The Precious Heart Of Christ

Bread

The Lion Loosed

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.”

Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

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.”  

John 3:16-17 (NIV)

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 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.

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)

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.

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

1 John 3:16 (NIV)

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:9-13 (NIV)

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.

1 John 4:7-10 (NIV)

3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.”

Deuteronomy 33:12 (NIV)

Butter

The Lesson Learned

“Believer, rest assured that the heart of Jesus cares about your lesser affairs.  The breadth of His tender love is such that you may resort to Him in all matters; for in all your afflictions He is afflicted, and as a father pities his children, so He pities you.  The humblest interests of all His saints are all borne upon the broad bosom of the Son of God.  Oh, what a heart is His that not only comprehends each one of His people, but also comprehends the diverse and innumerable concerns of each of those individuals!”  Charles H. Spurgeon

“If you are in Christ, you have a Friend who, in your sorrow, will never lob down a pep talk from heaven.  He cannot bear to hold Himself at a distance.  Nothing can hold Him back.  His heart is too bound up with yours.”  Dane Ortlund

“Everything that is lovely in God is in Christ, and everything that is or can be lovely in any man is in Him:  for He is man as well as God, and He is the holiest, meekest, most humble, and every way the most excellent man that ever was.”    Jonathan Edwards

“God’s love contrasts with human love in both nature and degree, because God demonstrates (“keeps on showing”) His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (hyper, “in our place”). Though a few people might possibly be willing to die to save the lives of good people, though that is rare, Christ went well beyond that. He died in the place of the powerless(“feeble,” v. 6), the ungodly (v. 6; 4:5), sinners (5:8), and even His enemies! (v. 10).”   Bible Knowledge Commentary

“His favors are always performed with the love of His heart.  He doesn’t send us the cold meat and the broken pieces from the table of His luxury, but He dips our morsel in His own dish, and seasons our provisions with the spices of His fragrant affections.  When He puts the golden tokens of His grace into our palms, He accompanies the gift with such a warm pressure of our hand, that the manner of His giving is as precious as the boon itself.”   Charles H. Spurgeone puts the golden tokens of His grace into our palms  

“God’s mercy and grace come directly from His heart, and run with a straight, direct, and natural stream.  The Lord God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness.”  Thomas Goodwin    

“There is no love so great and so wonderful as that which is in the heart of Christ.  He is one that delights in mercy; He is ready to pity those that are in suffering and sorrowful circumstances; one that delights in the happiness of His creatures.  The love and grace that Christ has manifested does as much exceed all that which is in this world as the sun is brighter than a candle.  Parents are often full of kindness towards their children, but that is no kindness like Jesus Chris’s.”  Jonathan Edwards

“All we have is in His loving, capable, Hands and His heart is as tender as His arms are strong.  We can trust Him with our lives and the lives of those we love.  Convert fear into faith.  How steady is His Hand to guide me through this world.  My needs shall be His care. Make your faith a defiant response to your fear.”  BHY

Heart Savor

The Lion Roars

  • We are never to be lacking in zeal but keep our spiritual fervor serving the Lord.
  • We are to be zealous for the Lord’s great Name – through His power for His glory.
  • Create in me a pure heart and a steadfast spirit Oh Lord.