God Is Good All the Time And All the Time God Is Good
Why do You Love Jesus?
Why do I love you, Lord? - Diana Gilley
Why do I love you, Lord? - Diana Gilley
Why do I love you, Lord? - Diana Gilley
You did first love me, love us, we know. I think we’d all say, “How could we not love You?”
I began to list all the reasons I have for loving God, and the list kept growing. Hmmm, to make it shorter I began to list categories, but, again, categories kept increasing. Finally, I realized it was one main event that encompassed all my reasons, which are the by-products of, for me, five words.
GOD’S LOVE THROUGH THE CROSS.
The cross, the manifestation of God’s love for us. Without the cross: no hope, no light, only eternal separation. God gave us His holy word and from Genesis to Revelation, it tells us about His incredible plan of redemption for our sins, restoration with our Heavenly Father, and the final defeat of all things evil.
Hallelujah!
Even though we cannot fully fathom the love of our Father, He sent His Son, Jesus, anyway. He stepped into our world and lives. He dwelt among us, teaching us a whole new way to love, care, forgive and live. Then without regard to the abuse, rejection and loathing, Jesus chose to die a physically horrific death. Not only that He was emotionally rejected, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1) God turned His back. Into utter blackness He sent His Son.
Our sin of ingratitude and self-will nailed Him to the cross, yet His love for us kept Him there. “For the joy set before Him.” ((Hebrews 12:2), knowing many would not choose him, YET because of love he did it anyway (Romans 5:8).
Jesus, You were chosen before the creation of the world (1 Peter 1:20), You gave up Your sovereignty, became a servant to be despised, rejected and crucified YET You rose again and conquered death!! All for us. We who owe You everything.
May we not make Your sacrifice to have been in vain; may we acknowledge everything created is from You and for You. May we truly know and understand Your mercy and grace (to the degree we are capable of) and then relinquish our self-will. May we allow You, our Creator, to take what we’ve become in this world, to mold and shape us into what You created us to be. It’s through Your living word, through the trials and tribulations we encounter, through prayer and fellowship, will we be sanctified because You sanctified Yourself first (John 17:19).
Thank you, Jesus, Your death on the cross saved us from the penalty of sin; while in this world, the Holy Spirit is saving us from the power of sin, and when You return, finally and completely You will us from the presence of sin. 1
Ephesians 3:17-19 reads: “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God”.
Can the cross be is a visual of that passage?
The breadth – Christ’s arms stretched out on the cross from east to west – where do our sins go? – as far as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12)
The depth, Christ died and went into the abyss of hell for us.
The length: Do we know, really know, that God has never stopped loving us and nothing can separate us from His love? (Romans 8:35).
The height, Jesus rose, triumphed over death, and now sits at God’s right hand as our intercessor in heaven. God sees us as righteous because of the cross. Oh, the wonder of His love!!!
To end, I believe the cross compels us to make a choice. Christ and eternal life, or the world and eternal separation. There is nothing in between.
I, personally, cannot face that kind of love, that willingness to die for me, and not respond.
Can you?
Lord, how can anyone not love You?
Oh, how we need You! Oh, how we love You! Make us holy as You are Holy. (1 Peter 1:16).
Forever grateful, Diana Gilley
1 Paraphrased from Tim Keller’s words.
why i love jesus
Why do I love you, Lord? - Diana Gilley
Why do I love you, Lord? - Diana Gilley
Because He first love me and chose me to be His own,
He has been my Comforter, Friend, Salvation.
More than anyone else, will never leave me nor forsake me.
I can depend on Him to take me home to heaven.
I am blessed.
-Pam Hayes-
I Love Him for His great love and faithfulness.
Jesus is my everything.
He gives me new breath each day.
New beginnings...
New revival...
More love and more grace each day.
"We love Him, because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19
-Anonymous-
Because He has protected me throughout my entire life through many dangers, knowing I wasn't ready to meet Him!
In His providence He saved and spared my life.
Thank you, Lord!
-Shirley Buckmaster-
I love Him, because He first loved me!
He loved me before I even knew His name was Jesus!
He is and will always be my Everything!
-Janice K Feagin-
I love Jesus because...
He's the captain of my salvation, perfected in sufferings!
"For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Hebrews 2:10
-Anonymous-
Jesus is my true friend.
He always brings me hope and lifts my spirit when I am down or am weak, He loves me so much--how could I not love Him?
-Lisa Hart-
I love Jesus because He first loved me.
