John 3:16 We are redeemed by Love

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. ~John 3:16

Because sin had separated us from fellowship with the Father, His greatest act of love was to redeem us. He gave His only Son – sacrificed Him to a painful death – so that all sin could be atoned for and by grace we are renewed to be able to once again stand in His presence. But it doesn’t stop there.

God’s love daily permeating our lives gives us the opportunity to have communion with each other. Christ did not leave us alone when He returned to heaven. He gave us His Spirit to live in us. But He also gave us the fellowship of other believers. Living in the power of that love for one another drives us to reach out even more. We are given a support system to face the struggles and temptations that attack daily. We have loved ones around us to encourage, admonish, and guide our steps. The body is God’s love in action.

Further Thoughts:

1. How has God redeemed your life? Where were you and where are you now spiritually?
2. In what ways are you continuing to work on that love relationship that He paid such a high price for?
3. Read Acts 2:42-47 and Hebrews 10:25. How are believers to relate to one another?
4. What changes do you need to make to live a stronger love relationship with fellow believers?

Father, thank You for Your sacrifice. Help me to make the most of our relationship and my fellowship with other believers. Amen.

Isaiah 55:11 Returning to the Original Plan

… so is my word that goes out from my mouth; I will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. ~Isaiah 55:11

God did not offer salvation just to forgive us, but because He desires to have a relationship with us. He wants to redeem us from our sinful way of life and return us to His first design. This world as we know it is not the original plan. Sin, selfishness, greed, hate – these were not in God’s blueprints. We have allowed these distortions to destroy God’s original intent.

But now because of Christ’s sacrifice and the continuing work of the Holy Spirit through God’s Word, we can be in relationship with the Almighty once again. When we set in motion a plan to follow Him, study and meditate on His Word, live as Christ lived, we are mentored by His Spirit to live a transformed life. That growing, vibrant person can be in an active relationship with the Creator of the universe. That was the original plan.

Further Thoughts:

1. Are you living a transformed life that God can be in relationship with? If no, why not?
2. In a concordance, look up the word “redeemed.” What does God’s Word say about it?
3. To remain consistently in the Word, we all need a plan of action. What’s yours?
4. What accountability will you put in place to remain faithful to your plan? You don’t have to do this alone.

Father, I so want to have a relationship with You. Thank You for Your redeeming love that continues to transform my life back to the original plan. Amen.

Genesis 2:4-7 "We Are God's Creation"

“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens- 5 and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground- the LORD God formed the from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” ~ Genesis 2:4-7 NIV

For centuries, two great questions have been 1)Where do I come from? and 2) What is my purpose here? We’ll deal with the second question later. First, we need to realize that we are God’s creation. He created everything around us – the earth, the air, the stars, the sun, trees, plants, animals, right down to single-celled creatures. But His greatest creation was man and woman.

How do we know that we are his greatest creation? Why are we not equal with baboons and other animals? There are two answers to that. First, He “… breathed into his [Adam] nostrils the breath of life….” (vs. 7) Nothing else in all creation received its life from the breath of the Almighty. His personal mark was placed upon man and literally gave him life.

Secondly, we know that we rank highest in God’s creation because we were made in His likeness. Genesis 1:26 says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air….” You are made in the image of God – not in a physical way, but in the characteristics and very essence of God. That makes you valuable and loved by the Almighty Creator of the Universe.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you believe you are special and loved by the Almighty? Why or why not?
2. Have there been lies spoken to you in your past that have made you believe you are unloved or unwanted? If yes, how?
   
3. What Scripture mentioned here refutes those lies?
4. How does God’s creation plan show you that you are loved?

Pray: Father, thank you for creating me with such love and care. Teach me to live in that love because I am made in Your image and You gave me life. Amen.