How Jesus is the Fulfillment of God’s Love

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

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

No doubt about it. We are loved.

Truly loved, despite all our shortcomings.

The Feinberg Challenge

Over the last 40 days of Lent, leading up to Easter, I joined Margaret Feinberg (along with thousands of other Christ followers), in her 40-Day Bible Reading Challenge. Together we read through the Bible. Yep. The whole thing.

Honestly, it was crazy, but it was amazing at the same time! Beginning in Genesis and ending with Revelation, we read an average of 30 chapters a day (though I’m a day behind, so I’ll be finishing up today).

When first presented with all this craziness, I was intrigued, but I didn’t think I could do it. After all, I have children who need their mommy and a husband who needs his wife, but God made it happen. Day in and day out, I was given the time needed to soak in the truth of God’s word.

And when God’s truth continually washes over you, something begins to sirs within your soul. [Tweet that] God works. He teaches. He shows you things you’ve been missing all along or have forgotten amidst the busyness of life.

Throughout this time, there were days I was moved to tears as I read (well, ok, I actually cried most days). The more I read, the more the love and faithfulness of our mighty God was impressed upon my heart.

I just love how Sally Lloyd-Jones describes the love of God in The Jesus Storybook Bible for kids. She says God loves us “with a Never Stopping, Never Giving up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.” Isn’t that an amazing description?

And it was this love that become so real to me during my reading.

God’s Story

The whole of the Bible tells the story of God. It tells of a people––made to love and be loved by God––who rebelled against their loving Father, bringing sin into the world. From this moment on, God sought to bring His people back to Himself once again, saying I will be your God and you shall be my people.

Truly, the Bible shows love affair between God and His people in which He faithfully pursues the hearts of man. [Tweet that]

Still, God’s people rebelled. They rebelled over and over and over again. Yet, God never forsook them though He had every right to do so. But instead, God chose to love them, despite rebellion and sin.

The Climax

God’s plan ultimately culminated with Jesus.

Jesus was God’s love displayed in flesh. He was the way. The way back to God. As said before, God could have left us in our sinful state of hopelessness. But instead, He provided a way back to Himself. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

For 33 years, Love walked the Earth.

Love healed wounds.

Love set free the captives.

Love showed us the way as He called and said, “Follow Me.”

And Love was nailed to a cross on Calvary.

But ultimately, Love rose again, bringing us new life.

This is what Easter is all about. The love of God, who is faithful to provide new beginnings. [Tweet that] It’s like we get a mulligan. A do-over. What was behind has passed. And all that is required of us is to receive the free gift of salvation. To receive Christ. [Tweet that]

Jesus holds out His hand, offering us mercy, grace, salvation, love, hope, peace, and so much more.

Reach out and take hold of the promises of God. Receive His Love.

Happy Easter!

{Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s love. Receive Him.}

Question: How have you been blessed by the Word of God? How has the story of God impacted your life? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} All Sin is Forgivable (Except Blasphemy Against the Spirit)

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” —Mark 3:28-29

For years, I didn’t want to think that the man who took my dad away could experience any joy in this life, let alone be forgiven by God and go to heaven. Yet, I was blinded to the ways of God at this time and didn’t have a proper understanding of sin.

All sins will be forgiven for those who place their trust in Jesus. Not just the sins that seem small in our eyes. All. Yet there is one offense, Jesus tells us, that is the exception––blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan––see Mark 3:22-27), which He calls an eternal sin. All other sins, however, are forgivable through His death.

Sin and Forgiveness

Sin is no light matter, indeed. But when we claim that certain sins are unforgivable by God (apart from the one He deemed unforgivable) we hold a small view of the power of God’s forgiveness, and quite honestly, we fail to see the gravity of our own sins.

Once we see the depths of our sin, how filthy and horrible it is, and how it breaks the heart of God, our Father, we come to understand that all sin is detestable. Little sins and greats sins alike.

Sin is sin (I’ll get into that more later). No sin is better than any other, for they are all a product of our rebellion against a good and holy God. An attempt to live life apart from our Creator, which is folly.

But the most beautiful part of salvation is that despite our rebellion and our sin, we have a merciful God who is willing to forgive if we only come to Him. [Tweet that] This is the beauty we see in the cross. Jesus willingly laid His life down to provide a way back to God, a way to be forgiven.

This is love.

We need to come to the point that we can see the depths of our own sin and guilt before the God. Then, and only then, can we begin to understand God’s forgiveness, amidst all its scandalousness and beauty.

{Jesus died for every sin––including murder. [Tweet that]}

What are your thoughts?

Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} Jesus Accomplishes the Impossible

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” – Luke 18:27

When we follow Jesus, He accomplishes the impossible. [Tweet that]

Lord, I pray for Anthony. Help him. Have your will be done in his life, and please, Lord, if he is truly a Christian let him be used by you in prison to turn lives around for your glory. Let him gather your people to you in prison! Lord, help him truly submit to you and your will and help him to be a true strong believer who turns from evil to your light.