God is love and flooded my being when I gave my life to Him.
He saved me in 1972 and filled me with the Holy Spirit.
I woke up singing in the morning, instead of the nightmares I used to have and the anger I had before.
-Cheryl Burke-
Why I Love Jesus
I actually started meditating on this at the start of the Christmas season. The obvious answer is because of His sacrificing Himself on the cross to pay our sin debt to Him and the Father.
What I could not get out of my mind is Jesus willingly giving up what He had in heaven with the Father and the Holy Spirit to come to Earth and live as a mere man. He had to lay aside whatever form He existed in with the Father and all the Glory and Majesty they had together, living in eternity and being born as an infant and bound to the time space continuum.
He was totally dependent on His earthly parents for a time while also on His heavenly Father as prophesied in Psalm 22:9-10.
Although He came to Earth in a human body a number of times, pre-incarnately, He could return to the Father. One of the most poignant verses is in Jesus's prayer to the Father recorded in John 17:5: "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."
Many scriptures describe the Glory and Majesty of God.
1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalm 19, Revelation 1:7, Revelation 1:13-16,
Revelation 4:11, Revelation 21:23, are just a few.
It's hard to fathom the depth of love it took for the Father to ask Jesus to come to the Earth to die for us and for Him to willingly separate Himself from the Father for the only time in eternity to save us when we were dead in our sins!
How worthy He is of our love, devotion, praise and obedience!!!
-Ruth Bowie-
Why do You Love Jesus?
jesus our valentine - Vickie aubel
I know many of us don’t have that special someone we get to celebrate Valentine’s Day with. For many that day can bring sorrow and sadness and remembrances of better days when we weren’t so all alone. Tears escape and our hearts feel like they’re going to break all over again when we see couples lovingly embrace and share special secrets.
Do you know that Jesus sees those tears and feels your heart breaking?
Do you realize that Jesus wants to be your special someone you can pour your heart out to?
He longs for you to embrace Him and fold yourself into His loving arms. His love for you is so amazing and He loves it when you want to spend time with Him. Jesus sacrificed His love for you; no greater love has anyone than to lay down their life for their friend.
Jesus is our very best Forever Friend and more than that, He is our wonderful counselor, Prince of Peace, Almighty God, our Indescribable Gift, the Rose of Sharon. Lily of the Valley and better than a box of chocolates and won’t add any pounds! Jesus loves you so much! You can’t find another human being on this planet who loves you more! Jesus is our Perfect Valentine!
-Vickie Aubel-
Suzanne Deaville wrote a very special piece called Sacred Space and I’m sharing it with you:
SACRED SPACE
The night is quiet, the darkness surrounds me like a soft blanket, and I am alone with myself. I crawl into that deep sacred space within my heart where no one else has been or could ever be; a space just big enough for Jeus and me. Words are not necessary; our “thereness” is enough.
I fold myself into the contour of His arms and simple “be”. My soul rests: the weight of my burdens is lifted. His Spirit whispers to my spirit. His love fills my heart to overflowing. I am renewed and refreshed, but most of all I am safe.
It’s a sacred respite from the worldly realm. I am restored in His love and empowered to continue my journey. Given the chance, I’d never leave this space and time, this safe haven where I can almost hear His heartbeat. But not yet—it isn’t time yet.
God gently releases me back to life’s reality to continue what He has commissioned me to do. But the invitation is always open, and I know each time I enter, Jesus is already there waiting for me.
“The Lord is nigh unto all of them that call upon Him; to all who call upon Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18
-Suzanne Deaville-
why do i love jesus - tHE GREAT RECONCILIATION - he did it all - LAURA DERRY
My first thought of this assignment was “let me count the ways”, but to hone in on the question which is prefaced by: Why?
My first answer would be the same as most believers…”Because He first loved me” and died proving it! This truth and its implications are vast—truly beyond our comprehension.
And though, in essence, that is my answer…today the fact that He reconciled Himself to me, in my wretchedness before time began…blows me out of the water.
I never, for a moment considered Him in my attitudes, choices, decisions or lifestyle…for all my younger years.
· I was angry and rejected “religion”
· I followed and pursued the ways of His enemy
· I sinned blatantly with no remorse…a lot!
· And I was a serial liar, hedonist & blasphemer…and yet…
Today, I am at peace as I abide in the lovingkindness and blessing of my LORD.
Now, my greatest desire is –
· To do
· To be
· To show
· To emulate Jesus.
