Day 359 - Why Does God Love Man?

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 55

         

Michael’s book is available through: 

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

I remember one of the first Psalms our preacher used in a sermon right after Barbara and I were Born Again (5-20-80)…Psalm 8:4, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?  and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”  Whew!  It almost blew my mind to think on those words!!!  And then God came along and started talking about how much He loved me…

Day 359

Why Does God Love Man?

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” --Genesis 1:26

I grew up working with older men, and one in particular, my grandfather. I spent countless hours with my grandfather; we had a very close bond. It has been a few years since his passing. However, once in awhile I will meet an older man who reminds me of him, and I cannot help but be attracted to the fellow. I see my grandfather in a different “earth suit” through another person’s attitudes, hard work, and fiery temper, and I always know where I stand with him. There is just such a fellow on the islands in the jungles, and I always try to stop and spend a day with him. I love the man in his own right, but I also love him for the characteristics that I loved in my grandfather.

Now to the question at hand: Why does God love man? How could He not? We are made in His image. “Let Us make man in Our image.” My personal belief is that Jesus started the dialogue. I believe He is the one who made the suggestion, for He is the lover of my soul, the One who would become a man, and the One who would conquer and suffer for me. There was agreement and man was created “in Our image.” When the Father looks at man He sees, however faintly, His Son. We are not the Son, but He sees the Son in us. How can He not love us? John 5:20, “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing.” When the Son looks at man, He sees dimly the Father. We are not the Father, but He sees something of the Father in us! How could He not love us? We remind Him of the Father He loves so much. Oh, yes, be assured that we are loved by the Father and the Son not only because of what we now are but of Whom we remind them. It is the glory of God that with each passing day Jesus lives through us, the faint image of Him will become a brighter one. Once again, it all comes down to Jesus. I John 3:2, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.”

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

I had a wonderful close bond with my grandfather, Brad, although because of the 300 miles separating us I did not get to spend “countless hours” with him…wish I had!  The memories are countless though!  So many times I have thought of my having some of the great characteristics my grandfather had…

The writings of Michael in this “day” are very profound.  They point out the magnitude of the impact of Christ dwelling in us and more of all that gives us in truth, and particularly in relationship with the Trinity.  Can we grasp that Jesus has opportunity to “live” through us, this “earth suit”!?!  Gives a whole new meaning and understanding to John 14:12…

Way too many Christians are looking in a mirror and trying to find “His likeness.”  It isn’t there, but inside man that cannot be “seen.”  And yet, when Christ does live through us, people “see” Him.  Wow!  Amen!

Oh, I understand “why” God loves me.  I just find it difficult to grasp HOW MUCH He loves me!

IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO INTERACT WITH ME ON SOMETHING MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN, AND/OR ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, PLEASE NOTE THE EMAIL ADDRESS JUST BELOW MY NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                         936-559-5696

Day 283 - The Most Wonderful Revelation!

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 54

Michael’s book is available through: 

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

One of the most interesting things about “love” is all the different ways in which love itself “dictates” to us how we act.  Michael reflects on a most incredible truth about “love” and “flesh” in today’s writing…

DAY 283

The Most Wonderful Revelation!

Let all who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; And let those who love Thy salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified.” --Psalm 70:4

In the course of our lives many revelations will come. There are, of course, revelations that those in a variety of ministries would bring to us. For example, some would say that we need the revelation of our flesh, our sin, our failure to be good parents, our attitudes, and our lies. However, there is a revelation greater than these. Have we had the revelation of how much we really care for Jesus, of how much we really love Him? It is the most important revelation. What is the cause of our misery when we are dabbling in the flesh, walking in sin, being offended, pursuing material gain, and having friendship with the world? It is because we love Him! In the deepest part of our being we are in love with Jesus. Sin, Satan, the world, and the flesh attempt to keep us from this revelation, and though we find no satisfaction in them, they constantly whisper, “More.” Once we can admit that we love Him, really love Him, and can go nowhere else and want nothing else, then all those things of the flesh must flee. I want to be clear. We do not lay aside the flesh so we can love Him; we lay it aside because we do love Him. Our misery with the flesh is the proof that we love Him alone, but this takes revelation. He may permit the flesh to take us to the bottom to prove it to us. Once we have had enough, we can shout it: “I love Him! I love nothing else, nothing else will satisfy, and all of life has been proving it to me!” Amen!

