This is real love...

"This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." 1 John 4:10

The Oxford English Dictionary tells us that the verb love means to "be unwilling to part with or allow to perish".

Yesterday, Valentine's Day, was the day of love and red and hearts. God's love is splashed with red. The red of His son, Jesus Christ's, blood (Romans 5:9). The red of our sins that Christ is able to turn white as snow (Isaiah 1:18)

The Bible tells defines "real 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

2000 years ago a man named Jesus claimed to be the Christ. He claimed that God was his Father. He died a cruel death of crucifixion. He rose from the dead three days later. He died because God loves us. Do you believe this to be
fact or fiction?

Day 38 of 2005!

Day 38 of 2005! 327 days remain this year. Just 38 days ago we stood on the verge of a new year. What were your thoughts then?

The beginning of a new year prompts us to think ahead and ponder and wonder what the year will bring. Perhaps you are looking forward to the year ahead knowing that there are things within it that will bring you happiness. But maybe you feel daunted, even fearful, of what the year might hold. Quite often it is the unknown and the uncertainty that makes us fearful. We might be fearful of circumstances, people or situations. Maybe your first 38 days of 2005 have given you reason to fear the future.

"Do not be afraid" appears 366 times in the Bible. That is ONCE for EVERY single
day of the year with one remaining for a leap year!

Each morning when you wake, you can remind yourself that God says "Do not be afraid". Some of us will need these words as we walk through each day, each week, each month of 2005.

When God speaks these words "Do not be afraid" in the Bible, they are to people whose fears are real and justified. The fears that you face are real and justified. BUT God says, "Do not be afraid". Actually, God doesn't just say them, He declares them. Declare means to say "loud and clear".

Can you hear God speaking these words loud and clear? God also accompanies these words with other reassurances: "I am with you" (Genesis 26:24), "God will fight for you" (Deuteronomy 3:22), "remember what God has done for you" (Deuteronomy 7:18), "I am God" (Genesis 46:3) and "I am your shield" (Genesis 15:1).

Quite often God accompanies "do not be afraid" with telling us to be strong and courageous and not discouraged. Another way to look at this is to not lose heart, to not stop or turn away. Instead remember that God has promised He will be with you: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)