* Consistent Love

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, 

that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:16

As always, I’m thanking God for this day.  And so even on today, this day that the Lord has made and allowed us to participate in, I’m rejoicing in it and I’m glad!   I can say:  Just another day that the Lord has kept me.

Today I want to focus on the love and consistency that God has for us.  He didn't leave us here to fight on our own.  He equipped us with everything we need to live a victorious life in Him.  Jesus promised us the comforter through our heavenly father, which is the Holy spirit.  

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, . . .   John 14:26

He promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  He said that we can cast our cares on Him and just as He takes care of the lilies in the field, He‘ll take care of us.  All we have to do is trust and believe.

John shares with us:  

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  John 15:9-14

One thing that you should know and understand is this one particular truth about God and that is that God is unchanging.   He is the unmovable mover and His will, His ways are trustworthy, flawless, unfailing, and uncompromising and as long as we’re in His will, we are guaranteed those promises God has made to those who belong to Him. 

God speaks to us in Malachi 3:6 and lets us know that He does not change.  In Hebrews 13:8, His word lets us know that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  In 1 Samuel 15:2,  he lets us know that He is not a man that He should lie.

We all know people who have reneged on their word, but it’s a wonderful thing to know that we have a God who does not go back on His word.  If He said it, that’s it and that settles it.  His word is already settled in heaven.

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. I John 3:16-18

Not only that, it is a commandment:

“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”   2 John 1:6

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.   John 13:35

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Ephesians 5:1-2

We have to understand that love is the greatest of the kingdom principles; that we love God with all of our heart and with all of our soul and with all of our mind and with all of our strength and secondly, that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

We show our love for God in our adoration, worship, and obedience resulting in outgoing concern, compassion, love and service toward others and by giving our lives as a living sacrifice.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

If we love the way God commands, we would not have the sorrow, violence, apathy, prejudice, anger, animosity, jealously, iniquity and hatred we have today. Instead, we would have love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, longsuffering, temperance, meekness and faith; against which there is no law!

So today, we want to reach up to a God of Love, a God who loves us with an unending love.

Dear Heavenly Father, once again, we want to thank you for who you are.  It is an honor and privilege to come before you acknowledging Your sovereignty; giving You all the honor and glory for keeping us another day.  We thank You Lord for our life, our health and strength and for having the use of our limbs.  Lord we thank You for being in our right faculties, but most of all, dear Father, we thank You for a right mind; a mind to serve You and worship You in spirit and in truth. 

All blessings, honor and glory belong to You; it’s due You for You are the sovereign one; the Lord of lords and King of kings.

We come to You heavenly Father with thanks giving in our hearts knowing that You and only You are able to supply our every need; to equip us to run this race, to defeat everything that comes up against us, everything that is not like You.  Lord we thank You for the provision that You've given.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for one more opportunity to unite in prayer and supplication before You.   We know that the prayers of the righteous availeth much!  We thank You because we have someone in You that we can turn to; someone that we can take our cares and worries to and You’ll hear our cry and not only that, You receive our praise and our thanksgiving when we present ourselves properly before You.

We thank you Heavenly Father for Your love, Your mercy, Your grace, Your patience, Lord for Your unmerited favor that You've placed on our lives.  We just thank You Lord.  We thank You Lord for Jesus Christ; the one who died on the cross for our sins.  Lord, our tears this morning are of joy because You thought so much to send Your blameless son to die for our sins.  Lord You said in Your word that You would not that any should perish but that all should have everlasting life and then You put into motion the path to salvation.    We thank You God for the holy lamb, Jesus, whom all things are to be done in His name.  Lord, You said there is no other name given under heaven whereby we might be saved but by the name of Jesus.  You said at the name of Jesus every knee would bow.  We praise You Lord because we know who You are because we have a relationship with You! 

Lord we thank You for Your long suffering.  We know what you say in your word, that You are not slack concerning your promise towards us; but that You are longsuffering; not willing that any should perish.  We thank You Lord for the patience that You have towards us; that You continued to watch over and protect us even when we were not in your will but You kept us because of the plan You have for our lives; plans for good and not evil.

Lord we acknowledge that we just can’t do without You, we can’t succeed without You, we need Your power and your strength.  You said that in our weakness, You’re made strong, that your grace is sufficient to keep us, that what we have in You  --  Your precious spirit  -- is greater than anything that comes up against us.  Lord, we realize that it is no goodness of our own but You Lord, in your infinite grace and mercy, that keeps us and allows us to accomplish Your will in our lives.  It is Your grace, mercy and good pleasure that we are here today.  Lord, Your love is unmerited.

It’s in You Lord that we have a promise of eternal life with You. 

Lord I thank You because You love us and because, through you, we don’t have to worry and fret, be depressed or have any other negative feelings due to the cares of this world because despite all these things, whatever negative thing that may come our way, overwhelming victory is ours through You Lord.  

We thank You heavenly Father for Your wings of comfort and protection.  You tell us in Your word to be careful for nothing; but in everything we do, by prayer and supplication and with thanksgiving, we are to let our requests be made known to You.   We thank You because we know You hear our prayers and our supplications and that You will answer us.  We thank you Lord, for we know that if we seek Your kingdom first and Your righteousness, that You will come down and see about us, that you will supply our every need.

We thank You for your promises:

We thank You Lord because when we heed Your voice and Your word, You said "we will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”  Proverbs 1:33

We thank You Lord for Jesus leaving us with a gift—a gift of peace of mind and heart.   Jesus said, “And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”  John 14:27

We thank You Lord, because You said if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive.  1 John 1:9

Teach us Lord to forgive and be forgiving even as You are.  Help us to walk in the fruit of  Your spirit.  We know that when we walk in obedience according to Your word that You will supply every need we have according to Your riches in glory. 

Dear God, we thank You for your great, everlasting faithfulness and unfailing love through Jesus Christ.  We thank You for Your goodness and for Your mercy.    Lord, we want to say thank You for all that You've done and for all that You’re going to do.

Lord, we need an outpouring of Your spirit; send it down Lord!  Let us experience Your manifested glory.  Somebody needs to know, somebody needs to see You work in their life.  We’re looking for the miraculous Lord.  Let Your healing virtue flow through all those that need healing in their body, in their mind, in their spirits and in their soul.  We know You are able; Lord just as You delivered from the lions den and from the fiery furnace – do it for us Lord.  Let Your glory be revealed!  Someone is holding on with all that they have.  Lift them up Lord above their circumstance; stir up the atmosphere and change it from defeat to victory!  Help us to be faithful to believe; to put our whole trust in You. 

And now, Lord we pray that even as You be within us that You be with us, that You lead us and guide us, give us direction, wisdom and knowledge to speak and act according to Your will; that we may be laborers in Your field; that Your manifested glory be revealed through us dear God.

We ask all these things and we thank you for all things, in Jesus wonderful name we pray, amen

In closing, I want to leave this final scripture with you:

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard , and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:4-9

Give God the glory; thanking Him for everlasting love!  

I pray that all minds are clear and that something was said to bless and encourage us to go on in Jesus name.

Have a wonderfully blessed, Jesus-filled day! 


Elder Candy

08/26/13

04/02/21