Hello Folks,
In another week we will be focusing in on Passover as we praise Jesus for His gift of salvation to us and “pass” from the old to the new. May we seriously pray that He renew our minds and transform our lives.
Last week we were again privileged to participate with a group of high school seniors passing over from one level and graduating to a new season. These students are mid-term graduates from our dear friend, Maria’s, high school. She invites us each time to sit with her, place the caps on the kids, and say a blessing over them. Dave was unable to attend but Kjersti took pictures and blessed the seniors down below while I blessed them when they came forward.
Kjersti also wrote a thoughtful devotional this month to share with all of you.
Every one of these precious kids has a good future from God!
Many blessings and thanks for your continued prayers and thoughts.
Together for the Kingdom, Dave, Sharman, Erland, Mayra and Kjersti Injerd
God Is Love.
Do we know what it means to Love the God Who Is Love? We love Him, because He first loved us. When did He Love us? When in His infinite Heart He decided to create us in His Image, that event in Eternity when He made us, He Loved us. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” (Eph 1:4). Before we ever set foot on this good earth He created for us, we were in His Hand since that Moment before the foundation of the world in which He chose us.
I wonder: do we remember? Does the immortal spirit of man remember the time with his Creator before being breathed into a body of flesh at conception? Did we get to read the Book? “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” (Ps 40:7-8). “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Ps 139:16). Do we ever realize now just how much He delighted in us before we were ever born? Do we still feel His Love pulse through us with every beat of our heart and every breath that we take? Does that glimpse of Eternity He gave us yet burn in us with the same passion He feels to share Eternity together? Or have we, like Jerusalem, spurned our Father Who gave us life and our only Savior Who can set us free; and when He wanted to gather us under His wings, we would not?
But the Father’s Love is not passive – it pursues us with the Action that overturned the very fabric of death and life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3:16). The manifestation of the extent of His Love for us is His Sacrifice. The color of Love is the color of Blood. Even as He chose us and Loved us before the foundation of the world, He gave “…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev 13:8). Such is the Father’s Love for us that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Pt 3:9). Even in spite of all our sins and rebellions His Love goes so deep, His desire is that we return and dwell with Him forever. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” (Jn 14:3-4).
Do not forget the immensity of God’s Love for you, that first created you capable of loving Him, then gave you the choice even while He poured out His infinite Love for all to see. Let His Love borne on His Blood reach past all your doubts and failures to flood you and awaken you again. Receive it, return it, and tell Him you Love Him, too. Begin Eternity now, Loving Him.
Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”