Jesus Loves You!

 ⁹ God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son (Jesus) into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him (Jesus). ¹⁰ This is real love — not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice (propitiation) to take away our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other…. ¹⁹ We love each other because God loved us first. 1 John 4:9-11, 19, New Living Translation Edition

 

One of the Holy Bible’s most important messages is God’s love and mercy for the world (see e.g., John 17:23; Romans 5:5, 8; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 2:4; 1 John 4:10, 19). The living God is rich in mercy, compassion, and love towards everyone, even when we are unloving and living at our worst (see e.g., Psalm 145:9; Luke 6:35; Luke 15:20; Acts 14:17; Romans 10:12). In the same way, Jesus showed and continued His Father’s grace, compassion, and love for the world, while living in the world (see e.g., Matthew 9:36; Matthew 14:14; Luke 7:13, 16-17; John 1:14, 17-18; John 13:1, 34; John 15:9).

 

God’s everlasting love for the world was seen visibly by Him sending His only beloved Son Jesus into the world as Savior for our sins (see e.g., Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:11; John 4:42; John 3:16-17; John 17:23, 26; Romans 5:8; Titus 3:5; 1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 4:9-10, 14). Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb and Messiah (Christ) sent from His Father, the Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth (see e.g., Matthew 1:1, 16; Matthew 16:16; Luke 9:20; John 1:29, 36; John 20:30-31). The love of God was revealed by giving His Son Jesus as a sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross to wash away of our sins by His precious blood (see e.g., Romans 3:24-26; Romans 5:6-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Revelation 1:5). NOTHING can separate us from God’s love that is revealed in His Son, Christ Jesus (see e.g., Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 5:2, 25).

 

Nevertheless, the living God of heaven and earth calls every person to REPENT and TURN from Satan’s evil and dark deeds and turn to His word and light found in His Son, Jesus (see e.g., Ezekiel 18:30-32; Matthew 3:3, 8; Matthew 4:17; John 1:1-5; Acts 17:30). The living God is holy and righteous, and He wants EVERYONE to be holy and righteous and obey His commandments (see e.g., Exodus 19:5-6; Exodus 20:1-17; Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7, 26; Isaiah 6:3-5). In His love for the world, God demands EVERY PERSON to follow and obey Him and His Son Jesus and walk in truth, goodness, peace, holiness, and faith in our daily conduct and TURN from evil desires and Satan’s darkness (see e.g., Matthew 10:38; Luke 9:23-24, 26, 35; John 12:26; Acts 26:18; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 6:14-18; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Peter 2:9-10). Living evil, rebellious, and dark lives lead to God’s wrath and separate us from God’s blessings and union with Him and His Son Jesus (see e.g., John 14:21, 23; John 15:1-5; John 16:27; John 17:26; Romans 1:18). When we repent and turn from our sins, God comes running with open arms to welcome us into His gracious Kingdom with heavenly celebration (see e.g., Luke 15:7, 10, 18-24).

 

Jesus calls everyone to REMAIN in His and His Father’s love and friendship through our faith and obedience to His and His Father’s commandments and teaching (see e.g., Luke 8:21; John 14:15, 21; John 15:9-10; 1 John 2:5; 1 John 5:3). In fact, Jesus taught that we must patiently obey, believe, and cling to His and His Father’s word with our whole hearts (see e.g., Matthew 12:48-50; Luke 8:21; Luke 11:28)! Obedience to God’s word and commandments brings salvation and life (see e.g., Matthew 19:17-19; Luke 8:11-12, 15, 21; Luke 10:25-28; John 1:1-5; John 6:28). Satan knows God’s words bring life and peace, so he tries to take God’s word away from people’s hearts (see e.g., Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12).

