Sharing Love

Series: “Longing for Christmas”

Part 4

“Sharing Love”

Pastor Jerry

John 1:1-14

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Have you given anyone your love today? 

Have you received love from anyone today?

Giving and receiving love is the most precious experience you will have today. The desire to share our life with someone is the expression of our soul.

 Have you ever tried to share your love with someone, but they would not accept it? Or, has someone ever tried to share their love with you, but you didn’t allow it? Well…Christmas is about sharing love… it’s about God sharing His love with us…and if you have not received Jesus into your life …you have not accepted God’s love for you!

People get all messed up about getting ready for Christmas. A kindly 90-year-old grandmother found buying presents for family and friends a bit much one Christmas, so she wrote out checks for all of them to put in their Christmas cards. In each card she carefully wrote, “Buy your own present” and then sent them off. But she sent them without the checks! That’s a Christmas they will long remember!

Giving gifts at Christmas is a way of sharing love. Giving and receiving love is the most precious gift and experience you will have this Christmas. Today, I want to talk about our desperate need here to be loved and our misunderstanding about it. Desperately inside, we are screaming out “Love me.” Some of you may not want to admit it. We have a deep need to be loved by God. We need to let God show us how. Our ways are not God’s ways. 

We’re all in different stages of our spiritual journey. There are trying to find out if God is real, some of you don’t feel worthy enough to be love, and, some of you are totally committed to Jesus Christ. That’s good, that’s what we all should be trying to be.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, my prayer for today’s message is that when you leave, you would not leave the same person. We’re spinning around in a love starved world.  And we desperately need love. You look for love in many places…but, it’s not what your heart and soul needs.

“What does your heart and soul need?” 

Your greatest need is not money, it is not more time, and it is not another partner. Your greatest need is to be loved. You need God’s love. The Bible boldly proclaims there is only one love in the universe that has what it takes to meet this love-starved need. And it’s God’s love. That’s why Christmas came! I pray that today the love of Christmas will become real to you.

 And because we so desperately want to be loved, we’re willing to do desperate things to get love.  That’s where God’s love is so different. You don’t have to do anything …except let God have your heart. Have you experienced God’s love? Have you experienced that God loves you on your good days? And God loves you on your bad days? Why? Because “God is love.” 

Have you ever had a misunderstanding of God’s love for you. And therefore when God came to offer you His wonderful love…you turned it away? God loves you…like no one else can.

I remember before I had kids that I said my kid is not going to be like some of those children I saw at that time. Oh no. my kid is not going to act like that. I remember being invited over to some friend’s house for dinner and they sat me next to a one-year-old. And it was by far the grossest experience of my life. Here I was trying to eat and the kid has got ten pounds of yams coming out his ears. And then the parents give him Jell-O. He’s got Jell-O everywhere. Then he puts his hands toward me and I whisper to him, “You touch me and I know I’ll drop dead!” (That’s before I had kids my own).

Then it wasn’t too long after I was married that I was in a delivery room. I was right there. I wasn’t in the lobby, Then the baby came and there were four of us in the room. And you go crazy. I run out of the room to call my wife to tell her what happened! (She wasn’t home!) 

 When my child was born it was at that moment I started crying at the miracle. I experienced the love of the universe. Then the doctor said, “Do you want to hold him?” I thought, “No, he looks slippery.” But I took him. And as he grabbed my pinkie it was as if God reached into my soul and grabbed me and said, “Jerry, the love that you’re feeling right now, you multiply that times infinity and that’s how much more I love you.” 

I can’t explain it but at that moment I experienced God’s love. Everything I had studied, everything I had heard, everything I knew seemed insignificant now, because it was here in God’s presence that I experienced His love and it was unbelievable. That’s just a reflection of the joy and miracle and love of the birth of Christ at Christmas!

When we get our arms around God’s love and we know that it’s personal, we live again, we live anew. I can live because God knows everything about me and He still loves me. His love for us is not based on whether we respond to it or not. God is love. It’s unconditional. No strings attached. The big idea is that God would love us as if there were only one of us to love.

I challenge you this Christmas. Share love with someone. When you give true love away, you get a little bit of the glimpse of God’s love for you. 

A recent story during the pandemic reads like a made for the movie story. It’s about a young woman who catches the Covid virus which causes heart damage. She is beating the virus but she can’t live much longer without a heart transplant. A second young woman who is happily married is involved in a car accident and fatally injured. Her heart is salvaged and placed in the body of the first young woman with the damaged heart because of the Coronavirus.

Eventually, the grieving husband begins to move back into life. One day he served by a waitress who happens to be the recipient of his dead wife’s heart. Their eyes meet and fall in love. He invites her to dinner in his home. She finds the “thank you” letter she wrote to the donor of her new heart. She is living because his wife died. The man falls back into grief.

The shock is too great. He cannot bear that this woman is living while his beloved wife is dead. She has to disappear…she runs away. Working through his grief he admits his love. He pursues her and they’re reunited. From the mixture of pain and joy they’re granted a gift of new life. It’s a love because of sacrifice.

The gift of a new heart comes at Christmas and we hold it in our hands. We never completely own it. We only receive it and use it. God blesses us at Christmas with that Gift! God blesses us with the gift of Jesus. That gift can give us a new life.

The words of Jesus come ringing down from heaven, “I have come that you might have life….” I Love you! That is God’s gift at Christmas. Will you make room in your heart for God’s love? Will you let Jesus love you? Christmas is about God sharing His love with us.

God loves you and He wants to share His love with you right now.  That why we are celebrating Christmas. Would you just pause right now …open your heart …and let Jesus love you!

Experiencing Joy

Series: “Longing for Christmas”

Part 3

“Experiencing Joy”

Pastor Jerry

Matthew 11:2-6

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“Are you ready for Christmas?” Giving gifts at Christmastime is a beautiful tradition, there is something special about expressing our love with a special holiday gift. However, the real meaning of Christmas is not giving, right? Actually, no. Christmas is so much more than that.

