Do you know God loves you as much as he loves Jesus?

[BillG]

John 17:23
I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

If not why not?
If not but now do what changed?

If still not why?

If any of you are struggling with this and you are willing to share please do so. No condemnation at all from any responses please.

I would ask who struggled with this but now get it to share why.

 

[Blain]

Sadly I struggle very much with this. I easily can see what God sees when I look at others and get protectively angry when they look at themselves as unworthy weak filthy or simply not lovable by God because that is not what I see at all and I want them to know and to see what god does and what he thinks and feels about them.
Yet when I look at myself.....

I wish I could see what he sees when looks at me, I wish I could finally be good enough in my own eyes I wish I didn't see a filthy weak sinner who will never be good enough and isn't worth his love. I know that he sees the exact opposite I do yet for some reason I cannot see it or believe it, I min fact my own worse enemy.

 

[Ariel82]

I know God loves me.

How much? I haven't found the depth of it, so more than I can fathom.

 

[BillG]

Sadly I struggle very much with this. I easily can see what God sees when I look at others and get protectively angry when they look at themselves as unworthy weak filthy or simply not lovable by God because that is not what I see at all and I want them to know and to see what god does and what he thinks and feels about them.
Yet when I look at myself.....

I wish I could see what he sees when looks at me, I wish I could finally be good enough in my own eyes I wish I didn't see a filthy weak sinner who will never be good enough and isn't worth his love. I know that he sees the exact opposite I do yet for some reason I cannot see it or believe it, I min fact my own worse enemy.

I know exactly how you feel.

 

[graceNpeace]

This brings tears to my eyes every time I read it or think of it:

[FONT=&quot]When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.”Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matt 8:1-3

Worth meditating on![/FONT]

 

[wwjd_kilden]

I struggle very much with this.
Maybe because it seems like "all" Christians clearly hear God and just "know" what He wants, while I feel He never speaks,
so I feel God is distant, and I wonder if it is because of me.

 

[Blain]

I struggle very much with this.
Maybe because it seems like "all" Christians clearly hear God and just "know" what He wants, while I feel He never speaks,
so I feel God is distant, and I wonder if it is because of me.

Sometimes it is because of us because we can be distracted by other things in life or for me personally I focus to much on beating myself up. This is why it is important not to focus on ourselves and focus on God because if we are only focused on him we are blind to everything else.

To hear him speak we have to go into a state of stillness to completely focus on him and to calm ourselves and free our thoughts from our normal thoughts. After all can you hear a whisper in the middle of a windy storm? However there is something to be learned about a tornado, a tornado is vicious and scary but at the center of every terrible tornado it is still and quiet, this is where we need to be in order to hear his voice

 

[BillG]

I struggle very much with this.
Maybe because it seems like "all" Christians clearly hear God and just "know" what He wants, while I feel He never speaks,
so I feel God is distant, and I wonder if it is because of me.

I think the thing is when we actually look at other Christians who seem to have it together we can fall foul of actually wanting what they have or be what they are. In doing so we lose the focus and that focus should always be on Jesus.

I remember thinking "Oh I wish I was like so and so and I wish I wasn't like me, I wish I had what they have and wish I didn't have what I have"

I started to change my focus.
It was hard work and a process and a walk.

I actually had to take time to sit and wait on God.

God wants to deal with has he know best for us and what's best for us.
When I actually started to walk in that way and just say ok you know better than I do.
I want this and I want that but I leave it up to you.

It wasn't long after that, that I actually stumbled on the verses above.
Well I say stumble it was actually the Holy Spirit who led me to that verse after revealing a few verses before that and each led into the other.

Father I pray for wwjd. I do pray that he grasps on to the fact that you do actually love him as much as you love Jesus.
As he struggles with may he know that it is true and not a lie. You cannot lie but only tell the truth.

Give him your peace and lead him on a level path where he will not stumble from this truth.

In Jesus name I ask this/

 

[BillG]

Sadly I struggle very much with this. I easily can see what God sees when I look at others and get protectively angry when they look at themselves as unworthy weak filthy or simply not lovable by God because that is not what I see at all and I want them to know and to see what god does and what he thinks and feels about them.
Yet when I look at myself.....

I wish I could see what he sees when looks at me, I wish I could finally be good enough in my own eyes I wish I didn't see a filthy weak sinner who will never be good enough and isn't worth his love. I know that he sees the exact opposite I do yet for some reason I cannot see it or believe it, I min fact my own worse enemy.

Blain as I look at your first paragraph I think wow what a man of God.
You love and protect people and I am sure even if they were stumbling you would still love them, want to walk with them and protect them, even though you don't get it for yourself.

