Psalm 107
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
23 Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.
33 He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.
39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.
41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.
42 The upright see and rejoice,
but all the wicked shut their mouths.
43 Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Matthew 22
29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Let us reason together about the loving deeds of the Lord God, our Father, who has given us Jesus.
Jesus is the Word of God made manifest. He told us we just look at His actions and Words and we have seen our Father. Romans 1 goes on to tell us that we know the Truth.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:28 God has given us His Word for the purpose of understanding God's Nature and His help in life. To know the Scriptures with understanding is to know what God's Plan is. God is Love and He does not plan our eternity without telling us what He intends.
The Loving Deeds of the Lord begin with God's Word made manifest and the Scriptures.
Luke 20 continues the parable of Matthew 22
35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sonsg of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.
Jesus is telling us what life is - our choices are making us be considered worthy to attain to the age of the resurrection.
However - other than fruit of our lives - no one is told to tell God who will be considered worthy. Thank God He loves prayer!
Solomon, in the Power of the Holy Spirit declares as he dedicated God's Temple :
1 Kings 8:39
For You, You only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind.
Jesus said the same.
John 2:25
He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Acts 1:24
Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart."
God, Father of Creation, is God.
Is God's love without condition?
Scripture clearly teaches God's love (phileo, agape, aheb, ahabah, beloved , dearly love, friend , friends, love, loved, loves, loving, show your love, shows love.) is unfailing, undeserved, and unilateral (completely one-sided in initiation). But is God's love without condition--I.E.: UN-conditional?
God's love is truly amazing... God's love is unilateral: He loves the unlovable and gives His glory to them. God's love is completely undeserved. God's love is unfailing for those in whom He delights: who respond to Him and receive His Son. But, God's love is clearly not "unconditional"
Jeremiah 5:12-13
They have lied about the Lord; they said, 'He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine.' The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them..."
God is clear. There is Heaven and hell with the second death in Revelation 20:14. Jesus says Heaven has no death. Jesus tells us Himself in the Gospels. God is the God of the Living.
God says the work He gives to us all is to believe Him.
And in faith - in Jesus Christ - we are saved.
Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
We arrive at this -
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
John 6:40
For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
Ok. So... why do we not all confess Jesus is Lord and run on in our own merry way?
Well, Psalm Two tells us. We want to take God's plan seriously and with joy.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
When we are enlightened to God's Love we embrace God's plan. We want others in Heaven with us. We want them to know God is Love.
Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Spread the Good News!
Ephesians 3 states families live together on earth and Heaven. Jesus told us of His Father's house with many rooms. 2 Corinthians 12:2 tells us Heaven has levels.
Psalms 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Luke 22:32
I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Who else told us?
The Answer is Always Jesus.
Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."
Father God, You are not a God to spring out with surprises. In Your Loving Heart, You proclaim Your greatness in Scripture. You tell us of the marvelous promises You have freely given us.
You not only gave us Your Son Jesus, but we see Your willingness in all the Gospels of Jesus. We have seen You, Father. in Jesus. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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