My first year of Little League was a bust. I couldn’t connect with even an eleven-year-old fastball. Though our team won the championship, I felt like a worthless hindrance. By obligation, Coach Goodnight would send me to the plate, once every game or so, to take my three swings and sit down.
I felt like giving up, but I loved baseball. During the offseason, I spent a lot of time working on my eye hand coordination and improving my bat speed.
When I showed up for tryouts the following year, I imagine Coach Goodnight couldn’t have been thrilled to see me. But, to my delight, my training paid off. I could connect on pitches, even from a twelve-year-old. And, since I was a decent fielder, I was assigned the role of starting second baseman.
One Saturday morning, as we warmed up for one of our home games, I saw that Pop, my paternal grandfather, had joined my mother in the stands. This delighted me and I especially wanted to play well for him.
There were runners on first and second base when I came to bat for my first plate appearance. I can still picture the details in my mind, over fifty years later. I swung hard at the first pitch. It was a bit outside, so being a righthanded batter, the ball lined between the first and second basemen, heading for the fence. As I rounded first base, I decided to keep running past second and head for third. I slid in ahead of the tag for a triple, driving in two runs.
It wasn’t a Mickey Mantle home run, but I couldn’t have been more excited. When the dust cleared and I stood on third base, I looked up into the crowd and singled out Pop. He had a huge grin on his face, wildly clapping. He was proud of me.
People Pleasing
As I think back on that moment and others like it, I see how important it is for us to please those we care about. As children, parental acceptance and love is important, but we can easily equate our performance with our value. After all, we learn from an early age how our achievements bring us favor. Passing marks in school mean we get promoted to the next grade. Doing well during tryouts earns us a part in the play. Obeying our parents keeps us from being punished.
It’s easy to conclude that what we do determines how much we’re loved. But this is in direct contradiction to the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul said some very stern things to the Galatians about their tendencies to follow a “gospel” of works righteousness, especially for the purpose of people pleasing.
As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Galatians 1:9-10 NASB).
Focused
We’re to live Godly lives but not to earn affection. Only God’s approval is necessary. Our right standing with God is based on what Christ has done, not on anything we could ever accomplish. [1]
Jesus modeled a life of setting aside His own will and living only to please his Father [2]. This focus freed Him from being bound by the actions and opinions of men. Resting in His Father’s love, Jesus freely and lovingly washed Judas and Peter’s feet, men who would betray and deny Him. [3]
Jesus was fully aware of God’s great love for Him, so He didn’t need to depend on the opinions of men. And neither do we.
But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind (John 2:24-25 NASB).
As Christians, we’ve been adopted into God’s family as His children [4]. Were hidden in Christ Jesus [5], united with Him. In Christ, we please God already.
and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you (Romans 8:8-9a NASB).
As believers, we’re left with a huge paradigm shift. We must leave behind our dependence upon others for approval. We live now only to please our Father God. And, as we rest in Christ, His life in us is what pleases God.
We get to set aside all worries of what people think of us and live every moment for our Audience of One.
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people,knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve (Colossians 3:23-24 NASB).
Prayer
Lord, as I picture Pop smiling and cheering me on that day so many years ago, I remember that You delight in me even more than he did. [6] Help me to rest in Your love and acceptance, no matter how folks treat me. I trust in You alone. I release my addiction to worrying about what people think of me.
I know I can’t successfully focus on You without You. Help me never to depend upon any human for my well-being. May I continually trust in You alone.
Please keep me focused on You throughout each day. When I stray from living only for You, please remind me quickly.
Amen.
One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to]meditate in His temple (Psalm 27:4 NASB)
Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
At the turn of the century, our family went on a short term missions trip to Mexico. During some of our down time, we decided to visit the local market. As we entered, we were amazed at the wide variety of colorful local fare, from flowers, to fruits and vegetables, to intricate crafts.
Immediately, vendors called their products to our attention for purchase. One of us, I can’t remember who, told them we wanted to look around and that we’d come back.
