OH
HOW HE LOVES US
BREAD
16 “For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son
into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 (NIV)
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man,
though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8 (NIV)
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God
is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for
us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who
will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who
justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more
than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or
famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As
it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as
sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For
I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither
the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)
3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have
loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
17 “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He
will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will
rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah
3:17 (NIV)
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and
sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways
of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now
at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All
of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful
nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature
objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich
in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And
God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in
Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ
Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not
by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians
2:1-9 (NIV)
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes
from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever
does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This
is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the
world that we might live through him. 10 This
is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an
atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John
4:7-10 (NIV)
BUTTER
“Jesus
embraces us with an unconditional love; one that will never cease. Just when we
think there is no hope, no understanding, and no way out of our predicament,
our loving Lord speaks words of affirmation and encouragement to our hearts.” Michael Youssef
“In the world
there are many other voices speaking -- loudly: ‘Prove that you are the beloved. Prove you're worth
something. Prove you have any contribution to make. Do something relevant. Be
sure to make a name for yourself. At least have some power -- then people will
love you; then people will say you're wonderful, you're great.’ These voices are so strong. They
touch our hidden insecurities and drive us to become very busy trying to prove
to the world that we are good people who deserve some attention. Sometimes we
think that our busyness is just an expression of our vocation, but Jesus knew
that often our attempts to prove our worth are an example of temptation. Right
after Jesus heard the voice say, ‘You are my beloved,’ another voice said, ‘Prove
you are the beloved. Do something. Change these stones into bread. Be sure
you're famous. Jump from the Temple...’ Jesus said, ‘No, I don't have to prove
anything. I am already beloved.’” Henri Nouwen
“God’s supply of
loyal love and His compassion is never ending – His mercies rise new every day
- as sure as the sun - there is a fresh supply each morning. Like manna that fell for the Israelites in
the wilderness, which was sufficient for the day, so too, His love. How could we not be but taken back by the
limitless provision of God’s loving compassion, grace, and mercy.” BHY
“A thing must be loved before it is
lovable.” G. K. Chesterton
“I am simply the earthly vessel that holds the hope. I was reminded of how God sees me, loved,
chosen, bought with the greatest price anyone has ever paid for anything. That truth is hard to keep hold of in our
broken world. I’ve watched others
struggle in a million ways.” Sheila
Walsh
“You are not what you do, although you do a lot. You are not
what you have collected in terms of friendships and connections, although you
might have many. You are not the popularity that you have received. You are not
the success of your work. You are not what people say about you, whether they
speak well or whether they speak poorly about you. All these things that keep
you quite busy, quite occupied, and often quite preoccupied are not telling the
truth about who you are. I am here to remind you in the name of God that you
are the Beloved Daughters and Sons of God, and that God says to you, ‘I have
called you from all eternity and you are engraved from all eternity in the
palms of my hands. You are mine. You belong to me, and I love you with an
everlasting love.’” Anonymous
“There is only torment
and slavery and wanting in envy and hatred and strife but sweet rest and pleasure
and wholeness in the security of God’s love.”
BHY
HEART SAVOR
·
God
loves us with an everlasting love.
·
He
rejoices over us with singing.
·
Nothing
can separate us from His love.



