How God Loves

I wanted to read a definition of the word "love" today, so I powered up my computer and went to urbandictionary.com.  In my limited experience, I've found that the internet is the only reliable source of information, especially if that information is open sourced.  Anyways, here are 5 helpful* definitions:

1. Either a horrible disease or a blessing.
2. Nature's way of tricking people into reproducing
3. Most people use the word "love" to get into someone else's pants.
4. A zero score in tennis.
5. A word used by many, but understood by few.

My favorite is number 4, although I can really resonate with number 5.  I personally use the word "love" to describe a wide range of emotions.  For example:

"I love tacos."  
This is probably the one I use the most.  Many times I'm merely exaggerating, although I do love tacos...

"I love you man."  
Usually the way I say "thank you," in response to a kind act.

"I love you, Ashley."
This allows me to encourage my wife without having to exhaust a lot of my resources.

It's clear that there are various levels of meaning behind the word "love," and with this is mind, what do phrases like: "God is love" or "For God so loved the world..." actually mean?  Lets use the examples that I provided above.

• Is God's love an exaggeration of truth?  
• Is God's love based on His appreciation for something we do?  
• Is God's love a substitute for actually demonstrating concern?

I've never thought about this before, but Good Friday reveals that God has a unique definition for the word, "love."  Good Friday shows that God wasn't using hype to sell us a bunch of junk.  It shows that He wasn't trying to thank us for acting nicely.  It also shows that He wasn't taking the easy way out.  Good Friday shows that God's definition requires action, and this is how it looks:


God created humans to spend eternity in relationship with Him. The only stipulation was that Humans had to obey God and treat one another with love and equality. Humans rejected that plan, and decided to be their own bosses instead. Their choice resulted in a painful existence where people hurt God, hurt each other and hurt the rest of creation. Justice demands punishment for the perpetrator, and protection of the victims. Because everyone is both a victim and a perpetrator, the only just punishment is total isolation. This punishment broke God's heart, so He created a rescue plan. God was the only victim who was not guilty of hurting others, so He was the only one who didn't deserve punishment. God used His opportunity to take the punishment for people by coming to earth as a man named Jesus, and allowing people to kill Him. This action maintained justice and taught victims how to forgive their perpetrator. In order to prove that justice was served, Jesus rose from the dead three days later, and appeared to 500 people. Today it's possible for anyone to have a relationship with God if they chose to accept Jesus' sacrifice as their punishment. They do this by acknowledging their disobedience, asking God for forgiveness, submitting to Jesus as their boss and choosing to forgive other people. People who refuse these terms will face a just punishment, which results in isolation from God and others.


This year, remember that "love" meant a whole lot to God.

God's Loving Plan for Battling Sin: Day 3

I've learned three things about being a christian over the years.  First, it’s hard to live in an honorable way.  Humans like to do things their way.  We want to rebel and serve ourselves.  It's hard to show God the love He deserves, especially when He asks us to love our enemies.  With that being the case, the Christian life is a life of war.  We need to constantly fight against our natural tendency to sin.  

The second thing I've learned is that God is always with me.  It might not feel as though God is always there, but I know He is.  He loves us and has given each of us various gifts so that we can help other people. 

Finally, God also taught me that He is patient and willing to help me overcome my weaknesses if I am willing to turn to Him for help. This means that I can fight against the greed in my life by using the weapons He provided: prayer, reading the bible, and remembering that He has already forgiven me through the sacrifice of Jesus.

As we end our bible study, we need to remember the importance of God's love and forgiveness. God has forgiveness us because He loves us, and that love and forgiveness should encourage us to turn away from sin when we recognize it in our lives. Jesus died for us so we can live for Him, so let's thank God for His amazing love by choosing to love Him and love other people.

Read Paul's final greeting in Ephesians 6:21-34 (NLT):

To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.

Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is Tychicus commended for?
2. Why did Paul send Tychicus to the believers?
3. What is Paul's final prayer for the believers?
4. How have you grown in your understanding of God's love?

God's Loving Plan for Battling Sin: Day 2

I mentioned earlier that I felt a strong desire to quit my former sales job after I began growing closer to the Lord.  I don't know if that's common, but for me it came down to two main reason. Initially, I wanted to run from the temptations I felt at work, but God taught me that sometimes I need to fight against sin instead of running from my problems.  Then I began to desire full-time ministry work, but that required a fight as well.

