EVERLASTING LOVE - God loves us! His love is an “everlasting love” and compels Him to act strongly and lovingly on our behalf. The Father will never allow us to part from Him or our Savior. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” In His grace, we come to Him, experiencing sweet forgiveness and everlasting love. Cradled in the security of His undying love, we have peace. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Perhaps no doctrine in Scripture is as clearly stated as that expressed in our text and in many other passages. God loves us! His love is an “everlasting love” and compels Him to act strongly and lovingly on our behalf. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” This theme finds glorious expression in the grand hymn of the 19th century entitled “I Am His, and He Is Mine.” Jesus prayed, “I in them, and thou in me… that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am” The Father will never allow us to part from Him or our Savior. These precious facts are taught to us by the “inspired” Scriptures, and “the Comforter… the Spirit of truth [who] will guide [us] into all truth”

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Everlasting Love

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God loves us! His love is an “everlasting love” and compels Him to act strongly and lovingly on our behalf. The Father will never allow us to part from Him or our Savior. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” In His grace, we come to Him, experiencing sweet forgiveness and everlasting love. Cradled in the security of His undying love, we have peace.

BY JOHN D. MORRIS, PH.D.  

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” - (Jeremiah 31:3)

Perhaps no doctrine in Scripture is as clearly stated as that expressed in our text and in many other passages.

God loves us!

His love is an “everlasting love” and compels Him to act strongly and lovingly on our behalf. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

This theme finds glorious expression in the grand hymn of the 19th century entitled “I Am His, and He Is Mine.”

Loved with everlasting love, Led by grace that love to know;

Spirit, breathing from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!

O this full and perfect peace, O this transport all divine —

In a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine.

Jesus prayed, “I in them, and thou in me… that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am” (John 17:23-24).

The Father will never allow us to part from Him or our Savior.
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These precious facts are taught to us by the “inspired” (literally “God-breathed”) Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16), and “the Comforter… the Spirit of truth [who] will guide [us] into all truth” (John 16:7, 13).

He drew us to Himself “in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself” (Ephesians 1:4-5).

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” - (1 John 3:1).

In His grace, we come to Him, experiencing sweet forgiveness and everlasting love.

Cradled in the security of His undying love, we have peace.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” - (Isaiah 26:3).

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) wants people to know that God’s Word can be trusted in everything it speaks about—from how and why we were made, to how the universe was formed, to how we can know God and receive all He has planned for us.

After 50 years of ministry, ICR remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations.

https://www.icr.org/article/11775/

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http://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2018/07/i-have-loved-you-kent-henry-and-i-have.html

A PROMISE IS A PROMISE - No matter what you’re going through right now, be encouraged because God is with you - He Has promised never to fail you - He Has promised to never abandon you! No matter how dark our days, no matter how bleak our prospects seem to be, that promise is there, “I am with you always.” All you have to do is TRUST Him and wait for Him. His timing may be different from yours, but if you hold on, God will definitely come through for you - and that’s a promise you can rely upon - When the time comes for our death, who is there to help? Yes, there is. And we only need to look at the pages of the Bible when God spoke to Joshua after Moses had died. God made a promise to Joshua. “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This was a powerful promise which is still relevant today. God’s word is for now, and God says that to you and me “I am always with you.” That’s a promise unlike any other... one that empowers, energises, and strengthens us. And for God, a promise is a promise that will never be broken. mWhy will God keep his promise and never leave us or forsake us? Because of himself. Because of his faithfulness. And because of his pleasure. He will not forsake his people “for his great name’s sake.” At the risk of his own name and fame, he will not forsake his people.

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A Promise is a Promise

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No matter what you’re going through right now, be encouraged because God is with you - He Has promised never to fail you - He Has promised to never abandon you! No matter how dark our days, no matter how bleak our prospects seem to be, that promise is there, “I am with you always.” All you have to do is TRUST Him and wait for Him. His timing may be different from yours, but if you hold on, God will definitely come through for you - and that’s a promise you can rely upon

Morning Devotions By Chris Witts

  

A couple were devoted to each other and had been married for over 50 years. But he became ill and eventually died, leaving her a widow.

At the graveside service, she needed to sit in a chair due to her age as others stood.

And at the end of the service, she looked down into the grave and spoke to her dead husband, “You know I loved you all these years. We’ve been together through thick and thin, and I promised to be with you. But now I’ve gone as far as I can go. I can’t go any further. I’ve gone as far as I can go”.

