March 6 Care Group

We started the evening with chips and dip, and huge chocolate chip cookies baked by Julie!! Then we sang about God's throne of grace and His amazing love.

Our discussion of Chapter 6 of our book began with processing the amazing exchange that has taken place. Jesus has taken all our sins and the punishment - we don't have to pay for them! - and He pours out blessings on us instead, and we deserve none of them. What mercies, what fullness.

"On our worst days we are doing infinitely better than we deserve."

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." We need to remember and focus on the fact that Jesus loves us and actually rejoices over us. Instead of remembering all our failures, we need to center on His amazing love!

2Cor 5:14 "For the love of Christ controls us." We need to think about that and let God give us ideas about how to show His love to those around us. The Psalms are filled with references to His love. Though there are many more references to His wrath, we must never forget that He is indeed a God of love.

If we struggle with being really hard on ourselves, focusing on our sins, our faults, etc., it's because we don't have right theology and don't understand His love.

We can be His conduit and send His love through the Gospel to others. "They will know you are my disciples by your love."

This world is intent on destroying anyone in the public eye. We should represent everything God is to us when we deal with people who don't know Him. When people see us react in a grace-filled way under pressure, they will want what we have.

It's a huge testimony of God's love when people see us loving each other. New believers can walk into our church and see husbands and wives being affectionate, respectful children, peace and stability and love that is palpable.

He has changed our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. We have the compassion of God moving in and through us.

Jesus moved in compassion, saw sinners as sheep without a shepherd, and felt for and with those around Him.

Thomas Watson quote on p. 70 "Are you not heir to all the promises? Do you not have a foretaste of heaven? When you let go of your natural life, are you not sure of eternal life? Has not God given you the earnest and first fruits of glory? Is not this enough to spur the heart to contentment?"

Being aware of His blessings moves us to love. Those who have been forgiven much love much. It's not a self-righteous love, but a humble, broken love.

The love of God can motivate us through our situational problems, infirmities, and trials and use us for His glory in the midst of it all!

As we go through life, having a good view of the Gospel kills a complaining spirit in us.

God wants us to have a great love for believers AND unbelievers.

I John says that we need to show our love not by words only, but by deeds. It's comforting to know that God sees all our acts of love in His name.

If we don't do works out of His love, we are as a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. His love is the key!

Remember that not only the world is watching, but our children also. They pay attention and will emulate God's love in ways that we don't expect.