Saturday, March 13, 2010

March 13, 2010

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
You were created to love and to be loved. You will never find emotional or spiritual fulfillment until you know you are.
Since you have already established that loving others unconditionally is above your pay grade, our thought for today is very important. If you are going to love as God created you to love you will have to accept His Love Dare!
In the verse today God is saying, "I dared to love you by sending Christ, and I dare you to receive my love!"
Will you dare to receive God's love by receiving His Son? Will you enter into a love relationship with Him by faith? Will you choose to allow Him to love through you?
At this halfway point of the 40 Day Focus, will you make sure you can do the deal?
How?
CONFESS! You don't have a love problem you have a sin problem. Your sin separates you from a relationship with a holy God and keeps you from experiencing His love. If you have never confessed to God that you are a sinner, you are remaining isolated from His love. Consider what God's Word promises - "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:8-9
REPENT! The evidence that you truly understand your sin problem is that you will feel a sense of sorrow over your sinfulness and you will have a desire to turn from your sin. The word "repent" gives the image of a "u-turn". Repenting means that you stop running away from God's love and begin running toward it! "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." Acts 17:30
BELIEVE! Once you understand your spiritual situation and your inability to save yourself then you need to turn to God for salvation. You will need to believe that Jesus is the only Way to God and that there is no other way of salvation. Here's what the Bible promises, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 3:36
RECEIVE! God's love is a precious gift. As a gift you don't earn it or purchase it but you receive it. God offers it to you and you take it from Him. The whole point and proof of how much God loves you is that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that the penalty of your sins could be paid by Him. So, since He purchased the gift, you can receive it. Will you? Here's what the Bible says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" John 1:12
How do you receive this gift? By praying to God and saying something simple and sincere like, "Dear God, I need your love. I understand that I am a sinner and my sin separates me from your love. I confess that I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sin. I intend to turn from my sin and with your strength I will live for you. By faith I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and I receive Him as my Savior. Come into my life. Change my heart. Transform my mind. Let me experience your great love! In Jesus Name, amen."
That is God's Love Dare! He dares you to enter into His love and allow Him to love through you!
I double-dog dare you!