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.”
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”
17 “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
“Jesus embraces us with an unconditional love; one that will never cease. Just when we think there is no hope, no understanding, and no way out of our predicament, our loving Lord speaks words of affirmation and encouragement to our hearts.” Michael Youssef
“Sharing with others about the Love of God manifest in countless ways - taking TIME to BE with and for people through prayer, encouraging words, even a kind smile. Somehow Grace is transmitted through these humble, ‘ordinary’ acts — and Power is released that changes lives. What honour has been mine to meet with innumerable people and see them take hold of the Word of God, and the ways of God, and thereby reap the changes in their lives which they so needed/wanted. Amazing, gracious, kind and faithful Jesus. The unswerving faithfulness of God; His unceasing Love and heart toward us —— His GRACE ever-present; even when we cannot see or recognise it. In every minute, every moment, there with arms outstretched ——Jesus!” Paula Kirby
“In the world there are many other voices speaking -- loudly: ‘Prove that you are the beloved. Prove you're worth something. Prove you have any contribution to make. Do something relevant. Be sure to make a name for yourself. At least have some power -- then people will love you; then people will say you're wonderful, you're great.’ These voices are so strong. They touch our hidden insecurities and drive us to become very busy trying to prove to the world that we are good people who deserve some attention. Sometimes we think that our busyness is just an expression of our vocation, but Jesus knew that often our attempts to prove our worth are an example of temptation. Right after Jesus heard the voice say, ‘You are my beloved,’ another voice said, ‘Prove you are the beloved. Do something. Change these stones into bread. Be sure you're famous. Jump from the Temple...’ Jesus said, ‘No, I don't have to prove anything. I am already beloved.’” Henri Nouwen
“God’s supply of loyal love and His compassion is never ending – His mercies rise new every day - as sure as the sun - there is a fresh supply each morning. Like manna that fell for the Israelites in the wilderness, which was sufficient for the day, so too, His love. How could we not be but taken back by the limitless provision of God’s loving compassion, grace, and mercy.” BHY
“There has to be something that is always right, always true, even when life seems to say otherwise. We need a map that is always right, no matter what the ground seems to say. The map that’s always right is faith in a God who loves us, in the good news that someone loved us enough to die for us although we didn’t deserve it, in the truth that this God is present in our lives even when circumstances make us doubt it, and in the knowledge that all His promises hold, all the time. So many things in life can plunge us into such darkness that seeing is impossible. And my answer to how to survive those times—the tumors, the traumas, the terminal nature of life—is to somehow see anyway. We must be able to reach a place where, when the ground doesn’t agree with the map, we believe—we know—that the map is still right.” W. Lee Warren
“A thing must be loved before it is lovable.” G. K. Chesterton
“I am simply the earthly vessel that holds the hope. I was reminded of how God sees me, loved, chosen, bought with the greatest price anyone has ever paid for anything. That truth is hard to keep hold of in our broken world. I’ve watched others struggle in a million ways.” Sheila Walsh
“You are not what you do, although you do a lot. You are not what you have collected in terms of friendships and connections, although you might have many. You are not the popularity that you have received. You are not the success of your work. You are not what people say about you, whether they speak well or whether they speak poorly about you. All these things that keep you quite busy, quite occupied, and often quite preoccupied are not telling the truth about who you are. I am here to remind you in the name of God that you are the Beloved Daughters and Sons of God, and that God says to you, ‘I have called you from all eternity and you are engraved from all eternity in the palms of my hands. You are mine. You belong to me, and I love you with an everlasting love.’” Anonymous
“There is only torment and slavery and wanting in envy and hatred and strife but sweet rest and pleasure and wholeness in the security of God’s love.” BHY