So then, the real meaning of Christmas is about the people in your life that you love – right?

As much as I feel the importance of loved ones every Christmas, no, that’s not the real meaning of Christmas. Many people love their friends and family, but who do not celebrate Christmas.

Okay, so what is the real meaning of Christmas? Well, the real meaning of Christmas is something higher and infinitely better than giving and being with loved ones. But I am going to wait a bit latter to give you my answer to that question.

So, I must ask you again, “Are you ready for Christmas?” People are getting their gifts together to give away at Christmas. You know, however, that the greatest gifts of all at Christmas are the gifts that God gives to us: Hope, Peace, Joy…Love! Today we’re going to take a look together at God’s Gift of Joy and how God wants to give you and me an incredible Joy that we can live our lives with.

Do you have this “Joy” today that God wants to give to you? You know it is easy to write off joy as something that’s just not possible for our lives. We look at a verse like 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Always be joyful.” If you’ve had a particularly tough week, when you hear a verse like that doesn’t it bug you? Maybe you came in today feeling bad. You don’t have any joy. 

We sang “Joy to the World” as our opening song this morning. That means everyone and everywhere. Is that really possible (with the pandemic, with the cost of living sky rocketing, with gun violence)—joy in this world? There are a couple of things that keep us from feeling like that’s a possibility. Things that you and I face on a daily basis…

  1. The bad that shouldn’t happen.

A lot of the bad things that happen in our lives, we bring them on ourselves. But there are bad things that happen to us and in this world that just shouldn’t happen. We didn’t bring it on ourselves. Because of that we wonder, “Can joy really be mine in this world?”

  1. The good that doesn’t happen.

The good things that we want to happen that don’t happen in our lives. The dream that we’ve had that doesn’t seem to be able to come true. The prayer that we pray that doesn’t seem to get answered, at least not the way we wanted it to get answered.

The other day when I was searching for a Christmas card, I saw a card that I thought Vonda might buy me. (We’re always teasing each other). On the outside it read: “Sweetheart, you’re the answer to my prayers.”  Then inside, it said this: “You’re not what I prayed for exactly, but apparently you’re the answer.”

John the Baptist had been praying for the Messiah his whole life. John’s idea of Jesus was someone who would, preach fire and brimstone. John was confused. Jesus wasn’t like he thought He would be. He sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one to come. Jesus wasn’t exactly what John had prayed for. We sometimes have a hard time seeing Jesus for whom He really is. Because we have our own ideas of whom Jesus should be. We might need Jesus to answer that question for us today too, “Are you the One?”

The message of Christmas is, because of Jesus you can choose to be a joyful person. It’s a choice. It’s something that must be chosen in our lives. But, “How?” You don’t automatically become joyful because you read the Bible more. How does it happen? How do you choose joy? We’ve got to focus on what only God can do, the joy that He can bring. Then, you will see how you can move from where you are to genuine joy in this world.

We’re going to let the Bible show us how to get from here to there today, let some guys who were part of the first Christmas – the shepherds. God brought them a message of joy. They made some choices, some of the same kind of choices that you and I can make today that bring joy into our lives. Three choices that result in joy…

  1. CHOOSE TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS.

Have you ever been really down and the phone rings and you answer it and it’s some good news?  All of a sudden, your spirits are lifted. That’s the power that good news has to bring joy into our lives. It’s the kind of thing that happened to these shepherds the first Christmas. Luke 2:10 says, “But the angel said to them…‘I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”  Not just for the shepherds but for all who hear. God wants to bring you today that message of joy. What’s the good news? That Jesus has come.

The Good News is that Jesus Christ came to tell us that God loves us, offers forgiveness and to make a difference in the direction of our life. That is the Good News that Jesus Christ came to bring.

Romans 1:16 tells us how good this good news really is when it says, “I am not ashamed of this good news about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven.  Now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way.” The Good News is that God has invited you to have a new relationship with Him. That’s what Christmas is saying. God is calling you. He called to tell you “I love you…I want to forgive you and help you in your life.”

But you may look at your life and say, “My life is full of problems. Where is there any good news in that?” James 1:2-3 “Dear brothers and sisters whenever trouble comes your way let it be an opportunity for joy for when your faith is tested your endurance has a chance to grow.”  Joy isn’t in the troubles. The joy is in the fact that God can work even through the struggles of life as I put my faith in Jesus. That’s the good news. Joy is not having perfect circumstances. Otherwise none of us could have joy. The truth is that God is working even in the midst of the problems. The shepherds teach us that. They also teach us a second thing about where joy comes from. It starts when you listen to the good news…

  1. JOY CONTINUES WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO DO WHAT GOD SAYS.

These shepherds heard God tell them to go and find a baby, laying in a manger. They did. And when they did, they found joy. Luke 2:15 says, “When the angel had left them and went into heaven the shepherds said to one another ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.’”  Why did they go? Because they believed what God said! They trusted what God had said.

Yet, there are a lot of us that have not trusted what God has said. You hear God say to you “Trust Me with your life.”  But you don’t.  I’m here to tell you this morning that it’s never too late to trust Him. Today may be your day to trust Him again. Christmas is the time that joy can happen in our lives.  John 16:24 “Until now you’ve not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.”  The key is “ask.” What do you need to ask God for this Christmas?  Joy happens in our lives when you and I decide to do what God has said to do.

Joy comes when you hear the good news. Joy comes when you do what God says to do. Then there’s a third thing these shepherds remind us of.

III.  JOY COMES WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO TELL SOMEONE ELSE.

We can bring joy into the life of another by the things that we do and the words that we say.

Good News is not to be hidden. It needs to be shared. These shepherds immediately shared the good news about what God is doing.  Luke 2:17 “When they’d seen Him (the baby Jesus) they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.”  They went out and immediately told everybody else.

