God is Holy; God is Love

Can God be both Holy and loving? Do idols belong in the temple of God? 

We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says, ‘I will live with these people and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ 
The Lord also says, ‘Leave them and stay away! Don’t touch anything that isn’t clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and my daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful.’

2 Corinthians 6:16-18

Many say God’s holiness makes him judgmental, demanding a very high moral standard. Others say if God is loving, then he won’t condemn anyone but all will go to Heaven. Are God’s holiness and love opposite extremes?

Spend Money Wisely

Scripture:“You have planted much but harvest little…You earn money, but put it into a bag with holes.” Haggai 1:6

Are you constantly spending more than you earn? 

YOU ARE JESUS’ BROTHER OR SISTER

While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12 : 46-50)

WHAT DOES FORGIVENESS FEEL LIKE?

What emotions accompany forgiveness?

 “Because you belong to Him [Christ Jesus], the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:2

Forgiveness is freeing. Through Jesus Christ, you have freedom from the power of sin and death in your life! This feeling of freedom can also be felt when you forgive others.

FORGIVE OTHERS AS GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU

Scripture: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Luke 7:41-42 (NLT)

Once Jesus shared a meal with a very judgmental person. He used this story to show that a person who understands their debt and receives forgiveness will have great love for the one who forgives. Being judgmental and unforgiving shows that you have little regard for God’s forgiveness.

WHAT DOES FORGIVENESS FEEL LIKE?

What emotions accompany forgiveness?

 “Because you belong to Him [Christ Jesus], the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:2

Forgiveness is freeing. Through Jesus Christ, you have freedom from the power of sin and death in your life! This feeling of freedom can also be felt when you forgive others.

God’s Forgiveness

Freedom from sin is freedom from its guilt; this freedom is brought to us by God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. God“...is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7). You can be confident God’s grace is working in your life: “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). When you are forgiven, you might experience joy and the feeling a great “burden” (Matthew 11:28) has been lifted.

PRAY BELIEVING YOU RECEIVE

...Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ~Mark 11:24 (NIV)

“Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian.” - Andrew Murray

Mark 11:24 is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible. It puts no limits on God. It puts no limits on what you can ask for. It simply says, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” It does not say it might be yours. It does not say it could be yours. It says it WILL be yours. So what are you praying about?

Here are some ideas to add to your prayer list:

PRAY WITHOUT DOUBT

I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. ~Mark 11:23 (NIV)

“Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” - The Kneeling Christian

In the beginning of time as God created the universe, Satan watched with envy. Not long before, Satan had been thrown out of heaven for trying to usurp God’s authority. He nursed his wounded ego as God made light, the world, the sun, the moon, stars, plants, fish, and animals. Then he saw God create Adam and Eve. He jealously watched as God began to fellowship with the first man and woman.

Pray With Faith

...Have faith in God… ~Mark 11:22 (NIV)

“There are no bonds faith cannot break, no fetters it cannot sever, no dungeon it cannot open, no disease it cannot heal, no victory it cannot win.” - Oral Roberts

One of the most important elements of prayer is faith. In Mark chapter 11, Jesus told His disciples to pray in faith. The writer of Hebrews told us it’s impossible to please God without faith. In writing to the Romans, Paul instructed that the just shall live by faith. So why is faith so important?

Here is a brief overview of what faith is and why it is essential to our lives:

* Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of heaven.

RECEIVE THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do." Acts 13: 38-39

God is the Creator. He is all in all, all powerful. He is faithful and just. He is love.