Tag: Love

Faith

What if God’s Love is NOT Enough (to save you)?

Chris

“Jesus loves me, this I know.” Did you read the words or sing them? Those of us who grew up in church are familiar with the song we learned a long time ago. It was probably the first thing we absorbed in church. Jesus loves me. God loves me.

God’s love is a one of the most central themes of Scripture. Some would say that without the love of God, He would not have created the universe or put humanity within it.

Another staple of early learning in Christianity is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world…” The path to true life is founded on Heaven’s love. Imagine what would not exist without the motivation of that love: forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, relationship, purpose, mission, spiritual gifts and fruit, hope, everlasting life.

But is it really enough that God loves us? Is this inexplicable connection which breaks through time and space enough to fill us with the “blessed assurance” that Jesus and His promises are mine? Will God’s love alone save me, or you?

Continue reading “What if God’s Love is NOT Enough (to save you)?” →
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Church Life

The Oxymoron Church: Conditional, failing love

Chris

Love. It could be the most powerful verb in any language. When we love and then act out of love, the possibilities are endless.

God’s desire to love and be loved motivated Him to create the human race. Scripture proclaims: God is love. It also tells us how we are ambassadors of Christ. If Jesus is fully God and fully man, and we are His representatives on Earth, we are supposed to be representatives of love.

The love of God, which motivated Him to create the universe and to later send His only begotten Son for our salvation, sets a high bar. Souls are searching for this love when they come to church. If only the Oxymoron Church knew how to love.

Continue reading “The Oxymoron Church: Conditional, failing love” →

Inspirational

When God Looks on Our Sin

Chris

I still haven’t figured why, but “The Walking Dead” is one of the most popular shows on television. Even Christians get a rush from a program filled with diseased, hungry, undead zombies and the fight to stay alive in a world filled with them.

No, I’m not a fan, and I’m not living in fear or anticipation of a coming zombie apocalypse (though I do believe something terrible will come one day). The pictures and commercials I see are enough to know that as a person already susceptible to images, I don’t need those ones stuck in my head.

Recently, though, I thought of those rotting undead as the perfect example of a gruesome sight. Maybe you heard something over the recent Easter season, or from some preacher over the years. It makes me think of what God might see when He loks upon us in our sin.

Continue reading “When God Looks on Our Sin” →

Inspirational

Do you know the REAL reason for the season?

Chris

It’s a popular tag line this time of year, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” It falls in line with another I see on billboards around the city I live in, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” These are some of the ways we try to remind the world about Jesus at the time when so many other messages distract them from the message of Jesus’ coming.

Unfortunately, it comes across as a bunch of hokey semantics and religious nuttiness. And I don’t if you’ve heard, but a lot of people are allergic to nuts.

According to Google, a cliche is “a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.” Do you think these apply?

After all, even Christians get tired of hearing these things. But it also betrays how little we understand about the coming of God’s Son. Jesus is not the reason for the season. We are.

Continue reading “Do you know the REAL reason for the season?” →

Podcast

What If We Change How We Treat Others? (Podcast)

Chris

Part 3. If we believe God’s Word to be words from God for us to live by, and we hear the Gospel’s call to change, we must evaluate how we are doing at living by the Book. Jesus said He would build His church, and He has shared the blueprint with us through the Scripture. To be the church Jesus builds is to live the way the Word tells us to live.

This message goes back to the first proofs of a living relationship with Jesus Christ. If we are truly disciples of Jesus, we will love. That sounds easy, but it isn’t. There is one key that can help us, and it changes how we treat one another.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/what-if-we-change-the-way-we-treat-others

(If you do not see the audio player, CLICK HERE to view the full post.)

Podcast

Restoring a Relationship of Love

Chris

Conclusion. When it comes to love, redemption is not enough. To buy back, to own, is not the end of the plan. There is one step left. Without this step the great Lover cannot receive what they long for. It empowers the “happily ever after” and it comes at a price.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/restoring-a-relationship-of-love