Daily Dose of God’s Glorious Love

April 29, 2018 Sunday   “Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: “The baptism of John — where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ “But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Matthew 21:23-27 NKJV)             When we come to God we want answers to our questions.   While Jesus does at times give us answers many time Jesus gives us questions.   Why does Jesus do

April 28, 2018 Saturday ““I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is . And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” (Revelation 2:13 NKJV)             God is always so blunt about things that we often miss the urgency and concern of God’s heart that is revealed.   In what is titled the Revelation of Jesus we are shown how becoming a Christian impacts our lives and rips off the glossy covering of sin and reveals the repulsive and destructive nature of it.             In this passage twice we are shown the nature of the persecution of Christians is satanic and that Christians are at war with those who follow satan.   One of the important differences is Christians call martyrs those who die for their faith and those who follow satan call those who kill others for their faith martyrs.             This is the incredible gap between childr

April 27, 2018 Friday “‘And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’” (Acts 22:20 NKJV)             Many work very hard to cover up the bad things in their past because they fear others will think less of them or even despise them.   Paul on the other hand reveals the worst that he has done and the worst of what he did to the people he now is a part of.             It would be proper to look at this verse in the context of when and why Paul makes this painful statement remembering this terrible moment but let us look at this verse by itself.   Let us look at the proper way to look at the sin, failure and horrific parts of our past.             Paul is not making a passionless confession of a shortcoming in his past but a deep soulful shame and pain for an action he regrets.   We can see this because there is no flowery language and no attempt at defense but a

April 26, 2018 Thursday “And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: “If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, “let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. “This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”” (A

April 25, 2018 Wednesday “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1Jo 3:20-24 NKJV)             Guilt can destroy our joy, our life and even our soul!   Guilt can come from sin we have not dealt with, from sins we have confessed and received forgiveness or even from what others have done to us.   Let us look at each of these types of guilt. Sin we have not dealt with – Here guilt is at its purpose God uses it for.   Guilt makes us aware not only of our s

April 24, 2018 Tuesday “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.” (1John 3:16-19 NKJV)             Like the young woman who defined her love for the man she wanted to marry as feeling flutters in her stomach many people seem clueless about what love is or some even cannot see the difference between love and lust.             In two sentences John, who is called the Apostle of Love, sums up Paul’s incredibly beautiful definition of love in 1Corinthians 13.   The amazing beauty of the language of 1Corinthians 13 by Paul rivals the finest writing in humanity and leaves no room for love being an e

April 23, 2018 Monday “« A Psalm of David. » The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.” (Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV)             As human beings we live within a linear constraint that makes it hard for us to understand how God is working.   We limit God with our own limitations and fail to see the full glory of what God is doing for us and amongst us.             Psalm 23 too many may be seen as a quaint statement of David speaking about what it means

April 22, 2018 Sunday ““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. “The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep , and am known by My own. “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”” (John 10:11-18 NKJV)             Where Psalm 23 reveals to us what Go

April 21, 2018 Saturday “So when Peter saw it , he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. “But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. “Re

April 20, 2018 Friday “ There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:6-8 NKJV)                         After the conversation of preparation in the first verses David recognizes many see coming to God as not doing any good then declares the goodness of God as an answer.   David gives an account of all of God’s goodness and that they are worth more than any worldly blessing.             Indeed every blessing in this world David acknowledges as not only coming from God but they are a reminder of the spiritual blessings from God.             After David’s remembrance that he does not deserve to come to God comes the thanksgiving which leads to praise!             Thanksgiving is a remembrance of all the good God

April 19, 2018 Thursday “« To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. » Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness And seek falsehood? Selah But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 4:1-5 NKJV)             Here we see a conversation of prayer sung for all to hear.   David in prayer does not just speak to God but holds a two way conversation that unless we recognize this the words may seem confusing.             David cries out for God to hear and declares his righteousness is from God and remembers God’s relief in the past.   David c

April 18, 2018 Wednesday “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1Jo 3:4-7 NKJV)             This passage is like a prosecutor laying out the case before us to a Judge. They have committed sin Committing sin is lawlessness To sin is to not have known God To sin is to not have abided in God (And thus without God’s protection) As sinners they have never seen or known God They are therefore unrighteous and deceived             But then Jesus, the defense Advocate, declares the court knows Jesus was “manifested” to take away our sin and indeed because of Him there is no sin and therefore no evidence!             The Father declares us righteous

April 17, 2018 Tuesday “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1John 3:1-3 NKJV)             What does it mean to be a child of God?   Some believe everyone who live is a child of God while others believe only those who are saved are a child of God.   This passage implies only those who trust in Jesus and are saved are truly a child of God because it says the world – people who do not trust in God – do not know God or His children.             John tells us one way to understand the mind boggling quality of God’s love is that we who are a fallen, selfish and sinful people would and could be a c

April 16, 2018 Monday “Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. “And you are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:44-48 NKJV)             Millions and millions of books have been written about God, Christianity by many scholars over many years.   So many words have been written over the years about God and Christianity that they form an endless chain which is so confusing they often bind rather than set free.             Jesus reminds the disciples that His words are the ones all

Intolerance Christians are intolerant crusaders in the 1,000s Muslims invaded Christian Europe in the 600s Christianity cannot be taught in public schools Islam is taught and lauded in public schools Christians are forbidden to pray in public places Muslims get prayer rugs provided in many places Christians believe LGBT Q lifestyle is wrong to God Muslims believe LGBTQ’s should be killed for God Christians aid and help even hurting Muslims Muslims kill, rape and behead non-Muslims Christians call those who die for faith martyrs Muslims call those who kill for Allah martyrs But many cry out that Christians are intolerant But aren’t we glad that Muslims are so tolerant                       4/15/2018