We spent a good bit of time enjoying the massive amount of tables, reaching deeper and deeper into the space, to the point we almost lost our way back to the front. Most of us bought at least one thing.
Suddenly, it dawned upon us how late it was, so we made our way to the front. As we exited, one of the vendors we first encountered yelled in English, “What about me?”
I felt bad and I’m not even sure we responded, but the question, “What about me?” has become a family catch phrase when one of us wants to insert ourselves.
As I continue to walk this journey with Jesus, the more I realize I’m asking the same question in my heart. What about me? Until recently, I didn’t recognize what a consuming quest this really is.
I know I’m not alone in this inward battle. Our Christian lives are a continual challenge, to live in the realities of Galatians 2:20, the great summary of God’s good news. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Living a life of “I have been crucified” is not easy.
I see what happened to two of Jesus’ disciples in Mark 9:35-37, “James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying to Him, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.’And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’They said to Him, ‘Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.’”
They were asking, What about me?
What about me?seems to be built into the fabric of our hearts.
What I want to say is what John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 NASB)
What about me? is such a restricting, narrowing view. It limits the world and chokes my joy.
It’s You Lord!changes the game from introspection on my little kingdom, into full hope upon the glorious kingdom of God, waiting to explode into eternal ecstasy. [1]
What about me? requires control and strain to produce circumstances which I hope will maintain my happiness. It puts me where God should be and steals any moments of abiding in His gladness.
It’s You Lord!releases care and trusts in a loving God, who is at work in a greater story of making me more like Jesus. [2]
What about me? longs for the love and approval of others. It produces competitiveness, envy and continual effort to be liked and admired by others.
It’s You Lord!produces gratitude and praise, which keeps me peaceful under the yolk of Jesus’ gentle and humble heart. [3]
I desire this change in my heart, the transformation of John the Baptist, more than anything I can think of. But, I know this kind of work is not a self study class. If I’m to move from What about me? to It’s You Lord! it requires the Lord, not me.
Lord, show me in Your word and empower me by Your Spirit to be less about me and more about You.
He Must Increase, but I Must Decrease.
During our family vacation last year, I was walking on the beach talking with my bride about some deep spiritual matters. This was a convergence of three of our very favorite things to do together: be at the beach, walk, and talk about spiritual things.
As we walked, she said, “We all have swiss cheese hearts.”
This was a striking image as I pictured it and I’ve thought about it a lot since then. Certainly, God has created our hearts with a void only He can fill.
Examining my own heart, I’ve identified five major holes which I’ve historically tried to fill myself. I know, with Solomon, that trying to fill my eternal holes with anything of this world is vanity of vanities. [4] Yet, I scream What about me? as I try and plug these holes myself.
Perhaps others can relate.
The Need to Be Admired
In my heart, I see a deep longing to be admired. When people, especially those important to me, make me feel disliked or even hated, What about me? screams out. The “desired to be admired hole” aches with a painful feeling of being unloved.
It’s You Lord! points me to the amazing love God has for me, as revealed in His word and in His actions. Though there are many scriptures about God’s incomprehensible love for us, [5] I’ll focus on what Jesus told His disciples the night before He died, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.” (John 15:9)
The eternal love of God is the only thing which can fill my hole to be admired. Expecting this kind of love from others is toxic. It not only binds me to the approval of men, but produces a self-serving love for others, which is not sincere.
Ugh. This is really bad When What about me? comes to mind about not being admired, I determine to saturated my heart to overflowing with God’s perfect love.
It’s You Lord!
Lord, You love me with a love I’ll never fully grasp, which fills my heart to overflowing. Please remind me of this when people are mean to me and act hateful.
In my heart, I see a need to be accepted. When people, especially those important to me, make me feel rejected, What about me? screams out. The “desired to be accepted hole” aches with a painful feeling of being excluded.
It’s You Lord! points me to what God did for all of His children before the world began: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In loveHe predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6 NASB)
God chose me, to be His child before I was even born. The passage goes on to say that in His love for me, I’ve been lavished with grace, redeemed with His love, and given His Holy Spirit as an installment of my inheritance.