It’s what you and I need to do. With joy we need to tell what God is doing in our lives. Tell someone in your family, at work, at school. If you care about them, you want them to know and to experience the same good news that God wants for you.

Invite a family member or friend to come to church with you this Christmas. People want to be asked. They want to be in church at Christmas. Luke 15 tells us why there’s such a burst of joy when we tell the good news to other people. “I tell you there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to change.”  The joy of telling the good news is the joy of telling someone everything can change. Not every circumstance, but everything about you can change.

Okay, I told you I would tell you what is the real meaning of Christmas? Earlier, I said the real meaning of Christmas is something higher and infinitely better than giving and being with those we love.

Christmas is about totally unconditional, inconceivably awesome, self-denying …TRUE LOVE. The apostle John said the word gospel means Good News. He wrote: “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)

God’s greatest gift is: the blessing of Joy that came with the birth of His son. Christmas is about Christ! The center of all that we do this Christmas season should go all the way back to the manger and the birth of Jesus. There will be no gift that we can ever give or receive that will touch what God gave to all of us.  Jesus… is the real meaning of Christmas and it fills our hearts and our lives and the world with real joy!

Finding Peace

Series: “Longing for Christmas”

Part 2

“Finding Peace”

Pastor Jerry

Mark 4:35-41

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Since the beginning of recorded history, the world has been entirely at peace only 8% of the time. In other words, only 286 years in over 3,100 years, have we been without war. And what about personal peace? In the midst of shootings, and personal turmoil, and the continued Covid pandemic, can the hope of Christmas still deliver peace?

Have you ever wondered if anyone else feels this way? The truth is that you are not alone. Everyone is on this same path, seeking answers to the uncertainty that afflict the world. Seldom in all history has mankind had to cope with so much fear and doubt. We desperately want peace, yet feel hopeless that we will ever find it.

Peace of mind is one of the top goals everyone wants to achieve. Like most people, we want some inner peace in our life. Many people will try to profit off of your state of mind by guaranteeing that they have the key to what you are looking for. I saw an ad for a perfume this week called a “Scent of Peace.” The tag line says, “Wear it to have an uplifting feeling”

Now, folks, if it were all that easy– just put a little perfume on and you’ll have peace of mind. Peace of mind is such an important concept in life that people will do almost anything to find it. They will travel to exotic places, do crazy thing like using brain-destroying drugs. They will experiment with bizarre rituals. They will try all kinds of things.

 I am convinced that there is a great hunger of mind and thirst of soul on the part of the average person for peace! All humanity is seeking the answer to the confusion, the moral sickness, the spiritual emptiness that oppresses the world. All mankind is crying out for peace. But the truth is very few people are at peace with themselves. Most people carry a high degree of stress, of anxiety, of tension in their lives.

The world has grown in power and in knowledge…we have access to just about anything we’d ever want to know, right at our fingertips. And yet….our hearts remain empty, our lives are anything but peaceful, and nothing seems to satisfy. Why are we still empty? Let’s find out what it is and how to gain it.

As a pastor, I have noticed that there are three things that steal the peace of mind that God intends for us to have.

  1. When circumstances are uncontrollable we often lose our peace. As you know much of life is beyond your control. You get frustrated because you get sick and there’s nothing you can do about it. You are told of a strange virus and you don’t know how to combat it safely. We visit the malls and don’t know if it will be safe to do so today. Lots of things just end up being out of your control. When that happens we lose our peace of mind.

Another thing that steals the peace of mind that God intends for us to have:

  1. When people are unchangeable we tend to lose our peace. People naturally resist change. And they resent it when you try to change them. Have you ever tried to convince someone to get vaccinated? But they just don’t cooperate and you can’t figure out why. They resist it and they resent you. The quickest way to lose your peace of mind is to try to change somebody else because most people are just not going to change. So we lose our peace.

A third thing that steals our peace of mind

  1. When problems are unexplainable. We know that life is not fair. Not everybody has a happy ending and live happily ever after. What makes it more difficult is that you are not always going to know why. And when you don’t know why things don’t happen in your life you tend to get anxious, nervous, stressed. And you lose your peace.

God has promised peace of mind because it’s a fundamental need of your life. That’s the promise of Christmas: the gift of the “Prince of Peace.” One of the Hebrew names of God – is Jehovah Shalom. Shalom means peace. Jehovah Shalom means, “I am the God of peace.” The most used greeting in the New Testament between Christians is “Grace” and “Peace.” We are to live peaceful lives. Jesus says in John 14:27,“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.” 

If God says “I’m offering you a gift of peace,” He means it. It’s not something you work for.  It is simply a gift: a gift of Christmas… Then why don’t we have it?  Today we’re going to talk about that. We’re going to look at The Path to Finding Peace’

I need to say right up front that peace has nothing to do with problem-free living. If you have to wait until all your problems are solved to be at peace, you’re never going to be at peace. Because Jesus said, “In the world you will have problems.” Much of your life you’re going to have conflict. But you can have peace of mind in the conflict? 

Peace of mind is the result of three important decisions you need to make. And when you choose these things it will produce peace in your life. It is the choice for acceptance, the choice for trust, the choice for surrender.

  1. ACCEPT WHAT CANNOT BE CHANGED

Worrying about what cannot be changed certainly won’t give you peace. Becoming resentful or bitter, feeling guilty about things that cannot be changed, will not give you peace. There is only one thing that will bring peace in your life and that is acceptance. Acceptance of what cannot be changed. In the Bible, in the book of 2 Samuel 12, there’s the story of King David who had a young baby that was dying and David did everything he could to keep that baby from dying. But the baby died. God did not give the answer that David prayed for. I don’t know why. Someday we’ll learn why He did not answer that prayer the way David wanted it, but God had a plan and purpose in it.

