PAGE 2     THE GREATEST LOVE STORY EVER TOLD





GOD IS A JUST AND HOLY GOD AND GOD  DYING IN OUR PLACE, TO PAY FOR THE PENALTY OF OUR SINS, WAS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE US FROM THE CURSE OF OUR OWN DISOBEDIENCE. GOD CAN'T BE EXPOSED TO ANY SIN.

GOD IS ALSO A LOVING GOD; HE IS THE EMBODIMENT OF LOVE.  GOD THE FATHER SENDING HIS SON TO EARTH TO DIE A HORRIFIC DEATH TO SAVE HUMANS IS THE ULTIMATE ACT OF INCREDIBLE LOVE

"FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." JOHN 3:16

KING DAVID PROPHECIES WHAT JESUS WAS EXPERIENCING ON THE CROSS IN PSALM 22:

"MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?
WHY ARE YOU SO FAR FROM SAVING ME,
SO FAR FROM THE WORDS OF MY GROANING?...
BUT I AM A WORM AND NOT A MAN
SCORNED BY MEN AND DESPISED BY THE PEOPLE,
ALL WHO SEE ME MOCK ME,
THEY HURL INSULTS, SHAKING THEIR HEADS...
I AM POURED OUT LIKE WATER,
AND ALL MY BONES ARE OUT OF JOINT
MY HEART HAS TURNED TO WAX;
IT HAS MELTED AWAY WITHIN ME....
A BAND OF EVIL MEN HAS ENCIRCLED ME,
THEY HAVE PIERCED MY HANDS AND MY FEET.
I CAN COUNT ALL MY BONES;
PEOPLE STARE AND GLOAT OVER ME..."

THE LORD PROPHECIES THROUGH ISAIAH ABOUT THE CROSS:

"I OFFERED MY BACK TO THOSE WHO BEAT ME,
MY CHEEKS TO THOSE WHO PULLED OUT MY BEARD;
I DID NOT HIDE MY FACE
FROM MOCKING AND SPITTING
BECAUSE THE SOVEREIGN LORD HELPS ME,
I WILL NOT BE DISGRACED."  ISAIAH 50:6

WHAT GREAT LOVE YESHUA, JESUS HAS FOR US AND FOR THE FATHER. HE WILLINGLY OFFERED HIMSELF TO SUFFER AND DIE.  GOD THE FATHER HAS SO MUCH LOVE FOR US THAT HE ALLOWED HIS SON TO GO THROUGH THIS TORMENT. YESHUA FELT SO ALONE BECAUSE IN ORDER TO REVERSE THE CURSE ON EARTH BECAUSE OF THE FALL OF MAN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, YESHUA HAD TO BECOME THE CURSE - ALL SIN- ON THE CROSS. GOD THE FATHER HAD TO LEAVE YESHUA AT THAT MOMENT, COULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT HIM,  BECAUSE HE CANNOT
LOOK AT SIN AT ALL.

YESHUA TELLS HIS FOLLOWERS THAT THERE IS NO "...GREATER LOVE THAN THIS, THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."  JOHN 15:13

THE WORD THAT GOD USES FOR LOVE IS "AGAPE" IN THE GREEK. IT MEANS A LONGING FOR, A UNSELFISH LOVE THAT DOESN'T LOVE IN ORDER TO GET SOMETHING.

GOD IS LONGING FOR US AND IT IS DEMONSTRATED BY WHAT HE DID FOR US.

HIS LOVE IS NOT AUTHORITATIVE AND IT DOESN'T WANT TO VIOLATE OUR FREE WILL AND PUSH HIMSELF ON US.  HE DESIRES US TO LOVE HIM BACK FREELY, TO DESIRE HIM, AND TO SEEK HIM.

THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS "GOD DID THIS SO THAT MEN WOULD SEEK HIM AND PERHAPS REACH OUT FOR HIM AND FIND HIM."  ACTS 17:27

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS WRITER'S LIFE. I KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS MISSING AND WHEN I WENT THROUGH CANCER AND ITS TREATMENTS, I CAME TO THE END OF MYSELF. I COULDN'T DO IT ON MY OWN AND THE WORLD DIDN'T HAVE THE ANSWERS. I STARTED MY ALL OUT SEARCH MISSION FOR GOD, THE TRUE GOD, AND HE RESCUED ME.

YESHUA SAYS "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED." MATT 5:6

GOD IS SAYING THAT IT IS THOSE THAT ARE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY. THOSE THAT ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH WHAT THE WORLD OFFERS; THEY KNOW THEY NEED SOMETHING MORE. GOD WANTS US TO DESIRE HIM AND GO TO HIM FOR WHAT CAN SATISFY US AND FILL US WITH WHAT WE ARE LONGING FOR:

GOD SAYS, "COME, ALL YOU WHO ARE THIRSTY, COME TO THE WATERS, AND YOU WHO HAVE NO MONEY, COME, BUY AND EAT! COME, BUY WINE AND MILK WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT COST. WHY SPEND MONEY ON WHAT IS NOT BREAD, AND YOUR LABOR ON WHAT DOES NOT SATISFY? LISTEN, LISTEN TO ME, AND EAT WHAT IS GOOD, AND YOUR SOUL WILL DELIGHT IN THE RICHEST OF FARE. GIVE EAR AND COME TO ME; HEAR ME, THAT YOUR SOUL MAY LIVE. I WILL MAKE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH YOU..."ISAIAH 55:1

WHEN WE FIND HIM WE BECOME BETROTHED. HE LOVES US SO MUCH AND WE DESIRE AND LOVE HIM BACK. HE GIVES US THE OFFER OF THE CROSS AND WE ACCEPT. WHEN WE ACCEPT, HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND OUR HUMAN SPIRIT BECOME ONE. HE CIRCUMCISES OUT HEART AND HE LIVES WITHIN US. THIS RELATIONSHIP IS DESCRIBED AT THE END OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION:

"THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, 'COME!' AND LET HIM WHO HEARS SAY, 'COME!' WHOEVER IS THIRSTY, LET HIM COME; AND WHOEVER WISHES, LET HIM TAKE THE FREE GIFT OF THE WATER OF LIFE." REV 22:17

THE BRIDE WANTS GOD TO COME TO EARTH; LONGS FOR HIM TO LIVE WITH HER AND GOD DESIRES THAT THE BRIDE WILL COME TO HIM FOR HER EVERY WANT AND NEED.