07272024 Adjectives for God's Love

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who is love. Earlier this week I was thinking about characteristics of the love of God, and today I expanded my thoughts into this remarkable list of adjectives. God’s love is …

Unmerited. “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:4-5b). We didn’t deserve His love and cannot deserve His love, but He showed it anyway.

Embracing. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (I John 3:1a). Imagine that! He loved us so much that He claimed us as His children.

Unprecedented. “We love him, because he first loved us” (I John 4:19). There was no love before God’s love. He was the first one ever to demonstrate love.

Everlasting. “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee" (Jeremiah 31:3b). Not only was God’s love first, but God’s love has no beginning … and no ending.

Abundant. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us” (Ephesians 2:4). There is no love bigger than God’s love.

Overflowing. “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts” (Romans 5:5b). The meaning is to pour forth, gush out, or run greedily. This love cannot be contained.

Expansive. “That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:17-19a). There are no limits and no boundaries.

Inseparable. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:35,38-39a). There is no foe nor force that can separate us from God’s love.

Unquenchable. “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it” (Song of Solomon 8:7). I believe God intends the love story in Song of Solomon to give a picture of His love for His bride. If true love is so indomitable, even among people, how much more so is God’s love?

Sacrificial. “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20c). This is just one of a multitude of verses that tell of God’s sacrificial love.

Transformational. “Even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27). Oh, how different we are because of God’s love!

Although there is more that could be said of God’s love, these adjectives and supporting verses are more than sufficient to demonstrate that God’s love is …

Incomparable. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). There is no greater love. No love of anyone else can compare with the love God has for us.

“Oh, what wonder! How amazing! Jesus, glorious King of kings, Deigns to call me His beloved, Lets me rest beneath His wings.” (“All for Jesus” by Mary James.)

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

07202024 Divine Help

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who enables us to serve and live for Him. There is no greater occupation for us than that, but we cannot do it on our own. We need divine help.

The psalmist wrote, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight” (Psalm 119:34). He wanted to walk in God’s ways. This was neither a casual nor a convenient desire. No, this man delighted in God’s ways. Yet he asked God to help him walk aright. He didn’t ask merely for assistance, for a little extra push, but rather that God would make him do it. In fact, the entire stanza of vs. 33-40 is packed with prayers for divine actions that would keep the psalmist in God’s ways.

I wonder if Paul was thinking of Psalm 119:34 when he wrote the following words. “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:22-23). If he was not thinking of those words, the common Christian experience caused him to write an almost identical thought. Paul also delighted in God’s law, and he also recognized the impossibility of following it on his own. He needed divine help to walk in God’s ways, and he expected to find this help only “through Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 25).

When we examine ourselves honestly, we know that it in the practical outworking of life and ministry, it often becomes very difficult for us to do the good that deep in our hearts we sincerely want to do. Paul recognized that even the desire comes with God’s help. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Both the willing and the doing are infused into us divinely.

This is good news! It is good news, because both things can be battles for us. Sometimes we struggle to will the right thing, and sometimes even when we do will it, we struggle to do it. In both cases, God helps our weakness. He takes these fragile vessels of clay, and He makes them more useful than anyone would ever think they could be. He does that by inspiring us to walk with Him, by fanning every smoldering ember of desire that is in our hearts. He does it also by enabling us to do what that desire puts before us. We are weak, unworthy servants, but with His help, we can effectively and faithfully serve Him. Glory to God!

Dear Father, give us this divine help, so that our desire to serve You will endure and even expand. Give us divine help also to follow through with all that You ask us to do. Truly, all things are possible with You.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA 

07132024 Helper and Keeper

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of God our Helper and Keeper. “My help cometh from the LORD” (Psalm 121:2). “The LORD is thy keeper” (Psalm 121:5).

Is God our Helper and Keeper only sometimes? Only in certain places, situations, or stages of life? No, Psalm 121 argues for God’s constancy in these aspects. God does not change. He always is all that encompasses His character.

Every faithful servant of God can give testimony to these truths about God. Each can give examples and tell stories as personal proof. The humble servant of God readily admits that his successes, accomplishments, and achievements have been through the help of God.

After David had been well-established on the throne, God sent him a message through Nathan the prophet. “And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth” (I Chronicles 17:8).

Whithersoever David had walked, God had been with him. When did that start, and what did it encompass? According to the previous verse, it started at least when David was a shepherd boy out in the pasture, and it continued constantly until David became the leader (king) over Israel and renowned in the earth.

Wherever he walked. David walked in a lot of places. He walked in the sheep pastures, in his home village, to the battlefield of Goliath, to the music therapy of Saul’s court, to a brave military leader, to a royal wedding, to hatred from the king, to refuge in caves and forests and foreign lands, to battles that crushed his spirit, to leadership over hundreds of men, and eventually to the throne.

