Love and Consequences

Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. Deuteronomy 8:5

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.  Hebrews 12:6

I hear the Father in my heart say, “My children need to understand that My love for them is unwavering.  It’s not gone in their consequences.  It’s not gone when I discipline.  Distinguish the difference.  I love them. I will love them always and forever. But, their sin has a cost.  My Son paid the ultimate price so that in receiving Him my children can be forgiven.  The consequences are theirs and in it all I AM HERE WITH THEM.”

Sometimes out of desperation, out of fear of jeopardizing that which we love we hide, we lie and sin.  We, I include myself, know that if, more like when, the truth comes out there will be a cost.  Here’s the thing, we never meant to live under the weight of sin and fear.

It’s time that we come out.  Come out of the cave and come into the light.

Come out into THE light, Jesus Christ, and be totally known, totally seen, totally forgiven and totally and completely loved!

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.  For fear has to do with punishment (1 John 4:18).  The Father’s love is that perfect love.

We, as broken vessels, lack the capacity for this complete unconditional forgiveness and love.  But God.  By His Spirit He will “…supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19) to walk this out.

My Friend, there are always consequences.  Our choices, paths taken, all have results.  Positive Choices, positive results.  Negative choices, negative results. Please hear my heart when I say that the negative results /consequences DO NOT mean you and I are not forgiven or we are not loved by our Father.  We must be able to separate the two.

As the good Father He is, He knows that we learn best from the consequences our actions breed (or at least I do).  BUT GOD does not love us one ounce less than before.  It’s for love we are disciplined.

Take David.  His sin was two fold.  He committed adultery then murder.  As a result, his first born son from Bathsheba would die.  There was a price.  Nathan confronted David regarding his sin and  David grieved his sin.  David repented and asked for forgiveness. David was then blessed with more sons.  He continued as King of Israel.  

Friend, this was the root from which our Messiah Jesus would come.  God’s promises and plans for David never waivered.  He sinned; he lusted, committed adultery and murdered and all the while God’s love and forgiveness was not dependent on his works or who he was but in who His God is! 

Can I encourage you to separate God’s discipline and the consequences of our actions/decisions with HIS love and forgiveness?  Can I ask you to begin to see how completely separate they truly are?

And finally, Friend, can I encourage you to come. Come into the light.  Come, come out of the dark with all you are, in all you do and say and let His love and forgiveness melt away the fear, self-judgment and self-condemnation.  Come, come out and into the light of our Morning Star and receive what Jesus has for you.

He’s waiting, arms wide open, just for you!

Prayer:  Lord Father, I pray, in Jesus’s name, that whomever should read this have eyes to see and ears to hear how great and deep your love is and see and hear that complete forgiveness has already been obtained by your Son on the Cross.  That theirs is to put all their trust and faith in your Son Jesus Christ, ask for forgiveness and You separate their sin from them as far as the east is from the west, remembered no more.  Lord, Your’s is that not one may perish.  May it be so I pray in Jesus’s Almighty forgiving loving name.  Amen!

• If you’re curious as to how to begin, about the Gospel, please email me.  I would love to to walk you through it!

God Bless & Keep you!

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