I want to be like Him because He caused me to become fully reconciled to His way by first becoming reconciled fully to me. He became human that He might become my merciful representative in all things pertaining to God.
He willingly gave Himself to reconcile me and my sins. Hebrews 2:17 “Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
Then…in His gentle, patient and thorough way—He did in me…what I could never begin to do.
All I had to do—was say, “Yes” to His offer of a new life.
He’s done all the rest!!!
Oh, I struggled to be presentable, good and worthy for a number of years. However, in the end I learned and found reason to love Him more because He truly did it all. I was more a hindrance than help.
Yes, He did it all and now…
“The peace of God, which passes all understanding guard my heart and soul in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
…And we are reconciled!
– Laura Derry -
why i love jesus - robed in his righteousness
why i love jesus - robed in his righteousness
Why I love Jesus...
When I look back on my life at every moment, every trial, every transforming event, and every step of the way He is there.
From birth to adulthood He walked beside me gently guiding me even when I was a worldly brat. His patience, care, and understanding permeated my existence even when I couldn't see it through my sin.
After all this, when I finally learned He knew and knows what is better for me, He welcomed me with open arms, took my hand, and lifted me out of the grave robing me in His righteousness.
He is beyond worthy of all the love, praise, worship, and glory I can give. He is my savior. He is my everything.
-Shelly Bursick-
Why Does Sunny Love Jesus?
First, how can I not love Him!? He took all my sins, all my burdens away!
He delivered me from all my fears… mainly the fear of judgement and hell! He came in and transformed my life. I am a new creation in Christ! The old is gone, gone, gone! He brought about a new life in Him!
He showed me He was with me at my worst, and He has never left me alone! There is NOTHING too hard for Him! His love will never end! He has proven His Love over and over again!
-Sunny Couch-
Why do You Love Jesus?
i love jesus because...
After I die, I am NOT going to spend eternity: by myself…on a star…somewhere in the Universe.
Let me explain—
It is easier for me to understand something if I can see it and nothing appears where I think of “Fire and Brimstone”.
So, my mental image of Hell is a STAR,
- Stars are: HOT, many millions of degrees hot.
- Stars are: BIG, many millions of miles around
- Stars are: FAR APART FROM ONE ANOTHER, many billions of miles.
There are a lot of stars: MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE GOINT TO HELL TO HAVE ONE FOR THEMSELVES.
People going to hell will be ALONE: FOR EVER AND EVER BY THEMSELVES. No one to share their misery with.
THIS IS MY MENTAL PICTURE OF HELL…NOT A GOOD PLACE.
AND BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID FOR ME…I AM NOT GOING TO GO THERE.
And…
THAT’S WHY I LOVE JESUS…
-Anonymous-
why do i love jesus
I love Jesus because He first loved me.
That statement got me through life for a long time. Then it started to sound like junior high when a girl would look at me and I at her and instantly we were in love.
In those days infatuation and love were the same.
It took me a long time to realize that the love that Jesus has for me is not a type of infatuation. His love helped me through a lifetime of sin. Life could have irreversibly gone wrong many times. But that wasn’t God’s plan. He wanted me to learn what love really means. So, He allowed me to pursue my sinful and stupid ways so His forgiveness would teach me about love.
I am learning to love Jesus at a granular level for all He has done for me. Especially when I didn’t deserve it. Many times, He has provided obstacles and temptations to test and increase my faith. Although I failed most of them. The Lord kept trying to strengthen my walk. Over time I slowly got the understanding and now I feel strong about myself and my faith in Jesus. Like a good parent, He helped me when I needed it. He praised me when I followed His way.
He lovingly corrected me the many times I was wrong. He did what needed to be done so I could understand what love really means. I now realize the love that Jesus has for me and mankind. Although at first, I took it for granted,
I now recognize the gravity of what He did. It was more than being treated as rabble, lied about, lied to, humiliated, tortured, beaten beyond recognition and finally hung on a cross until dead. I now know that He did it for me and all mankind. He did it for the forgiveness of my sins so that I would someday join Him in Heaven.
Thanks to Jesus, I cherish my Christian wife and Christian children that I love. I live in a place I love. I have friends that I love. Plus, I had a long rewarding career that I also loved.
I now realize what love really means. My wife and I share it daily.
I love Jesus because He first loved me. So now I get it. It is easy to call Jesus my Savior. It is now easier to call Him my best friend.
I love Jesus because He first loved me.
-Anonymous-