- My prayer journal, May 2010

I prayed this prayer often as I began correspondence with Anthony, the man who murdered my dad. I prayed for Anthony to come to true repentance. For him to be brought to his knees and to transform him into a strong man of God who gained influence within his prison walls for Christ.

I knew Jesus could do it, but I have to be honest, I didn’t anticipate the power these prayers would have on both my destiny and that of Anthony’s. (If you have yet to read about what God did through our correspondence, read here or here, among many other posts.)

Jesus does the impossible in our lives.

You may find yourself to be surrounded by one of life’s storms right now.

Maybe you are late on your mortgage, and you don’t know where you’ll come up with your next payment.

Maybe you were laid off, and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t find another job.

Maybe your marriage is in shambles, on the verge of divorce, and you don’t know how to get back to that place you once were.

Maybe you’re struggling with addiction or another stronghold, and you can’t seem to escape from the shackles that weigh so heavy upon your soul.

Maybe you’ve experienced loss––a loss that threatens to crush your soul––and you cannot imagine ever feeling whole again.

Maybe you have lost hope and find yourself to be in the dark place of depression, and you don’t know how to climb out of the pit, back to where the sun will shine upon your soul once again.

Maybe you’ve received a bad report from your doctor, and you are in a place of utter despair, anxious about the uncertainty of your future.

Whatever your situation may be, know this:

Jesus is your answer. He’s calling to you, beckoning your soul to draw near. He tells us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). As Luke 18:26 states, all things are possible with God. So no matter how bleek your situation my seem, know that we serve the God of impossibilities.

(For those of you who find yourselves to be in a relatively calm season of life, be sure to store this truth. The storms of life are sure to come. Ready yourself with truth.)

{Jesus accomplishes the impossible.}

Have you experienced Jesus accomplish the impossible in your life?

Join the discussion! Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

Memories

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

I was a daddy’s girl at heart. When I was a little girl, I thought my family was perfect and my dad hung the moon, himself. There are so many memories.

I remember when I was little, my brother, sister, and I would each vie for our turn to be lifted into the air by Dad. “My turn! My turn!” we’d yell.

Dad would lay on his back, arms bent and hands flat on the ground. “Hop on!” He’d say with a smile. When it was my turn, there was always a feeling of nervous excitement as I stepped on his hands. “Strong belly,” he’d say, “balance!” as he slowly hoisted me up in the air. He’d take me as high as he could, before I’d lose my balance and fall the short distance to the ground.

I remember learning to snow ski in the Sierra Nevadas. My skies in the shape of a triangle between those of Dad’s as we slid down the mountain. My dad wasn’t one to go slow, yet I always felt safe, in his loving arms.

I remember hiking, stopping along the way to pick some of the most beautiful wild flowers you have ever seen. Dad, wielding his camera, snapping photos of the beauty that surrounded us. When my sister or I tired, we would be hoisted upon my dad’s shoulders and would be gladly taken to the end of the trail which would always be one of the most beautiful secluded mountain lakes you could imagine.

I remember deer hunting, our family camping for a week each year in the sage, building forts, coloring in my strawberry shortcake coloring book, hiking, and scouting out deer. Standing next to Dad, I would watch him skin the deer, as it hung from a tree in camp. When I got old enough, I finally asked, “Can I try?” and Dad smiled, handed me his buck knife and showed me where to cut as he pulled back the skin.

I got older, graduated from high school, and began college. I’d call Dad periodically and say, “Hey, wanna come take me out to dinner?” And he would. One night, however, I asked if he would be interested in coming over to dinner at my house. It was a college house, and I wasn’t much of a cook, but that didn’t deter me. He agreed, and we had dinner––just the two of us. I can’t remember what I made for the main course, but I do remember the salad. Dad loved salad, and I wanted to make it just right. I tried, really, I did, but it turned out to be a soppy watery mess of a dressing. But still, Dad looked me in the eye and told me he loved it.

I miss my dad. I miss him more than I can even begin to express. But I know one thing––he’s in paradise. He’s before the throne worshipping Jesus. He’s free from sin and the trials this life holds, and for that I am thankful.

{There are blessings even in our losses.}

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Forgiveness} Why We Forgive – Part 1

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

After God called to bring Anthony a bible, I spent most of the night in prayer, asking Jesus for grace. I desperately needed His grace to trust Him and follow Him where He was leading me. I prayed for Him to grow my faith and to allow me to see as I ought.

What is Jesus really asking us to do?

I thought to myself, What is Jesus really asking me to do anyway? Then came the answer: He was simply asking me to give what I had already received.

It was then I began to see that, prior to coming to faith in Jesus, I was an enemy of God. Yet, while I was still far from God, He loved me, He pursued me, and He died for me––even in my rebellion.

