259 - "God's Love Makes People Holy" Isaiah 14-16; Ephesians 3

The Work of Your Fingers.

May we learn better how to live in humility not pride.
Isaiah 14:4 - The LORD will give rest from the pain and turmoil. Expect victory. Babylon was a noble city. A proud city. And people changed. Evil reigned. Pride fell hard. "Give diligence to obtain a kingdom which cannot be moved; and in this hope let us hold fast that grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." Hebrews 12:28. 

The LORD is coming to help desolate Babylon. The LORD comes to help every one of us. "Expect Victory." Because He has come, we have victory over every enemy of our souls. So, what is the point here? No matter where we've been, what we've done, God moves to give us rest. God moves to give us Himself. And are we open? What is it that we do not understand about the movement of God, the Love of God.

"God's Love makes people holy. Only those who know they are unholy, who hate their unholiness more than their pain and emptiness, experience the transforming power of God's Love. Only holy people live well. Only holy people love." 66LLPaul's response to the Incredible Riches of His Grace is to go to his knees...

Eph 3:14-21  "My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. 
Glory to God in the church!