When David’s advisers heard this they were were afraid to tell him. But David heard them whispering and he said, “Has the child died?” They said yes. And David got up. He went and took a bath. He put on clean clothes. He ate a big meal. And he went back to work.

The advisors were astounded.  You were in agony when he was near death. Now that he’s died, you’re ok. What’s happened?” David said, “The child has gone to heaven. And one day I will die and I will be reunited and go to heaven with that child. In the meantime there’s nothing else I can do. I’ve got to get back to work.”

He accepted what could not be changed.  Notice several things: First, acceptance is a learned experience and you learn it from going through tough times. It is a choice and it is only possible by supernatural power. You’re never going to learn to really accept the things of life without God’s power in your life. What comforts us is the presence of God in our life. 

Millions of people pray the edited version of the Serenity Prayer. But there are eight more lines to the Serenity Prayer that you may never have heard. That’s where all the power is.  The power of peace is in the part that they’ve cut out. 

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.

        Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is not as I would have it, Trusting that You, God, will make all things right if I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.

All of the power is in the second part of the prayer. It’s through the acceptance, the trust, the surrender that you find the path to peace. God says this is the starting point to peace –accepting what can’t be changed.

Another important decisions you need to make in order to have Peace of mind is… 

  1. TRUST IN GOD’S LOVING CARE

Isaiah 26:3 “You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on You because they trust in You.”  God gives peace to those who trust in Him because they depend on Him.  Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” You’ve got to learn to have peace in the middle of your problems or you’re never going to have peace. 

 Regardless of why you have the problem that you have that’s unsolvable, regardless of the source from where, you still need the same response every time –- trust in the loving care of God.

Then, you need to take the third step in the path to peace.  The third important decision…

  1. SURRENDER TO GOD’S LOVING CONTROL

Christmas time is an announcement of peace. Peace can only come into your heart when Jesus comes into your heart. Why? He is the Prince of Peace. When the Prince of Peace comes in, He brings peace. A cleansing of sins will come and that is the beginning of peace. Beloved the real peace did not start till Jesus came.

The Bible tells us “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”(Rom.5:1).Peace was in the mind of God. Peace came before the foundation of the world, because the lamb was slain then, but peace was enforced in our lives after Jesus rose from the dead. Peace starts for us when we were born again, and when Jesus came into our lives and washed away all our sins. Unless sin is removed, there is no peace in the heart.

Many people have an outward form of peace, but it is not real. Many people have sleepless nights, their hearts are restless? The real reason is because they’re fighting against God. You have a decision to make: who’s going to be in control of my life? Me or God? You think you know better. The more you take control yourself, the more miserable you become and the more out of control your life becomes. Because it doesn’t work. You are at war with the real God when you try to play God.

If you want to have deep, personal, satisfying peace of mind in heart and soul, you’ve got to surrender control of your life totally to God. 

Today, you can have the peace of God in your life. But first you’ve got to make peace with God. You can’t have the peace of God until you first make peace with God. How do you do that? By surrendering your life in faith to Jesus Christ. “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”  Do you want to have the peace of God in your heart this Christmas? I know that there is only one way to find peace. Through acceptance, trust and surrender.

Living Hope

Series: “Longing for Christmas”

Part 1

“Living Hope”

Pastor Jerry

Jeremiah 29:11-13

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Are you excited this year about Christmas? Christmas is coming! That is the message of Advent. The word Advent means “coming.” In the four Sundays of Advent, we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ at Christmas, we get ready!

However, getting ready for Christmas often means shopping and buying presents and decorating and baking. With all of this it is easy to get so busy that we find that – we miss the true meaning of Christmas – that of longing for Jesus. Many, many people celebrate Christmas without Christ. We have to be careful.

We’re going to talk today about how to get ready for Christmas by living with hope. We are going to talk about how God takes the problems in our lives and uses them in ways that we never expect. Hope can change anything that we face in life.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” This verse promises us God’s hope.

I have to admit I’m a little disappointed with the word “hope.” Not hope itself but with the word.  The way we use it today has nothing to do with the way the bible uses the word. We use the word today to mean, “I wish.” But the Bible doesn’t use it that way. When the Bible uses Hope, it’s a confidence. It’s not “I hope so…” It’s, I hope. That’s the kind of gift God wants to give us this Christmas – HOPE. You can’t live without it. 

A lot of people mistake hope and optimism. An optimist sees the glass as half full and the pessimist sees the glass as half empty. A person of hope doesn’t see how much or how little is in the glass but sees that the glass is firmly held in the hand of God. Even in a world where things aren’t perfect, God is still in control. He still holds things in His hands. Why is it so hard to let God be God and let us be human (and not the other way around).

The definition of Hope is when I realize that God is in control. That’s what hope is. When I realize that God’s plan will always prevail, I have hope. 

We are all in need of hope. Just look around. The world is full of people in need of hope! We are living in a day in which people are having a general feeling of hopelessness regarding the future. Many people even look forward with a sense of dread. Cases of depression are on the rise and suicide is a leading cause of death in our country. We’re desperately in need of hope. We’re living longer, we have more. But, never in human history have so many had so much for so long and been so depressed about it! Why? Because we have no hope.

 We need hope. We need the kind of hope that God gives at Christmas which gives us real life!

Let’s talk about what happens at Christmas when we have hope and how God brings that hope into our lives, gives us living Hope! What happens if I have hope?

If I have hope…

  1. I can get started over again.

I know there are people who look great on the outside, but are all locked up on the inside and not able to live or move forward. Many things can look great on the outside, but when some problem, ever so small, is locked on the inside, there is a big problem.

Life is like that sometimes. You wake up one morning and you can’t move on. You need hope. You need hope in God, and if you let Him, He will fix that broken heart, fix that broken relationship, and fix that broken spirit. You can have a new start. Christmas is all about that hope which can fix what is broken!

Isaiah 40 “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Hope in God at Christmas helps you get started again when life is locked and broken.

