Author: Sherry

Sherry is Precept Upon Precept Inductive Study trained leader. She is the Women's Ministry Director and leads women’s bible studies at her church in Bellevue, Nebraska. Sherry also writes materials for and speaks at women’s retreats. She and her husband have recently relocated to the Midwest after living on the East Coast for fifteen years and enjoy spending weekends in Kansas at the family farm.

I have loved you

“I have loved you, ” says the LORD.

But you say, “How have You loved us?” Malachi 1:2a

Do we, as the Israelites did, question God’s love for us?  Our lives are often filled with difficulties, our communities and the world around us is  filled with anger and violence. If God loves us why are things so bad?  How can we understand God’s love for us?

Read the following verses and consider God has said about His love.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave Him only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

“…the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:5

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

God’s love gives us the promise of eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit.  God does not promise us a life without difficulties.  How can we understand how a God who loves us allows us go through difficult circumstances?

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:35, 37

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarge, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the church of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.  This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed your are suffering.  2 Thessalonians 1:3-5

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, locking in nothing.  James 1:3-4

The same God who loves us enough to allow His Son to die on our behalf that we would receive eternal life, allows us encounter difficulties because it is best for us that we would mature in our faith and persevere to the end and be saved.

You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. Matthew 10:22



Thoughts about reading the bible…

Have you ever closed the bible after reading it and thought I can’t remember what I just read?  Then guiltily think why do I bother?

We may expect any reading of the bible to bring amazing insights and change in our lives.  When that does not happen, we often quit reading the bible without considering why.

Could our trouble be we aren’t reading the bible with the right purpose?

When I read a book for enjoyment, I read hurriedly through some of the details to get to the exciting part. If I read the bible this way, I would be disappointed because there is not always an exciting plot line.

When I read a book for knowledge, I search for facts and information, usually for a class, where the grade is more important then the knowledge and the facts are soon forgotten. If I read the bible searching only for facts, seeking only knowledge, I may impress my Sunday School teacher, but unless I win a bible trivia prize, that knowledge will probably not last a lasting affect on my life.

When I read a book to understand it, I tend to read it slowly and reread, until I get the point.  I will underline key points and make lists of the steps mentioned.  I have even made an outline of a book, when I wanted to remember the content for later. If I read the bible to understand why it was written, to understand God, I will read and reread seeking, with the help of the Spirit, to learn all God has to say through it. I may find this to be difficult, drawn out, but also quite rewarding.