Hello, I am Shelley Quinn. 00:00:01.36\00:00:02.76 Today on "The Grace Pipeline," 00:00:02.76\00:00:04.17 we will examine the reality of relationship 00:00:04.17\00:00:07.70 between God and His born again children. 00:00:07.70\00:00:10.17 And we're gonna spend some time together contemplating 00:00:10.17\00:00:13.74 what the Bible says about the immeasurable love of God. 00:00:13.74\00:00:18.28 Please join us now. 00:00:18.28\00:00:19.98 Welcome to "The Grace Pipeline." 00:00:40.94\00:00:42.77 On our last program, 00:00:42.77\00:00:44.61 we discussed the process of being born again 00:00:44.61\00:00:47.78 by the transforming power of God's gifts of grace. 00:00:47.78\00:00:52.58 And today we will reflect on the reality of relationship 00:00:52.58\00:00:57.55 that exist between our loving Heavenly Father 00:00:57.55\00:01:00.86 and His born again children. 00:01:00.86\00:01:02.66 And we're going to get a glimpse of the wonders 00:01:02.66\00:01:06.03 of His redeeming and unutterable love. 00:01:06.03\00:01:09.66 You know, the Bible says that God is love, 00:01:09.66\00:01:12.37 but I don't think that we really understand it. 00:01:12.37\00:01:15.30 This series follows a Bible study 00:01:15.30\00:01:19.11 that I was privilege to write 00:01:19.11\00:01:20.74 also titled 'The Grace Pipeline." 00:01:20.74\00:01:23.28 And if you are following along in the series companion book, 00:01:23.28\00:01:27.28 today we're beginning on chapter 3. 00:01:27.28\00:01:30.69 In Romans 5:8, scripture tells us that 00:01:30.69\00:01:33.25 "God demonstrates His own love for us 00:01:33.25\00:01:36.36 in that while we were still sinners, 00:01:36.36\00:01:38.93 Christ died for us." Now let me ask you this. 00:01:38.93\00:01:42.10 Can you think of the more dramatic way 00:01:42.10\00:01:44.33 for God to prove His love for humanity? 00:01:44.33\00:01:47.17 Now, just for a minute, 00:01:47.17\00:01:48.97 try to wrap your mind around the privilege of the promise 00:01:48.97\00:01:53.14 that John tells us in John 1:12, 00:01:53.14\00:01:58.78 where he says that "As many as received Him, 00:01:58.78\00:02:02.55 whoever has received Christ, 00:02:02.55\00:02:04.65 to them He gave the right to become children of God 00:02:04.65\00:02:09.29 to those believe in His name." 00:02:09.29\00:02:12.13 So we see that God loved us 00:02:12.13\00:02:15.13 while we were still habitual sinners, 00:02:15.13\00:02:17.37 before we accepted Christ as our Savior and became His children. 00:02:17.37\00:02:21.87 And all who believe by faith in Christ merits, 00:02:21.87\00:02:25.67 to save them, accepting Him as Lord and Savior. 00:02:25.67\00:02:29.54 To them that are given the right to become children of God. 00:02:29.54\00:02:34.78 Of course, that means whoever rejects Him 00:02:34.78\00:02:37.82 is not a child of God. 00:02:37.82\00:02:39.75 People often will say that, 00:02:39.75\00:02:41.62 all of humanity are God's children. 00:02:41.62\00:02:44.79 That's only true in regard to the fact 00:02:44.79\00:02:48.33 that we are a product of His creation. 00:02:48.33\00:02:52.23 Sin severed humanity's relationship 00:02:52.23\00:02:54.77 to God as our Father, 00:02:54.77\00:02:56.17 when Adam and Eve disobeyed and suffered spiritual death. 00:02:56.17\00:02:59.94 Their spiritual nature was passed on to us. 00:02:59.94\00:03:03.28 Let's think about the Genesis account of creation 00:03:03.28\00:03:05.71 and the fall of mankind for just a moment. 00:03:05.71\00:03:08.32 First we must consider 00:03:08.32\00:03:10.12 what the Bible teaches us though about immortality. 00:03:10.12\00:03:14.36 And we find this scripture that Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:16 00:03:14.36\00:03:19.46 where he speaks of God as "the blessed and only Potentate, 00:03:19.46\00:03:24.43 the King of kings, and Lord of lords, 00:03:24.43\00:03:26.90 who alone has immortality," 00:03:26.90\00:03:29.17 Paul says, "dwelling in unapproachable light, 00:03:29.17\00:03:33.01 whom no man has seen or can see, 00:03:33.01\00:03:36.24 to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen." 00:03:36.24\00:03:40.38 So it's clear from scripture that God alone is immortal. 