I think it’s a very moving tribute, but also very true.

When the time comes for our death, who is there to help?

Is there any answer?

Yes, there is.

And we only need to look at the pages of the Bible when God spoke to a man named Joshua after Moses had died.

And God made a promise to Joshua. “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you”.

This was a powerful promise which is still relevant today.

God’s word is for now, and God says that to you and me “I am always with you”.

That’s a promise unlike any other... one that empowers, energises, and strengthens us.

And for God, a promise is a promise that will never be broken.

I’m reminded of a remarkable book written by Dr.Wayne Dyer “A Promise Is a Promise,” a true story of a mother Kaye O’Bara in Miami who cared for her comatose daughter Edwarda for many years. 

Edwarda was 16 when one night she fell into a diabetic coma, not able to move.

But as she slipped into unconsciousness, she appealed to her mother “Promise you won’t leave me, will you, Mommy?” 

“Of course not, I would never leave you, Darling,” her mother said. 

“I promise. And a promise is a promise!”  

And she stayed by her bedside every day, feeding her every 2 hours and checking her blood and giving her insulin every 4 hours, until Kaye died 38 years later, in March 2008.

Why did she do it?

Because she told her daughter “I will never leave you. A promise is a promise”.

She kept that promise for 38 years, 7 days a week. What wonderful strength and tenacity.

God’s Promise – He Will Never Leave Us

But what drives God to make such a promise that He will never abandon us?

What’s behind this promise ensuring that God will not change his mind?

After all, he’s God – he can do whatever he wants.

The answer is found in 1 Samuel 12.22.

It doesn’t simply make the same promise as Hebrews 13.5, but goes one step further and tells us why. “For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.”

Why will God keep his promise and never leave us or forsake us?

Because of himself.

Because of his faithfulness.

And because of his pleasure.

Deuteronomy 7.6 tells us that God chose his people to be his “treasured possession” – in other words, he has pleasure in his people.

He treasures us and saves us!

But not because of anything that depends on us.

Not because we’re good or keep all the rules or have earned anything.

He will not forsake his people “for his great name’s sake.”

At the risk of his own name and fame, he will not forsake his people.

Why? “Because it pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.”

He will never leave us because he has pleasure in keeping his promise, and God does whatever he pleases.

When we hear Kate O’Bara say to her daughter, “I will never leave you”, there in her bedroom in Miami, can we not at the same time hear the words of Jesus saying, “Behold, I am with you always”? 

For that is the great promise He has given to us.

No matter how dark our days, no matter how bleak our prospects seem to be, that promise is there, “I am with you always.”

Like Edwarda, as we slip into the darkness of life, we cry out to the Lord, “Please don’t leave me.”

And His answer is there for all time, for all eternity, really — ”I am with you always.”

No matter what you’re going through right now, be encouraged because God is with you!

He Has promised never to fail you; He Has promised to never abandon you!

All you have to do is TRUST Him and wait for Him.

His timing may be different from yours, but if you hold on, God will definitely come through for you.

And that’s a promise you can rely upon!

Morning Devotions is a five-minute daily reflection for anyone curious about faith, or looking for encouragement in their walk with God. In his warm and friendly style, presenter Chris Witts — a well-loved Salvation Army minister — shares bite-sized messages applying faith to everyday life.

In today's world real hope is hard to find. That's why Hope 103.2 exists: to bring the message of hope to our community through a family-friendly, safe listening environment.

We won't be quick to criticise or condemn. And we won't play on people's fears. Hope 103.2 will be ready to celebrate what's good in society and culture.

https://hope1032.com.au/stories/faith/2019/promise-promise-2/

UNDERSTANDING THE HANDS OF GOD - Jesus taught that God’s true saints are eternally secure. In fact, there is a ‘double lock’ on their eternal security! Every believer is held tightly by both the Father and the Son. They will never let go, and no one, or nothing, can ever separate us from the loving hand of God - God the Father is an invisible spirit and has no physical body. Yet the Bible refers to Him as having physical characteristics. After great persecution arose in Jerusalem, thousands of Christians fled. As they went, they witnessed about Jesus Christ. God’s hand was on them and their message resulted in the spread of the gospel, the salvation of many souls, and the founding of many churches all over the world. We see the mighty hand of God demonstrated through many people. These supernatural demonstrations or events are called ‘miracles.’ Jabez asked God to put His hand on him in order to experience divine blessing and protection. God’s saints have depended on His hand of protection. It’s so good to know that our Heavenly Father cares, that He watches over us, and that His hand of protection rests on His obedient children! Jesus gives blessed assurance to His sheep, His true followers… “and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

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How Should We Understand the Hands of God?

