Tag Archives: John 3:16

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Words for Worship - The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

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Words for Worship – The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

”Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

—John 15:13 

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told – God loves us!  There are few truer statements.  In the Bible, Jesus tells us, “Greater love has no one than this:  to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13).  Can you think of any deeper love than that?  Certainly, there were plenty of romance movies circulating on television and social media this week in celebration of Valentine’s Day.  Those stories depict the most natural and committed love shared between two individuals.

No matter how devoted the characters are to one another, in real life or in the movies, it takes a very special kind of love to sacrifice one’s own life for.

But that’s exactly what God did for us…

”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

God made it possible for all of mankind to be saved from death and have eternal life, through his uncompromising and sacrificial love, when he gave up his only Son, Jesus Christ.  Indeed, the greatest love story ever told was written when Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the grave.  For he gave up his life for us.

Would you like to play a part in this love story?

You can…go ahead!  The script has already been written, and no audition is required.  All you need to do is invite Jesus into your heart.

Peace and Love,

Felecia

*The text was adapted from the “Did You Know” series, used by permission from North Coast Christian Fellowship, North East, PA, www.northcoastcf.comwww.northcoastcf.com

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On Respecting Others

On Respecting Others

respecting othersA Quote to Carry You

October 19, 2015

“So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”  Genesis 1:27

On respecting others – Respecting others goes far beyond getting along with them, or even being nice to them.  I believe that respecting others means to honor them as individuals, uniquely made, even when their views or behaviors represent something completely against what we believe or value.  To me, respecting others has less to do with a person’s actions, and more to do with the person’s value and worth as a human being. We’ve all been given the gift of life, a treasure bestowed upon each of us by God.  In that regard, each and every one of us is precious in his sight.  That being the case, shouldn’t we all, at the very least, go about respecting others?

“…the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…”  Genesis 2:7

No matter what society says, we are all fundamentally equal.  After all, each of us enters into the world and exits from it in the same way.  God breathes life into us when we are conceived.  We take our first breath of air when we are born, and life escapes our physical bodies when we breathe our last.  The act of respecting others, honoring the dignity of each human life seems so basic.  Yet, according to the tragedies we hear of in the daily news, it is apparently one of the most difficult things to uphold.  It often makes me wonder why?

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

I believe the answer lies within the lines of the above verse. When I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart as a child, I did not fully understand what an awesome sacrifice was made for me, and all mankind, to make it possible to receive not only a new life in him, but life eternal.  In essence, Jesus gave up his life for ours; the ultimate sacrifice, born out of love. The older I get, the  clearer and more important that truth has become to me.  If God so loved each and every one of us that he would demonstrate that love in such a way, isn’t all human life worth respecting?

Respecting others is something that calls for us to peer into our own hearts and face what lies within it.  For, all of us being equal, respecting others essentially means respecting ourselves.  When we value and love others as we do ourselves, just imagine how amazing life can be.

May your respect for others lead to loving others…and may that love lead to a life that is truly worth living.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Amazing Love

Amazing Love

My great-nephew, Ryder Cullen Stevens. Congratulations Alexia and Jeff! Photograph courtesy of my sister Marjorie Karimi.

Amazing love – There have been many stories written about a love bond so strong that words cannot even come close to describing it…that’s not just love, that’s amazing love!

“I have never been so in love.”  Alexia D. Karimi (speaking about her newly born baby boy, Ryder Cullen)

My family and I have had the pleasure of welcoming our new addition, my great-nephew Ryder Cullen, to the world a week ago.  His arrival came a little sooner than we’d expected, but we are exceedingly happy to welcome him nonetheless!  I’ll admit, when I woke up to the news that our long-awaited bundle of blessings had been born, I felt as excited as a little child on Christmas morning!  We knew what he looked like from the sonographic images that my niece Alexia shared with us throughout her pregnancy, but my first glimpse of the photographs of him shortly after he’d been delivered simply took my breath away.  It was most definitely love at first sight!

Amazing love certainly has a way of doing that.  It touches us in such a profound way.  It seems to mesmerize us and it only grows deeper and stronger as time goes on.  Although I certainly consider the love that Ryder’s parents, Alexia and Jeff, feel towards their precious baby boy to be that kind of love, I can’t help but think of another amazing love that is even greater than that.  When God so richly blessed my family with this little life, he surely showered his love upon us.  As little Ryder grows, that love will increase many times over as we get to share in it over the years.  What is even more amazing to me is that, because of the love that God showed towards all mankind through the birth, death and resurrection of his son Jesus, we all have the opportunity to share in our love for each other not just here, but throughout all eternity…amazing isn’t it?

Amazing love, God has for me,

a love he freely shares.

One that surpasses the veils of time,

no other love compares.

Felecia R. Weber 2015, OntheWingofaDove.com

May you consider what blessings await you when you embrace God’s amazing love.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

Peace and love,

Felecia

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What I Believe

What I Believe

“Feeling Blessed,” photograph courtesy of my sister, Marjorie Karimi

What I believe is full of hope; it is very real and oh so very true…

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

What I Believe

What I believe is not just a story,

of days gone by long ago.

No, it is more than I could ever imagine;

a gift that only God could bestow.

What I believe is rich, and abundant;

it makes my heart overflow with joy.

It shelters and protects me when I am afraid.

Indeed it’s like a fortress that no enemy can destroy.

What I believe is not dead, but bursting with life,

that which fills the heavens and earth.

How awesome, how wonderful, how magnificent it is;

and it all began for us on that glorious night of His birth.

What I believe is full of hope;

it is very real and oh so very true.

It is founded on God’s unending love,

and He freely gives it to me and to you.

Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

May your heart be filled to overflowing with the love that God has for you…and may you always believe in Him and what He gave to us on that first Christmas night.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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The Gift of Giving

The Gift of Giving

“To Give,” photograph by Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

 

The gift of giving…to give a gift that keeps on giving.

“Give and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:38

The gift of giving, that phrase kind of sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?  When we think of a gift, it is natural to think of it in terms of receiving it.  I think that is part of what makes special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, graduations, and various holidays so exciting.  This time of year especially, brings with it new beginnings where we celebrate the joining of two lives at wedding ceremonies, and happy endings as with all of those youngsters graduating at the end of their school year.  Gifts are showered upon those who are being honored and they receive them with open arms full of delight and expectation.  To receive a gift is truly a gratifying experience…but what about giving a gift?  Can giving be just a satisfying as receiving?

My answer to that question is a resounding YES!  In fact for me, I often times get more excited about giving a gift than I could ever about receiving one.  My heart fills up and I smile as I go about buying or preparing the item that I am going to give, no matter how large or small it is.  Perhaps part of it is knowing how much it pleases me when I am the recipient of some special token of appreciation, or celebration of an event.  Or it may be the warmth that I feel from the glow that lights up the person’s face when I place a present into their hands.  Whatever it is, giving is truly a gift in itself.

The Gift of Giving

“To Receive,” photograph by Felecia R. Weber 2014, OntheWingofaDove.com

The gift of giving…how about you?  What is it that makes giving a gift for you?  What is the most significant gift that you have ever received?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

Peace and love,

Felecia

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