Sunday Celebration - Remain In My Love

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. 

Now ... Remain in my love. John 15:9

One would think after making it through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year ... Valentine's Day would be a breeze. Right? Not necessarily. Enduring the expectations of the 'holiday of love' can be torture. Especially, if you are grieving the loss of a loved one.

• Perhaps, your loved one is now in heaven. 
• Perhaps, your loved one is now living across town following a divorce.
• Perhaps, your loved one is lost to an addiction. 

In times like these, we don't feel loved. Our loss or rejection may even spill over into how we see God. We might begin to question if He can be trusted. In times like these, we need to be reminded ... 

Circumstances change, but Jesus never does.

People will let us down, but Jesus never will.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is love. He can be trusted. Hear that again ... God is love. God can be trusted. 

God is good and His grace is sufficient. Yet, there will be storms of life. 

The pain is real. The grief is real. The heartache is real. 

So, how do you make it through the storms of life? You remain in His love.

Resist the desire to withdraw or run from Jesus. Run to Him. 

Remain in His love. Remain in His love. Remain in His love. 

The Cost Of Obedience

Becoming a follower of Christ will require a steadfast determination. 

We are to follow that which, God says in His Word, will not make sense to us.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

If it doesn't make sense to us ... it sure isn't going to make sense to those around us. Your acts of obedience may bring your actions under the scrutiny of others which, in turn, will cost you something. Possibly, just being considered a nut. But possibly ... 

• a friend

• a family member

• a job

• your freedom or even your life

So, what does it look like to follow Jesus? Jesus was (and is) interested in healing and restoration.

"It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Mark 2:17

Ministering to sinners was not popular when Jesus walked the earth and it is not popular today. 

It goes against everything in us ... "Friend to Sinners" .... what else you got?

It won't make you popular, especially with the 'religious' folk. But it is Biblical. 

Here are the words of a converted 'religious' folk who became a follower of Jesus. 

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"--and I am the worst of them all. 1Timothy 1:15

Paul first recognized his great need for saving grace from his sin. Then, he became an instrument of that saving grace as He followed Christ. We can expect the same in our lives. It should never be enough for us to simply enjoy what we have. To follow Christ is to share the message of the Good News with those who need it. Whether we believe they deserve it or not. Whether people around us believe they deserve it or not. Lest we forget that we too are sinners and were once dead in our sin.

as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; Romans 3:10

There will be times when God prompts you to show kindness and speak words of healing and restoration to ones who have been regarded as unworthy of receiving grace by others. In those times, you must simply trust that as you abide in Him, and as His Word abides in you, you can trust and obey His promptings and leave the consequences to Him.