I can still remember the resistance I faced as I began moving from sales into ministry; financial issues, relational issues, scheduling issues, etc.  Although these were valid concerns, it seemed as though my excitement was able to override them.  Unfortunately there was one problem that my excitement couldn't solve: my terror. 

My fear was usually strongest during the night as I laid alone in the dark.  I felt as though my mind was interrogating me as I thought about my upcoming mission trip. 

"Is your God big enough to save you, Josh?"

"Does your God love you, or is He merely using you to accomplish His mission?"

Other times my thoughts would blatantly lie to me:

"You are going to die on your trip Josh"

"God doesn't love you."

I couldn't find rest even upon falling asleep, because usually my dreams resulted in nightmares that woke me up.  I was sleeping only a few hours a night, and dreaded being alone.  It was scary, discouraging and tiring, but in the midst of it, God helped me realize that something sinister was happening.  I was being attacked, and there was only one way to fight back.

Read Paul's instructions for Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians 6:10-20 (NLT):

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does Paul reveal about the Christian battle?
2. What is the purpose of spiritual armor?
3. List each piece of armor and what it's used for.
4. Paul tells us to pray for all believers. Who do you pray for regularly?

Weekly Challenge:

Paul was a strong leader who endured suffering and persecution in order to share the good news that God loves people. Paul remained humble by remembering that his success was dependent upon God, and therefore, he needed prayer for strength. Take time to pray for your church leaders, and write an encouraging note to your pastors in order to thank them for boldly sharing the gospel with others.

God's Loving Plan for Battling Sin: Day 1

As God continued growing my faith, He also grew my abilities.  I was volunteering in a local church, and working as a sales person for an insurance company.  Eventually, I began to feel drawn away from my sales position at the insurance company, partially because I didn't feel comfortable with the direction of the company. I initially tried to remove myself from tempting situations by asking my boss to relocate me, but he denied my request. His decision required me to choose between submitting or quitting. I decided to submit, and that turned out to be the best choice I could have made.

The following year I made a lot of money through a series of miraculous circumstances, and was able to pay off a lot of my financial debt! Incredibly, this happened even though I was less focused on making money and more focused helping my clients succeed. I eventually learned how to use my job as a way to support and encourage the other believers whom I worked with.

During this time, I realized that God didn't want me to run from my problems, instead; He wanted me to fight against sinful desires. The fight against sin is a spiritual battle, and that means we must fight with spiritual weapons. This week we are going to look at the weapons we use to fight against sin.

Read about submission in Ephesians 6:1-9 (NLT):

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does this passage reveal about relationships between parents and children?
2. What does this passage reveal about relationships between bosses and employees?
3. What does this passage reveal about relationships between people and God?
4. Which of your relationships (family, work or God) are you currently struggling with? How are you encouraged by this passage?

God's Loving, Correction: Day 3

In my last blog I wrote about a friend who was angry at God, because he felt as though God was rejecting him.  My friend believed that God created him with flaws and then judged him based on those flaws.  I can understand his discouragement and anger, but I believe he is wrong.  I don't believe God creates junk with the intention of throwing it away.

When we look at how God works throughout the bible, we see a God whose heart is broken by the sin in this world.  Instead of running from the problem, God responds by rolling up His sleeves in order to help.  God initially gave us the choice to follow Him, and then He entered into our world to give us another chance.  And another.  And another.  And another.  And another...(I could do this all day).

God is constantly pursuing us with an intention of healing us and making us better.  And we need His help, because we are messed!  Humans are a mixed bag of glory and gory.  We are gloriously gory.  Created in the image of God, but acting like demons at times.  It's sad, it's frustrating, and it could be so much better.  

As a husband, I can relate to the image of Jesus loving the Church as a husband.  I see Ashley's flaws, and she sees mine.  Instead of focusing on our flaws, we focus on our strengths.  We clean up each other's messes, and let their strengths shine.  That's what I see Jesus doing in the bible.  God sees our potential, and loves us enough to help us achieve greatness.  We will never be a truly great society without His help.  But look at the bible and read it for yourself.

