Deut. 23:5 - "Nevertheless, the LORD your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you. NASU
The world offers you love based on your performance. God doesn't offer us love according to our performance. However, I know there are some churches that teach you have to accomplish certain Biblical doctrines every week in order to stay within God's saving grace and love. When I first became a Christian one of the popular teachings going around at that time was known as the 3 and 10. You had to attend 3 services per week (Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening Bible Study) and give 10% of your money. If you did all four of these then all was well between you and God. May I tell you something? Nothing could be further from the truth. Your relationship with God has to do with what Jesus did for you. He is the One who lived perfectly and atoned for our sins with His blood on the cross of Calvary. Your relationship with God doesn't have to do with your performance of attending services or tithing. You will notice the verse above informs us that God loved us "while we were yet sinners". You and I were in our worst condition. We were sinners and God loved us when we were at our worst.
Look at what Paul says in Eph 5:25-27 - "…just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless." Yes, God loves us and has proven His love for us. He brought us into His church by cleansing us with His Word. As I said, God didn't leave us the way He found us. We now have no spot or wrinkle. We are considered "holy and blameless". Ananias said to Saul of Tarsus there was something for him to do and in Acts 22:16 - 'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' Saul did what Ananias told him to do. He got up and was baptized and had his sins washed away. Remember God loves you way too much to leave you the way He found you. He will remove your sins and place within you the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will help you become more like Jesus if you will allow Him.
Jesus is the One who has redeemed us. We didn't redeem ourselves. There is no possible way we can save ourselves. We can't pay the price because we all have sinned and have fallen short of His glory. So what are we to do? We are to depend on the love of God. His love provided Jesus as the sacrificial lamb. His blood atoned for our sins and all who will accept Him as their Lord and Savior. It is my desire today that if there are any of my subscribers who are reading this and have not been baptized (immersed) in water for the forgiveness of your sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit that you will do this ASAP. If you need help contact me I will be glad to help you experience the Love of God by being born again as mentioned in John 3. Think About This: Love looks through a telescope, envy through a microscope. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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