The Bible is an amazing and inspiring Love Letter from God to the Humans He created. Please note: God begins this marvelous story by talking about Himself, not us. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1 NIV) Our story begins with God because He is the beginning of every story. Apart from Him, nothing and no one would exist. God is preeminent, which simply means He is in first place and He is greater than all the rest all put together. You and I cannot even know what love is apart from Him. “We love because he first loved us.” (1Jn 4:19 ESV) My story, and yours, all begin with God…question is, will it end with Him too?
What did God do, why did He do it, and how did He do it, is what the entire Bible is all about. As believers, to not read God’s Word is to not really understand the answers to these questions. It is vital that we engage with Scripture daily. It is important for the quality of our lives, and that of those around us, to read, study and apply His Word. It is fulfilling as we delve into the Bible to dissect the verses and take to heart what we learn…and we should always be learning more and more. As we grow, we will understand more deeply, more widely, what God is saying to us. My Friends, if I cannot impress upon you anything other than “read your Bible,” than I have both, served God well, and done you an eternal good.
The Bible shows the depths of our darkness, but it also shows the height of God’s Holiness. It is this Holiness which lavishes us with a love so intense, so pure, so overwhelming, it leaves us transformed. God lavishes His love upon us. How beautiful! Here is this week’s “verse to remember,” from 1John 3:1,
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1Jn 3:1 NIV
Let’s talk about this all-consuming Love, and hopefully, let it consume us!
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
April: 14- 2Chron 20:12; 15- 2Chron 20:15b; 16- 2Chron 20:17
May: 17- Ro 8:28; 18- 1Co 13:13; 19- Php 2:12; 20- Mt 5:4
June: 21- Lk 23:42; 22- Jas 4:7; 23- Pr 22:6; 24- Mt 5:3; 25- Jn 14:6
July: 26- Jas 2:19; 27- Dt 31:8; 28- Jn 14:15; 29- Jn 8:11
August: 30- Ro 8:1; 31- Pr 4:23; 32- Pr 18:21; 33- Ps 118:24; 34- 1Jn 4:4
September: 35- Mt 16:24; 36- Isa 53:6; 37- Ps 23:1-6
October: 38- Heb 4:12; 39- Jn 15:5
40- Jas 5:16
41- 1Jn 3:1
<>< Peace, Diane
