Tag: #John3:16

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Sacrificial Love: John 3:16

God has been highlighting John 3:16 to me as a foundational scripture for such a time as this. 

As God continues to restore our foundations both individually and as a nation, I believe He is working this precept more deeply into our souls as a stabilizer. 

I believe we are about to experience abundant life more than ever.

Yes, I believe we are about to enter through big, open doors. 

Yes, doors (plural). 

I believe we are entering into a time with many opportunities to rejoice and shine like never before—For God’s Kingdom.

I believe the economy of the USA is about to experience an explosive re-launch in the highest way, as God continues to shine His light, re-seat His people and guide us (Da 2:21-22).

God’s Word tells us that He “…uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away” (Job 12:22-23 ESV).

The Lord also highlighted Job 12:22 to me for several days. These “deeps” in this verse are defined as “exceedingly mysterious,” which means “extraordinary” and “exceptional” (NAS Exhaustive Concordance, Dictionary.com). 

I believe The Lord is exposing the dark root of evil schemes while simultaneously revealing more of Himself, His wisdom and His ways to us that will help us rise and overcome hindrances. Where we have been previously stuck or delayed—individually and as a nation—we will be loosed to continue forward by the Light of Christ.

I believe that He will subdue darkness for a time, as He extends a special grace for John 3:16 to be realized exponentially.

For those who will receive, I believe He will bring us out of every pit into new life on levels that transcend what we can fully comprehend right now. 

I believe we can expect God to bring what we hold most dear in our hearts full circle, beginning now and extending into the years ahead. 

Some manifestations will take longer than others. But know that God is moving and will fulfill the Godly desires of our hearts as we honor Him in obedience.

Also, The Lord has revealed to my heart that He has extended His mercy seat to us for lost things to be recovered.

Lost souls are a given. 

But there’s more… I believe The Lord will bring some past relationships full circle to re-establish them in our lives as He has brought reform.

By His great love for us. 

You can ask Holy Spirit to reveal who these people are, as well as His timeline to you. 

He will reveal His secrets as He can trust you. 

Treasure His truth in your heart, and sync your thoughts and expectations with His Word above every other voice.

God’s Word will never return void, even if it seems like it’s impossible. Even if it unfolds in a way that we didn’t expect, His Word will accomplish what He sent it to do (Is 55:11).

Therefore, always believe!

I believe His Spirit of Revelation will open the eyes of our hearts to see deep personal treasures He has for our lives.

In regards to John 3:16, the salvation scripture many of us have memorized, The Lord had me pause and drill down into each Word.

John 3:16 AMPC says, “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.”

Dividing this scripture, we see that:

God, our Creator and Divine Magistrate, who owns all things and sustains all things by His grace, settles us in accordance with His will and spoken Word so that we may experience Him (who is Love) as our deepest welfare, on earth and even into eternity. 

This is the same love with which He regards His Son, Jesus (Jn 3:35). The same love that He committed to offer and deliver His one and only perfect Lamb (Christ) to suffer, die and ascend to secure our full-circle salvation with Him (Ga 2:20). This is the same love that brought conviction to our souls to bring us to conversion. And it’s the same moral love that now lives in us as Holy Spirit fills us with good will toward God and others; even while others are still caught in a dark system that works against Christ  (1 Jn 3:16, 4:11; Ro 5:8). This is love that knows no bounds and can do what is impossible for us. God (as Love) persuades us to believe Him as He releases His faith in us and keeps His promises. 

He grows us in salvation, enabling us to experience “days of Heaven upon the earth” as our hearts commit to Him (De 11:21). He grows us in His character as He fulfills His purpose (nature) in us. 

He enables us to receive our full inheritance as His sons and daughters. He brings the pieces of our lives together to make a beautiful whole among His body of believers as we come to know Him. 

As His bride, He awakens us to have and to hold Him as our greatest heart’s desire. Better than Boaz, His constant love readies us to receive His covenant blessings, like Ruth, as we rest at His feet, agree with Him and co-labor with Him. He enables us to experience His life-sustaining power and authority that never wears out, even on earth, before it lifts us into eternity with Him. 

Friends, God assures us of His promises in 1 Peter 1:7 TPT, which says, “Your authentic faith will result in even more praise, glory, and honor when Jesus the Anointed One is revealed.” 

So, lets fasten our “faith and hope in God alone” (1 Pe 1:21 TPT). And “live each day with holy awe and reverence,” remembering that “the precious blood of Christ…was sacrificed for us” (1 Pe 1:19). From of a heart of love that never ends.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name. 

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Faith Time – Part 2

The Lord revealed to me that He is completing some assignments to bring His beloved into a higher perspective—one where wholeness resides—a beautiful, anticipated end to longings of the heart (1 Co 15:24). 

The image He gave to me was of a choir director bringing a choir to the close of an impactful song, where the glorious power of harmony comes to a punctuated end to position us anew. 