I’ve had some really important people in my life reject me. And the pain does not go away. But it’s a pain of loss, not a loss of value.
No person can define my value, no matter how important. Before I breathed a breath, God called me His own. No person can change that by rejecting me.
It’s You Lord!
Lord, You’ve accepted me by Your blood. This is what matters. Please help me remember this.
In my heart, I see a insatiable need to accomplish things. This drive seems to always be running in the background, to the point that sometimes I have to force myself to relax.
I fight a fear of failure. What about me? yells that nothing I do is good enough. And there’s the problem in the open. What “I” do.
It’s You Lord! points me to II Corinthians 5:21: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Me trying to accomplish some righteousness of my own is the very essence of stupidity. Not only is it impossible, (all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God) [5], but it’s an affront to what Christ has done for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. (Galatians 2:21 NASB)
Will I fail? Most definitely; every day. But am I a failure? By now means.
But as for me, I stand on the righteousness of Christ.
It’s You Lord!
You have given me Your righteousness. You have made me complete, fully accomplished in You. Please help me remember this when I feel like a failure.
In my heart, I see a need to be affirmed, to be recognized, to have my achievements pointed out. What about me? wants my glory to shine.
My, my, my. Me, me me. As I write it’s more than ludicrous. Yet, the temptation rises.
When I think about what Jesus did for me, I realize He wants me to consider myself dead when it comes to my glory. Paul actually wrote this in Colossians 3:3-4: For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
It’s You Lord! helps me realize I’m hidden in Christ. That’s affirmation enough. It’s His life which is to be celebrated, His glory. Why would a dead man need to be recognized and given credit anyway?
Christ is my life. No need to be individually affirmed. One day, I’ll be revealed with Him in glory. His glory, not mine.
Lord, please help me remember this when I feel the need to be recognized and given credit for anything. No need to strive to be affirmed. I rest in You.
In my heart, I recognize the deep need to be satisfied, for my longings to be appeased. As mentioned before, God put longing in every human heart. [6]
Blaise Pascal wrote, “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing, but only by God the creator made known by Jesus Christ.”
What about me? believes I must plug these holes myself. But I can’t. I’ve tried being admired by people, accomplishing many tasks, being pliable to be accepted, and competing to be affirmed.
I’m realizing that the sum of these searches for lasting joy only leave my wanting all the more.
I hear with Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1 NIV)
I now agree with Asaph, “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;” (Psalm 73:28a NASB).
And with David, “You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound.” (Psalm 4:7 NASB)
It’s You Lord! is the answer to every hole in my swiss cheese heart.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35 NASB)
These are some holes in my heart which begin with ‘A’. Lord, show me the whole alphabet. (8^>
Lord, I depend upon me so often; even now, after decades of being Your disciple. But You are teaching me to rest in Your yoke. It’s not up to me anymore. It never was.
It’s Your glory, Lord, never mine. When a thought comes to highlight me, please remind me quickly that it’s You.
Lead me, I pray, to quickly disagree with the lies and agree with the truth that I’m complete in You, filled to the brim and overflowing with You in all areas.
In You, I’m always admired, always accepted, fully accomplished, affirmed in Your glory, and fully satisfied by You, my Bread of life. Your rivers of waters completely saturate my thirst.
You want me free, really free.
Please continue to show me ways I choose me and not You, my will and not Yours.
With your journal in hand, write down any What about me? areas in your own life. It could be one or more identified above or different ones.
When is it most often manifested?
Write down ways you think your self focus hampers your life.
What difference would it make if God was your focus and not you?
Write a prayer expressing your desires to make a change and be less self focused and more God focused, recognizing the need for the Holy Spirit to enable you.
If you’re willing, ask Him to continue to reveal self focused ways in you. He will.
Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
In the mid 1800s a large number of babies were dying soon after childbirth. During that time Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor, learned something which would change the medical community forever. In his studies he noticed more babies were dying after being delivered by medical students than by midwives. Digging deeper, he realized the students often performed autopsies prior to delivery, contaminating their hands with microbes.
Dr. Semmelweis instigated a regiment of hand washing which substantially dropped the number of infant deaths. Though soap had been around since Biblical times, its total benefit was not known until then. This began the great soap-related hygiene revolution which radically changed the medical field.
It’s amazing how a bit of knowledge about soap could save countless lives.
Is there knowledge we can gain which can have an even larger impact on us?
Yes.
Knowing God’s love for us is even more vital that knowing the benefits of soap during medical procedures. Us knowing God’s love has eternal ramifications.
Following are three reasons knowing God’s love is so essential. To grasp it we need to realize its more than information to be stored in our heads. It must also come alive in our hearts.
May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened. [2]
Perfect Love Drives out Fear and Allows us to Love
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love because He first loved us (I John 4:18-19 NASB).
As I examine my heart, much of my sin is rooted in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of poverty. Fear of unhappiness. Fear of . . .
Fear causes worrying and robs me of essential peace.
In the above verses, John writes about a love which drives out fear, a perfect love, flowing from the heart of God.
While we still fear, we’re yet to be perfected in God’s love. However, to the degree we realize God’s amazing love for us, our fears melt away and peace reigns in our hearts.
As I write, I imagine a life with no fear. Fearless. Oh the freedom! Oh the joy! And it’s not just something to wish for. God’s perfect love is real, the chaser of all fears.
But there’s much more.
God’s love for us is the source of all true love. To the degree we realize His perfect love, we’re able to reflect His love back to Him and to others.
Perfect love not only gives us courage, is also the source of all of our love.
We love because He first loved us.
God’s Love Enables Our Obedience
And He said to him,“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the great and foremost commandment.The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)
Since our love is rooted in God’s love for us, His love enables our obedience. In the above verses, Jesus gives two vital commands which basically summarizes the entire Bible. Our obedience is characterized by love. It’s the overarching filter to govern everything we do. As the ten commandments state, loving God (first four) and loving others (last six) should guide our every word and deed.
So, why is God’s love for us important?
God’s love enables us to love. And loving is how we obey Him.
God’s Love Roots and Grounds Us
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB)
God’s love for us surpasses our knowledge. It’s beyond our understanding and our intellect. Even so, Paul prays that the superlative dimensions of God’s love might be comprehended or realized in a way which comes alive in our hearts.
Paul is praying that what does not fit in our heads, will dwell in our hearts as God is pleased to illuminate it.
God’s love roots us and grounds us and gives us a vital firm foundation. To the degree God’s surpassing love is illuminated and made real to us, our souls are secured against the storms and trials of life.
Story: There’s a song based on the verses above about the deep, deep love of Jesus. Many years ago, the song was sung at the funeral of Rachel, a little two-year old play mate of my oldest son.
O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus [3]
As the song was sung, I looked over at her parents. I couldn’t comprehend what they were feeling. In my raw state, I wondered how the song could possibly fit since Rachel had died.
Then it hit me. As deep as the pain Rachel’s parents were feeling, God’s love was deeper still. In their pain, they had an opportunity to experience the depth of God’s love in a way they might not have otherwise known.
Since then, my wife and I have experienced some deep relational pain of our own, kind of like the death of a child. But through it all, God’s love is deeper still. We can truly say that we know God’s love more deeply because He’s met us in the depth of our grief and pain.
Conclusion
From Zephaniah 3:17 we learned that God delights to be with us and that we make Him happy.
The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
What makes this and other facts about knowing God’s love for us so VITAL is that:
God’s love chases away ALL fear
God’s love and is the source of our love
God’s love enables us to obey Him
God’s Root and grounds our soul, no matter what
Prayer
Lord may my comprehension of Your amazing love for me continue to grow as I soak in its reality. Thank You for chasing away my every fear with Your perfect love. Please remind me quickly when fears arise. Thank you that Your love enables me to love You. May I receive Your love and give it away. Thank You for delighting to be with me. Please help me to grasp Your love more and more. Steady my heart in the firm foundations of Your delight in me. Amen.
