From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: Love On God's Terms Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 13:51:26 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C51CD3.71B39980" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C51CD3.71B39980 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable LOVE ON GOD'S TERMS By "Rebekah" the Bride (1Jn.3:8-10; 4:14; Eccl.12:1; Rom.3:10,23; 5:7-8,18; 6:23;=20 Jn.11:25-26; Isa.53:6; 1 Cor.15:3-4) *** The Bible says that "God is love," yes, God IS love, it's true. This love the world is searching for, yet found by, oh, so few. It took so very many years for me to see this truth. I wish that I had known this love when I was in my youth. *** This love God has, this love God is, is so misunderstood. So many feel this love of God is only for the good. If we are good, God will love us but not if we are bad. If this is true, it seems to me, God's love cannot be had. *** For there's none righteous, no not one, except the Lord, you know. Then humans do not qualify for God's love if it's so That love is only for the good, God's love, this love God is. If we're all sinners surely we can't have this love of His. *** But though we're sinners, all of us, the Lord left His abode. He came to earth, became a man, so He could bear our load. Our load of sin, He took for it, the total punishment That we deserve, He bore it all, that's why God's Son was sent. *** Now, scarcely for a righteous man would one die willingly; But--just think--for us sinners, ALL, Christ did--for you and me. And then He rose up from the dead, eternal life to give; So all of us who will believe, forever now can live. *** So it's important that we see that God's love can't be earned By being good, by what we do--this lesson should be learned. It's Christ who earned this love for us, God's love's a gift that's = free. We cannot earn this love of God, though we try endlessly. *** You may say, "Yes, I understand, I see, God's love is free." But yet this need to earn's ingrained so deep in you and me, That though we say we understand, it takes humility To give up all our struggling to earn this gift that's free. *** Some come to God on their own terms, at least, I know I did. My terms were: I must earn from You--I learned this as a kid. But God says, "To experience this love I have for you, You must come to Me on My terms, that is what you must do." *** And, as I said, these are the terms: God's love is given free. Though bad or good, a weak failure, we really need to see That there is nothing we can do to earn and to deserve The gift of love God offers all and to us wants to serve. *** If we try hard to earn God's love, that's wrong to do, you know. And we need to repent of that, be willing to let go; And come to God on His own terms, (repent means turn around). If we do that, then that's the way that God's love can be found. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C51CD3.71B39980 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
LOVE ON GOD’S=20 TERMS
 
By "Rebekah" the = Bride
 
(1Jn.3:8-10; 4:14; Eccl.12:1; = Rom.3:10,23;=20 5:7-8,18; 6:23;
Jn.11:25-26; Isa.53:6; 1 = Cor.15:3-4)
 
***
The Bible says that "God is love," yes, God = IS love,=20 it’s true.
This love the world is searching for, yet found by, = oh, so=20 few.
It took so very many years for me to see this = truth.
I wish that I had known this love when I was in my=20 youth.
***
This love God has, this love God is, is so=20 misunderstood.
So many feel this love of God is only for the = good.
If we are good, God will love us but not if we are = bad.
If this is true, it seems to me, God’s love = cannot be=20 had.
***
For there’s none righteous, no not one, except = the Lord, you=20 know.
Then humans do not qualify for God’s love if = it’s so
That love is only for the good, God’s love, = this love God=20 is.
If we’re all sinners surely we can’t = have this love of=20 His.
***
But though we’re sinners, all of us, the Lord = left His=20 abode.
He came to earth, became a man, so He could bear our = load.
Our load of sin, He took for it, the total = punishment
That we deserve, He bore it all, that’s = why God’s Son was=20 sent.
***
Now, scarcely for a righteous man would one die=20 willingly;
But--just think--for us sinners, ALL, Christ = did--for you and=20 me.
And then He rose up from the dead, eternal life to = give;
So all of us who will believe, forever now can = live.
***
So it’s important that we see that God’s = love can’t be=20 earned
By being good, by what we do--this lesson should be=20 learned.
It’s Christ who earned this love for us, = God’s love’s a gift=20 that’s free.
We cannot earn this love of God, though we try=20 endlessly.
***
You may say, "Yes, I understand, I see, God’s = love is=20 free."
But yet this need to earn’s ingrained so deep = in you and=20 me,
That though we say we understand, it takes = humility
To give up all our struggling to earn this gift = that’s=20 free.
***
Some come to God on their own terms, at least, I = know I=20 did.
My terms were: I must earn from You--I learned this = as a=20 kid.
But God says, "To experience this love I have for = you,
You must come to Me on My terms, that is what you = must=20 do."
***
And, as I said, these are the terms: God’s = love is given=20 free.
Though bad or good, a weak failure, we really need = to=20 see
That there is nothing we can do to earn and to = deserve
The gift of love God offers all and to us wants to=20 serve.
***
If we try hard to earn God's love, that’s = wrong to do, you=20 know.
And we need to repent of that, be willing to let = go;
And come to God on His own terms, (repent means turn = around).
If we do that, then that’s the way that = God’s love can be=20 found.
 
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