God's Love For You

The title of the sermon today is God's Love for You. Have you ever heard a sermon about God's love for you? We've given sermons about loving God and loving one another, but what about God's love for you? Virtually everyone in this auditorium can quote John 3 16. 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. I wonder if we've ever meditated on the importance of this verse. It's probably the best known verse in the whole world as far as the Hebrew Bible is concerned, the Christian Bible. John 3 16 posted various pro-sporting events on fence posts and all around the world. John 3 16. But have you ever really just meditated for more than a few fleeting seconds on the importance and the meaning of that verse? For God so loved the world, there is no way to measure God's love. Without that verse being fulfilled, we would still be in our sins. If it were not for the plan of salvation, we would not even exist. You would not exist. I would not exist because God created the universe and each one of us for a great transcendental purpose. Do I fully comprehend the love of God in Christ? Paul addresses this to some degree in Ephesians 3 14. Here, let's turn there to Ephesians 3 and verse 14. We begin to get a glimpse of God's great love for us here in Ephesians 3 14. Oftentimes, we close sermons with these passages, but here we are at the beginning showing the great love that God has for each one of us. So, in Ephesians 3 and verse 14, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Brother and I speak after the manner of men, though it is but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannuls it or adds thereto. Now, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. I'm reading from Galatians, so you're having trouble following that. Now, in Ephesians 3 14, So, Paul is going to explain to some degree the breadth, the depth, the height of God's love for his created ones who can be born into his family, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by the Spirit and the inner man.

I'm glad he used the inner man there instead of the word soul, which refers to life potential. The inner man, the inner most part of our being, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. So, we heard in the special music with all my heart. It is from the heart that God is looking for. Remember when Samuel went to anoint David as king of Israel, that he said, man looks on the outward part, but God looks on the heart, that you being rooted and grounded in love.

Let's read that verse again. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Faith is a big component. Faith has a sure foundation. That you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints. Do we really comprehend what he's about to say? The love that God has for each one of you, for every person who has ever lived or ever will live, that you may comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ.

Do we really understand it? Do we really claim it? Do we really know it? How much that God and Christ loves each one of us, which passes knowledge. In other words, it passes knowledge and human comprehension. It is so great, which passes knowledge that he might be filled with all the fullness of God. Through the Spirit of God, God and Christ dwells in us, and through that Spirit we can be filled with the fullness of God and come to know him in a more intimate way.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. And to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages and without end. Amen. God loves us so much that he created us in his own image.

And don't take this for granted and what the implications are for it, because we are going to talk about the implications as well as of God creating us in his image. So let's turn to Genesis 1 and verse 26. In Genesis 1 and verse 26, God said, Let us make man in our image. Make man in our image. Have you ever thought about that? Just think about it. That we are made in the image of God.

To make man in our image after our likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. Male and female created he them. Of course, the male and female part is a part of the great plan, because it is through the male and female part that you have marriage, and you have then the begettle and birth of children, which to a large degree parallels what God is doing in the spiritual sense, a very purpose of our existence.

Now we look at in the New Testament, where we also find this stated a little bit differently in James 3 and verse 9, with regard that we are made in the image of God. And sometimes we, of course, forget this, and we use our tongue, and oftentimes, as we say, the tongue gets in motion before our brains, and we blurt out something that we didn't intend to say we wish we had not have said it, it was difficult to take it back, but God is merciful, and we can repent.

This is James 3 and verse 19, therewith, that is, with the tongue, bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which were made after the similitude. The word similitude is homeo-osis, and it means in the exact image, the exact pattern of God. Now, if we want to get an unglorified glimpse of God, we can look at the mirror, look in the mirror, and you see yourself. Here is an unglorified image of God, because it says we are made in His image.

Remember what Jesus said unto Philip. Let's go over now to John 14 and verse 6. John 14 and verse 6.

Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. That will be satisfied if you show us the Father. And Jesus said unto him, Have I not been so long with you, and yet that you have not known me? Philip, for he that has seen me has seen the Father. And how do you say that? And why do you ask? And why do you say, show us the Father? Believe you not that I am in the Father, the Father in me, the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but of the Father that dwells in me, he does the works.

According to Matthew chapter 5, so let's go there to Matthew chapter 5, to call your brother a fool, put you in danger of Gehenna fire. That's how sacred the verses are that we are made in the image of God, the homeosis that we are in the very image of God. If you've seen me, you've seen the Father, Jesus said. Now look at this in Matthew 5 and verse 22. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment, and whosoever shall say to his brother Rechah shall be in danger of the counsel.

But whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of Gehenna fire. That is the Greek. It's not the grave, it is Gehenna fire, in hell fire to be burned up. It's a very sobering kind of verse to think about when you speak about one of God's creation, a potential son or daughter of God. That's what the scripture says. To call him or her a fool, you'd be in danger of Gehenna fire.

In all of this, we should ask yourself, what limitations have I placed on God? Have I placed limitations on God? You probably haven't consciously thought about how you've limited God in your thoughts and actions. Everything that God does flows from the greatest characteristic of his being. Now, what is the greatest characteristic of his being? Well, the greatest characteristic of his being is love. The Apostle John, if you go to 1 John 4, 8, twice in this chapter of 1 John 4, Jesus inspires John to write, or God through the Holy Spirit inspires John to write what we're about to read here, 1 John 4 and verse 8. Twice in this chapter, it says that God is love. 1 John 4, 8, He that loves not knows not God, for God is love. Then in verse 16, and we have known and believed the love of God has to us, God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him. So when you say that something is something, that means that that is their state of being. God's state of being is love. He is love. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. His state of being.

Everything that God does and everything that he has created flows from his love. Yet there's another reason why God's love always abounds towards you and me. And what is that reason? Do you know what it is? Everything that God does is because he is love. That is his state of being. But there's another reason why God does what he does. And God, who has promised, cannot lie, and he will always fulfill his promise. So let's look at Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. How many times have we read and heard that? Verse 2, he makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leaves me beside the still waters. Verse 3, he restores my soul. He leaves me in the paths of righteousness. Why? For his name's sake. For his name's sake.

So if you ever focus on that clause when reading the 23rd Psalm, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. And all the rest of the Psalm. The reason why he does it is for his name's sake. I would venture to say that very few have ever focused on that clause. What does that clause mean? In other words, God must fulfill everything he has promised in his word to preserve his name and word and reputation. God, as Paul writes to Titus, God who has promised, God who cannot lie.

Now an example of this is the promise of the Messiah. If we go to Isaiah 9 in verse 6, we're talking about for his name's sake. In other words, everything that God has promised he's going to do. And one of the reasons why he does what he does is because he is love. But on the other hand, and shouldn't be probably on the other hand, but going hand in glove with that, we go to Isaiah 9 in verse 6, the promise of the Messiah, the prophecy, for unto us a child is born, for unto us a son is given. And his government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, to establish it with judgment, with justice, from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. God has a great zeal in performing what he has promised, what he will do. There are many other verses that state God's actions are for his namesake. We'll look at at least two more. We'll look now at Luke 21 and verse 17. So you can be sure that what God has promised in the sense that his love abounds toward us, we said Luke 21 and verse 17. I think I said that I may not have. Luke 21 and verse 17.

Luke 21 verse 17.

