Do you ever wonder how the God who created the universe and everything in it could possibly love and care about you? I've wondered that myself, especially since I've done so many things in my life that I'm ashamed of, I've spoken so many hurtful things that I can't take back, I've failed to serve God faithfully and I've failed as a disciple of Jesus. After all these things, how could God possibly love me? But I'm sure that He does because He is my heavenly Father.
God wants each one of us to share in His glory for eternity because He loves us so much. "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. 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)
When we acknowledge what Jesus did on the cross for us and we repent (turn from our sins), we are guaranteed a place in God's eternal kingdom and all our sins, past, present and future are erased from His memory. Yes, God loves each one of us and He has good plans for us that we cannot fathom. When God created mankind, He made us in His image and desired our companionship. His Word says that "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
After we accept what Jesus did for us, He sends the precious Holy Spirit to live in us. This is the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead and that Spirit empowers us to live out our lives in oneness with God. The Holy Spirit will convict us when we mess up, and we will mess up because we are still living in this world. And God will forgive us as we repent, time and time again. I have found that when I fail to do something that God wants me to do, the Spirit will give me reminders. And when I've hurt someone, the Spirit won't let me rest until I have asked that person to forgive me. God's Spirit, living in believers, always obeys the Father and He (the Holy Spirit) will always point us in the direction God wants us to take.
Jesus showed us the way to keep in touch with our heavenly Father when He spent time in prayer. Oh how God loves to hear from His children. Just as we, as parents and children, love to hear from our loved ones. We enjoy hearing how their days are going, we love to celebrate their successes with them and we also want to share in their sorrows and disappointments. Remember, God created us to fellowship with Him and the way we do that is through prayer and reading His Word. It's simple to pray to God, just talk to Him as you would a dear friend. He already knows the trials and problems you are facing, but He really wants you to verbalize those issues and ask Him for help. He's available 24/7, 365 days a year and He's waiting to hear from you because He Loves YOU!
The Bible is God's love letter to us and He speaks to us through His Word, but it's up to us to open the Bible and seek God. If you don't know where to start, begin with the gospel of John. The love of God is evident throughout John's writing. And when you open your Bible, always ask God's Spirit to teach you. The Holy Spirit will encourage you, He will plant God's ideas in your mind, He will convict you of sin and He will bring to mind people you need to lift in prayer.
God does love YOU, just open your heart to receive His amazing love.
God wants each one of us to share in His glory for eternity because He loves us so much. "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. 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)
After we accept what Jesus did for us, He sends the precious Holy Spirit to live in us. This is the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead and that Spirit empowers us to live out our lives in oneness with God. The Holy Spirit will convict us when we mess up, and we will mess up because we are still living in this world. And God will forgive us as we repent, time and time again. I have found that when I fail to do something that God wants me to do, the Spirit will give me reminders. And when I've hurt someone, the Spirit won't let me rest until I have asked that person to forgive me. God's Spirit, living in believers, always obeys the Father and He (the Holy Spirit) will always point us in the direction God wants us to take.
Jesus showed us the way to keep in touch with our heavenly Father when He spent time in prayer. Oh how God loves to hear from His children. Just as we, as parents and children, love to hear from our loved ones. We enjoy hearing how their days are going, we love to celebrate their successes with them and we also want to share in their sorrows and disappointments. Remember, God created us to fellowship with Him and the way we do that is through prayer and reading His Word. It's simple to pray to God, just talk to Him as you would a dear friend. He already knows the trials and problems you are facing, but He really wants you to verbalize those issues and ask Him for help. He's available 24/7, 365 days a year and He's waiting to hear from you because He Loves YOU!
The Bible is God's love letter to us and He speaks to us through His Word, but it's up to us to open the Bible and seek God. If you don't know where to start, begin with the gospel of John. The love of God is evident throughout John's writing. And when you open your Bible, always ask God's Spirit to teach you. The Holy Spirit will encourage you, He will plant God's ideas in your mind, He will convict you of sin and He will bring to mind people you need to lift in prayer.
God does love YOU, just open your heart to receive His amazing love.
