God Loves You This Much!

I often wonder how God could even love us at all. We are sinners! But when I rethink this I look at my relationship with my children (God lent to me). If my daughter does the unthinkable sin, I get upset, discipline, and then go on loving her unconditionally. Her reaction is, she gets mad at herself, then at me, deals with the consequence, and then continues to love me.

Even though I stated that my daughter and I would turn back to loving each other does this mean in the future we will always be connected by love? Will we truly love each other unconditionally. I would like to think so, however, I see parents and their children ALL of the time that do not talk, do not spend time together, get angry and stay angry etc. 

God is different then humans. GOD IS LOVE! (1John 4)

GOD IS LOVE

⁷ _h Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who _i loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹ _j In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten _k Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, _l not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son _m to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, _n if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² _o No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

When I read this- God is love- it makes me think, He doesn't just love like we do HE IS LOVE! Read this over again! God doesn't just love like we do HE IS LOVE!

So if HE is LOVE then HE cannot NOT LOVE us! Yes, He hates sin and the hates sinners but in a complete holy way unlike us. We can not love perfectly nor can we hate perfectly. The Bible clearly teaches that God is love. First John 4:8-9 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” Mysterious but true is the fact that God can perfectly love and hate a person at the same time. This means He can love him as someone He created and can redeem, as well as hate him for his unbelief and sinful lifestyle. We, as imperfect human beings, cannot do this; thus, we must remind ourselves to “love the sinner, hate the sin.”

Visit GotQuestions.org This is a great resource

So, love then is meant for Christians, His children? Yes and No! He loves what He created and wants to continue to love but when His children fall away and continue to sin and NOT BELIEVE then in a sense He waits for them but He also Hates. 

He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. 1 John 4

Because we are naturally sinners and cannot be perfect like God he sent someone to redeem us if we only BELIEVE.

God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ that whomever may believe in Him will have eternal life! Imagine for a minute sending your son or daughter (creating them) for that purpose alone. To live on earth for 33 years to die on a cross to save all of human kind if they only would just believe? God did this for us! 

Sometimes I think, what a slap in the face it is for people NOT to believe after what Jesus went through for us! How could someone not believe? This is who God hates. If God hates you for turning your back on Him and not believing in Him then what? I cannot imagine ANYONE wanting to take that chance!!!

Are you willing to take that chance? Live your life like you want to by sinning and not coming to Jesus? 

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He paid the price for us by dying on our behalf. Even though He is God, He still had to suffer the agony of a temporary separation from the Father due to the sin of world He was carrying on the cross. After three hours of supernatural darkness, He cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:33-34). This spiritual separation from the Father was the result of the Son’s taking our sins upon Himself. That’s the impact of sin. Sin is the exact opposite of God, and God had to turn away from His own Son at that point in time.

God loves HIS CHILDREN! He loved us so much that He sent a replacement for our sinning nature, Jesus Christ. Will you join our family today, right now? If so, pray to our Lord, our God. Repent and be washed of your current and past sins. You will be forgive. From this day forward walk with Jesus.

In Jesus' precious name,

Amen

Rebecca Stephan

Question: "How can I be saved?"

Answer: This simple, yet profound, question is the most important question that can be asked. ”How can I be saved?” deals with where we will spend eternity after our lives in this world are over. There is no more important issue than our eternal destiny. Thankfully, the Bible is abundantly clear on how a person can be saved. The Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). Paul and Silas responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

How can I be saved? Why do I need to be saved?
We are all infected with sin (Romans 3:23). We are born with sin (Psalm 51:5), and we all personally choose to sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8). Sin is what makes us unsaved. Sin is what separates us from God. Sin is what has us on the path to eternal destruction.

How can I be saved? Saved from what?
Because of our sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23). While the physical consequence of sin is physical death, that is not the only kind of death that results from sin. All sin is ultimately committed against an eternal and infinite God (Psalm 51:4). Because of that, the just penalty for our sin is also eternal and infinite. What we need to be saved from is eternal destruction (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15).