And you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. In other words, if you stand in the gap, if you stand in the gap and you stand for that which is right, and there are people all over this nation who are standing in the gap, who are battling in the cultural wars. Not to say that I'm sure you stand whenever you can. I stand whenever I can with regard to that and speak whatever I can speak. But for his name's sake, you'll be hated for all nations. Why? Because you believe in the plan and purpose of God. You understand what it is, and you're willing to be able to share that. In fact, one of the commendations of the church, you'll look at Revelation 2 and the seven churches there in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 in book of Revelation. You'll notice in Revelation chapter 2, the commendation therefore, Ephesus, and have borne to have patience, and for my name's sake have labored and have not fainted. In other words, you have endured to the end. Why did you do it for his name's sake? That you are determined to help God fulfill his promises. So everything that God created was for fulfilling his purpose, for his will to be done, for his love to be extended throughout the universe to all human beings. We look at Revelation chapter 4 and verse 11, where in the old King James there is a better translation in the new King James, I guess. I would imagine other translations have corrected this. In Revelation 4, 11, you are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things and for your pleasure. That great word for pleasure there is thalema, and it means for your purpose, for your plan, for your will. This particular word thalema occurs 63 times in the New Testament. 62 times it is translated as will. There's only one time it's translated as pleasure, and here it is. It should be, you have created all things and for your will they are and were created. In other words, to fulfill God's great will and purpose. Now we go to Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 11, we see where it is translated that way. I don't know why the King James translators would translate it as pleasure in Revelation 4.11, but here we are in Ephesians 4 verses 11 and 12, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose, and that word purpose, according to the will of him who has worked all things after the counsel of his own will. And here is his purpose and his will, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. Brother, we are among the first fruits, as we observed Pentecost just a couple or three weeks ago. So as we have explained, the Greek word that Laman translated as pleasure in Revelation 5.11 is the same word that is translated will here in Ephesians 5 and verse 12, and is translated that way 62 times in the New Testament. God's love is infinitely greater than anything we can comprehend, much less describe. There are many, many aspects of God's love toward you. The Song of Solomon. You probably haven't turned there today, so let's turn there. The Song of Solomon. I heard a Jewish rabbi the other day talking. He said that some of the Jews taught that you couldn't read the Song of Solomon unless you were a 40-year-old male because of some of the language in it. But it's really an allegory between Christ and his church.

Christ is telling the bride how much he loves her, and the bridegroom is telling the church how much he loves her. I said it wrong the first time. The church is telling the bridegroom how much she loves him, and then the bridegroom is telling the church how much he loves her. The Song of Solomon. This is Song of Solomon 1. The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.

Of course, you wonder about Jesus Christ kissing you.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. Of course, in a marriage, you can look at this, of course, from an allegory using a physical relationship that you will find in marriage, but the ultimate spiritual import is that of Christ and the church and the church and Christ. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than mine. I would hope so. Because of the Savior of the good ointments, your name is an ointment. Pour forth, therefore, do the virgins love you.

Draw me, we will run after you. The king has brought me into his chambers. Of course, the chambers, the bride will be waiting in the chambers into the wedding service, the wedding supper of the Lamb. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine, the upright love you. So the church loves Jesus Christ, and then, in turn, we're just going to read one more verse from Song of Solomon. We go to 7.10, Song of Solomon, chapter 7, verse 10. I am my beloved, and his desire is toward me. Christ's desire is toward you. He wants to see you at the marriage supper of the Lamb. As the Psalmist writes, his thoughts are ever toward this. Let's note this now in Psalm 139, and we'll begin in verse 7. Psalm 139, back a few pages from Song of Solomon in Psalm 139, beginning in verse 7.

God's thoughts are ever toward us according to the Psalmist. His desire is toward us according to Song of Solomon 7, verse 10. In Psalm 139, verse 7, where shall I go from your presence, or your spirit, and where shall I go from your presence? So God's spirit pervades the universe, his presence. If I send up into heaven, you're there. If I make my bed in shield below in the grave, behold, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light unto me. Yea, the darkness hides not from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike unto you. For you have possessed my reins. You have covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and marvelous are your works, and that my soul, my inner being knows right well. The marvelous creation of a human being, and they're discovering more and more every day. I've forgotten how many computers it would take to be able to fully duplicate the human mind. Of course, now with the advances they have in artificial intelligence, some of that is probably going to change. Now we skip down to verse 17. It's really where I want to go. How precious are your thoughts unto me! Oh God, how great is the sum of them! Do you think that God is thinking about you? Well, according to the Bible, and we say we believe the Bible, according to the Bible it says that His thoughts are toward us. Continuing in verse 18, if I should count them, they are more than the sand when I awake, I am still with you. His Spirit pervades, His presence pervades the universe that we read in verse 7. No matter where I go or where you go, His thoughts are ever toward us. We are currently a spouse to Christ. We go now to 2 Corinthians 11, and we shall see that in Scripture that we are a spouse to Him than in His desire, as we read from the Song of Solomon chapter 7 verse 10, as ever toward us. In 2 Corinthians 11, we'll start in verse 1. Would to God you would bear with me a little in my folly, and indeed bear with me, for I am jealous with you, with godly jealousy, I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ.

