How to receive the Love of God.

If you’re feeling condemned or weighed down with regret, turn and receive the love of God. Invite Jesus into your situation, and into your heart. Jesus is alive today, seated in Heaven at the right hand of God.

From generation to generation, He’s been delivering people from the guilt of their sin, and giving them joy instead of mourning. And freedom instead of bondage. Everlasting life instead of death.

Lay your burdens at His feet. God is not afraid of your sin. You can tell God anything. He won?t leave you.

You may have spent your whole life shaking a fist at God, or denying He even existed.  Be encouraged, even when you may have been running away from God, He knew exactly where you were.

And He knows where you are right now.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

2 Chronicles 16:9

Beloved, God is for you.

Know that He wants to fill you with a life changing love so pure, it’s stronger and more powerful than anything you’ve ever experienced. Jesus Christ has the ability to go into your broken heart, and make it new.

Truth is, whether we create our own hardships, or if we have been the victim of other people’s cruelty, we choose our response.

We can harden our hearts, and resolve to continue down the path we are on, or we can turn to Jesus and ask Him to help.

Please note I’m not encouraging you to pray to a “universal” God. But to Jesus Christ, son of God, Savior of the world. The only way to the Father is through the Son, because Jesus is the only One who gave Himself as a ransom for many.

Our free resource for today: “God is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s love as the Gift of Himself.

I am excited to to point you to this free resource to help you go deeper in receiving the Love of God. It’s the book “God is the Gospel” from Pastor John Piper of DesiringGod.org. You can download the book for free here, or you can purchase a hard copy on Amazon.com* (affiliate link). In this introduction, Pastor John Piper explains the value of the gift of Jesus’s love toward those who believe.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. And this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  

Ephesians 2:8

 Be encouraged, He knows what you need before you even ask.

But be prepared. He will ask you to change. He will ask you to lay down your heavy burdens, and turn from what He calls sin. All sin leads to death. The beautiful thing is, when you let sin go, your hands (and heart) are free to pick up His yolk which is easy, and His burden, which is light.

Hallelujah. That’s what Jesus did for me. And what He’s been doing ever since He walked the earth.

In John 8:1-11 we see Jesus’ love & mercy in action.

As the crowd of angry men surrounded the weeping woman, ready to stone her for her adultery, they hurled curses and accusations at her. The shame was unbearable. Sobbing uncontrollably she looked so fragile, as the voices of condemnation filled her ears. She had nowhere to hide.

But Jesus, in love, came to her side. Unafraid of her sin. The Defender of the weak, drawing near to the broken-hearted.

Had she sinned by committing adultery? Maybe. Did she know adultery was a sin punishable by death? Probably. The men shouted to Jesus, the “Rabbi” they were also trying to condemn, asking Him – “Should this woman be stoned for her sin?”.

His response? “Let the one who has no sin be the first to cast a stone.” One by one they dropped their stones and left. For not one was without sin.

Then He turned to the weeping woman and asked, ?Woman, where are your accusers now? Does no one condemn you??

Delivered, bewildered and grateful, she looks up into His compassionate eyes. I imagine she embraces Him. Her Deliverer. And as she does, she is filled with hope.

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

This same Jesus is alive today, seated in Heaven at the right hand of God. 

He loves you exactly as you are, and yet His desire is for you to say YES to His invitation to follow Him. It requires a response. It requires YOUR response.

• Will you say yes to Him today?
• Will you receive the love of God in the form of Jesus’ gift of Salvation?
• Are you willing to leave your life of sin and trade it for a life with the Creator of the Universe? He won?t leave you to do it on your own. He will give you a Helper, in Holy Spirit. You can learn more about Holy Spirit here.

Be encouraged, even when you feel weak, God is strong and able to help you become all that He envisioned for you when He created you. In love.

• Supernaturally, He is willing and able to deliver you from your accusers. Whether those accusers are people or even your own thoughts.
• Supernaturally, He is able to take your mourning and replace it with joy.
• Supernaturally, He is able to restore your heart and soul.
• Supernaturally, He is able to fill you with His love so that you are able to believe who He says you are, ?His masterpiece, created new in Christ Jesus, ready to do the good works He?s prepared beforehand, just for you.?

It’s a long journey for sure. It will require that you change, and it will probably require that you leave behind some things you’ve grown to love. You will even encounter some pushback spiritually, from friends or even your own desires. But I promise it’s possible, and it’s worth it.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 ESV

If you’re ready to receive the love of God for the first time, or recommit to following Jesus, here are some prayer prompts for you:

It’s not a formula, but simply some scriptures to help you grab hold of who He is, as you put your trust in Him.

• Lord Jesus, I confess, by faith that you are the Son of God, who came to take away the sins of the world.
• Lord I confess that I have sinned, and I sincerely ask for your forgiveness.
• Lord I confess that I believe you died on the cross to become the payment for my sins, and I receive your free gift of salvation.
• Lord I confess that on the third day, you rose from the dead, defeating death. It is because you live that I have the hope of everlasting life.
• Lord I confess that because I have received your free gift of salvation, I have been born again, and am a new creation in You, Christ Jesus.
• I declare my sins have been forgiven, I have been washed clean by your blood, and my life will be free from the guilt and shame of my past sins.
• I receive your truth about who I am.
• Lord please deliver me from my enemies, and help me to not repeat my past sins and mistakes.
• But if I do, Lord help me to repent quickly, receive your forgiveness, and move forward in the truth of your Love.
• Lord please help me to learn more about You through your word, the Holy Bible.
• Lord please bring a community of believers around me who I can trust, and will help me grow in the knowledge of You.
• I declare, I am your masterpiece. I am your beloved daughter. You will enable me to do good works and to walk in the callings that you have created for me, since the beginning of time.
• Holy Spirit, help me to receive the love of God and abide in the truth of Your eternal promises. You will never leave me nor forsake me.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” 
-John 8

Beloved, have you received Jesus’ free gift of salvation? If so please share below how your life has been changed! If you are new in your faith, or have just prayed the suggested prayer for salvation, please share below and let me know! I’d love to pray for you!