–George W. Bush

       “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”

                    –Titus 2:11-12 (NKJV)
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               “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival… It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and illuminations from one End of this continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
                         –John Adams

On this 4th of July I want to give you something to ponder as you go through the day in celebration of this great nation’s independence.  I would ask the question, What will America be like in forty years…in twenty years?  Will the nation even be around?  Surely it will not be conquered by an enemy nation, but if the trend continues will be swallowed up by a more devious foe–inward rot.
       Daniel Webster said many decades ago.  “If truth be not diffused, error will; if God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain ascendancy; if the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; if the power of the Gospel is not felt through the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness, will reign without mitigation or end.”  I would then ask you, what are you doing to build the character of your children, or grandchildren?  There is an attack like never before on the minds and the character of our youth.
       If a person has character, everyone has confidence in him.  But then why the breakdown in leadership?  I would simply say, there has been a breakdown in the development of character.  Character means “dependability, integrity, the characteristic of never knowingly doing anything wrong, that you would never cheat anyone, that you would give everybody a fair deal.” (Omar Bradley)  Ah, but the problem has arisen, what does it mean or not mean to do anything wrong?  By whose standards does a person live–the truth of God’s Word or the relative truth of society that turns at a whim?
       With relative truth there is no foundation, there is no solid base upon which to make decisions.  Dr. Victor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor said, “The reason so many people are unhappy today and seeking help to cope with life is that they fail to understand what human existence is all about.  Until we recognize that life is not just something to be enjoyed, but rather is a task that each of us is assigned we’ll never find meaning in our lives and never truly be happy.”  The German reformer, Martin Luther wrote this, “The prosperity of a country depends not on the abundance of its revenues, nor on the strength of its fortifications, nor on the beauty of its public buildings, but it consists in the number of its cultivated citizens, its men of character.  Here are to be found its true interests, its chief strengths and its real power.”

       Go through this day of celebration with hefty hurrahs, for this is a great day.  A nation declared its independence and followed the dictates of Providence in the ensuing years.  But also, look and glance into the future.  Make sure you are preparing your children for it:  physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  “Both Scripture and history inevitably agree.  We, individually and collectively, always eventually get what we deserve.  We’re going to be honest and free–or dishonest and policed.” (Paul Harvey)  Hearken to the words of Jude, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (20-21, NKJV)  Hold fast the faithful word as you have been taught (Titus 2:9).

                    –Zane Grey  (The Light of the Western Stars)

       “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome.”

                    –1 John 5:3  (NKJV)
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Last week we looked at the first of the moral attributes of God.  Remember, these are characteristics of God that we can share and should try to obtain.  This week I want to share some thoughts about the love of God.  Love–such a misunderstood term.  I am not going to discuss love per se, but look at some characteristics of the love of God.  We know that God is a spirit, the He is light, that He is a jealous God, and that He is a consuming fire, but He is also love.
     It does not say that God loves, but that He is Love itself.  Love is not merely one of His attributes, but it is His very nature.  That should grip us.  If God loves me because He knows me–shouldn’t I know Him so I can love Him better and more completely?  We see then that the love of God is uninfluenced.  There is nothing in the objects of His love, you and me, to call it into exercise.  His love is free, spontaneous, uncaused.  Paul writes, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8, NKJV)  John writes that most famous verse, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NKJV)  John also wrote in his first epistle, “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, NKJV)
     The love of God is eternal.  He isn’t going to change His mind regarding love in the eons of eternity.  Since He is love this is of necessity–God is eternal, God is love, therefore, His love is eternal.  The Prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:  ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.'” (Jeremiah 31:3, NKJV)    In this we see that His love is sovereign and His love is infinite.  “His love is without limit.  There is a depth to it which none can fathom; there is a height to it which none can scale; there is a length and breadth to it which defies measurement, by any creature-standard.” (Arthur W. Pink)   Paul declares, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor power, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, NKJV)
     Our hearts should rejoice, our faith should rest secure in this love.  For as God is immutable, so is His love.  Divine love is strong as death.  “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealously as cruel as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame.  Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it.  If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised.” (Song of Solomon 8:6-7, NKJV)
     The love of God is gracious and full of mercy.  It is holy; His love never conflicts with His holiness.  That was one of the main purposes of the cross.  Justice, righteous, holiness demanded a guilty verdict and death.  Jesus Christ, the love of God incarnate became that sacrifice to appease the holiness of God yet should His marvelous, divine love.  I would point you again to John 3:16.  Ponder the words of Arthur Pink, “Here then is abundant cause for trust and patience under Divine affliction.  Christ was beloved of the Father, yet He was not exempt from poverty, disgrace, and persecution.  He hungered and thirsted.  Thus, it was not incompatible with God’s love for Christ when He permitted men to spit upon and smite Him.  Then let no Christian call into question God’s love when he is brought under painful affliction and trials.  God did not enrich Christ on earth with temporal prosperity, for ‘He had had not where to lay His head.’  But He did give Him the Spirit ‘without measure.’  Learn then that spiritual blessings are the principal gifts of Divine love.  How blessed to know that when the world hates us, God loves us.”

