http://peacewithgod.jesus.net/god-so-loved-the-world/
Knowing Jesus in a personal way is not complicated. Watch this video and there are four parts to it. It is simple and true. I hope you find some hope and encouragement from it. I would love to talk with you if you need someone to discuss this with!
:)
Intimate Thoughts For Reflection
3.07.2012
He Loves At All Times
A friend loveth at all times,.... A true, hearty, faithful friend, loves in times of adversity as well as in times of prosperity: there are many that are friends to persons, while they are in affluent circumstances; but when there is a change in their condition, and they are stripped of all riches and substance; than their friends forsake them, and stand at a distance from them; as was the case of Job, Job 19:14 ; it is a very rare thing to find a friend that is a constant lover, such an one as here described. From: Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
The above is in reference to Proverbs 17:17. Yet I began in John 11.
I was moved by this this morning as I was studying John 11. First off Mary, the one who anointed Jesus with the costly alabaster ointment, is in this chapter. Her being my favorite example of receiving mercy. (See Luke 7:36-50). (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-3; John 11:1-2 were also accounts of this but they did not expound on the thoughts of those men and how great was her love as in Luke.) Receiving mercy when she did not deserve it. Her loving Jesus more as she had been forgiven so much! So that drew me in. Then as I continued to read I saw how Jesus was moved so deeply that her brother was dying and when he arrived to Judea, the place where they were trying to capture and stone Him previously, he was greeted by Martha who is Lazarus's sister and Mary's as well. Mary was still at home being comforted by some Jewish friends. He saw her grief as she wept and it disturbed him. He wept too! He felt such compassion and love for his dead friend. It moved the others too and they saw through their eyes He was the one from God! I am so touched by this. Last evening I was in a state of weeping myself. For some issues I am dealing with and my heart feels so tender. It just was and is the perfect chapter to be reading this morning.
"Thank you God. For how You knew this and You are comforting me all over again today. You are such a loving father to this child."
So back to where I was. I am reading a parallel commentary to better expound my knowledge of this scripture. In the Bethany Parallel Commentary there are three men who wrote expositions of the Bible. One of whom is my favorite, Matthew Henry, a man born in the UK. He was born in Iscoid, Flintshire. (1662-1714)
The above is in reference to Proverbs 17:17. Yet I began in John 11.
I was moved by this this morning as I was studying John 11. First off Mary, the one who anointed Jesus with the costly alabaster ointment, is in this chapter. Her being my favorite example of receiving mercy. (See Luke 7:36-50). (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-3; John 11:1-2 were also accounts of this but they did not expound on the thoughts of those men and how great was her love as in Luke.) Receiving mercy when she did not deserve it. Her loving Jesus more as she had been forgiven so much! So that drew me in. Then as I continued to read I saw how Jesus was moved so deeply that her brother was dying and when he arrived to Judea, the place where they were trying to capture and stone Him previously, he was greeted by Martha who is Lazarus's sister and Mary's as well. Mary was still at home being comforted by some Jewish friends. He saw her grief as she wept and it disturbed him. He wept too! He felt such compassion and love for his dead friend. It moved the others too and they saw through their eyes He was the one from God! I am so touched by this. Last evening I was in a state of weeping myself. For some issues I am dealing with and my heart feels so tender. It just was and is the perfect chapter to be reading this morning.
"Thank you God. For how You knew this and You are comforting me all over again today. You are such a loving father to this child."
So back to where I was. I am reading a parallel commentary to better expound my knowledge of this scripture. In the Bethany Parallel Commentary there are three men who wrote expositions of the Bible. One of whom is my favorite, Matthew Henry, a man born in the UK. He was born in Iscoid, Flintshire. (1662-1714)
Jesus had a compassion many have not experienced. Thinking God is against them and has it in for them because of their sins. Because they have not followed the path perfectly. This is not so. God has a love that is incomparable to any other love, human, or emotion that is in this life. He calls each person to Himself. To live for and love Him as a father loves their child. I recently listened to a beautiful song my mother posted on my Face Book I wish to share here. Below is the link.
Only by seeking for this love will you find it. It is there. He is there. But you must be proactive and seek. You will find Him there waiting as He has always been waiting and watching your every move with love and a longing to be in communication with you! :)
Okay so Jesus stands there in all His awesomeness and calls Lazarus to come out of the grave. People are telling Him, "He's going to smell!" "He's been in there four days!" "He's not alive!" They still don't get it. Lazarus comes walking out with all the grave clothes covering his entire body and including his face. Jesus tells them to remove the grave clothes. Whew. That must have been a sight!
Would I get it?
Would you get it?
Do you ever think of those things?
I do. I wonder what I would have been like in that time. Of course being it is a whole different culture and the First Century Jewish nation. I can imagine I'd have been a little fuzzy but in awe and curious about Jesus just like many of the others. I can't imagine how they must have felt standing there and seeing this man WALK out of a grave! I would have possibly fainted! He wanted those people to see (with their hearts) that He was indeed the Son of God. Many believed that day.
Would I have been one of those that believed?
Would you?
All my life I have longed after a higher power. Even as a child. I felt crushed when I did things that were wrong. I had a sense of someone watching me. A sense of someone (God) also who loved me. I searched during those teen years and had a conversion experience that was real. I was so pulled and torn by the world and did not have the right connections with my earthly father at that time. It seemed my world was falling apart. He never let go. He was there on every road I traveled and waiting patiently for me. How does He do this? Well He is God. My mind cannot wrap itself around that kind of love and endurance.
"The fewer cords we have to bind us to this earth, and the more to draw our hearts heavenward"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 11.
Some good websites to read.
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