"My dear children, let's just not talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us then we do ourselves.
And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what He said, doing what pleases Him. Again, this is God's command" to believe in His personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep His commands, we live deeply and surely in Him and He lives in us. And this is how we experience His deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit He gave us."
I have been doing my quiet time in the Message for the past couple of mornings. It puts a fresh perspective on words that I have heard before. This passage from 1 John 3 hit home, as I have been listening to the negative recording that goes off in my head sometimes. I was choosing to listen to the lies instead of checking them against the truth of God' Word. I was wanted my husband to rescue me from them and reassure me of my worth, and was disappointed when he didn't meet my expectations. I read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers last week and was struck by her analogy of the Father's love for us. It's not about me, it is about Him. I am unworthy, but that's not the point. I am living in disobedience and am self focused when I won't accept His perfect love. Remember what the Bible says about love- I think that it is in the next chapter of 1 John- "Perfect love casts out all fear." I can live in fear- often fear of being unlovable and fear of retribution. I am going to work on claiming these thoughts captive and holding them up against the truth of God's Word. I am not a victim- God tells us that we are more than conquerors in Christ!!!
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