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Author Topic: How God expresses His Love towards us....  (Read 4789 times)

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guest24

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Re: How God expresses His Love towards us....
« on: November 20, 2018, 10:00:31 am »
I think we are ready for servant love...one that I personally find fascinating.

A servant is thought to be one of if not the lowest of all society.  Whether by force or by choice, the servant gives up himself completely so that another might live with lavishness and glory.  His constant thought and purpose is to lavish upon another the glory and finery that the life can afford.   He disappears into the background, thought unseen, voice unheard, thinking only of the one to whom he serves. 

John 13:1-17 (NIV)  It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 10:10 (NIV)  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Revelation 21 (NIV)   Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.  It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.  It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.  The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.  The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.  The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.  The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.  The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.  The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.  Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
   With great humility the servant denies his own desires his own wants that another might have all that he wants and more.  A love that reduces a man to the role of a willing servant is a love whose humility is complete and deep and without reservation. 

Isaiah 53 (NIV)  Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.
 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

   Without favoritism, without judgment, the servant serves, lavishing us with favor.  Speaking to us of our great worth.   With nothing in self to prove, and purpose of restoration, the servant freely loves all with a purity and compassion.  He does not pick and choose whom He will serve, but rather serves everyone with lavishness and joy. 

Romans 2:11 (NIV)  For God does not show favoritism.

Galatians 2:6 (NIV)  As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message.

Ephesians 6:9 (NIV)  And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

   The servant sees something within us that others do not see.  His vision is on our worth, our value.  The flaws of our being are overlooked, and in it's place is a righteousness, a Godliness.  The servant sees who we are deep inside and in that vision, purposes to bring out the very best we are.  His love draws out our best qualities for the world to see, while diminishing the poor qualities that are our shame.

Genesis 1:27 (NIV)  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Romans 8:29 (NIV)  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)  And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Colossians 3:10 (NIV)  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

   The servant is not new to being hated.  He is accustomed to being mistreated and abused for the sake of the one he serves.  With patience and humility He allows Himself to endure great discomfort and abuse, and sometimes, the abuse is at the very hand of the one He serves.  With expectation of being mistreated, the servant continues on with his tasks, without anger, without hatred, without malice of any kind.

John 15:18-20 (NIV)  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
John 7:7 (NIV)  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.


John 3:19 (NIV)  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

II Corinthian 2:15 (NIV)  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

   The servant's love is a  willing Love.  Without reservations, the Servant loves.  He serves with a willingness and eagerness.   With a willingness to endure the servant serves, confident in His place, confident in His purpose.

Psalms 51:12 (NIV)  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Psalms 119:108 (NIV)  Accept, LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws.

Matthew 23:1-12 (NIV)  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:  “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;  they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.  And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.  Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.  The greatest among you will be your servant.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

I John 3:16 (NIV)  This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

   In this humility and servanthood, real love, real treasure, real grace can be seen.  With all the focus off self, there is nothing to cloud the vision, to hide the real treasure from the world.  It is in this servant love that the real nature of the love can be found, exposing real value, real beauty, real love to all with eyes to see.

II Corinthian 4:7 (NIV)  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

I Corinthian 2:5 (NIV)  so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

I Corinthian 1:27 (NIV)  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

James 2:5 (NIV)  Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

   By understanding that it is the least that reveal the greatest, the servant is happy to serve.  Content to offer himself daily that others might live.  In being reduced to the least, the servant reveals in a new and amazing way, the greatness around him.   With an understanding of the power of both love and humility, the servant loves without hesitation.

Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV)  Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,  and he began to teach them. He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 19:30 (NIV)  But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Matthew 20:16 (NIV)  “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

   With anticipation, the servant is watchful.  Like the parable of the talents, the servant anticipated the wishes of the master.  It is about knowing and understanding.  The servant begins to see the world through different eyes as He carries out the wishes of the Master.

Matthew 6:8 (NIV)  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Psalm 38:9  (NIV)   All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.

Matthew 6:32 (NIV)   For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Luke 12:30 (NIV)  For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
   As the servant anticipates the needs of the one being served, provision is made so that the job can be completed.   Every need is anticipated and met, not just the important one's.  The servant and master work together, providing raw materials so to speak so that the servant can successfully finish the task and the one being served can find contentment and joy.

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been
given to us.

Romans 14:17 (NIV)  For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

   With a well defined purpose, the servant came to fulfill the King's command.  With purity of heart and determination, the servant labors to accomplish the task before Him. 

Hebrews 6:17 (NIV)  Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.

Ephesians 1:5 (NIV)  he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Ephesians 1:7-10 (NIV)  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,  to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Ephesians 3:10-12 (NIV)  His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,  according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.  In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

   With a clear understanding of what and who is great among us, the servant works feverishly to reveal the hidden greatness within, for the world to see.  A greatness that is within each and every one of us.  A greatness that is magnifies by the Holy Spirit dwelling within.  It's a love of discovery, revealing, a greatness that is within you. 

Psalm 145:3 (NIV)  Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

Psalm 150:2 (NIV)  Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Isaiah 9:7 (NIV)  Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.


   With a clear understanding the servant knows His place and purpose.  With wisdom beyond His station in life, He grasps the importance of His job and how much His job done well, will change situations and transforms lives.

I Corinthians 1:27 (NIV)  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Jeremiah 8:9 (NIV)  The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped.
Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have?

James 1:5 (NIV)  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.

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

   The servant knows that there is joy and reward in suffering.  The wealth of understanding and grace can be found in the midst of humility and suffering.  All reservations are discarded as the servant joyfully faces and endures his suffering without complaint, but rather with expectation of the rewards that await those that persevere.

James 1:2-4 (NIV)  Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

James 1:12 (NIV)  Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

James 5:11 (NIV)  As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

   With great joy the servant perseveres.  There is no shame, or regrets in the mind and heart of the servant, only joy.  A deep, lasting, abiding joy marks the service and commitment of the servant.  There is no thought of station in life, no worry over things that entrap us.  The servant heart is marked by the willing joy of servitude.

Psalms 86:4 (NIV)  Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.

John 15:11 (NIV)  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

John 16:22 (NIV)  So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

   Often the love of the servant seems foreign to us, as if we can't fathom such love, such passion for another.  As if in a foreign world, we see the servant preforming His duties, and  wonder at such thing, wonder how a servant can be so happy, so content with his station in life.  But real understanding of this amazing contradiction, comes when we begin to understand that indeed, the servant with such love is not from this world.

II Corinthians 5:1-10 (NIV)  For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.  Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,  because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.  For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.  Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  For we live by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.  So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Romans 8:23 (NIV)  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

   Servant love is a love that holds within it's grasp, a new vision.  The focus is not simply on the here and now, but with eyes that can see beyond, eyes that see into the future and even into eternity, servant love, focuses on the big picture.  He sees what we cannot see, sees beyond the physical world, sees into our future, and it is there that the servant finds strength and purpose that offers Him great contentment and joy.

Proverbs 29:18 (NIV)  Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Romans 16:25-26 (NIV)  Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,  but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—

Ephesians 1:17 (NIV)  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Revelation 1:1-3 (NIV)  The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
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