I was/am exactly the same.

And the truth is that is what God is to us.

Truth is everone on this post the only reason Jesus died for us was because of Love. God is love, that's his nature.

Jesus I thank you for Blain and for his love and compassion for people.
I pray you would open his eyes to see that you truly love him and died for him because you love and not because you had to/
I pray you will remove the enemy of himself and replace with the friend, protector and lover of his soul which is you.

In Jesus name I ask this.

 

[BeyondET]

[video=youtube;09TjqZjkgU0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09TjqZjkgU0[/video]

 

[BillG]

This brings tears to my eyes every time I read it or think of it:

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.”Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matt 8:1-3

Worth meditating on!

Amazing.

It reminds me of

Mark 9:21-24


So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”


Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”


Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Here we have a father saying Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.

That seems like a contradiction but it's not really.

It could be that this father actually believed in the claims of Jesus but not to the extent that he would help him.

I would say to us all that yes we believe in Jesus we believe God came in the flesh but don't truly believe that God loves us as much as he loves Jesus.

If so we need to say "Help my unbelief here"

If we ask then he will answer that prayer.

 

[J0Hnnatcc3]

I love Jesus' prayer for us! Sometimes, no, often it's hard to remember that those he loves are loved unconditionally. Being so used to how the world loves , it's easy to forget that regardless of how we act, he still loves us the same. When you think about it, it makes sense: We were never loved because of anything we ever had done any way (Romans 5:8).

 

[BillG]

I love Jesus' prayer for us! Sometimes, no, often it's hard to remember that those he loves are loved unconditionally. Being so used to how the world loves , it's easy to forget that regardless of how we act, he still loves us the same. When you think about it, it makes sense: We were never loved because of anything we ever had done any way (Romans 5:8).

And that is the truth, and that truth has just bought tears to eyes.

If God didn't truly love us he would have said "I made a mistake so now I'm just going to wipe you out, erase you from my mind"

Truth is he can't do that because if he did then he would be contrary to his perfect nature.

 

[BillG]

I love Jesus' prayer for us! Sometimes, no, often it's hard to remember that those he loves are loved unconditionally. Being so used to how the world loves , it's easy to forget that regardless of how we act, he still loves us the same. When you think about it, it makes sense: We were never loved because of anything we ever had done any way (Romans 5:8).

I love John 17:

Jesus' prayer. It's amazing.

Here we have Jesus (God in the flesh) praying for those who believe in him.

He is praying this prayer knowing that very soon those he was praying for would let him down.
Knowing that for 6 hours he would after a terrible beating he would suffer the worst of cruelest punishment possible.

Hanging 6 hours on a cross, that wasn't the worst. I think the worst for Jesus was when he say "God, my God why have you foresake me?

During that time all the sins of the world were being placed on Jesus and during that time the Father and Son were separated"

To me that's what hurt Jesus the most and I'm sure it hurt God as well.

Then Jesus said "It is finished" what happened then? The temple curtain was torn in two. And as a result

Romans 5:1-2


Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We have full access to God.

That being the case when Jesus said "May they know that you love them as much as you love me" He wasn't lieing he was telling the truth and he proved it.

We just need to claim it even when we don't believe it and ask for help in our unbelief.

We also need to ask why we don't get it, and listen for the answer

 

[J0Hnnatcc3]

I love John 17:

Jesus' prayer. It's amazing.

Here we have Jesus (God in the flesh) praying for those who believe in him.

He is praying this prayer knowing that very soon those he was praying for would let him down.
Knowing that for 6 hours he would after a terrible beating he would suffer the worst of cruelest punishment possible.

Hanging 6 hours on a cross, that wasn't the worst. I think the worst for Jesus was when he say "God, my God why have you foresake me?

During that time all the sins of the world were being placed on Jesus and during that time the Father and Son were separated"

To me that's what hurt Jesus the most and I'm sure it hurt God as well.

Then Jesus said "It is finished" what happened then? The temple curtain was torn in two. And as a result

Romans 5:1-2


Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

We have full access to God.

That being the case when Jesus said "May they know that you love them as much as you love me" He wasn't lieing he was telling the truth and he proved it.

We just need to claim it even when we don't believe it and ask for help in our unbelief.

We also need to ask why we don't get it, and listen for the answer

Yeah, someone can say they love you, but when they die on the cross, in your place, you Know they love you.

Gal 3:14, John 10:17-18

 

[Blain]

Blain as I look at your first paragraph I think wow what a man of God.
You love and protect people and I am sure even if they were stumbling you would still love them, want to walk with them and protect them, even though you don't get it for yourself.

I was/am exactly the same.

