Everything love does is for the advantage of another!

It is always kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud or rude. It is never selfish or quick tempered.

It never keeps a record of wrongs.

It always rejoices in the truth, never in evil.

It always supports, is always loyal, is ever hopeful and always trusting.

LOVE NEVER FAILS!

Here's the kicker, God is love... 1John 4:8, everything God has done and ever will do, is for your advantage!

Let Love have His way with you. He is not mad at you and will never disappoint. His plans for you are extravagant!

:-)

His Grace is Enough,

Wag

Genesis 3:22-23

22 And the Lord God said, Now the man has become like one of Us, having knowledge of good and evil; and now if he puts out his hand and takes of the fruit of the tree of life, he will go on living for ever.

23 So the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to be a worker on the earth from which he was taken.

We have been lied to!

This decision of God to remove us from the garden was not an act of wrath but of compassion and mercy... That's right, COMPASSION & MERCY!

After Adam & Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they went into hiding - ashamed, scared, deceived...

But God never changed His mind towards man. In fact, it was His intense love for man that moved Him to this merciful act!

You see, had Adam & Eve reached out and consumed the fruit of the other tree (the tree of life), man would have entered into an eternal existence of separation and fear. Man would have been forever stuck in a post sin state.

Each and every one of us would have been born "irredeemable", doomed to an endless existence of separation and fear! Forever wondering the earth while trapped in a fallen state...

But God in His mercy, allowed death to enter in to man's experience and with this incredible act of compassion, He provided the way of escape.

Man was rescued, not hated... Death was the "provision" of God for escape from the prison of eternal fear...

But wait! There's more!

Death is now a defeated foe!

Death no longer reigns!

Death has no more sting!

Death has no more authority!

Death is dead!

1Corinthians 15:50-57

50 Now I say this, my brothers, that it is not possible for flesh and blood to have a part in the kingdom of God; and death may not have a part in life.

51   See, I am giving you the revelation of a secret: we will not all come to the sleep of death, but we will all be changed.

52   In a second, in the shutting of an eye, at the sound of the last horn: for at that sound the dead will come again, free for ever from the power of death, and we will be changed.

53   For this body which comes to destruction will be made free from the power of death, and the man who is under the power of death will put on eternal life.

54   But when this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, Death is overcome by life.

55   O death, where is your power? O death, where are your pains?

56   The pain of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:

57   But praise be to God who gives us strength to overcome through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Christ's death and with His resurrection, God has terminated the termination!

Death was never to be part of man's experience and since the success of the cross, Papa's desire for eternal connection not eternal separation is restored!

DEATH IS DEAD, HALLELUJAH!

His Grace Is Enough

Wag

"Come On Man! Are You Even Saved?"

Are you tormented by this question and the thought of spending eternity in hell?

Do you fret as to wether or not God really does love you?

Are you diligently climbing back onto that "performance treadmill" - day in, day out?

Do you fear the day of death?

Are you exhausted with all your striving; wishing it would end?

GOOD NEWS!

God's not mad at you! He hasn't required anything of you!

He has done everything necessary to bring you home and into the safety of rest!

In and through Christ, God has shown us the reality of His love for us!

2 Corinthians 5:19-21

19    ...for through the Messiah, God was reconciling the world to Himself by not counting their sins against them. He has committed His message of reconciliation to us.

20    Therefore, we are the Messiah's representatives, as though God were pleading through us. We plead on the Messiah's behalf: "Be reconciled to God!"

21    God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that God's righteousness would be produced in us.

His Grace Is Enough!

Wag

Are you "serving" God simply because you fear the resultant consequences of not "serving"?

If this is the relationship you have with God, it is no where near the relationship God desires with you! God desires a relationship with you that is based on genuine love and mutual admiration - yes, mutual...God wants you, He's not mad at you (never has been).

YOU WILL NEVER "SERVE" GOD ENOUGH TO RELIEVE THE FEAR AND GUILT WHICH DRIVES YOU TO PERFORMANCE!

God accepts you right here, right now. In fact, He accepted you before your physical existence :-)

The relationship which He invites you in to, one of peace and intimacy, is free from all performance! The God-head already performed on our behave...Jesus satisfied the Law and reconciled man to God on the cross - it (all work needed to please God) is finished!

Your attempt at "pleasing" God only serves to frustrate the matter. You can write another rule for yourself, keep upping the ante until you're "all in" but you will still be left confused and your "relationship" will remain cold, dead and emotionless... Slavery will be your existence never relationship!

Since the "fall" man has been an enemy with God only in His mind - Col 1:21 At one time you were separated from God. You were His enemies in your minds, and the evil things you did were against God.

Since "creation" man has been loved, wanted and pursued by God - Jn 3:16-17 God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but have eternal life. 17 God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through Him.

Since the "cross" man has been restored, reconciled and invited to the bliss of intimacy - Mat 28-30 Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

His Grace is Enough,

Wag