Subscribe below to have the posts delivered to your email. We publish weekly. At least that’s the plan. (8^>
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Novels by the Author:
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
If we understood, at a heart level, His quality of love which can’t be changed!
If we realized God delights in being with us. If we comprehended His willingness to send His Son to die in our place.
If we learned to remain in Jesus’ love for us.
If we really knew these things at a heart level – Our adversary’s schemes to persecute us would be shallowed up in God’s ocean of love.
Since God’s amazing love for us is absolutely essential, It’s good to uncover what threatens us knowing it.
Following are three threats.
God’s Love is Beyond Understanding
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God ( Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB).
God’s incomprehensible love for us doesn’t fit in our heads. We need to lay aside our desire to mentally understand it.
In the above verse, written to believers in Ephesus, Paul says God’s love surpasses our knowledge. Even though, as believers, we have Christ in our hearts, Paul prays Christ’s love would dwell (settle and pervade) there. He wants the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened[1], so that God’s love would expand more completely there.
Oh the vastness of His Love! Like an ocean, the dimensions can’t be grasped. However, as our hearts are enlightened, as awareness of His love grows, we become more and more “filled to the fullness of God.”
Story: As I read about a love which is beyond my ability to comprehend, I’m thrust into a quandary. On the one hand I feel stuck. If I can’t understand it, how do I know it.
I’m realizing that though God’s love for me surpasses knowledge, my heart can contain it. I join Paul’s prayer that, by His Spirit, I might grow in my awareness of the vastness of God’s love for me.
May God’s love, which is beyond words come alive more and more in my heart that I might love others as Christ has loved me.
God’s Love for Us is Not Affected by How We’re Treated
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,*got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:3-5 NASB)
Jesus didn’t entrust Himself to men. He knew their hearts[2]. His confidence was in God’s love alone.
In the above verse, Jesus washed the feet of a man who would deny Him (Peter) and a man who would betray Him (Judas). And He knew it.
Hours later, He would perform the ultimate example of sacrificial love by dying to rescue mankind from the wrath of God.
Jesus didn’t allow how people treated Him to rattle Him. He didn’t need their love. He knew where He came from. He knew where He was going. And while He was on earth, since He knew His Father’s love, He had all things.
If, like Jesus, we don’t need the approval of people, we can love freely as He did, expecting nothing in return. As we dwell in Jesus’ love for us, how people treat us, though painful, won’t affect our value.
We are deeply loved by God. This is our value.
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10 NASB).
Story: A few years ago I became aware that I’ve “required” love from the important people in my life. I certainly love them, but since my love cup was not full, I needed their love in return. I see now that this is not only unloving, but it kept me in bondage to the actions and feelings of others.
Occasionally, I still struggle with this when I feel rejected or unloved. However, as the awareness of God’s complete love for me grows, the chains of “needing” the love of people are breaking and falling off.
This frees me to love others purely and reduces the threat of doubting God’s love when people hurt me.
Our Enemy Does Not Want Us to Know God’s Love
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5 NASB).
At all costs, our enemy wants to keep us from knowing God’s love. Since he’s out to afflict us, the peace, hope and joy of us resting and walking in God’s love is the exact opposite of what he desires for us.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10 NASB)
The devil’s tactics are ancient and predictable. He’s constantly accusing us and seeking to hide God’s love from us.
Based on the truth about God’s love, we’re to disagree with his lies and agree with what we know is true. Agreeing with the truth, and not the lies, gives no foothold for our enemy to fortify within.
Familiar, life shaping lies we’ve agreed with in the past can be destroyed by God’s truth. The weapons of our warfare are “divinely powerful” (sourced in God and able to accomplish what is intended) for the destruction of all strongholds and speculations.
Paul tells us to take every thought captive and to obey Christ by believing what He says.