Read about Christ's love for His Church in Ephesians 5:21-33 (NLT):

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Answer the following questions:

1. Why does Paul teach us about submission?
2. What does Jesus desire for His bride (the Church)?
3. What does this passage teach us about Jesus?
4. What married couple has set a good example for you? How does their relationship relate to the relationship that Jesus has with the Church?

Conclusion:

Christians are on a path towards righteousness, and that means we strive to remove greed, sexual immorality and impurity from our lives. God is ultimately the only one who can remove these issues from our lives, but we are responsible for persisting in our fight against sinful desires. He transforms our thoughts and desires by placing His Spirit inside our hearts. Next week we will discover how to fight against the temptations of this world.

God's Loving, Correction: Day 2

I recently realized an important thing about life after sharing the gospel with a loved one who was very angry at God.  After telling someone that God loved them and wanted to be with them, the guy replied that God shouldn't have made a faulty world that needed to be saved.  When I heard his reply I became sad and frustrated, but I realized that my reply wouldn't help him.  So instead of making things worse, I encouraged him to keep trying to discover who the God of the bible is, and then gave him some resources to help.  I continued thinking about his response after the conversation, though, and realized that he was starting from a non-biblical premise.

The bible shows that God made a perfect world and gave humans the choice to keep it that way.  Genesis 1:31 says that God made everything good.  God made a good world, He made good people, He made a good relationship between Him and man.  It wasn't until after Adam and Eve chose to disobey that the world became full of pain and corruption.  I believe God was testing humans in order to give them the choice to follow Him or be their own God, which bothered my friend.  Don't we all want the freedom to make choices in life?

Unlike my friend, I think we all have the choice to pursue or reject God, and I also believe choosing God is just the beginning.  I believe that we will continue to be tested once we choose God, because those tests will make us stronger in character and intellect.  Knowing that we be tested in life should prompt us to prepare for them, and Paul give us some tips for success in Ephesians 5.

Read about the light of Christ in Ephesians 5:10-20 (NLT):

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer the following questions:

1. What does it mean to expose sin, and how do we do it?
2. What are Christians commanded to do in this passage?
3. Contrast the lifestyle of a foolish and wise person. Is your lifestyle more foolish or wise?
4. Think about a current difficulty in your life, and ask God how you can please Him in the midst of that situation?

Weekly Challenge:

Paul uses this passage to instructs us to make the most of opportunities we are given, and we read a similar command in 1 Peter 3:15. In that section, Peter instructs believers to be prepared to give a reason for the hope they have. This week, write a short statement explaining why you are hopeful, and what your hope consists of. Then pray for an opportunity to share that hope with another person.

God's Loving, Correction

I mentioned earlier that my first year of faith was increasingly discouraging, and my second year was increasingly exciting.  My third year began to feel like a combination of challenges and blessings.

  

I experienced blessing as I grew in my understanding of God’s love for me and His desire to use me to show His love to others. These blessings prompted me to spend more time at church, which helped me develop a new community of friends and family. My church family was encouraging, compassionate, and helped me live in a way that honored God. I felt good when I honored God, but I felt ashamed and embarrassed when I didn't. Personally, I found it much harder to live in a way that honored God when I wasn't at church, and therefore, was challenged in my faith during those times.

I was usually at work when I wasn't at church, and during that time I worked as a sales representative for a large insurance company. I was rewarded for my sales and wanted to make money, so I did whatever I could to sell the insurance products. This usually resulted in deceiving and mistreating my customers, and eventually I began to feel convicted during my sales calls. I knew my actions were wrong, and felt like a hypocrite.

I was kind and encouraging when I was at church, but I was deceitful and confrontational when I was at work. This conviction continued to grow inside my heart, until it burst out one day as a customer refused to buy my product.

After the customer told me they didn't want my product, I slammed the phone down and started yelling how stupid and ignorant they were. That’s when a coworker told me I had an anger problem, and I began to realize that I needed to make a change. My lifestyle was offensive to God, and I realized that it hurt other people as well. God helped me understand that I was being greedy, which meant that I was more concerned with money than I was with loving God and other people.

Day 1

Read the reasons for Christian obedience in Ephesians 5:1-9 (NLT):

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe the lifestyle that Christians should strive to live.
2. What reasons are given for avoiding sinful lifestyles?
3. Make a list of thing you are grateful for experiencing.
4. Spend time asking God to reveal the immorality, impurity and greed in your life, and then ask Him to help you remove it.