               “The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell;
               It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell;
               The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
               His erring child He reconciled, and pardoned from his sin.
                         Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
                         How measureless and strong!
                         It shall forevermore endure–
                         The saints’ and angels’ song.”
                                     –Frederick M. Lehman

 

       “This is my practice:  I obey Your precepts.”
                    –Psalm 119:56 (HCSB)
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If you spend much time reading Psalm 119 there are two things that you cannot get away from:  promises and prayers.  There are the promises the psalmist made to God and the promises of God to man.  The psalm is very personal and its entirety is actually a prayer but there are also petitions throughout the psalm.  Perhaps you have had a “precious promises box” or have put promises of God on the wall in your house.  We read them, admire them, look at them, but do we make use of them?  In this journey it is up to us to determine to trust the promises of God and enjoy His blessings.
       Richard Sibbes wrote, “When we hear any promise in the Word of God, let us turn it into a prayer.  God’s promises are His bond.  He loves it when we wrestle with Him by His promises.”  We appropriate the promises of God by faith, and when we pray it should be grounded in His promises.

          vs 49 — Remember your promise to me, for it is my only hope. (NLT)
          vs 50 — This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.  (ESV)

When we rely and have faith in God’s word we can rise above our troubles.  The word of God, sealed to the heart, infuses sensible relief; it brings comfort.  This term “comfort” literally means “to cheer up, to invigorate, to cause to breathe and rest, and to smile while in pain.”  The Word of God brings comfort to the weary man and the weary soul.
       There is something about music.  It is all around us–the good, the bad, the ugly, and the really ugly.  Steven Lawson says, “So strong is the Word that it puts a permanent song in the heart.”  We must also consider that the psalms were sung by the people.  Those who sang this psalm were truly placing God’s Word in their heart.

          vs 54 — Your statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.  (NASB)
                       Your statues are the theme of my song during my earthly life.  (HCSB)
                       Your principles have been the music of my life throughout the years of my pilgrimage.  (NLT)

Do you sing as you go through the day?  If not out loud, within your mind and soul?   Songs support the exercise of faith and patience; they help lift the spirit and testify to the goodness of God who provides even in the bad times.  There is much truth in what that preacher of old, Charles Bridges, said, “It is dull, wearisome, to be a pilgrim without a song.”  He stated further, “It is important to remember that our cheerful song is connected with a pilgrim-spirit.”  Do you recall the song of your youth?  “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing…”

          vs 57 — The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.  (NASB)

     God is faith; His word is true.  He is unchanging, every-present, all-knowing, and almighty.  George Stevens said, “To keep the commands of Jesus is the duty of love.  To keep His sayings is the life of love.  To keep His words is the joy of love.”  Can we say as the psalmist, because He is our portion I will promise to obey His words?  Augustine cried out, “Lord, give me Yourself!”  Is that what we want?  Do we practice prayer as the psalmist writes?

        vs 58 — I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word.  (NKJV)
                 — I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.  (NIV)

     Possession of God encourages us to practice prayer.  We pray when we are in pain and need relief.  We pray for we need His constant mercy.  We pray because we can do nothing other than to cry out for God.  We pray because we want to seek Him and dwell in His presence.  “To seek God’s face is to know His favor.” (David Chapman)

               “Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
               When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
               By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
               Standing on the promises of God.”
                       –R. Kelso Carter