The devil is like a roaring lion seeking always to devour. We resist him by casting our cares on the Lord, standing firm in our faith in His Love. [3]
Story: Personally, one of the enemy’s tactics with me is to make me feel like a failure and to feel rejected. As I dig in, I see a correlation between the two: Unless I succeed, I will be rejected.
Over the years, I recognized this as the enemy’s attempt to hide God’s everlasting love from me. The facts is that my value is in what Christ has done, not my efforts.
When I recognize the lie and rest in the truth the pressure of living life to succeed is crumbled and washed away in the blood of Jesus.
Conclusion
Previously, we established that God’s love for us is eternal and can’t be changed. This quality of love motivated God to rescue us from His wrath by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus loves us as much as God loves Him. His love for us chases away our fears and is the source of all our loving. God’s love roots and grounds our soul. It enables us to delight in Him and to love others as He’s loved us.
God’s incredible love is beyond our understanding and is designed to be held in our hearts. As the eyes of our hearts are enlightened, and our awareness of God’s great love for us grows in depth of experience, the way people treat us and the lies Satan feeds us CAN’T change us in the slightest degree.
Prayer
Lord, the more my heart grows in true awareness of Your great love for me, the more my soul experiences Your peace, Your hope and Your joy. Yet, so many forces are at work to try and hide it. You’ve commanded me to remain in Your love. No matter how folks treat me or how hard my circumstances, Your love holds. Please teach me to judge every word or thought based on Your truth and nothing else. Help me to quickly recognize lies so I can disagree with them and agree with what You say. Thank you for loving me and wanting to be with me. Amen.
Knowing God’s love for us is essential. And it needs to be more than information, it’s to become a growing realization. May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened. [1]
Perfect Love Drives out Fear and Allows us to Love
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love because He first loved us (I John 4:18-19 NASB).
As I examine my heart, much of my sin is rooted in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of poverty. Fear of unhappiness. Fear of . . .
Fear causes worrying and robs me of peace, which is essential to my existence.
In the above verses, John writes about a love which drives out fear, a perfect love, flowing from God.
While we still fear, we’re yet to be perfected in God’s love. However, to the degree we realize God’s amazing love, our fears melt away and peace reigns in our hearts.
But there’s much more.
God’s love for us is the source of true love. To the degree we realize His perfect love, we’ll be able to reflect His love back to Him and to others.
We love because He first loved us.
Story: As I ponder the truth concerning God’s perfect love, different nagging fears come to mind, particularly fear of failure and fear of rejection. These fears have sometimes sent me down destructive paths. But more and more the reality of a love which literally casts out fear is growing in my heart.
As I write, I imagine a life with no fear. Fearless. Oh the freedom! Oh the joy! And it’s not just something to wish for. God’s perfect love is real, the chaser of all fears. Perfect love which, not only gives us courage, but is the source of all of our love.
This is something to get very excited about.
God’s Love Enables Our Obedience
And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the great and foremost commandment.The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)
Since our love is rooted in God’s love for us, His love enables our obedience. Like a cart being pulled along by a horse, our works of obedience (loving) are empowered and guided by God’s love for us, not the other way around.
In the above verses, Jesus gives two vital commands which basically summarizes the entire Bible. Our obedience is characterized by love, becoming the overarching filter to govern our lives. As the ten commandments state, loving God (first four) and loving others (last six) should guide our every word and deed.
So, why is God’s love for us important?
God’s love enables us to love. And loving is how we obey Him.
Story: For many years I’ve been captivated by the verses above. As complicated as life can be, they seem like a great filter to run all aspects of life through. After all, Jesus tells us the command to love God and love others summarizes the whole law and the prophets.
So many times I’ve realized that what I was choosing was not loving toward God as my highest love. What a great realization, as opposed to not realizing it and continuing to love idols.
So many times, I’ve realized my actions toward people were more for me than for them. Again, what a great realization. I want my love to be pure. I know I have far to go, but to the extent that I’m loving others out of God’s love for me, joy and freedom erupt.