We are espoused to Christ. In other words, we are engaged. We're in that engagement period. We're in the Begettled stage with Christ.

And you know, so many of you have been engaged before, and you know what it's like. I mean, your thoughts are continually on the bride and what you're going to do, and on and on and on. It goes. Now we go to Revelation 19 verse 6. You see, we're espoused to Christ, but a wedding ceremony has been planned for the saints, those who are faithful, who make it to the wedding ceremony of the Lamb, who overcomes, who understands God's love for them. And that's one of the keys for making it, because to understand that allows you to be able to deal with the great trials and pressures of this life. And whatever trial or circumstance is thrown toward you, you can overcome it because of God's love for you and what he has promised. Revelation 19.6, And I heard, as it were, the voice of great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come. And his wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be a raid and fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. So we are going to be in that wedding ceremony, hopefully. You and I miss out on some of God's greatest blessings because we don't fully grasp his love for us. As we've already noted, there would be no creation, no you, no me, without God's love. Well, without God's love, there would be no grace, no divine favor, no plan of salvation. So let us focus on some of the aspects of God's infinite love for you and for every human that has ever existed. But before that, let's keep in mind what 2 Peter 3 and verse 9 says with regard to all of this. We turn back a few pages to 2 Peter. We're in Revelation chapter 4, I think, to 2 Peter 3 and verse 9.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promises as some men count slackness, but as long suffering to us we're not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. However, we know that everybody want, but yet at the same time that is God's desire, that is his purpose, that is his plan, and God experiences a full range of human emotions, and he does not endorse sin in any form. You look at Psalm 7 and verse 11. Psalm 7 and verse 11 says that God is angry with the wicked every day, I believe it says. It doesn't mean that he doesn't love them, regardless of how far we may wander. And by wander, I don't just mean you start living the profligate life, the life of the prodigal son, and you go off and you plunge into this world. I don't mean that necessarily. You can wander so far from God in your mind. So be careful that the wandering does not lodge in your heart. But notice the words of Isaiah the prophet under inspiration in Isaiah 5 and verse 25.

Isaiah 5 and verse 25.

Even though the prophets took Israel to task time after time, one of the things that virtually every prophet and major prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the minor prophets, all 12 of them, there's always this promise of restitution upon repentance.

And Isaiah 5.25. Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindle against his people, and he has stretched forth his hand against them and has smitten them, and the hills did tremble and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. And of course, that day is coming. Judgment is coming. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. And God's hand is still stretched out to anyone who will repent and turn to him. And God is always there to welcome the frustrated, the depressed, wanderer, home upon repentance, as in the case of the prodigal son. They killed the fatted calf. The son that stayed at home, he couldn't believe it. They're killing the fatted calf for him. I mean, he's gone out and wasted his life. He's thrown it away. I stayed home, did everything right. They never killed the fatted calf for me. And of course, the father consoled the son and said, son, I had what you with me always. So there's great joy in heaven when one sinner repents. But be careful as to how far you wander. You can wander in your mind so far away, and you can create faith barriers that are more difficult, probably, than living the life of the prodigal son. There you know and know that you know you're doing wrong. So there's the admonition in Proverbs that says, keep your mind when you, while it says, keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life. I believe that's Proverbs 4.16. Out of it flow the issues of life.