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

I wonder how many Christians have even given much thought as to “how much we really care for Jesus, of how much we really love Him”?  Oh, we sing songs, have favorite scriptures, and enjoy speaking about how much we love Jesus…but have we taken the time to really think about what loving Him means, what loving Him is?  It is the difference between living in a relationship with the person of Jesus and living out the religion of Christianity.

Perhaps a question must be asked:  What sort of misery do I experience when dabbling in the flesh, walking in sin, being offended, pursuing material gain, or having friendship with the world?  How much misery do I experience?  Is my misery connected with my relationship with Jesus, or is it just from “getting caught” or the negative effects I experience?

Michael gives us an incredible insight into “loving Jesus”:  “Once we can admit that we love Him, really love Him, and can go nowhere else and want nothing else, then all those things of the flesh must flee.”  Wow!  Now this is a “hard saying,” isn’t it?  Because this takes us past the point of religion to a real personal relationship.  With any other love of our life, do not other things or persons lose their appeal, lose their place in our life?  I don’t want to spend time, spend money, spend energy on anything or anyone that I don’t really love as I do with the one I love.  So, as attractive as the flesh may be, as enticing as the flesh may be, “all those things of the flesh must flee” when the real love of my life takes center stage.

Now, does that mean I give up anything and everything in life but sitting around dreaming of how much I love Jesus?  No.  I can still love my wife, spend time with her, spend money on her…ditto our kids and grandkids.  We can even do likewise with our friends.  Those are not “flesh,” but family.  But, as Michael points out, the flesh loses its appeal, its attractiveness, its control in my life.  Well, amen!

IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO INTERACT WITH ME ON SOMETHING MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN, AND/OR ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, PLEASE NOTE THE EMAIL ADDRESS JUST BELOW MY NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                         936-559-5696

Day 337 - God's Definition of Love

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 53     

Michael’s book is available through: 

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

For years we have known that the world has so abused and misused the word “love” that Christians have been misguided and deceived into thinking and using wrong definitions and descriptions and therefore “missed God” in interacting with other Christians, especially family and other close relationships.  Once again, Michael Wells, with years of abiding in Christ and interacting with defeated Christians, has laid out for us some astounding and definitive truths that could benefit so many who are hurting for some REAL LOVE.

DAY 337

God’s Definition of Love

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. –I Peter 1:8

We must stop trying to define love in human terms. It is too narrow and incorrect. We are human, so our definitions will be lacking. Therefore, it is only God who can define Himself. As humans we are so far off on our definition of God that when He came, no one recognized Him! “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and {such} we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him” (I John 3:1).

Again, we stand or fall by our definitions. The world’s definition of love is the fulfillment of the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life. When a different person, position, or thing can feed all three aspects of the flesh, the carnal person might well “fall out of love” with whom or what he had and say he “loves” that other person, job, or material possession. For someone in the world to say, “I love you,” is to say, “You are meeting all three aspects of my carnal nature,” and that is why the world’s love is so fragile. Remember the breakups in high school? Some had the honesty to say, “I found someone better!” Better at what? Better at meeting the lust of their eyes, lust of their flesh, and the boastful pride of their life. How hard it is to hang on to someone with such stiff fleshly competition from others! The world’s love is definitely performance-based. When we do not meet a child’s carnal needs we may well hear him mutter, “I do not love you!” Is it any wonder that some people become hermits? For in an unenlightened sense the effort involved to win the love of another is exhausting, never ending, and ultimately disappointing. In the world when someone says, “I love you,” the object of that love had better keep performing. Another problem is that the flesh is like the fire that never says enough. A child of ten years eats more than a child of one month. Therefore, by the very nature of carnality, what satisfied yesterday does not today, and thus, one looming phrase--“You are not meeting my needs!”--seems always just a day or two away. Feeding the flesh of another by meeting carnal needs is a Catch-22, for it paves the way for a greater fleshly need that cannot be met, and that finally leads to rejection. This is the baggage and definition many of us were carrying with us the day we met Jesus and heard Him whisper to us, “I love you!” “He loves me! Oh no, now I must perform. I must meet all of His needs. He has a need for me to be perfect, holy, righteous, blameless, forgiving, giving, consistent, pure, free of all lusts, and more.” If we open the Bible and start reading when we believe the above definition of love, we will be overwhelmed by all that must be done to keep the relationship with Him alive. Slowly the flesh begins to wane in its ability to keep the relationship working. We fall short and we await the breakup. When He whispers again, “I love you,” we do not believe it. We still remember high school when the boy or girl said, “I love you,” just to placate us; the next day we discovered he or she was off with someone else. Suffice it to say that in and of ourselves we just do not know what love is.