God’s Love Roots and Grounds Us
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB)
God’s love for us surpasses our knowledge. It is beyond our understanding and our intellect. Even so, Paul prays the superlative dimensions of God’s love might be comprehended or realized in a way which comes alive in our hearts.
What does not fit in our heads, can dwell more and more in our hearts as God is pleased to illuminate it. This is what Paul is praying.
God’s love roots us and grounds us, establishing a firm foundation. To the degree God’s surpassing love is illuminated and made real to us, our souls are more and more secured against the storms and trials of life.
Story: There’s a song based on the verses above about the deep, deep love of Jesus. Many years ago, the song was song at the funeral of Rachel, a little two year play mate of my oldest son.
As the song was song, I looked over at the parents. I couldn’t comprehend what they were feeling. In my raw state, I wondered how the song fit.
Then it hit me. As deep as the pain was that Rachel’s parents were feeling, God’s love was deeper still. And, in their pain, they had an opportunity to experience the depth of that love in a way they might not have otherwise known.
Since then, my wife and I have experienced deep relational pain, but God’s love is deeper still.
Conclusion
Previously, we established that God’s love for us:
Is eternal and can’t be changed by anything of this world, seen or unseen.
Motivated Him to rescue us by the death of His Son Jesus Christ
Is modeled by Jesus’ love for us
From Zephaniah 3:17 we learned that God delights to be with us and that we make Him happy.
The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
What makes these and other facts so VITAL is that God’s love:
Chases away ALL fear and is the source of our love
Enables us to obey God
Root and grounds our soul, no matter what
Especially Now
In today’s world of disunity and hatred, it’s essential to realize God’s love for us. We must know we’re completely loved no matter how we’re treated.
Prayer
Lord, may my comprehension of Your amazing love for me continue to grow as I soak in it’s reality. Thank You for chasing away my every fear with Your perfect love. Please remind me quickly when fears arise. Thank you that Your love enables me to love You. May I receive Your love and give it away. Thank You for delighting to be with me. Please help me to grasp Your love more and more. Steady my heart in the firm foundations of Your delight in me. Amen.
Inner peace. Own it and you’ll be tranquil, though the world crumbles around you. Without it, nothing you gain will give you contentment.
Peace is defined as freedom from disturbance; serenity, quite, mental calmness and tranquility.
As humans, we need peace and we’ll take all manner of paths searching for it.
Fear Threatens Our Peace
When deadlines looms and stress builds, we fear failure.
When relationships are strained, we fear being unloved.
When we fail, we fear being rejected.
When life gets hard, we fear the pain of our trials.
When debt mounts, we fear insecurity.
When illness strikes, we fear death.
And the list of fears goes on. Fear threatens our peace.
Not as the World Gives It
On the night before He was crucified, Jesus said to His disciples,
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives it do I give to you; Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful.” John 14:27 (NASB)
The world was never supposed to be our source of peace. Jesus is our peace, the peace of His Holy Spirit, which indwells us.
Jesus wants us to give up trying to find and maintain our own peace.
This is extremely freeing, but very hard to do because we’ve been in charge of our own peace our whole lives. Consider how much of our lives have been spent trying to keep our hearts from feeling disturbed and troubled?
Imagine not being responsible for your own peace any more.
Jesus commands us is to not be fearful and to not let our hearts be troubled. He gives us His peace. So, we can rest in Him.
Prince of Peace
Centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah foretold his coming:
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NASB)
Among other titles, Jesus is called our Prince of Peace, but what does this mean?
We’ve been wearing ourselves out seeking peace, when our only job is to choose Jesus in the midst of every fear.
What a relief!
Prayer
Lord, thank you that You are my peace. You tell me not to have a troubled heart and to not be fearful. This is Your command. I choose You as the Captain of my Peace. I choose You as my Peace. Please guide me, when life’s adventures threaten to steal my peace. In Your strength, help me to choose You over fear. Help me to rest in You as my Peace and to not let my heart be troubled.
