Herein is Love

1John4:9-10

9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Romans 5:5-8
5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

8But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1John 3:1

1See 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.

Romans 8:38-39

38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither 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.

1John 3:16

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 and sisters.

What is our response?

 

John 13:34-35

34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

1 John 4:11

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:16-18

16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement: In this world we are like Jesus. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1John 3:16-18

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 and sisters. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

What Does the Bible Say About Forgiveness?

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Forgiveness in the Bible is a prominent theme. Yet, it's not uncommon for Christians to have questions about forgiveness. The act of forgiving does not come easy for most of us. Our natural instinct is to recoil in self-protection when we've been injured. We don't naturally overflow with mercy, grace, and understanding when we've been wronged.

Is forgiveness a conscious choice, a physical act involving the will, or is it a feeling, an emotional state of being?

The Bible offers insight and answers to these and other questions about forgiveness. We'll take a look at the most frequently asked questions and find out what Scripture says about forgiveness.

1. Is forgiveness a conscious choice, or an emotional state?

Forgiveness is a choice we make through a decision of our will, motivated by obedience to God and his command to forgive. The Bible instructs us to forgive as the Lord forgave us:

Colossians 3:13

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (NIV)

• More on Biblical Forgiveness

2. How do we forgive when we don't feel like it?

We forgive by faith, out of obedience. Since forgiveness goes against our nature, we must forgive by faith, whether we feel like it or not. We must trust God to do the work in us that needs to be done so that our forgiveness will be complete.

• More on How to Forgive

3. How do we translate the decision to forgive into a change of heart? God honours our commitment to obey Him and our desire to please him when we choose to forgive. He completes the work in his time. We must continue to forgive by faith (our job) until the work of forgiveness (the Lord's job) is done in our hearts.

Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (NLT)

4. How will we know if we have truly forgiven?

Lewis B. Smedes wrote in his book, Forgive and Forget, "When you release the wrongdoer from the wrong, you cut a malignant tumour out of your inner life. You set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself."

• More Forgiveness Quotes

We will know the work of forgiveness is complete when we experience the freedom that comes as a result. We are the ones who suffer most when we choose not to forgive. When we do forgive, the Lord sets our hearts free from the anger, bitterness, resentment and hurt that previously imprisoned us. Most times, however, forgiveness is a slow process.

Matthew 18:21-22Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (NIV)

This answer by Jesus makes it clear that forgiveness is not easy for us. It's not a one-time choice and then we automatically live in a state of forgiveness. Forgiveness may require a lifetime of forgiving, but it is important to the Lord. We must continue forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart.

5. What if the person we need to forgive is not a believer?

Prayer is one of the best ways to break down the wall of unforgiveness in our hearts. When we begin to pray for the person who has wronged us, God gives us new eyes to see and a new heart to care for that person.

As we pray, we start to see that person as God sees them, and we realize that he or she is precious to the Lord. We also see ourselves in a new light, just as guilty of sin and failure as the other person. We too are in need of forgiveness. If God did not withhold his forgiveness from us, why should we withhold forgiveness from another?

6. Is it okay to feel anger and want justice for the person we need to forgive?

This question presents another reason to pray for the person we need to forgive. We can pray for God to deal with the injustices, for God to judge the person's life, and then we ought to leave that prayer at the altar. We no longer have to carry the anger. Although it is normal for us to feel anger toward sin and injustice, it is not our job to judge the other person in their sin.

Luke 6:37

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (NIV)

7. Why must we forgive?

The best reason to forgive is because Jesus commanded us to forgive. We learn from Scripture, if we don't forgive, neither will we be forgiven:

Matthew 6:14-16

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV) We also forgive so that our prayers will not be hindered:

Mark 11:25

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (NIV) In summary and in closing, we forgive out of obedience to the Lord. It is a choice, a decision we make. However, as we do our "forgiving," we discover the command is in place for our own good, and we receive the reward of our forgiveness, which is freedom.

Tower Hamlets Christmas Carol Celebration 13th December 2017

It was time for our annual Christmas Carol Celebration. This year we had use of the Council Chamber..

Bola led proceedings

Some gave readings

All were in fine voice

Accompanied by Cello, Violin and Piano

Roy gave a word of encouragement

 There was food provided

And seeking to get the message accross

The Speaker of the Council joined us and as we were collecting for the Speakers's Charity she told of the projects the money was going to.

We collected £73,61

Rremembering God's Mercies

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:21-23 God is faithful. He's full of compassion. His mercies are new every morning. As a believer, you know all that. But simply knowing it is not enough. For it to do you any good, you have to recall it. You have to remember it again and again in order to rekindle your hope and stir your faith. So, make it a point to remind yourself of God's faithfulness every morning. Remind yourself of the benefits that are yours in Jesus. What are those benefits? Psalm 103 spells them out: 1. He forgives all your sins. 2. He heals all your diseases. 3. He redeems your life from destruction. 4. He crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies. 5. He satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6. He executes righteousness and judgement for you against oppression. 7. He sets you free. 8. He makes known His ways to you. 9. He gives you His grace and mercy in times of need. Make it a point every morning to say those things out loud to the Lord. Stand before Him in prayer and recall His mercies to you. Keep it up and you'll be stronger in faith and more confident of God's love than you've ever been before. Don't just settle for knowing God's blessings. Remember them every day and watch them come alive in you.