Unfailing Love & Giving Thanks

10.19.11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MyC6kJzPg&feature=related 

Wow!, God's unconditional, pure, deep, unchangeable, such beautiful, passionate love for us...this song is a glimpse of that precious Love He has for you, for me, for everyone, everywhere...

Love is a big thing in our society, well I believe everywhere--everyone So desperately wants to be loved & wants to love---the Only, I mean Only way to truly experience true, deep, unconditional love is in a relationship with Jesus Christ... & the way to that is so simple, by believing in Him, placing the faith He has so graciously given to you in Him, & daily live your life to Glorify Him--we are made By God & for God, & boy is it a beautiful thing when God grabs our heart, draws us to Him.....it's like when I pick up my son Bailey, embrace Him, but So much more deeper than that--I am imperfect, God is perfect--when He embraces us as we draw near to Him, it is life-changing & is so Amazingly Beautiful!, & we see that this life here on earth is So temporary, just a glimpse compared to the Eternity we will spend praising Him if we choose to live for Him, and if not, Know that Hell is Real!, if you do not put your God-given faith in Jesus Christ, that is where your Eternity will be--that doesn't mean to say "oh yea, I believe in that Jesus man" just to try and escape hell, I am So heart-breakingly afraid that is what So many people have done & are doing---if we just say we believe and then live our life everyday as if He doesnt even exist, dude, you are missing out SO much on All He can do in you & through you!, like I said we were created by Him & for Him--if u're reading this, He created you (Psalm 139), you have a purpose--first, to know Him & to worship Him & bring Glory to His Name in All things---and as He reveals this truth to you, all else will fall into place (Matthew 6:33).....my friend, I love you, & so desperately want u to know & experience the true, unconditional love of Christ! :~)

---this is from Ch. 4 of the book I am currently reading, "Choosing Gratitude" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss...awesome read!

"....Jesus gave Himself to God and to the world, not under coercion, but with gratitude, grateful for the privilege of obeying His Father and of fulfilling the mission He had been sent to earth to complete..." (Matt 26:27; Mark 14:23, Luke 22:17-19; 1 Corinthians 11:24

"....He understood that these emblems represented His body and blood, soon to be broken and poured out in horrific fashion for the salvation of man. On a night when from human perspective He had every reason to be self-absorbed and to give in to self-pity, resentment, or murmuring, He spoke words of THANKS to His heavenly Father, words that flowed out of a thankful heart. That is no small deal. This was not just an obligatory blessing offered up before a meal. The whole meal pictured the enormous sacrifice Jesus was about to make. In giving thanks for the cup and the bread, then in giving the symbolic elements to His disciples, Jesus was saying in effect, "Yes, Father, I willingly surrender Myself to Your calling for My life, whatever the cost." He gave Himself to God and to the world, not under coercion, but with abandon, and....with gratitude, grateful for the privilege of obeying His Father and of fulfilling the mission He had been sent to earth to complete.".......dude, this is just a glimpse of this book....u gotta read it, its awesome & So encouraging! :~) 

"Give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 

So, how these 2 connect, His Unconditional Love for us & Giving Thanks.....it's not that we have to do more or not do certain things for us to be loved more or less by Him--the beautiful thing is that He Loves us, period!....there is nothing we can do or not do that will make that increase or decrease!....the whole thing is that if you think, "well since he loves me, and nothing's going to change that, so I can just live it up while i'm here on earth"....then you have missed the whole awesome incredibleness of it all......my friend, b/c of the Cross & His unconditional love for us, He sees us as righteous & in that, if we truly are filled with His precious Holy Spirit, then we are so overwhelmed by how Amazing He is that we want to praise Him, worship Him in All we say, do & think--it's not that we 'have' to but that we are so in love with Him that is what we desire to do---(Ephesians 2:8-10).....& the beautiful thing is that, God has given us the faith to even believe in the first place, & then He gives us the desire as we seek Him and are in His Presence thru the Word, thru prayer,etc.....So All the Glory goes to Him!!, Worship is Life!, not just on Sunday mornings, or when you quickly say the blessing before digging in, but in ALL things, give praise & thanksgiving to our Father! :~)