If God is not our joy, we develop an insatiable desire for the "good things," frantically and foolishly searching for them in this world. -- pgs.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world -- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does -- comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (I John 2:15-17).
A hymn to read, sing, play, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: More Love To Thee, O Christ (Elizabeth Payson Prentiss, 1869)
"We love Him because He first loved us." Love is like an echo, it returns what it receives. ---- Thomas Manton
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:8-10).
We love Him because He first loved us (I John4:19).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Let Thy Blood in Mercy Poured. -- Greek Hymn.
Love does not say, 'Give me', but 'Let me give you'. ---- Jill Briscoe
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (I John 4:7-11).
Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: O God of Mercy, God of Might (Godfrey Thring, 1877).
The love of God. That Christ and a forgiven sinner should be made one, and share heaven between them, is the wonder of salvation; what more could love do? [Samuel Rutherford]
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:9-10).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Within a Crib My Savior Lay. Timothy Dudley-Smith, 1968
Love to God is armour of proof against error. For want of hearts full of love, men have heads full of error; unholy opinions are for want of holy affections. ---- (Thomas Watson).
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because He first loved us. (I John 4:18-19).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Fountain of Never-Ceasing Grace(Augustus M. Toplady, --1778).
Those that look to be happy must first look to be holy. --- William Gurnall
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous...whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected (I John 2:1,5).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Gracious Spirit, Dwell With Me (Thomas T. Lynch, 1855).
To the human mind there is something almost illogical in the assertion that God became a man. It is like speaking about a square circle. Yet this is what Christmas says -- and we take refuge from our bewilderment not in explanation but in adoration (Ralph P. Martin).
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14).
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given to us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (I John 5:20).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Liturgy of St. James. 5th. Century).
Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. (--- C. S. Lewis).
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8).
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life --- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest in us ---that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you... (I John 1:1-3).
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order o Melchizedek." The Lord is at your right hand, he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth (Psalm 110:4-6)
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Gentle Mary Laid Her Child (Joseph Cook, 1919).
This is love: knowing and loving the triune God above all others and sharing that love and life in God with those you love the most. ---- pgs
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31).
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans11:36).
My heart and my strength may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever(Psalm 73:25).
Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39).
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also unto you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write unto you that our joy may be full (I John 1:3-4).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: Blest Be the Tie That Binds (John Fawcett, 1782).
It pleases the Father that all fulness should be in Christ; therefore there is nothing but emptiness anywhere else (W. Gadsby).
For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell... (Colossians 1:19a).
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world --- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions --- is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (I John 2:15-17).
Nothing is more contrary to a heavenly hope than an earthly heart.--- William Gurnall.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions -- is not from the Father but from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (I John 2:15-17).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: More Love To Thee (Elizabeth Payson Prentiss, 1869).
The gospel is not a human plan for reaching up to God, but a divine plan for reaching down to man. ---- John Blanchard
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:9-10).
God was the master of ceremonies at the cross. ---- Ernest Reisinger
Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in our midst, as you yourselves know --- this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Acts 2:23).
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:10).
No child of God sins to that degree as to make himself incapable of forgiveness. ---- John Bunyan
But God commends His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having been justified by His blood, ye shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:8-10).
He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32).
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee
-- "Though great our sins and sore our woes, His grace much more aboundeth, His helping love no limit knows, our utmost need it soundeth, Our Shepherd good and true is He, who will at last His Israel free from all their sin and sorrow."
God is. He knows, He cares, He comes, He calls, and gathers His own to Himself through Christ, the only Mediator between God and man. ---- pgs
And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant... God saw the people of Israel ---- and God knew.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are. There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? (Genesis 2:24-25; I John 3:1a; I Timothy 2:5; I John 5:11; Romans 8:31-32).
A hymn to read, sing, hum or whistle to the glory of God: PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
Love Is the very essence and life of the Christian religion. Matthew Henry.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (I John 4:7-10).
A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35).
A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle to the glory of God: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING.
The choir of Wells Cathedral sing Charles Wesley's wonderful hymn Love divine, all loves excelling to the beautiful tune Blaenwern under the direction of Malcolm Archer. The descant at the end is superb. Again I only post this because it is one of my favourite hymns. All the pictures used are of Wells Cathedral.
...few people admit that they need a Savior. Nearly everyone thinks that even though he is not perfect, he is good enough to get into heaven. To these people the faithful evangelist must preach the law of God. He must tell them what sin is. To suppose that the law of God no longer applies to this age is to eviscerate evangelism. Sin is any want of conformity unto the law of God. ---- Gordon H. Clark
Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4).
For all who rely upon works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, and do them. But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them (Galatians 3:10, 12).
A hymn to read, sing, hum or whistle to the glory of God: THE LAW OF GOD IS GOOD AND WISE.
The more a soul is conformed to Christ, the more confident it will be of its interest in [union with] Christ. -- Thomas Brooks.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God (Psalm 42:11).
But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me (II Timothy 1:12).
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is . And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure (I John 3:1-3).
A hymn to be read aloud and/or sung aloud, and offered in worship to God: IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL and/or BLESSED ASSURANCE .
