Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Psalms 139:7-8, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
The nature, or essence, of God’s love includes His choice and His plan.
Because He chose us, He set His love upon us.
This is beyond our comprehension.
We have become the objects of His love and can only say with David, “Where can I flee from Your presence?”
We cannot get away from God’s love.
It will find us out.
It is the greatest hound that you will ever meet up with.
Just as the police dogs sniff out hidden things, God’s love will sniff us out.
Regardless of where we are, even if we are buried under sin and condemnation, the love of God will come and find us there, because we are the objects of that love.
Friends, this is the love of God toward us.
And this is the same love we bear toward one another.
This is the love in the church.
We are not together because we each decided to join a group.
We have assembled together with others of His chosen ones.
We are with others who have a destiny over their life to be conformed to the image of God’s Son.
Who are we to receive or reject a member of the Body of Christ based on our little rules?
If a person has been born again, he is loved by the Lord.
He is God’s choice, and he is also one over whom God’s plan is being worked out.
Thus, our part is only to acknowledge what God has done and receive him whom Christ has received.
We are to “receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (Rom. 15:7).
The love that chose me, predestined me to be conformed into His image, and reconciled me is the same love in our relationships with one another.
So our relationships with one another have their source in eternity.
It is not accidental that we are together.
We are related to one another, and we know one another as brothers and sisters.
Our relatedness is based upon God’s choice and His plan in eternity.
Now, in time, we are with one another, regardless of our condition, our background, our race–whatever.
All those things mean nothing.
God’s love has been set over all of us; and now that love has been poured out in our heart, so we can simply let it flow toward one another.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
MONDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Darlene Thaxton
Darlene Wiggins
June Cronan
Lee Cronan
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Jayne Hammond
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Charlene Palmer
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
David Burnette
David Harrison
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Eric Ward
Erik Magnusson
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Jillian Gray
Jim Mabe
Jodi Bateman
John Austin
John McClain
June Cronan’s Sister
Karen Slane
Kim McClain’s Mother
Lamar Knight
Larry Barker
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Alexander
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Ricky Gipson – Ashley’s Brother
Ricky Stubbs
Rose Fuller
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Terrell Loyd
Tom Witcher