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In Scripture we see the mighty hand of God demonstrated through many people - these supernatural demonstrations or events are called miracles. Jesus taught that God’s true saints are eternally secure. In fact, there is a ‘double lock’ on their eternal security! Every believer is held tightly by both the Father and the Son. They will never let go, and no one, or nothing, can ever separate us from the loving hand of God

by Don Johnston, Reasons for Hope* Jesus 

God the Father is an invisible spirit and has no physical body.  

Yet the Bible refers to Him as having physical characteristics that theologians call Anthropormorphisms.  

Even though He has no body, Scripture does speak of God’s eyes, ears, nose, arms, etc.  We’ve already covered the mind, face, eyes, ears, nose, voice, shoulder, back, and arms of God.  

Let’s now consider the hands of God.  

“Hand” or “hands” are mentioned over 1800 times in the Bible. Most often it is human hands mentioned.  

But the hands of the Lord are referenced dozens of times, and these passages help us to further understand our great God in at least 5 ways.

God’s Hands Provide Enabling POWER

“Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.  But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.  And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.” - Acts 11:19-21  

These verses describe the incredible, rapid expansion of the early church in the 1^st century.  

After great persecution arose in Jerusalem, thousands of Christians fled.  

As they went, they witnessed about Jesus Christ.

God’s hand was on them and their message resulted in the spread of the gospel, the salvation of many souls, and the founding of many churches all over the world.

In Scripture we see the mighty hand of God demonstrated through many people. These supernatural demonstrations or events are called ‘miracles.’  

During Christ’s earthly ministry, He did His miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

After He rose from the dead and just before ascending back to Heaven, He told His disciples in Acts 1:8:

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and preached the gospel resulting in the salvation of 3000 souls.  

A few days later, 5000 more were saved, and so it went as the early Christians faithfully witnessed of Jesus and His power to forgive sins and grant the gift of eternal life to any and all who would repent and believe in Him.   

God’s Hands Provide Earthly PROTECTION

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your Hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from the evil, that I may not cause pain! So God granted him what he requested.” - 1 Chronicles 4:10     

This is the only mention of Jabez in the Bible, but he prays a wonderful prayer.

Years ago, I preached a sermon on this text and some years later, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson wrote a book on it called The Prayer of Jabez.  

When studying the passage, you see that Jabez got a rough start in life and didn’t have anything going for him.  

But in this sincere prayer, he earnestly asked God to put His hand on him in order to experience divine blessing and protection.  

Centuries later, Jesus taught His followers to pray… “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…”  

Throughout history, God’s saints have depended on His hand of protection, e.g. Esther, Elijah, David, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc.  

The apostle Peter reminds us… “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour”.   

It’s so good to know that our Heavenly Father cares, that He watches over us, and that His hand of protection rests on His obedient children!

God’s Hands Provide Eternal PRESERVATION

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.“ - John 10:27-29

In this passage Jesus gives blessed assurance to His sheep, His true followers… “and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”   

When I was a little child, I remember times that I tried to get something out of my dad’s hand. I would try with all my might to pry my strong father’s fingers open, but was never able.  

Jesus taught that God’s true saints are eternally secure.  

In fact, there is a ‘double lock’ on their eternal security! Every believer is held tightly by both the Father and the Son. They will never let go, and no one, or nothing, can ever separate us from the loving hand of God (Romans 8:38-39).

This passage and many others have contributed to the Doctrine of Eternal Security.

A true understanding of this wonderful truth does not lead to a blatant license to careless living, but to a blessed assurance for careful, prayerful serving of our Good Shepherd and Father of Mercies.

God’s Hands Have Prepared Eternal PUNISHMENT

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” - Matthew 25:41  

I take no delight in saying this, but Scripture clearly teaches there is an eternal Hell that awaits all who have rejected God’s sovereign authority and gracious plan of redemption.  

The Bible also unequivocally teaches that God is the creator and sustainer of everthing! 