And the truth is that is what God is to us.

Truth is everone on this post the only reason Jesus died for us was because of Love. God is love, that's his nature.

Jesus I thank you for Blain and for his love and compassion for people.
I pray you would open his eyes to see that you truly love him and died for him because you love and not because you had to/
I pray you will remove the enemy of himself and replace with the friend, protector and lover of his soul which is you.

In Jesus name I ask this.

Sorry for not replying I was a bit busy today. As I am sure you know I cannot take credit for the love that God has given me and believe me there is still much more love. And yes even if they were stumbling and were falling deeper and deeper into their failings I would still love them and help them to rise from the ashes. I know all to well what it is like to be wallowing in our sins and weakness wishing we could be made clean hoping we are not to far gone and thinking to ourselves how he could never love someone as disgusting and sinful as me, believe me I have fallen far into that pit of sin past the point of unholy actions and it was in that pit of despair that I wished it was possible for me to be clean and that I needed a boost and a helping hand of encouragement and love more than I ever have before.

I truly thought I was to far gone I felt such guilt and hatred towards myself and I could only envision myself as person covered utterly in a sticky black tar that resembled my sins not even recognizable as a human just a disgusting mop of unworthiness and sin I was in my own eyes the un lovable and the un redeemable. But then in the midst of all this he reached out his hand to me and showed me compassion and he gave me strength to keep moving forward and that I was deeply loved. I was able to stand again and it was recently I was in this storm and I still am damaged a bit from it but in a way I am grateful for it.

Because I was fell so deep in that pit of sin and despair and yet was given life and love I know exactly how people like that feel and how much they just want to be clean and to know that they are savable. It's a horrible terrible feeling and it feels like a dream that you can never have come true to be made clean and to be wrapped in his loving arms as if he never saw that shameful sin to begin with. This is why I want to be strong like him so that I in turn can help others who have fallen to get back up and know how deeply they are loved and cared about.

 

[Ariel82]

I struggle very much with this.
Maybe because it seems like "all" Christians clearly hear God and just "know" what He wants, while I feel He never speaks,
so I feel God is distant, and I wonder if it is because of me.

No. God loves you, it's hard sometimes for me to remember because the world gets so loud and tries to make me forget and not seek God. My thoughts and worries drown out His small still voice....

I just crash and fall upon His grace..
.I tell God I am a mess and need him.

Then I wait...some days it's days, but I mentally know God loves me but my heart stays sad and I don't know why.

I hold onto that light of hope and read the Bible and pray and trust His promises even when my heart is afraid and dont feel safe and loved.

My mind says be still and wait for God, but my heart yells danger and my heart says "I am afraid Lord..help my unbelief"

I just know that God always answers, eventually and His answer is more glorious.

Then I feel like a small kid who was scared when mom or dad walked out of the room for a few minutes, that they are abandoned and alone.

 

[Ariel82]

I think the thing is when we actually look at other Christians who seem to have it together we can fall foul of actually wanting what they have or be what they are. In doing so we lose the focus and that focus should always be on Jesus.

I remember thinking "Oh I wish I was like so and so and I wish I wasn't like me, I wish I had what they have and wish I didn't have what I have"

I started to change my focus.
It was hard work and a process and a walk.

I actually had to take time to sit and wait on God.

God wants to deal with has he know best for us and what's best for us.
When I actually started to walk in that way and just say ok you know better than I do.
I want this and I want that but I leave it up to you.

It wasn't long after that, that I actually stumbled on the verses above.
Well I say stumble it was actually the Holy Spirit who led me to that verse after revealing a few verses before that and each led into the other.

Father I pray for wwjd. I do pray that he grasps on to the fact that you do actually love him as much as you love Jesus.
As he struggles with may he know that it is true and not a lie. You cannot lie but only tell the truth.

Give him your peace and lead him on a level path where he will not stumble from this truth.

In Jesus name I ask this/

When Christians compare themselves to other Christians...I always want to say...God loves YOU...he made You, unique and he doesn't want two of the same person.., he wants You how He MADE you.

Plus everyone stumbles and No one is perfect.(except Jesus)

Don't put folks on pedastool...they hurt when that statue tumbles.

It's better to see others as sinners who were also washed clean by our savior.

 

[limey410]

Eph 3:18 (NLT)

14When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[SUP]e[/SUP]15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[SUP]f[/SUP]16I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 

[limey410]

^^^^ This verse is what I read when I think that I am not good enough, or not loved or alone. This is what I look too. ^^^^ Today I have been thinking all day of what a good good Father He is, and reflecting on who I am in Him and how He sees me. Praise God for His Mercy and His Grace.