00:03:40.38\00:03:44.45 The Bible tells us in the Genesis 3:22-24 account, 00:03:44.45\00:03:49.02 that through an act of divine mercy, 00:03:49.02\00:03:51.63 God denied Adam and Eve 00:03:51.63\00:03:53.96 the right to the tree of life after they sinned. Why? 00:03:53.96\00:03:57.37 He didn't want them to become immortal sinners 00:03:57.37\00:04:01.17 if they were to eat and live forever. 00:04:01.17\00:04:03.84 So when do Christians actually receive immortality? 00:04:03.84\00:04:08.81 Is it at the moment of our rebirth? 00:04:08.81\00:04:11.55 Let me read what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. 00:04:11.55\00:04:18.25 And listen carefully. 00:04:18.25\00:04:19.89 Paul writes and he says, "Behold, I tell you a mystery. 00:04:19.89\00:04:23.26 We shall not all sleep, 00:04:23.26\00:04:25.19 but we shall all be changed, in a moment, 00:04:25.19\00:04:29.30 in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet." 00:04:29.30\00:04:32.57 So when is this happening? 00:04:32.57\00:04:34.24 It's happening at the last trump. 00:04:34.24\00:04:36.74 He says "For the trumpet will sound, 00:04:36.74\00:04:38.94 and the dead will be raised incorruptible, 00:04:38.94\00:04:42.68 and we shall be changed. 00:04:42.68\00:04:45.05 For this corruptible" speaking of our natural bodies 00:04:45.05\00:04:49.38 "must put on incorruption, 00:04:49.38\00:04:51.35 this mortal must put on immortality." 00:04:51.35\00:04:55.39 So when we see, 00:04:55.39\00:04:57.06 "When this corruption has put on incorruption, 00:04:57.06\00:05:00.60 and this mortal has put on immortality, 00:05:00.60\00:05:03.87 then shall be brought to pass, when at the last trump, 00:05:03.87\00:05:08.87 then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 00:05:08.87\00:05:12.44 "Death is swallowed up in victory."' 00:05:12.44\00:05:16.48 And you know Paul also clearly teaches 00:05:16.48\00:05:18.51 in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. 00:05:18.51\00:05:21.98 That it is when the last trumpet shall sound and Christ returns, 00:05:21.98\00:05:27.59 that those who sleep in their graves will rise 00:05:27.59\00:05:31.03 and together with the saints 00:05:31.03\00:05:33.19 who remain alive at His second coming, 00:05:33.19\00:05:35.60 they will put on immortality 00:05:35.60\00:05:37.47 and be caught up together in the air to meet Jesus Christ. 00:05:37.47\00:05:41.30 Now, let's consider the presence of God. 00:05:41.30\00:05:43.74 Psalm 104:2 it says, 00:05:43.74\00:05:46.84 "That God covers himself with light as with a garment." 00:05:46.84\00:05:51.21 The Jewish writer described 00:05:51.21\00:05:53.18 this brilliant presence of the Lord 00:05:53.18\00:05:55.48 as His Shekinah Glory. 00:05:55.48\00:05:57.82 Now, when God created Adam and Eve in His image, 00:05:57.82\00:06:01.52 He clothed them with His radiance. 00:06:01.52\00:06:04.49 They were representatives of all humanity, 00:06:04.49\00:06:07.86 with whom God sought a relationship of trust, 00:06:07.86\00:06:11.40 but sin shattered this trust, 00:06:11.40\00:06:13.13 when the first couple disobeyed God, 00:06:13.13\00:06:15.80 and they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:06:15.80\00:06:18.94 And He removed the Shekinah covering 00:06:18.94\00:06:22.08 and when this was withdrawn, 00:06:22.08\00:06:24.05 the two recognized their guilt and their nakedness, 00:06:24.05\00:06:27.52 and they hid from their Heavenly Father in fear and shame. 00:06:27.52\00:06:31.62 To restore the relationship 00:06:31.62\00:06:35.06 between the creator and His created, 00:06:35.06\00:06:38.03 God instituted the sacrificial system. 