So be careful how far you wander. God loves everyone, and he sent his son to die and pay the price to buy us back for sin and death, from sin and death. The apostle Paul states that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God in Romans 3.23. And all sin is against God, against God in that he has revealed his moral code to humankind. Thus to break any of his commandments is sin against God. You know, we have the example of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph, and he resisted and he said, and he resisted and he said, I would be sinning against God if I give in to your efforts to seduce me. After Nathan the prophet came to David and confronted him with his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah's death, he writes in Psalm 51.4, against you and you only have us sinned. In the case of David, his sin was also against himself. All sin is against God, because God is the great law-giver, and all sin is against self because the wages of sin is death. And then, of course, some sin is against another person. In the case of David, the sin was against God, the sin was against himself, the sin was against Bathsheba, the sin was against the child, and the child died. Uriah was killed. On the other hand, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And that is, of course, Romans 6.23, which we've all memorized. God loves us so much that we're called his children, even though we're in the Begettle stage. Now, some would argue, oh, the Bible says that we are children of God. Yes, we are children of God, but we are still in the Begettle stage. Let's look at 1 John 3.1.

In 1 John 3 and verse 1, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. We are sons, we are daughters, we are begotten. This should answer a lot of questions about abortion, but that's another subject. Therefore, the world knows us not because it knew him not. Beloved, now we are the sons of God. It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And, of course, Revelation 1.5 says that Jesus Christ is the firstborn from the dead. And then Romans 1 verses 3 and 4 says that he became the son of God by the resurrection from the dead. Just as a loving Father here on earth disciplines his children, our Heavenly Father, because he loves us so much, he disciplines us when we go astray. And we look at this in Hebrews 12 and verse 5. Hebrews 12 verse 5. Back there a few pages from 1 John. Hebrews 12 verse 5. And you have forgotten the exhortations which speak unto you as unto children, my son despises not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him, for whom the Lord loves he chastens. He corrects, he disciplines, and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with us with you as sons. For what son is he whom the Father chastens not? But if you're without chastisement, of which we are all partakers, in other words, everybody's sinned, everybody needs it. And if you go undisciplined, then are you illegitimate and not sons? But God, in his love and his mercy, always corrects us. Now we look at Proverbs 3 and verse 11. In Proverbs 3 and verse 11. Now there's another aspect of which we'll read in just a moment with regard to God, God disciplining us. See, he prunes every vine, even though it might be doing well, just like you might have a tree that has borne a lot of good fruit. But then you prune it, so it'll bring forth more fruit. And so he prunes everyone, even though they may be doing right. So when Job's three friends came to him, while Job just fests up your sins, you'll be healed. Of course, Job had sinned. Eventually he sinned even more in his conversations. I said Proverbs 3 and 11, My son despised not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction, for whom the Lord loves he corrects, even as a father, his son, in whom he delights.

Now God allows us to be afflicted generally for a purpose, but sometimes it's just so that we might bear more fruit. Let's go to Lamentations chapter 3 and verse 22. Lamentations right after Jeremiah, Lamentations after Jeremiah. Of course, Jeremiah gave that great prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah that was coming, but then he wrote Lamentations for them to take heart, to realize what God had done in Lamentations 3 verse 22. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because his compassion's failed not. No matter if you're in the deepest, darkest dungeon on the face of the earth, you can pray. There's no one that can take prayer away from you. No one. No matter if you've been beaten, scurred, starved, solitary confinement, you name it, whatever it is, you can still cry out to God. They are new every morning. That is God's mercy as great as your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul. Therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait on him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Of course, we get impatient, and that's one of the things that I surely need more of. I need more patience. There's a verse in Luke that says, and your patience possesses you, your souls. It is good for a man that he bears the yoke in his youth. He sits alone and keeps silence because he has borne it upon him. He puts his mouth in the dust. If it so be, there be hope. He gives his cheek to him that smites him. He is full with reproach, for the Lord will not cast off forever, but though he caused grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he does not afflict willfully nor grieve the children of men to crush them. There is a purpose within it.