For the one who has the revelation of His love, everything changes. It is best experienced, but I will try to describe it. His love is an absolute. His love is a standalone love. His love never needs feeding. His love is not dependent on another. Just as a tree is a tree, a man is a man, and the sun is the sun, love is love. Nothing that happens on earth will affect the sun; the sun is the sun. It stands alone. It does not shine on condition. Someone can hate a rock all he wants, curse at it, throw it, and tell it to stop being a rock, but the fact is, his actions do not change the fact that the rock is a rock. God is Love; Love is His character. If someone’s actions could change His love, then man’s behavior could change God. But God cannot be changed. “Jesus Christ {is} the same yesterday and today, {yes} and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Did you ever stop to wonder why it is that we “greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” when we have NEVER seen Christ?  Amazing, isn’t it?  Wait a minute…we HAVE “seen Him.”  With spiritual eyes given unto us by the Heavenly Father.  Wow!  No wonder every Child of God has such love and admiration for the Father, His Son, and His Holy Spirit!  It is truth that “the revelation of His love” CHANGES EVERYTHING!  (one of my favorite songs of all time:  Larnelle Harris and Sandy Patti singing “I’ve Just Seen Jesus!”)

As Michael points out so strongly:

·         We must stop trying to define “love” in human terms.

·         Man’s definitions are too narrow and incorrect.

·         The world’s “love” is definitely performance-based.

·         God’s love is just the opposite of the world’s love…not surprising.

It is staggering to me just how possible and likely it is that many Christians are “missing God” and being misdirected by the baggage and wrong definitions of love that were carried into the relationship from the first day they met Jesus.  But how much truth there is to that thought!  Wow!  May the Lord use this day’s writing to deliver many from that bondgage!

Grab a pen, make note of the absolutes of the absoluteness of God’s love…and begin to enjoy Him and His love as never before!

IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO INTERACT WITH ME ON SOMETHING MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN, AND/OR ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, PLEASE NOTE THE EMAIL ADDRESS JUST BELOW MY NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

BLESSINGS! 

Pastor Lee McDowell

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                       936-559-5696

Day 336 - We Need a Revelation of Love

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 53     

Michael’s book is available through: 

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

For years we have known that the world has so abused and misused the word “love” that Christians have been misguided and deceived into thinking and using wrong definitions and descriptions and therefore “missed God” in interacting with other Christians, especially family and other close relationships.  Once again, Michael Wells, with years of abiding in Christ and interacting with defeated Christians, has laid out for us some astounding and definitive truths that could benefit so many who are hurting for some REAL LOVE.

DAY 337

God’s Definition of Love

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. –I Peter 1:8

We must stop trying to define love in human terms. It is too narrow and incorrect. We are human, so our definitions will be lacking. Therefore, it is only God who can define Himself. As humans we are so far off on our definition of God that when He came, no one recognized Him! “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and {such} we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him” (I John 3:1).

