What is it that makes you feel loved by God? Have you ever doubted God's love for you? Do you feel loved because of what you do? You read your bible, you do the 'right' things, you say the 'right' things. What about when we don't do these things as often as we should? Maybe you didn't have time to read your bible this morning, maybe you did something you shouldn't have done or made some remark you shouldn't have? Do you feel any less loved or unappreciated by God? I would say for many, the answer to this question is YES!!
Do you get tired of 'trying' to be the 'perfect' Christian? For so long I was living like this. Trying to be as the army puts it, "the best I can be". But how often do we do this and end up doing things in our own strength? Last year, God started to show me that I was starting that I was making it about what I was doing and not about Him. Weeks of searching for God in this, He spoke these amazing words to me "Son. I love you. I ALWAYS have, and ALWAYS will". Needless to say, such affirmation was overwhelming.
In Matthew's account of Jesus' baptism in 3:16-17 it says "...and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My BELOVED Son, in whom I am well pleased". Here we have God's affirmation of His own Son. Now if you read Matthew up to this point... had Jesus begun His ministry, had He performed a single miracle, or did any teaching?? The answer is NO!!
God's love of His Son was not dependent on WHAT HE DOES OR WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO!
If we read on in Matthew 4 we have Jesus' temptation. In v3, we have Jesus' temptation in the desert. What does Satan say to Jesus?? "If you are the Son of God?....". Notice anything missing from this question?????
The word BELOVED. What a nasty piece of work Satan is! He was trying to remove the Father's affirmation. Is this ringing any bells for you?? How many times does the enemy try to rob you of your affirmation from the Father? How many times does he condemn you for things you shouldn't have done? should be doing? shouldn't of said? should of said? something you shouldn't have thought?
Some years back, when my father passed away. Thankfully he knew the Lord and is now with Him. However, my father did some things that used to annoy me. I would say to him that he shouldn't be doing them. When he died, I had one question of God. "What is the point in trying to be the best Christian if we're going to be with you anyway?" For six months I struggled with this question when on January 8 2008 in a New York hotel room that God spoke to me. He said.. "Darren when I looked at your father, I did not see him but I seen my Son".
For this no condemnation for those who are IN Christ (Rom 8:1). Please don't misunderstand me - it is right to do the right things but they do not bring our affirmation! Beloved, if you are IN Christ, you are the righteousness of God because the Father sees His Beloved Son in YOU. You are affirmed by the Father and loved by the Father. You ALWAYS have and ALWAYS will!
Be blessed this day!
Darren
