God Is Love

1. There are 6,000,000,000 people on the planet in 237, countries speaking 6,528 languages. Half have never heard the truth about Jesus. Source: Missions – unhindered.org

2. 67% of all humans from AD30 to the present day have never heard of Jesus’ name. Source: Wolrd Christian Trends; Pasadena: William Carey Library.

3. A minimum of 69,000 people are being born again every day in the Pacific Rim, South America and Africa. Source: Leadership Now! Magazine, pg 8, Winter 2003

4. The country with the fastest Christian expansion ever is China, now at 10,000 new converts every day. Source: World Christian Trends; Pasadena: William Carey Library.

INTRO AND QUESTIONS

When last did you get that feeling that you just don’t have all that much to give. There is just so much to do in live but you just can’t ever get on top of the things you need to get up on top of.

That scheduled life you are always trying to attain. That organized business or job you are always trying to square away and get running smoothly. That gym and exercise program you are constantly trying to get off the ground. Regular holidays with the family, maybe its getting yourself financially independent. I find that expression hilaurious. Financial Independence rates right up there in the X Files with Elvis Still Being alive and the loch ness monster.

But I think what I am trying to get at is that you probably feel pretty much like on somethings, no matter how much you want them, no matter how much you try and get them, they just seem to allude you ever attaining them. In fact I know that striving after these things and never quite getting there is often down right frustrating and most times even depressing.

SOLOMON – STRIVING AFTER THE WIND

Solomon got like that too. He says that trying to get some things done seemed like it was “striving after the wind”. It was just vanity. Eccl 1:14. Chasing after the wind. Ever watched your puppy chasing its tail. We laugh at the poor dog when he cant quite get at his tail. But I know that like me many of you have that feeling. That feeling of inadequateness. You just are not good enough. You just cant get at that tail.

SITUATION WITH CHRIST

I am not talking about manic depression or near suicidal tendancies. And I am not joking because let me tell you, that it is this feeling of inadequacy that leads many people into depression. What I am saying is that if you do sometimes just simply feel like you are just are not good enough to get things done, then listen up this morning.

When I look amongst the friends here today, I see many folk I know. Many people who I know who personally walk with the Lord. And despite you that I know loving Jesus Christ, and I want to hear an amen when we get to the end of this, despite many of you loving Jesus, having accepted him into you life, you have those feelings don’t you.You probably have them even more because we stand alongside a man who was willing to die for us and yet we are so small in comparison. I am so glad that was a good amen because I just might start having those feeling of inadequateness up here myself.

When I look across the room, there are also some folk that I don’t know. Hopefully we can change that, but some of you may not have truly accepted Christ into you life just yet. And I know that you also have those feelings. Those feelings like you just weren’t supposed to achieve anything with your life.

ITS HIS LOVE

No matter what your standing is with Christ, this morning I want you to know that being wtih Christ removes that gap. It removes that hunger for completion. It completes you. What is it that completes you? – His love.

LOVE FOR WHO?

For God so loved the world. It does not say for God so loved the ……(rich, whites, blacks, famous, successful, seemingly content) For God so loved the world.

HE LOVES SO WE ARE GOOD ENOUGH

He loved the world. Are you included in the world? Then you are included. Is there a limit. How wide is that love? Jesus tells us. For at one point he stretched one hand out and then the other and was nailed to a cross to show how wide it is. It includes you. Now I want you to stop and think about this for a moment. If we are good enough to be loved by the most high God surely we are good enough for him to use us and care for us and need us despite all our feelings of inadequacies? If we are struggling with feelings of inadequacies today know that if you can say that God loves me, then you have to logically accept that he sees past your failings and your sometimes very frustrating tail chasing.