00:06:38.03\00:06:41.06 Divine justice demanded death for their sin. 00:06:41.06\00:06:45.33 But divine mercy provided an innocent substitute 00:06:45.33\00:06:50.04 that was slain and that pointed to the Calvary praying 00:06:50.04\00:06:53.88 and the promised Lamb of God 00:06:53.88\00:06:56.04 who would take away the sins of the world. 00:06:56.04\00:06:58.71 So to cover their shame of sin, 00:06:58.71\00:07:01.05 the merciful Heavenly Father again clothed His children, 00:07:01.05\00:07:04.99 this time with tunics of the skin 00:07:04.99\00:07:07.99 from the sacrificed animal. 00:07:07.99\00:07:09.99 And Adam and Eve obviously coached their children 00:07:09.99\00:07:13.80 in the significance of the sacrifice 00:07:13.80\00:07:15.63 of innocent substitute as God's grace 00:07:15.63\00:07:19.43 giving plan of reconciliation for remission of sin. 00:07:19.43\00:07:23.14 We know from the Genesis 4 account 00:07:23.14\00:07:26.07 that the sacrifices offered by Cain and Abel, 00:07:26.07\00:07:31.11 it is evident that both men were familiar 00:07:31.11\00:07:33.72 with the sacrificial system, 00:07:33.72\00:07:35.75 but the hardy and self will Cain 00:07:35.75\00:07:39.09 rebelled against following defined regulations. 00:07:39.09\00:07:43.49 In fact, in defiance he offered God 00:07:43.49\00:07:46.80 a sacrifice of his own works. 00:07:46.80\00:07:49.33 Hebrews 11:4 says, "By faith Abel offered to God 00:07:49.33\00:07:55.00 a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, 00:07:55.00\00:07:58.17 through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, 00:07:58.17\00:08:01.61 God testifying of his gifts." 00:08:01.61\00:08:04.81 Now that Cain knew better 00:08:04.81\00:08:06.28 and to offer the fruits of his own labor is obvious, 00:08:06.28\00:08:10.02 because he did not accused the Lord of unfair preference 00:08:10.02\00:08:14.22 in accepting Abel's sacrifice and rejecting his, 00:08:14.22\00:08:18.39 but in an outrage of jealousy, Cain murdered his noble brother. 00:08:18.39\00:08:23.26 If he had only repented and confessed his sin, 00:08:23.26\00:08:28.34 if he had felt sorrow for his sin, 00:08:28.34\00:08:30.47 the Lord would have forgiven him. 00:08:30.47\00:08:32.67 Nevertheless Cain did not and God expelled him 00:08:32.67\00:08:36.14 from the land of his birth 00:08:36.14\00:08:37.81 to lead a life of exile on the earth. 00:08:37.81\00:08:41.92 Through Adam, the representative of humanity, 00:08:41.92\00:08:44.99 sin gained entrance into the world and death 00:08:44.99\00:08:48.42 both spiritual and physical was a result of it. 00:08:48.42\00:08:52.19 Romans 5:12 confirms that, 00:08:52.19\00:08:54.66 "Through Adam sin entered the world, 00:08:54.66\00:08:58.27 and death through sin." 00:08:58.27\00:09:00.54 Now most of us are familiar with this idea, 00:09:00.54\00:09:03.61 but surprisingly many people don't realize 00:09:03.61\00:09:07.48 that the children of Adam and Eve 00:09:07.48\00:09:09.91 were born in their likeness, rather than the image of God. 00:09:09.91\00:09:13.72 Genesis 5:3 clearly states that 00:09:13.72\00:09:19.62 "Adam begat a son in his own likeness, 00:09:19.62\00:09:22.69 after his own image, 00:09:22.69\00:09:24.73 and that the fallen state of human nature 00:09:24.73\00:09:28.30 was passed on to all of humanity." 00:09:28.30\00:09:32.10 Now it is only by the sacred blood 00:09:32.10\00:09:35.24 and our sacred bond with Christ 00:09:35.24\00:09:38.24 that we become God's recreated spiritual children. 00:09:38.24\00:09:42.21 It's the result of accepting His sacrificial death 00:09:42.21\00:09:45.71 and being born again. 00:09:45.71\00:09:47.58 Most Christians find it relatively easy 00:09:47.58\00:09:50.62 to say we are God's children, 00:09:50.62\00:09:52.89 however it requires a serious stretch 00:09:52.89\00:09:56.32 of our finite minds to understand 00:09:56.32\00:09:59.93 and accept the overwhelming multitude of blessings 00:09:59.93\00:10:04.30 that flow to us through this privileged relationship. 00:10:04.30\00:10:08.70 Divine love has no equal, I can't explain it. 00:10:08.70\00:10:14.04 But today, we will share 00:10:14.04\00:10:16.08 some of what our Heavenly Father does for His children. 