Again, we stand or fall by our definitions. The world’s definition of love is the fulfillment of the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life. When a different person, position, or thing can feed all three aspects of the flesh, the carnal person might well “fall out of love” with whom or what he had and say he “loves” that other person, job, or material possession. For someone in the world to say, “I love you,” is to say, “You are meeting all three aspects of my carnal nature,” and that is why the world’s love is so fragile. Remember the breakups in high school? Some had the honesty to say, “I found someone better!” Better at what? Better at meeting the lust of their eyes, lust of their flesh, and the boastful pride of their life. How hard it is to hang on to someone with such stiff fleshly competition from others! The world’s love is definitely performance-based. When we do not meet a child’s carnal needs we may well hear him mutter, “I do not love you!” Is it any wonder that some people become hermits? For in an unenlightened sense the effort involved to win the love of another is exhausting, never ending, and ultimately disappointing. In the world when someone says, “I love you,” the object of that love had better keep performing. Another problem is that the flesh is like the fire that never says enough. A child of ten years eats more than a child of one month. Therefore, by the very nature of carnality, what satisfied yesterday does not today, and thus, one looming phrase--“You are not meeting my needs!”--seems always just a day or two away. Feeding the flesh of another by meeting carnal needs is a Catch-22, for it paves the way for a greater fleshly need that cannot be met, and that finally leads to rejection. This is the baggage and definition many of us were carrying with us the day we met Jesus and heard Him whisper to us, “I love you!” “He loves me! Oh no, now I must perform. I must meet all of His needs. He has a need for me to be perfect, holy, righteous, blameless, forgiving, giving, consistent, pure, free of all lusts, and more.” If we open the Bible and start reading when we believe the above definition of love, we will be overwhelmed by all that must be done to keep the relationship with Him alive. Slowly the flesh begins to wane in its ability to keep the relationship working. We fall short and we await the breakup. When He whispers again, “I love you,” we do not believe it. We still remember high school when the boy or girl said, “I love you,” just to placate us; the next day we discovered he or she was off with someone else. Suffice it to say that in and of ourselves we just do not know what love is.

For the one who has the revelation of His love, everything changes. It is best experienced, but I will try to describe it. His love is an absolute. His love is a standalone love. His love never needs feeding. His love is not dependent on another. Just as a tree is a tree, a man is a man, and the sun is the sun, love is love. Nothing that happens on earth will affect the sun; the sun is the sun. It stands alone. It does not shine on condition. Someone can hate a rock all he wants, curse at it, throw it, and tell it to stop being a rock, but the fact is, his actions do not change the fact that the rock is a rock. God is Love; Love is His character. If someone’s actions could change His love, then man’s behavior could change God. But God cannot be changed. “Jesus Christ {is} the same yesterday and today, {yes} and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Did you ever stop to wonder why it is that we “greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” when we have NEVER seen Christ?  Amazing, isn’t it?  Wait a minute…we HAVE “seen Him.”  With spiritual eyes given unto us by the Heavenly Father.  Wow!  No wonder every Child of God has such love and admiration for the Father, His Son, and His Holy Spirit!  It is truth that “the revelation of His love” CHANGES EVERYTHING!  (one of my favorite songs of all time:  Larnelle Harris and Sandy Patti singing “I’ve Just Seen Jesus!”)

As Michael points out so strongly:

·         We must stop trying to define “love” in human terms.

·         Man’s definitions are too narrow and incorrect.

·         The world’s “love” is definitely performance-based.

·         God’s love is just the opposite of the world’s love…not surprising.

It is staggering to me just how possible and likely it is that many Christians are “missing God” and being misdirected by the baggage and wrong definitions of love that were carried into the relationship from the first day they met Jesus.  But how much truth there is to that thought!  Wow!  May the Lord use this day’s writing to deliver many from that bondgage!

Grab a pen, make note of the absolutes of the absoluteness of God’s love…and begin to enjoy Him and His love as never before!

IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO INTERACT WITH ME ON SOMETHING MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN, AND/OR ANY OF MY THOUGHTS, PLEASE NOTE THE EMAIL ADDRESS JUST BELOW MY NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

BLESSINGS! 

Pastor Lee McDowell

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

P. O. Box 633244    Nacogdoches, Tx 75963                                         936-559-5696