gives in to our request. That is not what Jesus was saying.)

In this story Jesus went on to say that we must learn a lesson from this story (verses 6-8), even the unjust judge rendered a just decision in end. But God is not like an unjust judge. SO, GOD WILL SURELY GIVE JUSTICE TO HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WITHOUT PUTTING THEM OFF LIKE THE UNJUST JUDGE DID. Jesus said God will grant justice to them QUICKLY! IN THIS STORY JESUS WAS SHOWING A CONTRAST BETWEEN GOD AND UNJUST JUDGE! God responds quickly!

In Luke 11:5-8 we see another CONTRAST, NOT A COMPARISON. Jesus said if we cannot expect a physical person to treat us like the friend He describes in this story, how can we expect God to treat us like that? Why should we think God expects us to badger Him before He gives us what we want? This is another contrast, not a comparison!

Luke 11:9-13, “9 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you. 10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

So, we can expect God to treat us better than a judge that upholds the law or our best friend can ever treat us. Luke 11:9-13 confirms this, Jesus said we can expect God to treat us better than an earthly father would treat his son.

Remember the following verses:
Romans 8:32 NKJV “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS?” Luke 12:32 NKJV “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s GOOD PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM.”

God, by grace, has anticipated the needs of the entire human race as well as every one of us individually. He has made the supply before we ever had the need. THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL COME INTO OUR LIVES THAT WILL CATCH GOD BY SURPRISE. Everything is already provided, but that doesn’t mean we will experience that provision unless we have an appropriate response of faith. FAITH GIVES US ACCESS TO ALL THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED BY GRACE.

Jesus said, in Matthew 6:7, “When you pray, DON’T BABBLE ON AND ON as people of other religions do. THEY THINK THEIR PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED MERELY BY REPEATING THEIR WORDS AGAIN AND AGAIN.”

For more information on this truth you can listen or download, for free, a message entitled “We Have Spiritual Reality – Part 3″ from our website (http://fountainofhisword.co.za).

REST IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST!

Does God control everything such that nothing can happen without His permission? Has He allowed all the wrong that is happening in the world to take place? Is God sovereign the way religion has taught sovereignty?

The Bible does not teach that God controls everything. IT DOES NOT say that God is the cause or He gives permission to everything that happens.

When a person dies people, NOT GOD, say “it must have been their time”. Why do we blame God when a person who is under the influence of alcohol gets in a car, crashes and dies? Why do we say that was God’s will?

The Bible clearly states that Jesus came to “DESTROY HIM THAT HAD POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL” – Hebrews 2:14. It even says satan goes about seeking whom he may devour – 1 Peter 5:8. And it also says satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy – John 10:10. Are we saying satan is God’s messenger boy?

God clearly gave instruction to Adam not to eat the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil because in the day they ate the tree they would surely die – Genesis 2:17. Death was introduced to this earth by Adam and Eve. Jesus brought life – 1 Corinthians 15:22. Jesus is called the Last Adam who became the life giving spirit – 1 Corinthians 15:45.

People blame God for making babies deformed, causing marriages to fail, and sending killer storms. In our insurance contracts we have what is called “acts of God”. By acts of God people mean earthquakes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. This is misrepresentation of God.

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the express image of God – Hebrews 1:3. If we want to understand God’s attitude toward us we need to look at how Jesus dealt with people. The Bible says Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were OPPRESSED BY THE DEVIL – Acts 10:38.

The teaching that God controls everything sovereignly has made people passive. This has made people see no point in doing anything. Why seek God? Why attend church? Why not just sit at home and watch TV because God’s will is going to come to pass anyway? Why do anything because God’s will is going to happen whether you believe it or not? This is a terrible doctrine!

What do we say when somebody dies? Do we conveniently use this terrible doctrine and say, “Well it must be God’s will”? No, God is not the one causing death, satan is the author of death. God is not killing anybody today.

If we truly believe that God controls everything, then when we get sick we should not pray against the will of God, nor should we consult a doctor. If we believe God is teaching us through sickness and disease we shouldn’t take medication because we should allow the will of God to be done.

This is a terrible doctrine, only religious people believe it because they have been taught it, and they accept it on blind faith.

God has provided everything by grace. WE HAVE A CHOICE TO EITHER COOPERATE WITH HIS PERFECT WILL OR NOT. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US.”

We need to understand that THE WILL OF GOD IS NOT AUTOMATIC, IT TAKES FAITH. Second Peter 3:9 says it is God’s will that every person gets saved, but that is not the case. Why? The reason is that we have a choice. God has provided everything by grace, but if we don’t receive we won’t have.

“REST IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST”

Since Jesus Christ died for our sins two thousand years ago, when are our sins forgiven? Were they forgiven two thousand years ago when he paid the price for them, were they forgiven when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, or are they forgiven when we confess them?

What does the Bible say about this?

1 John 2:2 says, “He himself is the SACRIFICE that atones for our sins—and NOT ONLY OUR SINS BUT THE SINS OF ALL THE WORLD.” 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, NO LONGER COUNTING PEOPLE’S SINS AGAINST THEM. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.”

The two verses mentioned above say that Jesus’ sacrifice took care of the sins of believers and non-believers. God is not counting our sins against us. Read again 1 John 2:2 and 2 Corinthians 5:19. Now, John 16:8-9 make sense. The Holy Spirit CONVICTS THE WORLD OF ONE SIN ONLY BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST TOOK CARE OF ALL THE OTHER SINS. According to John 16:9 the Holy Spirit convicts the world of THE SIN OF NOT BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST. John 16:8-9, “8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME”.

So, the grace of God has provided the forgiveness of our past, present, and future sins. Hebrews 10:10, 14 “10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, ONCE FOR ALL TIME. 14 For by that one offering he FOREVER MADE PERFECT those who are being made holy.”

To access this forgiveness one simply needs to believe (faith) what Jesus did for us. Romans 10:9-10 says, “9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For IT IS BY BELIEVING IN YOUR HEART that you are made right with God, and IT IS BY OPENLY DECLARING YOUR FAITH [confession] that you are saved.” [Emphasis mine]

This is what Paul and Silas told the jailer who wanted to know what he should do to be saved. THEY DIDN’T TELL HIM TO CONFESS HIS SINS. Acts 16:30-31, “30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS AND YOU WILL BE SAVED, along with everyone in your household.”

So, when are our sins forgiven? Our sins were forgiven when Jesus paid the price for them. We access that forgiveness when we believe what Jesus did for us.

Does this mean that everybody is saved? No, GRACE ALONE DOESN’T SAVE. Ephesians 2:8 “For by GRACE you have been saved THROUGH FAITH, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”. As a believer in Christ my past, present, and future sins are forgiven. SIN IS ACTUALLY A NON-ISSUE WITH GOD!

We all have the opportunity to receive/access forgiveness of our sins, we simply need to accept that the price has been paid on our behalf and confess Jesus Christ as Lord: Philippians 2:8-11, “8 And being found in appearance as a man, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO THE POINT OF DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and GIVEN HIM THE NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, 10 THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father.”

“REST IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST!”