God's love is perfect, and perfect love casts out fear. So let's go back to 1 John 4.18. 1 John 4 and verse 18. We read 16.4.16 that God is love. Let's start with 17. 1 John 4 and verse 17. In 1 John 4.17, hearing is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in the world.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we have boldness in the day of judgment.

Of course, there is, like we talk about leading up to Passover, we reconcile to God in Christ and each member of the body of Christ. If that is the case, then there is boldness. There is no fear, because as he is, so are we in the world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. Fear has torment. Fear is not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us. If a man says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For he that loves his brother, whom he has seen, how can he love God, whom he has not seen? This is the commandment that we have from him, that he who loves God loves his brother also.

So one of the main ways for God's love to be perfected in us is through our obedience. In 1 John, we're in 1 John, go back to 1 John 2. So one of the main ways for our love to be perfected is to love the brotherhood, which we'll read another scripture about that. But there is one here, since we're so close, in 1 John 2 and verse 5. 1 John 2 verse 5, But whoso keeps his word in him barely is the love of God perfected. If you keep his word, if you obey his word, the love of God is perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him. He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked.

Of course, we are very familiar with 1 John 5.3, which says, For this is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. So we love God by loving those who are made in his image.

Let's read one more scripture here from 1 John 4 and verse 12, since we're there. 1 John 4 and verse 12, No man has seen God at any time. If you love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us. And of course, if you don't, the opposite obviously is true. Now to Matthew 25, where we so often go with this. In Matthew 25 and verse 31, Matthew 5 and verse 31, When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my father, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was a hundred, and you gave me meat, I was thirsty, you gave me drink, I was a stranger, you took me in. Naked, you clothed me, I was sick, you visited me, I was in prison, you came unto me. Then shall the righteous enter him, saying, Lord, when saw we you a hunger, and fed you, or thirst, and gave you drink? When did we see you a stranger, and took you in, or naked, and clothed you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came to you? And the king shall say unto them, Barely, barely I say unto you, insomuch that you have done it to the least one of these my brethren, you've done it unto me. So we love God by serving those who are made in his image. And one of the things about God's love for us is that nothing can separate us from the love of God. No obstacle God has promised, but there's one thing, there's only one being, one thing, and it can be in your mind and in your heart as I talked about, as I mentioned, about wandering away from God. And that is only one being can separate you from the love of God, and that is you. So let's look at Romans 8.31. Romans 8.31.

What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. See, if you have a repentant, exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ, been baptized, received, the laying on of hands, have the Holy Spirit been begotten by God's Spirit, and you're living a faithful life, repenting when you sin, coming before him, is faithful and just, forgive you of all unrighteousness, he views you as sinless, and he will not be separated from you. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes, rather than has risen again. Who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or stress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? None of these things, no external thing, as it is written for your sake. Of course, this is a key scripture here. We're killed all the day long, which means, what does that mean? You have to give up self. The three S battles Satan, self, Satan, society, and self, and probably the hardest one, is self.

As it is written for your sake, we're killed all the day long. In other words, the state of being is humility. We're accounted as sheep for the slaughter. I'm as good as dead, and I know that if it were not for the love of God, I would not even exist. And if I did exist, if it were not for the love of God, I would be dead. Now, in all these things, were more than conquerors through him that loved us, where I'm persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, similar to what we read from Ephesians 1, 14, 15, to the end of the chapter, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, brethren, when we are at the crossroads of life, we can call on the love of God to see us through the darkest times. He's promised that he will never leave us or forsake us. We can claim the promise. The Bible says the just shall live by faith. And, of course, faith has a firm foundation. That foundation, God who is promised, God who cannot lie, he is promised, and he will perform it. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it until that day. So, brethren, we are commanded to rejoice in God's love. We'll close out with this here, this scripture, and a comment or two in Philippians 4 and verse 1. Philippians 4 and verse 1. Philippians 4 verse 1. Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved, and longed for my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech you a dias and beseech sentechi that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat you also true fellow, true yoke fellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with clement also with each other my fellow labors, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice. So let's all rejoice in God's love.