You are the Beloved of God!

I am excited to share with you that God our Father calls you His beloved. The world says that God loves them like He loves the birds and animals, just everyone and everything equally. The world relates to a God who they think loves us all unconditionally but the depth of the relationship is never real or experienced because our weaknesses keep God at a distance from us.

As believers, we must receive the love of the Father by faith and allow His love for us to bring peace, joy and confidence in this life and the life to come. Let's look at how God loves Jesus, knowing that if we see in the Word how He loves Jesus, we will know how He loves us.

God declares His love for Jesus: In Matthew 3:17, The Father declares He loves Jesus before Jesus has done any miracle. You see, God loved Jesus just because He was His Son, not by actions. Also in Matthew 17:5, The Father again calls Jesus His beloved.

Jesus declares how the Father loves Him: In John 5:18-19, Jesus tells us that the Father loves Him and shows Jesus all things. In a true loving relationship with the Father, the Father doesn't want you guessing how to be successful, but He desires to show you his way of life.

Jesus prays to the Father reminding Him of their relationship and that the future believers (us) would, could and shall have the same loving relationship that they have together as Father and Son. It is ours in Jesus' name! (John 17:20-23)

The Bible declares that we are not standing in our strength or abilities or deeds, but we stand before the Father in Christ. I John 4:17, "because as He (Christ) is, so are we in this world." Know that the Father loves Jesus, and thus, the Father loves us. Don't view the love of our Father based upon what our earthly fathers did or didn't do, or through the lens of our frailties and weaknesses, but stand before the Father in Jesus Christ. Receive your position of love and grace by faith in the work Jesus has done for you. Stop striving and start believing how you are in Christ!

Declare this over you this week:
- I am the beloved of God
- I have the peace of God
- The Father is showing me His ways
- As the Father loves Jesus, He loves me

Romans 8:37-39,"...nothing can separate you for the love of God in Christ Jesus."

You are the beloved of God, enjoy your position,

Jesus Christ is within you,

Pastor Art

Greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved

The road to Resurrection Sunday: Maundy Thursday

Morning all,

As we prepare to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection (halleluiah!) of our Lord and all that it means, lets take a moment today to reflect on this day of the Passion Week, Maundy Thursday.

What is Maundy Thursday? It is the day set aside in many denominations to commemorate the Last Supper and all that took place with Jesus and His disciples there. It was then that He instituted the New Covenant in His blood and His body through what we now demonstrate in the taking of Communion. Thank you, Jesus!

Here are some scripture that you can read within the context of remembering this day:

Matthew 26 (all)

John 13 (all)

Be blessed today as you remember all that Christ has done for you and for me,

Copastor Dee