00:10:16.08\00:10:20.18 We'll briefly consider a number of the many scriptures 00:10:20.18\00:10:23.72 from both the Old and New Testament 00:10:23.72\00:10:26.82 that revealed the manner in which 00:10:26.82\00:10:29.32 God relates to anyone who is His. 00:10:29.32\00:10:33.93 It's important to recognize 00:10:33.93\00:10:36.13 that God shows no partiality among people. 00:10:36.13\00:10:39.60 You know, both the Old Testament 00:10:39.60\00:10:42.04 and the New Testament makes this fact very clear 00:10:42.04\00:10:45.17 and actually specifically it is stated in Acts 10:34, 00:10:45.17\00:10:51.15 Romans 2:11, Ephesians 6:9, 00:10:51.15\00:10:58.09 that "God is not a respecter of people." 00:10:58.09\00:11:01.46 He shows no partiality. 00:11:01.46\00:11:03.43 So the manner in which He demonstrated His love 00:11:03.43\00:11:07.50 for any other person in history is in manner in which 00:11:07.50\00:11:11.53 He will demonstrate His love for you and for me. 00:11:11.53\00:11:15.47 So let's take a little time to consider our perfect Father, 00:11:15.47\00:11:20.78 our Heavenly Father, whose very nature is love. 00:11:20.78\00:11:25.28 More than anything you need to recognize, 00:11:25.28\00:11:28.78 how the Lord loves you. 00:11:28.78\00:11:30.79 You can only love Him in the measure 00:11:30.79\00:11:35.32 that He wants you to when you first recognize 00:11:35.32\00:11:38.43 how much He loves you. 00:11:38.43\00:11:40.20 And it may require a paradigm shift, 00:11:40.20\00:11:43.73 but if you ever accept these truths by faith, 00:11:43.73\00:11:47.37 it will be life changing. 00:11:47.37\00:11:49.97 Our presentation will be saturated with scripture, 00:11:49.97\00:11:53.17 but it is not only possible today 00:11:53.17\00:11:56.44 to look at every reference 00:11:56.44\00:11:59.51 that the Bible uses or even every reference that I will use, 00:11:59.51\00:12:03.12 because nearly every thought presented 00:12:03.12\00:12:06.29 from this point on will come directly from scripture 00:12:06.29\00:12:10.46 and what we can share in this short time 00:12:10.46\00:12:13.46 is just a glimpse of His love. 00:12:13.46\00:12:16.16 But I hope it will be sufficient to open your mind 00:12:16.16\00:12:21.20 and your heart to understanding 00:12:21.20\00:12:23.84 and accepting all that God has for you. 00:12:23.84\00:12:27.98 Let's read first in Zachariah 3:1-5. 00:12:27.98\00:12:34.78 I'm gonna read that to you. 00:12:34.78\00:12:36.82 This is a wonderful story, and it says in the Bible. 00:12:36.82\00:12:41.02 "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest 00:12:41.02\00:12:44.03 before the angel of the Lord, 00:12:44.03\00:12:45.93 and Satan standing at his right side to oppose him. 00:12:45.93\00:12:49.13 And the Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you.'" 00:12:49.13\00:12:52.77 Interesting, The Lord said, "the Lord rebuke you Satan. 00:12:52.77\00:12:56.24 The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! 00:12:56.24\00:12:59.77 Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" 00:12:59.77\00:13:03.35 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments 00:13:03.35\00:13:07.48 and was standing before the angel. 00:13:07.48\00:13:10.19 Then he answered and spoke to those 00:13:10.19\00:13:12.25 who stood before him saying, and this is the angel speaking. 00:13:12.25\00:13:16.79 "Take away the filthy garments from him." 00:13:16.79\00:13:20.13 And to him, to Joshua, the angel said, 00:13:20.13\00:13:23.33 "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, 00:13:23.33\00:13:28.57 and I will clothe you with rich robes." 00:13:28.57\00:13:32.44 And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." 00:13:32.44\00:13:37.65 So they put a clean turban on his head, 00:13:37.65\00:13:40.32 and they put the clothes on him. 00:13:40.32\00:13:42.35 And the Angel of the Lord stood by. 00:13:42.35\00:13:45.45 In vision Zachariah sees how the Lord restores Joshua 00:13:45.45\00:13:50.16 and what He has done for Joshua, He will do for us. 00:13:50.16\00:13:54.50 We see in these verses that God removes our disgrace. 