 

God the Father and His Son Jesus’s commandments are to love and be good-hearted, merciful, and kind to one another, even our enemies (see e.g., Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:43-48; Matthew 7:12; Matthew 22:39; Luke 8:15; Luke 10:25-29; John 13:34-35; John 15:12-13; 17; Romans 12:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 John 2:10; 1 John 3:11, 23; 1 John 4:11-12; 2 John 1:5). Love is the bond of perfection (see e.g., Matthew 5:48; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Colossian 3:14). Our love and obedience for God and love towards one another is action and means stopping from our busyness and work and taking time to worship God and others in need of help (see e.g., Luke 10:30-42). The Holy Scriptures promise that our love for God and mercy towards others bring heavenly and overflowing joy, blessings, grace, and peace into our lives and hearts, and we become one and friends with God (see e.g., John 14:23, 27; John 15:11, 14-16; 2 Thessalonians 2:16).

 

HERE IS GOOD NEWS! The living God and His Son Jesus set us FREE from Satan’s evil, darkness, and disease and restores our heart peace and calms our storms through faith in Jesus (see e.g., Mark 5:7-8, 15, 18-20; Luke 8:24-25, 35, 38-39; John 16:33). In fact, Jesus is filled with healing power, and He can deliver us from Satan’s darkness and disease when we come to Him by faith (see e.g., Luke 8:46-48, 50). By faith in Him, Jesus has the power and authority to cast out and heal all our diseases, demons, and sickness (see e.g., Matthew 4:23-25; Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:40-41). Jesus is the light and power of God (see e.g., Matthew 17:2; Mark 6:51; Luke 4:36; Luke 8:25; Luke 9:29, 43; John 1:4-5).

 

Some people hate Jesus! Jesus calls people to flee and turn away from Satan’s dark and wicked deeds such as greed (covetous), hypocrisy, falsehood, deception, corruption, murder, quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, self-importance, egotism, drunkenness, wild parties, disorderly behavior, discord, impurity, sexual sins, and lustful pleasures (see e.g., Luke 11:39-42, 44, 47-50; Luke 12:1, 15, 45-46; John 7:7; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; Galatians 5:19-22; Ephesians 4:31-32; James 3:14-16).[1] Sadly, certain people love sin and darkness, and they do not want to walk in Jesus’s goodness, truth, and light (see e.g., John 1:4, 9-11; John 3:19). Everyone doing sin and wickedness hates the light and wants to continue in their darkness and evildoing (see e.g., John 3:20; Ephesians 5:11, 13).

 

God the Father and His Son Jesus call everyone to REPENT and TURN from evil and darkness and turn to God’s light, goodness, and truth (see e.g., John 3:21; Acts 20:21; Acts 26:15-20; 1 John 4:17). Both God and His Son Jesus are filled with mercy and compassion. However, God the Father and Jesus command everyone – saint and sinner alike – to REPENT, stop sinning, and turn from darkness, wickedness, and evil and turn to a life of goodness and love towards others (see e.g., Isaiah 55:6-7; Matthew 4:17; Luke 5:32; Luke 6:35; Luke 11:39-54; Luke 13:3, 5, 24-27; Luke 14:12-14; Luke 15:10; John 5:14-15; John 8:11). In fact, God sent His Son Jesus from heaven to earth to call everyone to REPENTANCE and OBEDIENCE and also to save those who are lost and suffering from Satan’s sin, disease, and darkness (see e.g., Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 20:28; Luke 11:28-32; Luke 15:7, 10; Luke 19:10).

 

Our faith and obedience to God’s teaching demonstrates God the Father and Jesus’s Lordship in our lives and hearts and keeps us strong during times of testing and temptation (see e.g., Luke 6:46-51). Moreover, our love, faith, and devotion to God and His Son Jesus bring forgiveness of our many sins, healing, and inner heart peace (see e.g., Matthew 9:2, 22; Luke 5:20; Luke 7:47-50; Luke 8:48).

 

REPENT and come back to God (see e.g., Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31; 2 Corinthians 5:20). Even more, let everyone take time away from their work and busyness to love, worship, and learn from God and His Son Jesus (see e.g., Exodus 20:2-11; Leviticus 26:2; Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Luke 10:38-42). God genuinely loves you!

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[1] Jesus was often called the “new” Moses or one of the Old Testament prophets like Elijah or Jeremiah (see e.g., Matthew 5:1-12; Matthew 16:14; Luke 9:8, 19, 30-31). Like the Old Testament prophets, Jesus spoke against unfaithfulness to God, sin, and wickedness.