If I have hope…

  1. I can go on.

Life is difficult. But with hope you can live with whatever burden is in your life right now. You can make it through. It is hope that enables us to handle tremendous pressure.  The apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 1 talking about the persecution that he faced in his life. “We had great burdens that were beyond our own strength.  We even gave up the hope of living. But this happened so we would trust not in ourselves but in God.” He could live with anything because of the hope that trusting in God gave him.

When I have hope, I can get unlocked, get started again & I can go on in the midst of troubles.

If I have hope…

  1. I can slow down.

Hope is what gives me the ability to slow down this busy life. With life, it gets out of balance when too much becomes too important. We think sometimes we don’t need God’s help; we act as if we can get by on our own but pretty soon you feel so burdened down that you realize that you’re not going to make it; that your life is falling apart.

Without hope, we’re always in a hurry. We don’t know where we’re headed but we think we had better hurry up and get somewhere before it’s too late. Christmas should enable us to slow down just a little bit, to help us realize we don’t have to rush so fast.

Psalm 62:5 “I find rest in God. Only He gives me hope.” Hope and rest go together. Without hope you’ll find you’re very rest-less. But with hope, you have the power to be rested. With Hope I can get started again, I can go on, I can slow down. A final thing that hope does.

If I have hope…

  1. It gives me the power to say no to the temptations of life.

Hope is the foundation of integrity. If I have no hope for the future, if I think there’s nothing out there for me, then truthfully there is no logical reason to be moral. Because it doesn’t really matter.

1 John 3:3 “Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure just as Christ is pure.”  That’s the power of hope in our lives.

The bottom line is this…are you ready for Christmas?  Not are you ready because you have done your shopping, or baking, or decorations… but are you ready because you have hope! “You are ready because you are longing for Jesus to come into your life in a new way?  That’s what Christmas is all about – waiting …longing for God to come to you.

God says, “I want you to have Hope this Christmas!”  My Hope! That’s why I sent Jesus at Christmas.

Jesus is our HOPE!

Are you “Longing for Christmas”…or…. do you need Hope for a new start? Living Hope!  Are you “Longing for Christmas”… or… do you need Hope for strength to face an ongoing struggle in your life? Do you need Hope to slow down and see where you’re headed?  Do you need Hope to overcome some temptation in your life?

Get Ready for Christmas…Come to God today …that is our only HOPE! Our Living Hope!

A Celebration of Love

Sermon Series

Christmas Long Ago – Part 4

“A Celebration of Love”

Pastor Jerry

John 1:1-18

 

(A first person narration/drama – by the Apostle John)

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning….In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…

Even as I write these words, my heart is filled with so many emotions, so many thoughts. The Spirit of God has prompted me to write—So much I’ve learned, so much I still do not understand.

For the longest time, I struggled with one question, “Why would the Word of God—the Son of the Living God leave the glory of heaven to come to earth?”

Like so many of the people in our land in that day, I wanted a Messiah who would come and rid us of Rome. I wanted a Messiah who would come in judgment.

But I learned that this is not what the Master had come to do. He came to show us the way into the Kingdom of God. But what compelled him to come, he who made the earth and sky? Only now do I truly understand. The reason the Messiah came to us was simple—he loved us.

The memories come flooding back to me now. Oh, let me introduce myself. I am the Apostle John. I remember the time a Pharisee came to see Jesus. Nicodemus was his name. He came to the Master by night. He didn’t want to be seen. A pharisee he was—and a member of the Sanhedrin. Jesus told the Jewish leader that he needed to experience a new birth. The Kingdom of God was not about keeping the law, but about receiving the free gift of salvation that came through the grace of God. – How about you? Are you in the Kingdom? Jesus told Nicodemus that the Son of Man must be lifted up. He was talking about his death. Jesus looked Nicodemus, and loved him—and was willing to give himself for him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son… Such an incredible love. Do you have this love?

I recall a trip we made through Samaria, stopping at Jacob’s well, Jesus asked a Samaritan woman –(a woman who had quite a bad reputation) for a drink of water. We couldn’t believe Jesus would talk with woman like that. He told us to open our eyes, everywhere around us the fields were ripe to harvest. I have trouble talking to people like that woman.  Do you? Later the entire village came out to see Jesus because of this woman. And many believed in the Lord. All because he loved a Samaritan woman—and was willing to tell her some Good News. Amazing love!

Of course his love was not limited to individuals. I can see so clearly one of the most amazing miracles he worked for a mass of people. Once a huge crowd of people followed us—at least 5,000 men. Instead of turning them away (which is what we wanted Jesus to do), he invited them to Him, taught them. And when time for the afternoon meal, he told us to feed them! Jesus ever asked you to do something you think you can’t do? And Jesus fed the entire crowd and he had us gather up the leftovers and we filled baskets full. Why didn’t he just turn the crowd away? He loved them. Such a generous love.

His love for people got him in trouble though. Self-righteous hypocrites came to him once, dragging a woman behind them. They threw her at Jesus’s feet. She was barely clothed. She was so overwhelmed with shame. She had been caught in the act of adultery. They wanted Jesus to pass judgment upon her. They knew if he said “stone her” then all of his talk of love would sound like a lie to the crowds. If he said “let her go” then they could claim he had no respect for the law.

Then, quietly, and quite calmly, Jesus knelt down and drew in the dirt. He was silent for a moment, then raised to his feet. He looked at the men and said, “Which ever of you is free from sin may cast the first stone.” Within moments the crowd was gone. Jesus told the woman that he would not condemn her, but that she must not go back to her life of sin. Jesus was so kind! Jesus offered her grace. Why? He loved her, even in her sin, He loved her. You ever need to be forgiven? Even though she didn’t deserve forgiveness, she was given it that day. All because of love. Oh, what gracious love!

