LOVE CAME DOWN

In my last post I embedded the song and video by Brian Johnson "Love Came Down."I talked about the compelling love of Jesus and focused on the words in the chorus of the song which talks about how Christ's love came down and rescued us. On the way to work this morning that song came on the radio and I was really drawn this time to the words from the first verse. I felt like the Lord was really pressing into my heart that there was someone who really needs to be reminded of the truth behind those lyrics. Could it be you? If it is then God wants to reach you right now. Read the words and then maybe click on the link above or the one at the end of these thoughts and listen to them.

"If my heart is overwhelmed and I cannot hear Your voice
I hold onto what is true,
though I cannot see.
If the storms of life they come, and the road ahead gets steep,
I will lift these hands in faith,
I will believe.
I remind myself of all that You've done,
and the life I have because of Your Son.
Love came down and rescued me.........................."

My friend, there are times when we go through the hard stuff of life and though we might pray and search the scriptures, God seems to be silent. I know. I have experienced it. But it is in those times when warriors are made. It is in those times when, if you are patient and refuse to give up, that God will keep strengthening and molding your faith. A faith that will begin to move mountains. It's hard sometimes. I know. I have experienced this.

If this is you tonight, or whenever you read this, I just want to remind you that God has not forsaken you. God has not left or abandoned you. God still loves you with that unending, eternal love. A breakthrough is being planned for you even now as we talk. This is when you walk by faith and not by what you feel or see.

Even Jesus in His humanity went into a desert and had to face satan head on. Remember, when this happened Jesus was fully human. He had flesh to deal with just like you and me. I believe that Father used this time to shape and mold Jesus into an even stronger man of faith. Though He was facing the devil, Jesus never gave up. Remember what He did whenever satan tempted Him? He quoted the Word of God. He never doubted. He never threw in the towel. In this, He held onto Father. Eventually satan left Him alone and the angels came and ministered to Him. Yes, I understand that Jesus was and is the Son of God, but Jesus was also completely human.

I could give you many other examples of when men and women of faith seemed to be walking in the valley. Besides Jesus, I think immediately of Joseph and Ruth. They both could have easily just given up. Their thoughts could have been, "Where is God?" Maybe there were even times when they may have even given in to that kind of thought. But if they did, they didn't stay there. Instead they became champions of faith. They lived to see the fruit of God's faithful plan for their lives.

But for tonight.......or whenever..........it is just you and God. What are you going to do? Question God as to if He loves you? Wonder if God has abandoned you and begin to give up?

NO!

I will tell you what you are going to do. You are going to allow yourself to remember how much God loves you. You are going to hold on by faith that God knows the plans He has for you. I promise you, those plans are not to harm you. Those plans are not to cast you down. They are plans to raise you up. To bring you life and wholeness. You are going to do this because even though it may seem that God has been silent, He is using this time right here and now to remind you that He is with you. I know this because God has inspired me to write about this to you.

My friend, stay strong. Stay desperate for God. Remain humble, but meek. Even though you may not feel like it, lift your hands and praise and don't stop believing. Remind yourself of all that God has done. The hope that you have because of His Son.

"Love came down and rescued me." I'll tell you what. Instead of the word "me" at the end of that sentence, insert YOUR name. You should do this because God knows you by name. Remember also, that I am always willing to pray for you. In fact, I often do. I am on your side! God is on your side! I'd like to ask you to do me a favor, though. When your breakthrough comes, tell me about it. God has wonderful desires for you. Don't you ever forget that.

"LOVE CAME DOWN" by Brian Johnson. God ahead, click on it and at this very moment receive the song and these thoughts as God's love letter to you. Of all this, He wanted me to let you know.

Praying for you always,
Mark S.

(P.S. "Then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and the Lord will say: Here am I." Isaiah 58:9........and....."The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and He will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11)

THE COMPELLING LOVE OF JESUS

I was listening recently to the beautiful song, "Love Came Down." Have you heard it?

"Love came down and rescued me;
love came down and set me free,
I am Yours, I am forever Yours.
Mountain high, or valley low,
I sing out to remind my soul,
I am Yours, I am forever Yours."

I started to focus on Jesus and His love. As always, Jesus sets the best examples. Look with me if you will at a very familiar story from scripture, but with the emphasis on the story going in a little different direction. I'll start out by paraphrasing.

A rich, you man sees Jesus, is excited and comes running to Him. He falls to his knees and asks Jesus what must be done to inherit eternal life. Jesus responds by reminding the man that he knows the commandments and lists some of them. He reminds the man that he is not to murder, commit adultery, steal, testify falsely, or defraud people, but He is to honor his mother and father. I can almost hear the young man reply proudly............

"Teacher," he declares, "all these things I have kept since I was a boy."

Mark 10:21 "Jesus looked at him and LOVED HIM."

I love that! Time and time again Jesus knew what the pharisees or disciples were talking about or thinking before they even spoke to him, so there had to be a pretty good chance that Jesus already knew that this guy was going to walk away sadly when Jesus spoke to him about selling his processions. Yet Jesus, "looked at him and LOVED HIM." It didn't matter how this rich, young man was going to react. Jesus just loved him.

The example that Jesus sets tells me how I should react to people no matter what is going on. If someone is rude or short with me; I need to love them. Someone who hurries to get in front of me so that they can beat me to the checkout line, I need to look at them and love them. Someone cuts me off in traffic, I should look at them and love them.

Even on the cross, Jesus loved. Does that encourage you as much as it does me? If you really want to make a difference in this world, love like Jesus. That love crushes ugly strongholds.

It's easy to love people who like or love us, but to look with love on those who are indifferent to us is following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Come on.......smile, close your eyes and feel the warmth as Jesus is looking at you with an incredible love right now!

"Love came down and rescued me." (Don't forget to turn off the mixpod to the right)


Loving you like Jesus,
Mark S.