00:13:54.50\00:13:59.20 He restores our dignity, taking away our filthy garments 00:13:59.20\00:14:04.04 that are stained with sin and clothing us 00:14:04.04\00:14:07.41 with His robe of righteousness in salvation. 00:14:07.41\00:14:10.58 And silencing most importantly Satan, our accuser, 00:14:10.58\00:14:15.28 because of His grace we have reason to rejoice. 00:14:15.28\00:14:19.79 When we accept this by faith, 00:14:19.79\00:14:22.02 our joy will be that of Isaiah 61:10, 00:14:22.02\00:14:27.03 that's where Isaiah says, 00:14:27.03\00:14:29.16 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, 00:14:29.16\00:14:32.37 My soul shall be joyful in my God, 00:14:32.37\00:14:35.80 for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation. 00:14:35.80\00:14:40.34 He has covered me 00:14:40.34\00:14:42.78 with the robe of righteousness." Halleluiah. 00:14:42.78\00:14:49.65 But that's not all, God confers upon us the privileges 00:14:49.65\00:14:53.46 and powers of His kingdom. 00:14:53.46\00:14:55.46 Making us His heirs, 00:14:55.46\00:14:57.86 He gives us a share in the inheritance of Christ, 00:14:57.86\00:15:01.96 this imperishable inheritance, 00:15:01.96\00:15:04.50 reserved for us in heaven will not vanish before we obtain it. 00:15:04.50\00:15:09.04 It is a sure thing for those who are in Christ. 00:15:09.04\00:15:12.51 Listen to two supporting scriptures 00:15:12.51\00:15:15.51 of these marvelous truths. 00:15:15.51\00:15:17.61 First I will read Romans 8:16-17 and it says, 00:15:17.61\00:15:23.42 "The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit 00:15:23.42\00:15:27.62 that we are children of God and if children then heirs. 00:15:27.62\00:15:33.46 Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, 00:15:33.46\00:15:37.47 if indeed we suffer with Him 00:15:37.47\00:15:40.14 that we may also be glorified together." 00:15:40.14\00:15:44.11 Are you a Christian? 00:15:44.11\00:15:45.57 If so you are a joint heir with Christ 00:15:45.57\00:15:49.31 and you're inheritance is reserved for you in heaven. 00:15:49.31\00:15:52.98 As 1 Peter 1:3, 4 say to us, listen. 00:15:52.98\00:15:59.19 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:15:59.19\00:16:04.03 who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us 00:16:04.03\00:16:07.46 again to our living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 00:16:07.46\00:16:11.80 from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled 00:16:11.80\00:16:17.67 that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you." 00:16:17.67\00:16:23.28 You know, God also declared in 2 Corinthians 6:18. 00:16:23.28\00:16:28.08 He says, "I will be a Father to you 00:16:28.08\00:16:31.45 and you shall be my sons and daughters" says the Lord. 00:16:31.45\00:16:34.99 When we open our hearts to salvation, 00:16:34.99\00:16:38.46 the God who once seemed so distant 00:16:38.46\00:16:41.76 and unreachable becomes touchable. 00:16:41.76\00:16:45.63 Hebrews 4:16 tells us 00:16:45.63\00:16:50.71 that God invites us to come boldly 00:16:50.71\00:16:54.24 into His presence through prayer, 00:16:54.24\00:16:56.71 to obtain mercy and grace in our time of need. 00:16:56.71\00:17:01.98 And let's just take a moment 00:17:01.98\00:17:03.42 and recall our definition of grace. 00:17:03.42\00:17:05.79 Grace is the unearned, undeserved gifts, 00:17:05.79\00:17:09.76 bestowed by God of infinite love 00:17:09.76\00:17:12.63 which provide His divine assistance 00:17:12.63\00:17:16.00 and supernatural power unto salvation. 00:17:16.00\00:17:18.70 Now here's God inviting us 00:17:18.70\00:17:20.60 before His throne to obtain grace 00:17:20.60\00:17:24.84 and mercy in our time of need that means 00:17:24.84\00:17:29.18 that He will give us divine power 00:17:29.18\00:17:31.91 and supernatural assistance. 