I received a very personal glimpse of Jesus’ heart of love the day we found out his friend Lazarus had died. We were on the way to Bethany thinking that Jesus might heal Lazarus. Jesus let us know that Lazarus was already dead. Had been for days. Martha and Mary met us and each told Jesus that he could have saved their brother had he arrived earlier. Jesus assured them that Lazarus would live again. Jesus went to the grave side and wept. — wept at the tomb of his friend. Jesus called Lazarus back from the grave. It was such a glorious miracle. Have you ever been down and out and need help to get back to real living? If Jesus knew what was about to happen, Why did he cry? I believe He wept for Lazarus, Martha, and Mary that day, because he loved them and he did not want them to suffer. Such a compassionate love.

Of course the greatest testimony of the Master’s love was not in a healing. The greatest testimony of his love happened at a place called Golgotha. For months Jesus had been preparing us for his death. We simply would not believe him. Then our last Passover together was celebrated and that night he was arrested. Judas betrayed him, yes. But we all failed him. He was given a “trial,” if you could call it that, and was sentenced to death. That day of his crucifixion, I stood at the foot of his cross, I found his mother, Mary. She was weeping bitterly. I held her to my side, trying to comfort her as best I could. As I looked up into his face I finally understood—this was what he meant. This was the fulfillment of his words to Nicodemus. The Son of Man was lifted up. Somehow, this was in the great plan of God. How could such a perfect love which started at His birth on that first Christmas –be stamped out in such a cruel way. Even in death Jesus continued to love. He looked down and said Father forgive them.

Jesus died that horrible day. My faith was tested. But Love was triumphant. Jesus rose from the grave—and salvation became a reality in my heart! Do you have Jesus? Why did Jesus come at Christmas? I now know the answer. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. He came ALL BECAUSE OF LOVE!!!

A Time for Joy

Sermon Series

Christmas Long Ago – Part 3

“A Time for Joy”

Pastor Jerry

Luke 2:8-20

 

(A first person narration/drama – by a shepherd named Jacob)

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

Well, well, well …What do we have here?

Hello, my name is Jacob. I am by trade a shepherd. Oh, do not worry good people I am not a thief or a bandit. I wish to harm no one.

I know, I know—you think shepherds cannot be trusted. That’s what everybody says. Many of my brothers have given surrendered to the views of others. “If they think we’re thieves, then why not live up to their expectations!” Imagine that! Almighty God in his holy scriptures has been called a Shepherd. And now, people hold the profession itself in disdain and discuss.

Even you look quite surprised that a “shepherd” could know holy things of God. Please realize that my heart belongs to my Lord and God. Even though I cannot participate in temple activities, I take great pride in knowing that my work is essential to the functioning of the temple. I help tend the flocks of the Temple.

But good people, I haven’t stopped by here today to justify myself and my profession—I’ve come to give you good news. Last night, the most amazing thing happened. We were out in the fields, taking turns at guarding the sheep throughout the night watches. Suddenly, before us in all of his glory, stood a messenger from God—an angel! A tremendous sense of power and majesty flowed from him.

I do not remember falling to the ground. But there I was—face first in the grass. I knew that my life was over. I had faith in the God of Israel—but I knew that I was unclean. I was so afraid—so unready to meet my God!

And then the angel spoke such a gracious word to us. What did he say? “Stop being afraid!” Somehow I knew in my heart that God was not going to take my life. I knew that God still loved me.

“I bring you good news of great joy for all people! This very day in the city of David, a Savior has been born—Christ the Lord has come. A sign is given to you—you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, all about us, as far as I could see, there appeared a great host of heavenly creatures. They declared with power and love, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”

And then, they were gone. I stood there, dumbfounded—unable to fully grasp the wonder of what I had just seen. “Come on now, let’s go into Bethlehem—let’s go find the child!” The Lord has spoken to us, “we must go and search out what he has shown us.”

We quickly penned the flocks,—and then we left for Bethlehem. I have never been so excited in my life. To think, God chose us! The people of Judea might not want us about; but God sent a choir of angels to celebrate the birth of the Messiah—and HE sent them to us to announce Messiah’s birth! Can you imagine—God chose us and my heart was bursting with sheer joy.

Once we got to Bethlehem, we quickly searched through every cave, every stable in town. And then, we found HIM—just as the angel had promised. Outside an inn, lying in the stable, the Christ had come. When we made our way in we were perhaps a little abrupt in our joy. “Where’s the baby, let me see the baby.” When we saw the child, we began to cry tears of joy.

We told them all about what we had seen and heard. Mary and Joseph (those were their names, you know), were surprised, but not unbelieving when we spoke about the angels. It seems that they, too, had been blessed by seeing the holy messengers of God.

We decided that it was time for us to move on. But I am afraid we did not leave so quietly. People were beginning to stir in the small village—and if they came upon my friends and I, they received a burst of praise and celebration—we told everyone we could see what had happened.

We have just now finished delivering the sacrificial lambs to the Temple. And we still cannot be silent. Please, my good people, I know that it seems hard to believe, but it is true. In Bethlehem, the Christ has been born. This my friends is a time of great joy for all people!

Brothers and sisters, do you understand what this means. No one has to be left out! No one has to be left behind! This is even greater joy now that I understand. All of my life, I have been left behind. Raised in a shepherd’s home, I knew what it was to be an outcast.

People walked by and looked at me as though I were some horrible creature. They looked at me as though I were “unclean.” But praise be to God—He saw me through different eyes! God had room in his kingdom for me! A shepherd could be part of the family of God! I know this—for the angel brought tidings of great joy for all people! This, my good people is incredible. No one is too small! No one is too far gone! This is good news of great joy!

I must say good-bye now—others have got to hear the good news! I know that you have been told to distrust shepherds. This time, please believe. The Messiah is born! Go see for yourselves! You can find the Christ, too. An invitation to joy has been given to you. Everyone who would receive this great news is welcome to come. For God has promised through his angels—this is great joy for all people!

