This is a wonderful time of the year to “LIVE” these expressive terms because of the following promises of our Abba Father: “…the Son of Man must be lifted up, THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IN HIM. For God SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but TO SAVE THE WORLD THROUGH HIM.” (John 3:14-17)
In the Amplified Bible, it is detailed like this: “For God SO GREATLY LOVED AND DEARLY PRIZED the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten [unique] Son, so that WHOEVER BELIEVES IN [trusts in, clings to, relies on] HIM shall not perish [come to destruction, BE LOST] but have eternal [everlasting] life.” (John 3:16)
This is what the love of God is all about! “THIS IS LOVE: not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS AN ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS. Dear friends, since God so loved us, WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and HIS LOVE IS MADE COMPLETE [perfected] IN US.” (1 John 4:10-12)
These words are used to define wonderful joy… “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION. The LORD God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ [female dear] feet, and He will make me walk upon my high places.” (Hab. 3:18-19)
WE WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF OUR SALVATION…
-Bill Stockham