Love of Christ

Unconditional Love

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“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.“

Romans 5:6-8 NIV

God loves us unconditionally

We do not earn His love; we do not deserve it

There are not certain things you must do or be to receive God’s love

He offers it to us through His Son and by His mercy and grace

Our job is to receive His love by seeking Him, spending time with Him and being in relationship with Him

We are to know Him

And we are to make Him known to others

There is no greater gift you will ever receive in this life than God’s love

Turn away from sinful thoughts and ways and live in God’s unconditional love

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 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. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.“

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

God’s Unfailing Love

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 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. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

God’s love is everything for us

There is nothing like it and there is nothing on earth that can separate us from it

Take time to worship and praise Him for His unfailing love

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at the Nakalele Blow Hole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

His Love Endures Forever

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“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Psalm 103:8-12 NIV

Forever (Live) by Michael W Smith

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“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.”

Psalm 136:1 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in northern Colorado)

God’s Love Changes Lives

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 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. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:7-11 NIV

God’s love is the most powerful thing in the world

Nothing can compare to it

No matter where you are, no matter what has happened or is happening in your life

God’s love can change what you believe is impossible

Trust Him, seek His Word, believe, confess your sins and surrender you ways for His way

Nothing is impossible with God

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“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:12 NIV

(This photo was taken in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

He Did It All For You

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“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

From Genesis to Revelation the over-arching theme of the Bible points to Jesus and His love

This love is not a guarantee that life will be easy and always pleasant

Yet it is a love that is consistent, unchanging and comes to us directly in His birth, life, death and resurrection

Open your heart and mind to Jesus every day…everything He did was done for you

End Of The Beginning by David Phelps

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)

Commitment

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“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

John 15:7 NIV

Father God, I want to seek You with all my heart

You are my everything…so let my thoughts and actions match my words

Help me draw closer to You

Guide my decisions and inspire me with new dreams

I want to honor You with all that I am and all that I do

In Jesus name, Amen

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“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Healed By His Love

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“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

1 Peter 2:24 NIV

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

1 Peter 2:1 NIV

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“For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

God’s Love Is For You

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“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIV

The Creator of the universe knows all about you and He loves you and wants a relationship with you

Look what He has done to ensure that you have the opportunity to believe in Him and spend time with Him

The Old Testament is a back and forth of God and His people growing close together and people wandering off and then coming back together…so in order to put an end to the cyclical back and forth God put His plan together to reconcile us to Him once and for all

He put His plan into action at just the right time and now because of the sacrifice and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the penalty for our sin has been paid and we can be with God for eternity

He did it for you…He did it because He loves you that much

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken at sunset at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Worship And Praise

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“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
7 for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.”

Psalm 95:1-7 NIV

The only thing in all the earth that brings about true unity among all people from all over the world is Jesus Christ…His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection and His never-ending love

Praise Him

My Only Response (Unplugged) by Eagle Brook Music

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
    burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
    with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
    shout for joy before the Lord, the King.“

Psalm 98:4-6 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Trust In The Lord…Praise Him

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“Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4 NIV

Father God, when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You

You are my source of strength and protection

You guide me and fight for me

When I draw near to You, I have nothing to fear, becasue I know You are in control

Thank You!

I put my trust in You and give You praise for who You are

In Jesus name, Amen

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“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.”

Psalm 86:12 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)