Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Some quick thoughts or revelations about Gods love.

I am NO theologian, or Clergyman by any stretch. I occasionally help put together a church service at local gun shows for the Vendors on some Sunday mornings, and preach a little, plus I (Very happily) sing in a Southern Gospel Quartet so these are just some thoughts from a reflective fellow layman.

I did use this firs example or thought in a sermon once.

If a young neihbor kid, maybe about 5 or 6, whom we barely know, comes to our door and gives us a piece of artwork that he or she has done for us, we will give a polite thank you, remark on its beauty, but it will then find its way quickly into the shredder or round file. HOWEVER, if our very OWN son or daughter 'makes' us a pretty picture, it goes right on the refridgerator door or a prominent wall! Why? What is the difference? Why is one 'offering' or gift accepted and loved, while the other of most likely equal talent is of so little value? Well, it is because the kid who gave us the second piece is OURS! This helps some understand why our works, before we accept Christs Lordship over us and become his very own adopted Children, by HIS choice and grace and unmerited love and favor are - as the Bible puts it- "As filthy rags" completely worthless and unable to get us one inch closer to God or to heaven and forgiveness. No, we have to first be as Jesus put it, BORN AGAIN spiritually. Then we are one if HIS children and our things done for him out of true love for him are then treasured and have value!

The other part of my thought on this topic came to me when I was discussing with my wife how much we love our little micro sized Wiener dog Milo. When he came to us, he could not even eat by himself, could not control his bowels or bladder at all, and could give us absolutely nothing of value to us. And at first I do not think he even had the capability to love us. All he was, was a wrinkly bundle of need, and he had special needs on top of normal puppy needs because he was born pre mature and a runt. He had to have artificial tears in his eyes several times a day at first, liquid puppy formula, and lots of attention with no reward back. But, Sherri and I DECIDED to Love him! Even now, he is hardheaded, stiff necked, and almost completely untrainable. Yet, we love him still, always.

If Sherri and I have the capacity to love that which does not DESERVE anything, and had nothing to give and still is mostly obstinant, how much MORE our great God, whose basic COMPONENT of his very BEING is Love, can love US! Even though we come to him with nothing of value or worth to him, and are most often obstinant and S L O W to learn and do better. Quite wonderful to think about, to my mind and heart.

Lastly, when God, by HIS choosing, and HIS mercy and HIS grace adopts us in as his own, he does a spiritual DNA change inside of us that is permanent. We become like him, just like my own Son as well as both of my daughters look and sound more and more like me each day. And ya know what? There is absolutely NOTHING that my son Daniel or my daughters Tabitha and Monica can do to change their DNA and bloodlines! They will see my face, every time they look in the mirror, forever. On top of that, there is NOTHING any of them could do or say that would make them unwelcome in my home, unworthy of my love and blessings and certainly nothing that could change the DNA strands or bloodliines that are my forever gift to them.

So, If my son Daniel cannot lose his place in my heart and home. And my daughters cannot lose my love and welcome and grreat desire to bless them and give them good gifts, (they cannot, By the way, totally impossible) How Much MORE is GODS love, and the spiritual DNA strands that he places in us when we are born into his kingdom and family BEYOND our ability to even COMPREHEND! Let alone make any kind of changes to. This change that is wrought by God and God alone is simply then beyond our ability then to nullify or make void just like - only infinately MORE so, just like our own children being unable to undue that in any real form.

Gods making of us into, his words, more like him every day. A "New Creature" and one of his very own! Such is too wonderful and amazing and unwarranted and undeserved.... I just thought I would make a laymans attempt at putting it out there and further encourage each of us to search our own hearts and relationships with the one true eternal, loving God.

Good night ya'll, and God bless.

MARK

This so nails it. It touches me this early morning. I am passing it on.

Thank You, God Bless you.

Nice Mark

Very well done safariman. Thanks.

That's a great sermon for this Sunday morning. Doesn't look like you got much sleep last night!

Very well put and touched me this morning also.
Thank you Safariman.
Take care,
Les

Thanks, I do not have anywhere to share it this Sunday, but today is only Saturday so who knows what opportunities might present themselves.

RE sleep, sometimes these things, meditating upon Gods awsomeness and love toward us, do indeed keep me up a bit. But I don't mind in the least as he is my source of strength each day, anyway.

When God put upon my heart to put down on paper that heavy metal Easter show "To Hell with the Devil" the very one mentioned above wherein we at Stateline offered up an AR-15 rifle as a door prize, I stayed up all night, two nights, writing down what God was putting in my heart and finished a 1 hour play in detail and in full in two nights. I guarantee you that I could not have done any of that in my own power or ability! That play was an immense success in every way, and I had never written one before, and have not written one since. When, at the end of the last showing I once again saw people come to the Lord and ask Jesus to be thier Lord and saviour I could not help myself but to fall to my knees right there, hands raised to the sky, and weep openly in complete joy and worship.

A long way around to say, I'll be just fine today. And I am already blessed beyond measure that these thoughts are hitting the mark in a few minds and hearts this morning. All praise and Glory to God himself, as I am not at all capable of putting these thought into a post like it poured out of me last night. I was just full to overflowing with the Joy of the Lord and last night, moved by him to start typing, and I did.

Wow Mark. Very moving. I am so encouraged that the Lord is moving like this in your life. The only natural response any of us should have is, "I want that!" Thanks for the encouragement this morning.

You are most welcome, but the ideas and thoughts are certainly not from my own failing grey matter. I am glad they were a blessing to you.

Have to sign out and hit the road right now to see one of myy friends who is not doing so hot.

May all of you have a BLESSED day!

Mark

Thanks Mark,

That was a fine read on this fine Sabbath morning.

amen