 

A Cause for Peace

Sermon Series

Christmas Long Ago – Part 2

“A Cause for Peace”

Pastor Jerry

Matthew 1:18-25

(A first person narration/drama – by Joseph)

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

O Lord, how could this happen to me? I do not know what to do.

Have you heard? …Mary is going to have a baby and it is not mine.

O God…when I was first engaged to be married to Mary, I never dreamed I could come to love her so much. We have been honorable throughout our engagement.

But…now, I find that she has been unfaithful to me!

I could not believe it when I found out. Mary has always seemed such a faithful and amazing young woman. We followed the custom of our people here in Galilee—we were always chaperoned.

And now this—I find that she has made a fool of me.

Lord…Mary has run off to see her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary claims that her pregnancy is not what I think, and she claims to have been told by an angel to go and see Elizabeth.

O Lord, what should I do?

I believe the only choice I have is to divorce Mary? Because—that is the only way to break our engagement. But, O God, beyond the divorce itself—how should I handle the situation?

I feel like I ought to do what is right, and what is right according to the law demands that Mary pay for what she has done. I have been raised to follow Your laws. I have followed Your law as closely as I know how.

To be honest, part of me wants nothing else but justice here. She betrayed my trust. She has to pay. She has done me so wrong.  But, if I divorce her publicly, she will carry the shame of her unfaithfulness the rest of her life.

That is what I ought to do—I know this.

Do you know what is so troubling about my dilemma? I love her, I love Mary. While I clearly cannot marry her, I do not want society to see her as an evil person.  

I feel so strange, my anger tells me to let the whole world know what she had done to me. Yet, my love tells me to show her mercy. Is there a way I can find peace in this time of confusion in my life?

(NO…)

O Lord, I know that righteousness demands justice. I am so troubled. I need time to think.

YES! I know what I should do. I will divorce Mary quietly—give her the bill of divorcement and simply not list a charge. I could just tell people that we decided to end the engagement and leave it at that. I simply can not put Mary to public shame.

Oh how exhausted I am …I need some rest so that I can clear my head!

(Put head down…to rest…)

Something awesome has just happened to me. In the midst of my sleep, an angel of the Lord appeared to me—I had a vision. The Lord spoke to me through his angel.

What he had to say was astonishing! Mary was not lying to me. Her pregnancy is a miracle. The Holy Spirit of God created the new life within her. She has not been unfaithful at all—she has been touched by God!

It is true! The angel told me that Mary’s child was the child of Peace for all people. This child would be the salvation of the world—he would save his people from their sins. He even told me what to name the baby, “JESUS!”

JESUS – means — “The Lord is Salvation.”  

I know that this seems incredible. But I really do believe the vision that came to me in my rest—I really do believe that Mary is still a virgin. The child she carries comes from God—the child she carries is the Prince of Peace!  

You know what? I now have a peace that I would have believed impossible earlier. My troubled heart is troubled no longer! Mary has been true to our love.

What a story!!!

Surely there should be a place for faith in our hearts. Is it so hard for you to believe that God has spoken to me? Please believe me—Mary is telling the truth.

God has given me Peace. God is the one who has let me know the truth. God is showing me even now what I should do.  

I will obey God — Mary will become my wife. It does not matter what the world believes—I know the truth. I hope and pray that one day, you will know the truth as well.   

I am going to Mary now. I am going to beg her forgiveness for my lack of trust in her. I love her—and I will be proud to raise her child as my own. I know that I can have peace, because I know that God has spoken to me.

I must tell you one last thing that I am confused about. I do not know how to be a father. But I do know this—I will look to God for guidance. I will trust that he will show me the way. This child will be raised in the house of God and this child will be raised hearing the Word of God. JESUS will bring God’s salvation into people’s hearts. I pray you will let Him into your heart!   …SHALOM …Peace…

A Reason for Hope

Sermon Series

Christmas Long Ago – Part 1

“A Reason for Hope”

Pastor Jerry

Luke 5:5-25, 57-80

(A first person narration/drama – by the priest Zechariah)

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

Shalom, good people. I want to tell you an incredible story. I lived at a time when people were down and out without much HOPE.  People were  ill… people had trouble providing a home for their families. It was a dark and uncertain time. But God promised His people that He was sending them light. God’s promise was our HOPE!

Do you need HOPE?

OH … let me introduce myself. My name is Zechariah and I am a priest from the hill country of Judea. My wife, Elizabeth. This is our story, but so much more.

You see, there are far too many priests in Judea for all practical purposes. There are about 20,000. We have been divided up into twenty-four sections. I serve in the eighth section of Abijah. Only during the feasts do all of the priests serve at one time. The rest of the year, each of us serve in the Temple twice, for one week at a time. This time of service is the highlight of our lives.

With so many of us, the duties are assigned by lot.

Every morning and evening sacrifice is to be made for the whole nation. We make sacrifice because God says if you sin… you will surely die.

Have you ever sinned?

God gave the sacrifice as a substitute for your sin and death. Before the sacrifice of the male lamb there’s the lighting of the incense in the holy place. Many of my brothers have never had the chance to light the incense—many never will. But on the day my story began—I drew the LOT. This was the greatest honor of my life (at the time).

Only one thing darkened my life at the time. My wife and I were childless. For years Elizabeth and I had tried to have children. In my culture, many believe that to be barren is a sign of reproach—a sign that God is angry with you.

Have you ever had God angry with you?

Elizabeth and I both loved our God with every ounce of our beings. We sought to serve him faithfully every day.

Do you love God? Do you serve Him every day?

With only this one thing missing in my life, I entered the Sanctuary to perform my assigned task. I sprinkled frankincense upon the coals on the altar. Then, I lay upon the ground, face down, in prayer for my people—as prescribed by our custom.

Suddenly, I was aware that I was not alone! “This cannot be,” I thought—law forbade anyone but myself to be in the Sanctuary.  I looked up and saw the most incredible creature standing next to the altar of incense.