00:17:31.91\00:17:34.75 Jesus is God's greatest gift of grace 00:17:34.75\00:17:38.92 and receiving Him as savior 00:17:38.92\00:17:40.99 gives us the right to become God's children. 00:17:40.99\00:17:44.36 Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:9, 00:17:44.36\00:17:48.86 with the precious words "Our Father who art in heaven." 00:17:48.86\00:17:53.80 Do you realize the relationship 00:17:53.80\00:17:55.80 of Father and child changes everything? 00:17:55.80\00:17:59.84 In the natural realm, the life of a child is simple. 00:17:59.84\00:18:04.51 He depends upon his good father for everything 00:18:04.51\00:18:07.75 and he has faith that his father will deliver. 00:18:07.75\00:18:11.69 God means for his spiritual children 00:18:11.69\00:18:14.86 to apply this same principle. 00:18:14.86\00:18:17.59 If only we could grasp the reality of it. 00:18:17.59\00:18:21.10 Our soul would not be downcast 00:18:21.10\00:18:23.53 and our spiritual struggle would end. 00:18:23.53\00:18:26.30 Our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly. 00:18:26.30\00:18:29.74 We're the apple of His eye. 00:18:29.74\00:18:31.37 He is the perfect Father whom-- 00:18:31.37\00:18:34.84 whose love is absolutely unfailing. 00:18:34.84\00:18:38.01 Now hear the word of the Lord from Jeremiah 31:3 00:18:38.01\00:18:44.09 where He says, "Yes, I have loved you 00:18:44.09\00:18:47.29 with an everlasting love, 00:18:47.29\00:18:49.96 therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you." 00:18:49.96\00:18:53.93 There is an abundance of scriptural evidence 00:18:53.93\00:18:56.67 that proves our God of love, 00:18:56.67\00:18:59.27 our Heavenly Father is our provider, 00:18:59.27\00:19:02.77 our protector, and our peace. 00:19:02.77\00:19:05.47 In Psalm 32:8 it says 00:19:05.47\00:19:11.05 that "He instructs us and teaches us 00:19:11.05\00:19:15.02 His divine will, showing us the way 00:19:15.02\00:19:17.62 and guiding us with His eye." 00:19:17.62\00:19:21.39 Now here's another one, Hebrews 12:5-11. 00:19:21.39\00:19:27.20 This explains that our good Father 00:19:27.20\00:19:29.76 as any good father would do. 00:19:29.76\00:19:32.10 God disciplines us in His lovingkindness 00:19:32.10\00:19:34.77 to train us for righteousness. 00:19:34.77\00:19:36.94 In other words His right way of living and being. 00:19:36.94\00:19:40.58 You know, I actually pray for God's discipline 00:19:40.58\00:19:44.91 asking Him to make me sensitive to it 00:19:44.91\00:19:48.78 and I want to always be sensitive to His leading. 00:19:48.78\00:19:51.69 Now, don't gasp at the thought of it. 00:19:51.69\00:19:54.39 Sometimes people say, you must be crazy 00:19:54.39\00:19:56.66 if you are praying for God's discipline 00:19:56.66\00:19:58.46 but I know He is going to discipline me anyway. 00:19:58.46\00:20:02.63 So if He's going to discipline us, 00:20:02.63\00:20:04.97 we might as well learn to yield 00:20:04.97\00:20:07.44 to the gentle but firm tone of His voice at once, 00:20:07.44\00:20:12.04 otherwise like any other parent, 00:20:12.04\00:20:14.18 He has to take stronger measures to gain our attention. 00:20:14.18\00:20:17.91 So when trials and tribulations come our way, 00:20:17.91\00:20:22.05 we need to remember that God is not always-- 00:20:22.05\00:20:26.29 it's not always God that's disciplining us, 00:20:26.29\00:20:29.02 but that He is there to comfort us, 00:20:29.02\00:20:32.56 to walk us through, 00:20:32.56\00:20:34.20 to deliver us from times of trouble. 00:20:34.20\00:20:37.10 Let me share some wonderful words. 00:20:37.10\00:20:40.04 These are some of my favorite 00:20:40.04\00:20:41.77 and this comes from Isaiah 43:2. 00:20:41.77\00:20:45.01 And this is the Lord speaking and He says, 00:20:45.01\00:20:48.28 "When you pass through the waters, 00:20:48.28\00:20:50.21 I will be with you and through the rivers, 00:20:50.21\00:20:54.05 they shall not overflow you. 00:20:54.05\00:20:56.35 When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, 00:20:56.35\00:21:00.39 nor shall the flame scorch you." 00:21:00.39\00:21:04.26 What is God saying there? 