God is opening doors to places of beauty, revealing His greater goodness, the abundance of John 10:10. And there is such deep appreciation of these manifest opportunities, because they have felt like a long time coming. 

God has been breaking us into these places step-by-step, giving us a new perspective little-by-little; and in so doing, has increasingly made us insiders.

Suddenly, where we used to walk and wonder what it would be like to be in “that” position—in “that“ company, in “that” home or family or on “that” level—God is fulfilling a multiplicity of promises that He placed in our hearts. 

He is turning our reality.

Instead of being on the outside looking in, in a moment, we will find ourselves positioned on the inside looking out. With deep calm and gratitude in our hearts. 

We will experience a gentle exhale of “finally.”

God is bringing us onto His mountain to experience the solidity of His holiness, His glory and goodness. We will experience what we have prayed for for so long.

As we continue to fasten the gaze of our hearts on God, He will re-seat us higher with a firewall of protection around us (Ze 2:5).

Zechariah 2:5 NLT says, “And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.”

Psalm 91:9-10 MSG say, “Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door.”

So, friends, in God bringing us up higher, things that used to pull us down will not even phase us. They will simply become a nonissue.

Drive-bys intended to harm will turn into by-passes as evil is turned away.

Are you willing to exercise the faith God put in you for His resurrection life to stream like a fountain upward and out of you?

If so, we must remember, too, that as we transition into these higher places with God’s perspective, we have to entrust Him, as our rear guard, with what’s behind us (Is 52:12).  

We must believe, by faith, as we take hairpin turns with Him, that He has better forward.

It’s time. And it’s right in front of us. 

We can renounce all lies of the evil one and continue forward, no matter what. Because when our assignments are complete, evil departs from those assignments (1 Co 15:24, 1 Sa 30-31).

Here are a few Bible characters who took a hairpin turn toward God and His will and, as a result, received a great harvest of restoration:

Ruth and Naomi, who returned to Naomi’s beloved Bethlehem (and God), received the security of a new husband and a new son, respectively (Ruth 1:16, 4:13-17).

Elijah, who sought God on Mt. Horeb when he was greatly troubled, heard from God; then returned the way he came, with a fresh victory-strategy and three new assignments from God that were destined for victorious outcomes (1 Ki 19:15-18).

David, who sought God before returning to Ziklag, the place of his assignment, recovered all (1 Sa 29:4; 30:3, 8, 18-20). Then, immediately afterward, when he shared his plunder generously, the evil assignment against him (through Saul) cancelled out (1 Sa 30:21-31; 1 Sa 31).

Notice, in each of these Bible character’s lives, their livelihoods were threatened. But they were led by The Lord into exponential new life; and they became conduits of new life for others.

Each of these Bible characters chose to seek God and a path of victory. 

Life didn’t end in tragedy, even though the enemy of their souls would have them believe otherwise. They kept going until they received their manifest victory.

They were surrounded by large and wide-open doorways of opportunity. They had to make pivotal decisions in a moment that would set their course higher in resurrection life. 

This should encourage us to make room for God’s truth and grace when making life-impacting decisions. He will be faithful.

Everywhere God leads us, we can walk on higher ground, because of the higher level of holiness God has brought us into by His Spirit and His dominant strength over His promises to us. 

The way these Bible characters got there was to turn to God first to seek and know His will for themselves and their circumstances. Then walk it out.

Their steps for a victorious outcome could be summarized like this…

  1. Seek God. Receive His strategy. Take the path of victory by obediently walking out your assignment, His way, until it’s complete. 
  2. When the fiercest part of the battle is over, do the right thing and share your plunder-blessings with others. Despite opposition.
  3. The attacks that come against you will be cancelled out when your assignment is completed in victory. In other words, the stronghold against you and your assignment will be broken. So, no matter what, don’t stop until you cross the finish line.

Friends, it’s time for God’s multiple promises to come into fruition in our lives.

And, not just one promise, but many over time, especially in the next five to six years.

By the dominant strength of His Spirit, our Lord is bringing them into place.

We will see them come to pass when we open our eyes and see it God’s way. Then choose to believe by faith for our longtime heart’s desires to come into fruition beginning right now. And exercise our faith to move forward, trusting and relying upon God (Jn 3:16, 3:36).

Psalm 34:8 MSG says, “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.”

Friends, let us taste and see and come to know that God is better than we’ve ever known.

It’s time to receive God’s priority and perspective that He has waited patiently for us to grow into.

So, if you’re willing…

  • Look up (to seek His heart and face). 
  • See Heaven above earthly things, even above the practical things He used to help build you so far along the way. 
  • Receive Him as the true revealer of mysteries who fortifies you. 
  • Praise Him for His rich mercy and patience, which He has also gifted to you as the fruit of His Spirit. 

He is wonderful, awesome God!

Lord, thank You for changing our perspective to see more of You and Your goodness in our lives. Enable us to receive all you have for us as we trust in You (Jn 3:16, 3:36; 1 Co 2:5). In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.