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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 21, 2015 19:40:31 GMT
I've been thinking a lot about these 3 things, His love, grace and mercy and what it really means to me. Just thinking of those words touches my heart deeply! To think on them, what they mean, how they apply, how needed they are.....is powerful, overwhelming and so very humbling. I'd like to hear any of your thoughts on this.
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Post by Leeza on Feb 21, 2015 20:15:19 GMT
What a great suggestion for a discussion, Gr8tful.
1 John 4:8 says, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." God does not only love, but He is love! Love is the essence of who He is. Whoever does not love does not know God, because as it is written in Romans 5:5, "And hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
The Lord is with those who love and trust Him, as it is written in Psalm 32:10, "Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.
He feels our afflictions and is affected by them, as it is written in Isaiah 63:9, "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old." He is always there with His arms out to us, even to those who reject Him, as it is written in Isaiah 65: 1, “I was sought by those who did not ask for Me;I was found by those who did not seek Me.I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that was not called by My name."
God's grace is not deserved or merited, but because of His love for us, He delights to extend it to us as it is written in Hebrews 4:16. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. We have the assurance as His children, we can come to Him and His grace is sufficient for us, especially when we are weakened by trials and afflictions, as it is written in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
The Lord loves us more than we can possibly conceive. He is always there to help us, to minister to us, and show us kindness. How blessed we are to know the Lord! His goodness brings tears to my eyes.
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Post by morningstar on Feb 21, 2015 20:39:35 GMT
Good topic Gr8tful.
I think those three words pretty much sums up God's Gift of Salvation.
His LOVE----That He sent His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ to die on the Cross for our sins...There is no greater Love than this.
His Grace -- Unmerited Favor...Given to us by God, there are no humanly works required to work for our Salvation, only by His Grace through Faith and not of ourselves that we should boast, that He has opened up the way through a Personal Relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ to enter into His Heavenly Kingdom.
His Mercy --Endures forever..Even though we may sin daily in one way or another through thought, word or deed, he has shown us that even though ALL our sins were nailed to the Cross, 1John 1:9 tells us to confess our sins to the Father, this is for our benefit in that it cleanses us from all unrighteousness and sets us back on the right path and is pleasing to God, for He is faithful and Just to forgive us our sins..this is His never ending Mercy for His Children.
How much more Glorious and Lovingkindness can our Creator show to His creation than this? I find it overwhelming..
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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 21, 2015 22:14:39 GMT
Oh it sure is the sum of God's Gift of Him! Just thinking about it lately is sooo wonderful and as you said, overwhelming! Who are we that deserves such love!? Amazing Grace....all that He does and has done is with us in mind. It's hard to fully comprehend and accept! For whatever reason it's hard to understand how He never lets go or gives up on us! WOW!
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Post by elizabeth on Feb 21, 2015 22:41:08 GMT
This is one of my favorite quotes on the love of God:
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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 21, 2015 22:54:15 GMT
Oh I like that Elizabeth, Amen to that!
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Post by lily on Feb 22, 2015 0:42:15 GMT
What a wonderful thread, gr8tful! Good answers from everyone here.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God's love for us is so deep that he gave His only Son for us. Jesus knew when He came to Earth exactly what He would be going through. He did it anyway so we could be saved and be with Him forever. This is God's love for us.
Whoever believes in Jesus will be saved and will not perish. By grace, I am saved. I do not have to try to earn my salvation by good works. I could never measure up, I fall short of the glory of God every single day. God's grace is the free gift of salvation. I only have to accept it.
God's mercy is that He wants us all to not perish, but to have everlasting life. God, the creator of the universe, wants to be with me for all eternity. His mercy for me, a sinner, is beyond my comprehension.
When I think of God's love for me, for the grace He's given me, and the mercy He shows me, I am filled with amazement. Who am I that He should pay attention to me at all, much less show me so much love? I don't deserve all He's given me, and I will be eternally grateful for all that He's done for me.
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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 22, 2015 0:45:53 GMT
OH Lily that's so cool, that is the same scripture that came to my mind regarding this!! It's a scripture said so often that it's almost said w/o thinking on the meaning of it after awhile! God is soooo goooooddddd!
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Post by shiloh on Feb 22, 2015 2:01:14 GMT
Great posts, everyone! You all covered it very well. Good thread, gr8tful. Nothing for me to add. It is too much for me to comprehend His never ending love for us, no matter how hard I try to grasp it. Agape love is hard to grasp and often, we as humans have conditional love. I know I speak for everyone here that we desire to have God's heart. There's a lot of times I think, "man, I'm such a loser and thank you so much for loving us Lord and for dying for my sins." But, as I said, we all want to have His heart. Oh, how we long for perfection. Won't that be so glorious to finally be perfected and have His heart? |
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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 22, 2015 2:37:46 GMT
Yes Shiloh, how wonderful that will be!!! I can't even imagine how it will feel not only to be in the presence of the Lord but like you said, to be perfected and have His heart! Can you even imagine what we'll be like? Honestly I have never that about that part of it before. Being holy, perfect, His heart, no shame, no sadness, no worries, no anger, just complete unconditional love and purity!!! I don't think I can grasp the depth of that! The human mind can't begin to fathom what that really means. My mind is always filled with stuff, burdens, worries, joys, blessings, family, finances on and on. All the emotions and feelings that come with that. To have a mind free of all that and filled with joy, love, purity....it sounds sooo freeing and light! All because of His love, grace and mercy! Wow!
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Me
Numbers' Donkey
Posts: 151 
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Post by Me on Feb 22, 2015 7:11:47 GMT
My favourite verses on God's Love to me the first time I read them and really understood them I bawled my eyes out for a good hour or so. I was only a baby in Christ and having a totally mentally ill, acoholic, deranged dysfunctional family I was floored that I was Loved not matter What. Not even my own bad behaviour stopped this love flowing my way.
RO 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
RO 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2015 11:31:59 GMT
All good scriptures and all the answers are great.
Gr8tful: You said you have been thinking about this. I think we all should too, not only in scripture, but how love, mercy and grace has been experienced by us personally. I think we have received all three more than we even know.
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Post by shiloh on Feb 22, 2015 12:25:21 GMT
1 Corinthians 2:9
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2015 15:35:46 GMT
1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But as it is written:
i“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 22, 2015 18:13:39 GMT
Yes all very good posts!!! That's a great idea Rieom re: everyone pondering this personally. If they feel led. But yeah, that's exactly what I have been thinking about, what it means to me personally, where I see it applied and all the many ways it has! I don't ever want to take things from Him for granted, but I know I always do and will. I love His Word but sometimes I need to step back and reflect on what He's done for me without trying to spiritualize it w/scripture - do you know what I mean? Such as the comment re: john 3:16. It's quoted so often it gets to where the meaning becomes almost watered down. And this thought about love, grace and mercy just made that simple scripture have such depth again! I love that we're always learning and growing, there's no end to it!
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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 22, 2015 18:53:51 GMT
Going to use this post to cover this section w/love, grace and mercy!
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Post by Gr8tful on Feb 22, 2015 21:04:45 GMT
Ephesians 2:4-8
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
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Post by Guest on Feb 22, 2015 21:20:06 GMT
Created in his image,just like us,God wants to be accepted just as He is....Love and acceptance.That is all He ever desired.
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Post by shelayne on Feb 23, 2015 0:35:39 GMT
I LOVE THIS THREAD!!
Thank you, everyone for your posts!
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