00:21:04.26\00:21:05.66 He is saying that He will never leave us or forsake us. 00:21:05.66\00:21:10.97 He is saying that I am there to carry you through. 00:21:10.97\00:21:15.10 The Bible tells us when we are afflicted, He is afflicted. 00:21:15.10\00:21:19.64 And Psalm 56:8 says that, 00:21:19.64\00:21:22.34 "He sees our tears and compassionately 00:21:22.34\00:21:26.58 collects them in His bottle." 00:21:26.58\00:21:29.48 The Bible also says, "That quieting us with His love, 00:21:29.48\00:21:33.92 he rejoices over us with singing." 00:21:33.92\00:21:36.96 Let me ask, do you think of God that way? 00:21:36.96\00:21:40.53 Do you think of the Creator of the universe 00:21:40.53\00:21:44.53 rejoicing over you with singing? 00:21:44.53\00:21:47.37 If not, let me share this verse from Zephaniah 00:21:47.37\00:21:51.74 and this is Zephaniah 3:17. 00:21:51.74\00:21:54.58 I hope this will change your perspective. 00:21:54.58\00:21:58.18 It says, "The Lord your God in your midst, 00:21:58.18\00:22:00.85 the Mighty One, will save. 00:22:00.85\00:22:03.42 He will rejoice over you with gladness, 00:22:03.42\00:22:06.99 He will quiet you with His love, 00:22:06.99\00:22:10.39 He will rejoice over you with singing." 00:22:10.39\00:22:16.60 Can't we see, the Bible tells us 00:22:16.60\00:22:18.97 so many things about God's watch care? 00:22:18.97\00:22:22.47 Our Father God calls us by our name, 00:22:22.47\00:22:25.24 knowing our thoughts before we speak them. 00:22:25.24\00:22:27.78 He is watchful of our comings and our goings 00:22:27.78\00:22:30.81 and aware of the smallest detail of our lives. 00:22:30.81\00:22:33.95 He can even number the very hairs on our head. 00:22:33.95\00:22:37.92 You know, Deuteronomy 33:27 is one of my favorite verses 00:22:37.92\00:22:42.79 and it reveals the same thing that Hebrew 13:5 reveals. 00:22:42.79\00:22:47.60 That God is constantly embracing us 00:22:47.60\00:22:51.30 in His everlasting arms of love, promising to never leave us. 00:22:51.30\00:22:56.44 He will not forget us. 00:22:56.44\00:22:58.37 We are indelibly inscribed on the palms 00:22:58.37\00:23:02.78 of His hands the Bible says. 00:23:02.78\00:23:04.95 No wonder the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 3:1. 00:23:04.95\00:23:09.95 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, 00:23:09.95\00:23:15.62 that we should be called children of God!" 00:23:15.62\00:23:20.86 You know, it is difficult for us to comprehend, 00:23:20.86\00:23:25.80 but we are children of the King of Kings 00:23:25.80\00:23:28.60 and the blessings of His love are immeasurable. God is love. 00:23:28.60\00:23:34.78 The very essence of His nature is love. 00:23:34.78\00:23:38.58 By the grace of our relationship with Christ, 00:23:38.58\00:23:41.75 the gift of God's love is magnified and manifested to us. 00:23:41.75\00:23:47.79 Ephesians 1:3 explains that God has already blessed us 00:23:47.79\00:23:52.46 with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 00:23:52.46\00:23:55.26 He who was willing to sacrifice his own son to save us, 00:23:55.26\00:24:00.30 is also willing to freely grant us 00:24:00.30\00:24:03.04 authorings in Christ through His grace. 00:24:03.04\00:24:07.94 Paul emphatically states this fact in Romans 8:32 00:24:07.94\00:24:14.52 and here he says, "He who did not spare His own Son, 00:24:14.52\00:24:19.59 but delivered Him up for us all, 00:24:19.59\00:24:22.89 how shall He not with him also freely give us all things?" 00:24:22.89\00:24:28.83 It's amazing to consider isn't it? 00:24:28.83\00:24:31.27 Perhaps you can believe these beautiful synonyms 00:24:31.27\00:24:34.47 because scripture records them, 00:24:34.47\00:24:36.67 but the question is, are you walking in appreciation 00:24:36.67\00:24:40.51 of this all inspiring perfect love? 00:24:40.51\00:24:43.38 I must admit, when I was first writing the chapter 00:24:43.38\00:24:46.82 on the reality of relationship 00:24:46.82\00:24:48.75 for the book "The Grace Pipeline." 