Looking to God

God is forgiving in all things, who would not want anyone to perish. His mercies are from sunset to sunset; there is no end. He is patient, kind and loving. No matter what we have done, He is ready to forgive. God’s love for us will never fail.

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”

(1 John 3:16)

If we repent and give our heart to the Lord, His spirit will live in us, and we will live in Him. We will want to forgive others as He has forgiven us. His grace will be upon us, and we will fellowship with Him in the fullness of joy.

When we believe in Jesus, we believe God will forgive us. We no longer have sin as our master, but we have true freedom, where we are no longer bond slaves to iniquity. Our liberty is in God the Father, the one and only true God, who loves us without restraint.

We have freedom to love, to be at peace, to have patience with one another, to be kind and good, to have faith, and to show gentleness and self-control. Our greatest joy comes from knowing God has redeemed us with Christ’s sacrifice.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus died so that we might live. No other event in history is as important as Christ giving up His life in order that God might save us. No longer do we have a penalty hanging over our heads for the wrongs we have committed.

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’”

(Mark 16:15)

As the Holy Spirit lives in us, God’s purpose lives in us and becomes our purpose. We will want to draw others to Jesus, so that they might experience the same joy we experience when we fellowship with God. There is no substitute for His love.

Whatever rejection we may feel from those who do not want to follow Christ, is a rejection of God Himself. We have done what Jesus had commanded, to act as God’s instrument in His hands. If others reject us, then they are rejecting God.

Bless everyone with the good news of God’s salvation, Jesus Christ. Give them peace by giving them hope. Show them what Christ living in us could do for them. Preach the gospel to the whole world.

No love is greater than giving one’s life for a friend. Jesus said this and by His giving of Himself on the cross, lived this. We also ought to love one another as much as we love ourselves.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

(John 13:34-35)

To love one another, we ought to forgive one another. True love is forgiving. When others wrong us, the spirit within us, God’s spirit, leads us to show mercy on others, not because they deserve it, but because it is within us not to hold them guilty for their sins.

God has forgiven us of all our sins. If we repented and gave our hearts to Him, He no longer holds anything against us. He did this because He loves us and does not want anyone to perish. In so doing, He shares His joy with us through the Holy Spirit, who comforts us.

Be joyful, for as God has forgiven us, we ought to forgive others. By this, others will know God is living in us and us in Him; and we have hope. That hope will never fade, for God’s love never fades.

Beloved, love one another.

We will sing praise to the Lord our God. He knew us in our mother’s womb, nurtured us, taught us His ways and raised us to speak His heart. We will take refuge in Him, for we know He will deliver us from all our trials.

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works,
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke!
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

(Psalms 104:31-33)

Though the earth closes its clefts around us; though the water seeps above our chin; though the light of day diminishes into night, our God will never forsake us. He will restore our soul and save us from the hands of the grave.

God knows when we are hungry and will feed us. He knows when we are thirsty and will give us drink. He knows when we fall asleep and when we awaken from our slumber. He knows all things and will not leave us to the lions, but will chastise the wild beasts, for we are His children.

Sing praise to the Lord our God, for He is good. We will give thanks for all His gracious deeds. His loving kindness is beyond measure. His power sustains all things. We will sing praise to the Lord our God.

Great is the Lord in all His majesty; His works fill the earth and there is no end to his glory. O how great is our God that He should consider us heirs to all He has.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!

(Psalms 34:8-9)

Great is the Lord, for He forgives us of all our sins. He sacrificed His son Jesus so that we would have salvation; because of His forgiveness, we are at one with Him. No longer does sin bind us, but we are free.

Great is the Lord, for His mercy never fails. As many times as we fall, He is there to raise us to our feet. His patience for us endures forever and His grace upon our lives is from everlasting to everlasting.

Great is the Lord, for His love is as the stars; for as deep is the ocean and as high is the sky, His love for us will never depart. He will fill our heart with His spirit so that we will want to love Him as much as He loves us.

O how great is the Lord, for He is good!

Bless the Lord always, give him honor and glory in all of creation. He defends the weak, provides to those who do not have and strengthens the righteous. There is no one like our God, for He is merciful and will heal us of our infirmities.

But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

(Psalms 26:11-12)

We have absolute joy serving the Lord of Hosts. He has given us hope for a future with no suffering. He has given us His Son to pay for our sins, to suffer on the cross meant for us. Bless the Lord, for He is good. His grace abounds forever.

O how great is our God. We shall not feel defeat with the Lord as our bulwark. He hastens the demise of our enemies, raises the faint of heart to be shepherds and blows the trumpet to foil the evil one. Great is our God, perfect and just in all His judgments, and righteous in all His ways.

I will bless the Lord, for He is good.