Exodus 20:11 says: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them…”  

The whole universe; the galaxies, solar systems, planets, stars, sun, moon, land, seas, rivers, continents, etc. God made them all (Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 146:6, Acts 4:12)

And this includes the 3^rd Heaven, where God abides, and Hell, where God-rejecters abide. 

Now who will go to this place of eternal punishment?  

First, the Devil and his angels, as Matthew 25:41 states.  

Second, the Beast and False Prophet as Revelation 19:20, 20:10 declares.

Third, all Unbelievers, as Revelation 20:11-15 says… “and anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire”.  

So, the Bible teaches that God originally made Hell as the eternal abode of Satan and his evil angels, but it is also the place where all will reside who do not choose by faith to follow Jesus.  

The good news is that no one has to go to Hell! 

God’s Hands Have Prepared Eternal PARADISE

Hebrews 11 is a wonderful listing of ‘Heaven’s Hall of Fame,’ or heroes (and heroines) of the faith.  

In verses 8-16, Abraham is featured and we learn of the deep yearning of Abraham’s heart.  

With great faith he obeyed God, following His commands, dwelling in tents, living as a stranger or pilgrim on the earth.  

But all the while, Abraham was looking forward by faith to a heavenly “city which has foundations (unlike a tent), whose builder and maker is God”.  

Abraham knew that paradise would never be found on this earth, even when he reached the land the Lord had promised to him and his descendants.  

Jesus shed more light on this subject of eternal paradise as He taught His disciples in John 14:1-3: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” 

John Wesley, the great preacher and founder of Methodism told of a dream he had.  

In his dream, he went to the gate of heaven and asked, “Are there any Methodists in heaven?” 

An angel answered, “No.”   

“Are there any Presbyterians in heaven?”  

Again, “No.”

“Are there any Lutherans?… Catholics?… Baptists?”  

Again, “No.”   

Wesley asked, “Then who is in heaven?”    

The angel’s replied, “Those who are saved.”  

Now we don’t get our theology from a dream, but that’s good theology!  

There are many church members or attenders who are lost, and multitudes have died in their sins and abide in Hell.  

The Good News

No one has to go to hell, and anyone can be saved!  

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” - (John 3:16).  

Friend, are you certain that you are saved, and that Jesus is preparing a place for you?

If so, like Abraham, you can endure all earthly trials because you are looking for that heavenly city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God!  

And you can say with the songwriter…

This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through.
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me through Heaven’s open door,
and I can’t feel at home in this world any more!

One of my favorite hymns is “Until Then”, written by Stuart Hamblen….

My heart can sing when I pause to remember,
a heartache here is but a stepping stone;
along a trail that’s winding always upward,
this troubled world is not my final home…
But until then, my heart will go on singing;
Until then, with joy I’ll carry on.
Until the day, my eyes behold the city;
Until the day, God calls me Home!

Don Johnston

Pastor and Contributing Writer

Don was raised in a Christian home on an Iowa farm. He is a graduate of Faith Baptist Bible College. He pastored in Iowa and Minnesota for 36 years and served as a hospice chaplain for 6 years. His time is now spent writing and guest preaching in area churches.  In addition to ministry, he enjoys sports, reading, writing, exercise, travel, and his antique tractor and classic car. He and his wife, Jenni, have four children and 12 grandchildren. Articles by Don Johnston

Reasons for Hope* Jesus is a discipling and apologetics ministry with a mission to equip YOU–believers in the Lord Jesus Christ–to know Him better and to love Him more. 

The apostle Peter wrote of our great commission to share our faith with others and to be prepared to defend God’s Word:

Reasons for Hope* Jesus believes and teaches that all reasoning begins with the literal interpretation of Holy Scripture and by being in communion with the one and only Triune God.

Reasons for Hope*Jesus is a ministry of HOPE, offering information, reasoning, and answers from God’s Word with the purpose of equipping, encouraging, and empowering the Body of Christ to know Jesus better, to love Him more, and to find real rest and ANCHORED HOPE in Him (Hebrews 6:19).

Our mission is to help you learn to rightly remember Jesus every day.  Rightly remembering is defined as renewing your mind in God’s Word, focusing your eyes on Jesus, devoting your heart to Jesus and strengthening your hope in Jesus.  Rightly remembering will: 

https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/the-hands-of-god/