00:24:48.75\00:24:50.95 I had to ask myself the same question. 00:24:50.95\00:24:53.79 Do I believe these things by mere mental assent 00:24:53.79\00:24:58.83 or am I--I actually acquainted with the width, 00:24:58.83\00:25:02.23 the length, the depth, and the height of this love 00:25:02.23\00:25:05.63 that surpasses human understanding. 00:25:05.63\00:25:08.67 I'm actually thunderstruck at the thought of it. 00:25:08.67\00:25:14.38 Children often little understand the parents love. 00:25:14.38\00:25:18.31 They simply take it for granted, 00:25:18.31\00:25:20.42 yet the ignorants of immaturity does not cause 00:25:20.42\00:25:23.85 them to miss their experience of it. 00:25:23.85\00:25:26.49 Appreciation for the sacrifices and blessings 00:25:26.49\00:25:29.72 that are the product of parental love is magnified 00:25:29.72\00:25:33.33 only as a child begins to mature and increases in the ability 00:25:33.33\00:25:38.27 to reciprocate love through respect and honor of the parent. 00:25:38.27\00:25:42.70 As it is in the natural realm so it is in the spiritual realm. 00:25:42.70\00:25:46.81 The more we grow in grace, 00:25:46.81\00:25:48.64 the more we understand God's love 00:25:48.64\00:25:50.58 and appreciate His amazing love for us. 00:25:50.58\00:25:53.95 Galatians 4:6 tells us that because we're His children, 00:25:53.95\00:25:58.19 God has sent forth His Son, 00:25:58.19\00:26:00.72 sent forth His spirit of His Son into our hearts crying out Abba, 00:26:00.72\00:26:06.03 Father, now, you know, the word Abba is an Aramaic word 00:26:06.03\00:26:10.37 and it's an intimate name for Father. 00:26:10.37\00:26:13.07 It's an expression like papa or daddy. 00:26:13.07\00:26:16.87 How difficult it is for the human heart 00:26:16.87\00:26:19.97 to conceive the intimacy of relationship 00:26:19.97\00:26:23.85 God longs to share with us. 00:26:23.85\00:26:25.91 The mystery of God's love is far too marvelous for me to unravel. 00:26:25.91\00:26:31.85 Perhaps the most amazing idea of all is that 00:26:31.85\00:26:35.22 when we are in Christ, we become one spirit with God. 00:26:35.22\00:26:40.36 Paul tells us this in 1 Corinthians 6:17 saying that, 00:26:40.36\00:26:44.70 "He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." 00:26:44.70\00:26:49.54 I vividly recall the day that I was praying the scripture 00:26:49.54\00:26:53.78 as an affirmation of my faith, 00:26:53.78\00:26:55.44 thanking the Lord for making me one with Him. 00:26:55.44\00:26:59.51 You know what, I didn't feel one with Him. 00:26:59.51\00:27:02.35 I couldn't comprehend 00:27:02.35\00:27:04.32 what it meant to be united in this way 00:27:04.32\00:27:06.39 and suddenly I was just seized with morning 00:27:06.39\00:27:09.62 for the mediocrity of my relationship with Him. 00:27:09.62\00:27:13.26 So I cried out to God for better understanding, 00:27:13.26\00:27:16.63 to latch on to oneness, 00:27:16.63\00:27:18.97 the Lord wanted me to share with Him, 00:27:18.97\00:27:20.97 I had to unravel the mysterious oneness 00:27:20.97\00:27:24.91 of what man calls the trinity 00:27:24.91\00:27:27.48 "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." 00:27:27.48\00:27:30.15 The Lord led me in a fascinating study of His oneness 00:27:30.15\00:27:33.31 and we're going to share a small portion of that 00:27:33.31\00:27:36.89 with you in our next program. 00:27:36.89\00:27:39.09 We must understand God's divine oneness 00:27:39.09\00:27:42.49 to understand the promise that we are one with Him. 00:27:42.49\00:27:47.40 We thank you so much for joining us today. 00:27:47.40\00:27:50.23 I hope you'll take time to study these scriptures 00:27:50.23\00:27:52.97 and more contemplate God's love. 00:27:52.97\00:27:55.24 And until the next time grow in grace 00:27:55.24\00:27:57.91 and in the knowledge of our Lord. 00:27:57.91\00:27:59.91