How can I be saved? How did God provide salvation?
Because the just penalty for sin is infinite and eternal, only God could pay the penalty, because only He is infinite and eternal. But God, in His divine nature, could not die. So God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. God took on human flesh, lived among us, and taught us. When the people rejected Him and His message, and sought to kill Him, He willingly sacrificed Himself for us, allowing Himself to be crucified (John 10:15). Because Jesus Christ was human, He could die; and because Jesus Christ was God, His death had an eternal and infinite value. Jesus’ death on the cross was the perfect and complete payment for our sin (1 John 2:2). He took the consequences we deserved. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead demonstrated that His death was indeed the perfectly sufficient sacrifice for sin.

How can I be saved? What do I need to do?
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). God has already done all of the work. All you must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers (Ephesians 2:8-9). Fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sins. Believe in Him, and you will not perish (John 3:16). God is offering you salvation as a gift. All you have to do is accept it. Jesus is the way of salvation (John 14:6).

Victory Over Anxiety

I was watching a video with Dr. Charles Stanley about Victory over Anxiety and let me tell you that this is the best video I have ever seen and I am so prayerful.

I, today, gave ALL of my anxiety to God. I learned a few things from the video below and I encourage you to watch and apply it to your life if you are like me. Before I share what I learned I will briefly share what I endured (past tense).

My anxiety/panic attacks started when I was 17 years old. Back then I had no clue why I would be with friends driving into the mountains (Seattle) and all of the sudden I could not breathe. I was later diagnosed with Asthma which I did not have.

Later in life in got much worse. Not so much in my twenties but it hit me hard in my thirties. I would literally think that I was dying. I would have them (Panic attacks and anxiety attacks) quite often, After our twin daughters died I went on Paxil for the second time. After I lost my teeth and I started to gain weight it all seem to get worse on or off Paxil.

I could not get on a plane without taking Valium nor could I drive in the snow. Many times I would be just sitting with the family watching TV and I would just get this rush of panic.I thought, "This must be a chemical imbalance in my head". So, I took more and more Valium to suppress these feelings of despair.

In 2008 I got baptized and I thought that this would be healed but I really did not pray faithfully. I figured this out today as I watched 'Victory over Anxiety'. I am making a full-hearted statement here:

I, Rebecca Stephan, will give all my worries to the Lord Jesus Christ. I will no longer try to control my brain, body, surroundings, or anything else that I feel that I am actually out of control. I will not worry about my children when I die because when I die God will watch and lead them. I will find true peace and joy with Jesus and trust Him 100%.

Father, lift this anxiety and panic from me for it is not healthy, good for me, and it is a sin because I know that You are the one in control, not me. from this day forward I will call upon You and obey Your Word. Thank You for being there for me all of my life. You are an awesome Father and all of what I am and will be is and will be for You!

In Jesus name, AMEN

_________________________________________________________________________

So, What did I learn today? 

We CAN control our emotions or we can let it control us!


Jesus tells us not to be anxious for nothing.

Anxiety=Uncertainty

That my biggest anxiety lately has been my health, death, and my children being without me.

Anxiety is being distracted or pulled apart. (Feeling of dread)

Concern and anxiety are different.

Anxiety is the lack of control.

Anxiety affects our whole body not just our mind.

Medication just suppresses the anxiety and does not deal with it.

Anxiety is NOT from God.

Anxiety should not last long.

People get physically sick from anxiety and the people around you are affected.

Reasons to avoid Anxiety:

It is against scripture and it has a negative affect on our life.
Divides our mind, slows us down, affects our relationships, leads us to unwise decisions, steals our peace and joy, and wastes our time and energy.

WHEN ANXIETY CLEARS UP OUR HEALTH CLEARS UP!

What does God say about anxiety?

Philippians 4:4-7

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Bring your anxiety to God in prayer. Thank Him for all that He has done and TRUST that He will do what He said He was going to do which is to bring you peace.

Acts 18:9-10

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”

Paul was in prison at this time and could have had many things to freak out (anxiety) about!

THREE-FOLD Conviction

God loves you unconditionally

He wants to help you!

He CAN help you!

ANXIETY IS A FAITH BATTLE- Either you believe that God can or you believe He can't help you.

Surrender and pray!
God Bless, Rebecca Stephan
PS. I will let you know how everything goes!