GOD’S LOVE
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
—John 3:16
OUR TEXT emphasizes God’s wondrous love. The word “so” does not refer to the depth of God’s love. Rather, it means “like this or in this way.” How did God show His love for fallen humanity? In this way, "He gave His only begotten Son." God demonstrated His love toward elect sinners when He gave His only begotten Son to be rejected and forsaken because of their sins so that they would not be forsaken. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). And again in Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Simply stated, God gave His Son to their everlasting Hell.
HAVE YOU ever thought about everlasting Hell? Our sins deserve everlasting Hell, but because God loved the sheep that He gave to Christ (John 6:37), our sins were imputed to God’s Son on the cross. We deserve the justice of God in the everlasting flames of Hell, but because God loved the world, He gave His Son that He might bear the punishment of all that were given to Him (John 6:37). This is the way that God manifested His love toward undeserving, rebellious, God-hating people. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
Tuesday Encouragement: May 5, 2026
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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"Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
~Psalm 119:11
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A CHRISTIAN'S SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER
Heavenly Father, hear my feeble prayer for the sake of Your Son, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, shepherd my wandering heart and cause me to always hear Your voice and follow You!
Oh, Holy Spirit, fill me with Your presence and power and teach me by Your Word how to pray effectively for Your glory and the good of Christ's Church.
O God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, You alone are almighty, but I am weak.
You alone are wisdom, but I am foolish.
You alone are all-knowing, but I am ignorant of so much!
You alone are holy, glorious, and perfect, but I am sinful, imperfect, and defiled with sin.
You alone are the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, but I am simply dust and ashes, feeble, and frail.
Therefore, Father, look upon me in Your mercy, and fill me with your Holy Spirit and Word.
Forgive me, Lord Jesus, of all my sins as I confess to You (1 John 1:9) and look only to You for full, free, and final forgiveness!
Teach me, Holy Spirit, to walk in wisdom, and be clothed with humility as was Jesus.
Cause me to continually look upon Jesus lest I grow weary and discouraged in my soul (Heb. 12:3).
Strengthen me for today's labor and service and make me walk faithfully and obediently for Your glory.
May You increase and may I decrease!
Strengthen my faith in Christ and cause me to grow more and more dependent upon Him!
Cause me, Heavenly Father, to love You, Your Word, Your Son, Your Spirit, Your Church, and all things holy and righteous in a greater measure and help me to love and esteem others as better than myself.
Help me take the lowest place of service towards those who cross my path.
Let me look out for and serve my fellow believers and humbly bow to be his and her foot-washer.
Help me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ, my neighbors, and even those who hate me and who say all manner of evil about me for righteousness sake!
Keep my tongue from gossip, backbiting, and slandering others.
Keep me minding my own business and avoid getting involved in things that do not pertain to me!
O Lord, I am needy, foolish, broken, feeble, and weak, and I need You every moment of every day.
Be near me, O Great Jehovah! "Guide me, O my great Redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but you are mighty; hold me with your powerful hand. Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore, feed me now and evermore."
Bless our worship this day as we come before You through the Lord Jesus Christ and by Your Holy Spirit!
May we sing out the honor of Your name and may we look to You alone and find comfort for our comfortless souls!
In Jesus’ Name I pray!
Amen!
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THINKING ABOUT CORPORATE WORSHIP
Dear Christian…
As we think about corporate worship this Lord's Day…
May the Holy Spirit prepare our hearts to worship our sovereign God in Spirit and in Truth!
May the Holy Spirit fill our soul with His holy presence and power as we hear His Word proclaimed!
May we humbly bow our hearts in prayer to our sovereign God and may we walk in godly submission to His Word!
May our hearts be flooded with wonder, love, and praise as we commune with God Almighty: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and with one another as the body of Christ!
By the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word, may we fight off anxiety, discouragement, depression, and the attacks of the wicked one!
May the Holy Spirit cause us to keep our eyes focused upon Jesus (Heb. 12:3) so we don't grow weary or discouraged in this fallen, sin-cursed world!
May our Lord Jesus bless us to reflect upon His atonement: the inexpressible anguish, pains, and terrors that He suffered in our place so that we might have abundant life in this world and eternal life hereafter!
May Jesus cause us to always remember that He fulfilled all the Laws demands for our righteous standing before our holy God!
May Jesus cause us to remember and reflect upon the glorious truth 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38-39).
May He bless us to continually preach the Gospel to ourselves so that we are never led astray by the remaining sin in our heart and the crafty deception of Satan!
May we faithfully sing, “To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Has Done!” To Him be all the glory, honor, and praise!!
May this be so in every believer's life so that Christ might be exalted in the Church!
For Jesus' sake and glory! Amen!
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
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