When God was with David wherever he walked, that was an amazing journey. Certainly not too hard for God, but from a human perspective, it presents itself as a masterpiece of God’s presence and protection. There was so much variety, so much danger, so many enemies, so many risks and challenges. It was no quiet stroll in the park!

God was a sufficient Helper and Keeper for all of that – but it didn’t end after David was established on the throne. God continued doing the same thing. “Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went” (I Chronicles 18:6). “And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David’s servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went” (I Chronicles 18:13).

Again, wherever David went as king, in expanding and strengthening the kingdom. Now we’re talking about more variety, more danger, more enemies, more risks, and more challenges. David’s life as king was still not easy, but he still had the same great God – the same Helper and Keeper – wherever he went.

What is the message for us? What we “accomplish” is because of God. What we face is possible with God. Any time, any place. Because God is also with us wherever we go. He is the one who helps and keeps us, just as He helped and kept David. If God could handle all that went on in David’s journey, He can just as easily watch over our journey.

“For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). Wherever your path leads this week, may you be aware of the Helper and Keeper who remains at your side and who accomplishes all things for you.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

07062024 A Gospel Prayer

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life.

The apostle Paul had an amazing ministry of spreading the Gospel. How many cities did he visit? How many synagogues did he speak in? How many crowds heard his message? How many individuals, from the most insignificant to the highest rulers, listened to his testimony? How many miles did he travel for the gospel? How many churches did he start? How many leaders did he train?

God used these aspects of Paul’s ministry to spread the Gospel far and wide and to advance His kingdom. But what happened when Paul was under house arrest in Rome? Having appealed to Caesar, he was left waiting for his accusers to arrive. He spent two years in this fashion, trapped in a house, unable to travel – his Gospel ministry sadly finished.

No, no, no! That’s what man might think. But look what happened instead! Paul “received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him” (Acts 28:30-31).

Paul had complete freedom for the Gospel. He was still able to teach and preach. His message was still the kingdom of God. He still talked all about Jesus. This was probably one of the safest times of Paul’s entire ministry. He faced no threats or opposition but was able to speak freely.

To whom did Paul minister during this time? His friends (fellow believers and servants of God) were able to visit him, allowing Paul to train and encourage them, as well as send them out in ministry (Philippians 2:19,23,25; 4:18). This is when Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians were written, giving instruction and encouragement to churches from that time until now. He apparently had influence on the soldiers who were guarding him (Philippians 4:22). He somehow came into contact with various unregenerated people, including an escaped slave, who was saved and returned to serve his master (Philemon 1:10).

Acts 28:17-29 gives a little vignette of what Paul’s imprisonment ministry looked like. Only three days after his house arrest started, he had a group of people visit him. This was a very influential group, “the chief of the Jews” (v. 17). Paul explained why he was there: although he was innocent, the Jews in Jerusalem had risen against him.

As the Jews from Jerusalem had not arrived, Paul was left to speak to the Jews from Rome. These Jews opened the door wide by admitting their ignorance of the charges and then creating an opportunity through their curiosity. “We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against” (v. 22).

These words were music to Paul’s ears. They decided on a day, and “there came many to him into his lodging” (v. 23). Paul was the captive, but he had a captive audience. To this large group, “he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening” (v. 23). It was an all-day Gospel seminar.

What was the result? “Some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not” (v. 24). Just like everywhere else. Just like always. Some rejected the message, but some believed! Sure, there was some disappointment over the ones who did not believe, but Paul understood the reality of unbelief (vs. 25-27).

Even this was not the end of the story. The mixed reaction from the Jews led to two outcomes. The first was this insight from Paul: “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and THAT THEY WILL HEAR IT” (v. 28). This was not just a hope on Paul’s part. He knew it! God had said that He would turn His attention primarily to the Gentiles. Onesimus was just one of the many that Paul reached even during this time of imprisonment.

The second lingering impact involved the Jews. When the men left Paul, “they agreed not among themselves” (v. 25). When Jews don’t agree with each other, what do they do? They argue. So even though they had left Paul’s house, the discussion continued. “The Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves” (v. 29). This was more than just five minutes on the way home; it was an involved and prolonged discussion. The impact of the Gospel message continued. Paul may not have known it, but it is likely that there were additional converts among the ones who originally “believed not.”

This final section of the book of Acts provides great encouragement about God’s work. God can do His work even when it seems like doors of ministry have closed and epochs of ministry have ended. God can use us as much in our years of limitation as He did in our years of energy and initiative. God can send us people who are curious or even those who didn’t even realize they were seeking. God can use the impact of our ministry long after our contact with the people involved.

This final section also provides great prayer requests, which is how it initially struck me regarding you. What great things to pray for! May God grant that many would desire to hear of you what you think regarding this “sect.” May God grant that some would believe. May God grant among unbelievers that discussion would continue. May God enable you to preach the kingdom of God and teach regarding Jesus with all confidence and freedom. God bless.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA