Wed 8/8/12 Salvation Week (3)

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.  18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.  (NIV)

Wow, brothers and sisters, it is Salvation Wednesday in the middle of Salvation Week ... let's get cleaned up and get started.

Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for a good night, and please, dear Lord, clean us up this morning, give us our morning shower of love to take our sins away, even those we might have dreamed about or thought about before we closed our eyes last evening.  I love you, Jesus, and I pray in Your name ... Amen.

Salvation Wednesday and the day we pray for the unsaved and for those who are saved to be used to bring in the lost.  Other prayers today for the family of Carol Harris.  Carol went home last night.  When Carol could no longer take care of her little Yorkie, she trusted her to us.  I also talked with her many times about her standing with Jesus.  She loved her little dog Angel, but she loved Jesus even more.

Praise report:  Dave and Joanne arrived home safely yesterday after a long working type vacation to see their son.  I think I already gave a praise report that Grant and Wanda arrived back home safely on Sunday evening.

Prayers today for Bobbie as she flies back  home after being with her dear late mother over her last days here on earth.  Be safe, Bobbie.  Please keep praying for our son Matthew.  Although Matthew was seen by our daughter Leann on Sunday, he has still not contacted us.  He is still among the missing as far as we are concerned.  If you have a prayer line or prayer circle, please put Matthew Dru Lehman on your prayer list.  First for God to keep him safe and the for Matthew to return to God.  Matthew knows the Lord but has walked away.  Prayers also for Burt, Patsy, Barbara, Vicki, Ruby, Luella an Sterling, Ruth, and also some who I am sure I forgot.  Let me get to the message ...

Salvation Week (Day Three).  Yes, it is Salvation Wednesday in the middle of Salvation Week on this line and I am excited for today is the day I get to tell you why God has done all of this for us ... Are you ready for it?

LOVE!!  Now brothers and sisters, I could stop right there with that four letter word.  (Who said all four letter words were bad?)  Yes, our scripture of today spells is out really well, let me write it down gain.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.  18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

God, our Father in Heaven, loved us all so much that He gave us Jesus ... As you go forth this day, I want you to remember this.  God loves you and you are indeed made in His image.  Also when you look at someone who looks different than you, remember God loves them just as much.  Do you remember this little Bible school song?

"Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.  Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.  Jesus loves the little children of the world."

Yes, folks, regardless of color, regardless of the shape of your face, regardless of your hair color or if you have lost your air (and teeth), God loves us all the same.  And God even loves all of those who don't love Him.  And brothers and sisters, we must do the same.  Do you, and I am talking to some of you on this line, and you know who you are, do you have an ex out there who because of what all they did to you, you hate them?  GET OVER IT, FOLKS.  You need to get all hate out of your system.  I want you all, not just a few of you, but all of you, and also I will address this also.  We, and I mean we, you and me, brothers and sisters, have done so many things against God, the one who made us in His image.  We have done so many things wrong, let's call them SINS.  I am glad Jesus forgives and does not hate us all.  Think of it, your ex or maybe others you might hate, or well, not like, and what they did to upset you.  Then think of all the sins you have done that Jesus hates, for the Bible tells us that Jesus hates sin. Here from the Bible is just one place I can take this saying I am using.  "God Hates Sin."

Proverbs 6:16 - There are six things the Lord hates, things that are detestable to Him.  17 Naughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.  (NIV)

Now what do you see in common about all  six of these things our Lord hates?  They, my dear brothers and sisters, are all sins, all sins.  God hates sin.  Now I could go down the list and give you one sin for each one of the six, but let me see if you might do that for homework.  Go to Proverbs 6:16 through 6:19 and send me at least one sin that you could see in each of those six things the Lord hates.  Hey, I will start it off with naughty eyes.  Gosh, I don't know bout you ladies, but for a lot of us guys, our eyes get us into trouble.  Guys, you know what I am talking about, or must I remind all of you how our eyes follow a nice pair of legs, or a short skirt?  Oh, and ladies, I have seen your eyes follow a man's butt as they walk past.  Okay, you get the idea. Let me hear from you.

One last time today, why did God die for us, why Salvation, it was/is and always will be LOVE ... Here is the scripture one  more time ... Just the one verse.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Dear Father in Heaven, forgive us of our sins and help us to repent from all of them, including our eyes that tend to drift where they do not belong.  Hear our prayers for the sick and the unsaved, and grant our prayers according to Your will for us ... In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Now go forth and share your blessings, and along with that, share your greatest blessing, the Love of Jesus, with others.  I love all of you, all of you, yes, I love ya.  Pastor Dan.