I cannot describe the creature—but he filled my heart with awe and terror. “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many people will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

This was too much; I could barely make sense of it all. He had just given me a promise so powerful, so magnificent, that it was too hard to believe.

Have you ever not believed God’s promise?

I was to have a son—the one void in my personal life was going to be fulfilled! To my great shame, I couldn’t believe it then—and I told the creature so.

“How can this be?” I asked. “My wife and I are far too old.”

There was rebuke in the sound of his voice as he answered. “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

Suddenly—I could not speak—just as the angel had told me. I walked out of the Sanctuary and gestured wildly trying to let people know what had happened, many understood that I had received a message from God.

After my week of service was through, I returned home to Elizabeth. She conceived our child—and was thrilled with a hopeful joy.

Nine months later, our little boy came into this world. Everyone was so excited for us—they even sought to help us name the boy. Elizabeth knew about my visitation, and told our anxious friends that the baby would be named “John.” It means “God is gracious.”

When they came to me, I wrote upon a pad—“His name is John!” At that moment, my lips were freed, and I could speak again! At that very same moment, I was filled by the Holy Spirit of God—filled throughout my being. I burst forth into a word of glorious praise and prophecy.

See…it’s written here…

68 “Praise be to the Lord…because he has come to his people and redeemed them.

69 He has come to bring salvation for us…70 (as he said He would long ago), He said He would come to enable us to serve him without fear …75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And your child, will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, …77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God, …79 to shine on those living in darkness …to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

This is our Hope …the Child born at Christmas …His name is Jesus!

Do you know Him?

Let Him save you?

Remembering This One Thing!

Sermon: “Remembering This One Thing!”

A Service of Remembering those departed in 2019

Scripture Lesson: 2 Peter 3: 3-9

 

————————– Sermon Synopsis ————————-

“Remembering This One Thing!”

Pastor Jerry

December 29, 2019

The ability to remember is a wonderful gift that God has given to us.

Some of our memories are happy, & we can recall wonderful experiences. But some of our memories are sad, & we may weep as we remember them.  2 Pet. 3:8 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

Some things need to be forgotten but can’t seem to be erased from the memory. Other things need to be remembered but escape easily. One thing we should not forget…IS THE PEOPLE AROUND US!  We should be thoughtful of ONE ANOTHER!

Brothers and sisters, no matter what we do in our service and ministry here at the Boones Mill Church, we must love one another. Why? …because God is Love …and wants us to share His Love with everyone. Our business as a church in this world is also to remember and to love people.

On this Remembrance Day I want us to be people remembering one another in 4 diff. ways:
1- Remember the good and encourage…
2- Remember the hurting and pray…
3- Remember those who have gone on before us and be thankful…
4- Remember the Lord and what He has done for us (and what He promises to do)…

God so loved the world that He sent His Son at Christmas time to be born as a baby – to be Emmanuel – to be God with us. God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son on the cross to die for our sin. God loves everything He has created because it’s good, but His most important creation is YOU. God’s heart is set on YOU. And so ours must be set on one another. Remember people always. Remember them and commend them. Remember them and pray for them. Remember them always and thank God for them and …and do not forget this one thing …that God gave YOU Jesus at Christmas …so you could have a Blessed and Happy New Life!

Love

Series: “All I Want For Christmas”- Part 4

Sermon:“Love”

Scripture Lesson: 1 John 4:9-11

 

————————– Sermon Synopsis —————————–

Series: All I Want for Christmas is… Part 4

LOVE

1 John 4:9-11

I have been told that Santa takes advantage of the technology of the modern age, using GP, iPhones and the internet.  Did you know that you can email your Christmas wish list to Santa Claus at emailsanta.com. They get over a million emails a year.

But, did you know that Jesus is the real reason for the season? Well, of course you do, that’s why you’re here. But do we know why He’s the reason?

What do you think would be the best present you could receive at Christmas? We can all picture in our mind what the best present is. But how do you measure the value of a present? How do you judge its worth? By its size? By its weight? Do you judge it by its cost or perhaps by its usefulness?

What I would like to do this morning is examine God’s present to us. It is wrapped up – it has bows on it – it is under the tree and it is large. Follow along with me as I read from God’s Word.  “This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God. My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other.”   1 John 4:9-11 (MSG)

How do you measure the value of God’s gift to you? I would suggest three ways:

I. God’s gift to you is measured by its USEFULNESS.
What is the usefulness of God’s gift to us? Notice in verse nine the usefulness of the gift. “…so we might live.”  Jesus said it this way:  “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 (NKJV)  What a promise that is! God has made you a SPECIAL PERSON for a SPECIAL PURPOSE.  “He chose us – actually picked us out for Himself as His own – in Christ before the foundation of the world; that we should be set apart for Him. . .” Ephesians 1:4 (AV)  You were specially created – hand crafted – uniquely make – for the purpose of bringing glory to God.

II. God’s gift to you is measured by its COST.
What God has done for us is given us the most precious gift He could possibly give – something of worth – something of value. He gave us His son. God knew what had to be done. He knew what price had to be paid. He knew what it was going to cost Him and He sent the best for you and me. He sent Jesus Christ – born as a child for the salvation of the world. If He gave that much to you – what should you give Him?

III. God’s present to you is measured by its EFFECTIVENESS.
Why did God send His Son to die for you? What is the love of God intended to do? Let me tell you: CHANGE YOU.   Verse eleven says this: “If God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other.” Why? Because God is not done loving the world yet. He wants to keep loving the world – through you and through me.

God’s Gift to you is useful – It gives you meaning and values and brings Glory to God!

God’s Gift to you is valuable – It paid the price for your sins and set-you free!

God’s Gift to you is effective – It changes your life – so you love the way God loves!

It is the best Christmas present ever! It is Jesus Christ and His love of you!