I saw that Jesus’ death brought me life. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” You see, Jesus needed to die, so we could be forgiven. The penalty of sin is death. And it was Jesus who paid the cost. It was His love for us that led Him to that cross!

I realized at that point that it is only because of Jesus’ death that forgiveness is possible. I have been forgiven, just as each and every follower of Christ has been. First Corinthians 7:23 says, “you were bought with a price.” The cost of my forgiveness was high. And I thought to myself, Who am I to withhold forgiveness and love from my enemy when forgiveness has been so graciously given to me? [Tweet that] I think C.S. Lewis said it well when he said, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” [Tweet that]

Jesus Forgave Us

I look at Jesus––dying on the cross––hands and feet pierced only moments before, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). And I continue to be amazed by Jesus’ ability to forgive those who were in the process of murdering Him. [Tweet that]

It is this example that should motivate each of us to forgive. For apart from Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, none would be saved. But because He chose to lay down His life, taking on the sins of the world, we have the power within us to forgive as He does.

{We forgive because we have been forgiven!}

How has the realization that you were “bought with a price” impacted your life and how you live?

Bounty Through Obedience

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

I knew something happened. Shaking my head, I adamantly whispered, “No. no. no. no…” But with tear-filled eyes they told me. “Laurie, your dad was murdered last night. He’s dead.”

Startled, my eyes began to dart around the room, not knowing what to do with what I had been told. As my new reality began closing in around me, I felt the shackles of a heavy burden weighing me down, but there was no escape. I wanted to run away. I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit something, throw something. This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening, I thought.

But it did happen. And in that moment, my life was forever changed.

About a month before my dad died, he took me out to dinner. It was a welcomed treat for a poor college student. I sat across a small table from him. And after a bit of small talk, he asked me, “So, whatch ya going to do after you graduate?”

“I don’t know,” I said, putting my fork down. I was a year away from getting my bachelors degree, and the thought of getting into “real life” excited me. “I’d like to see what kind of a job I can get first, but maybe I’ll go on to law school. Or maybe I could get my teaching credentials and become a history teacher,” I added with enthusiasm. “What do you think?”

“I think that’s up to you,” he responded with a grin and a look that made my heart smile.

Soon, our conversation turned, and with a spark that I hadn’t seen in quite some time, my dad told me about a woman he’d been dating. I asked some questions about her, and my dad did his best to answer them. “She’s a good Christian woman,” he told me. And he went on to tell me that he started going to church again.

“Oh, good,” I said. But then tried to change the subject. I wasn’t a Christian at the time. In fact, I was far from it.

But then my dad said this, “Laurie, when I die, I want people to remember me for who I am. I don’t want anyone turning me into something I’m not.”

“Okay,” I responded slowly, thinking it was a bit of an odd remark.

“It’s just that, when someone dies,” he continued, “people only want to talk about the good parts of that person. But that’s not who they really are. There are good parts and bad parts to everyone.”

He has a point, I thought. Yet, I had no way of knowing the significance of what he was saying.

A month later, my dad died. And the conversation that we had over dinner became engraved upon my heart. I tried to honor my dad’s request to be known as he was. It weighed heavy on my heart as I wrote his eulogy a few short days after his death. And each time I spoke or wrote about his life and death, it was on my mind. Still, the significance of his words alluded me––that is, until I began to write more about my past and, more importantly, about the beauty and redemption that God has created out of it. It was then that I knew without a doubt that the Holy Spirit encouraged my dad to speak those words to me, over a decade before I needed them, to give me the freedom to write with the transparency needed to help others.

I have no desire to write about myself. But I cannot keep quiet about what God has done in and through my life. I have learned a lot about the heart of Jesus. He truly is our Redeemer. And it is Jesus’ desire to lift us out of our despair and our pain and bring us to a new place. A place that is rich in beauty and blessing.

Yet, God has shown me that in order to get there, we must choose, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, to say yes. To say yes, my Lord, I will follow You. Yes, my Lord, I will obey Your commands. For, it is when we lay down our fear, our pride, and our resistance that we are able to experience life as He intended. The life that Jesus died for us to have. [Tweet that]

This is where redemption happens.

It is only through the grace of God that I chose to say yes. I chose to follow Jesus when He told me that it was time to love and forgive the man who murdered my dad. What happened after this, was nothing less than a work of God. He brought good out of evil, love out of hate, and peace out of despair.

Still, this story began with a tragedy. With the loss of my dad. And I have to be honest––there is a part of me doesn’t want this to be my story. I don’t want to be a murder victim’s daughter. But I am. What I want is to have my dad back. I want to be able to feel him pull me abruptly toward him to receive one of his great big bear hugs as he often liked to do.

But that’s not the story God intended to tell. And I know in my heart that the stories God creates are far richer than anything we can conceive of in our finite minds.

The story God has created is a story of the grace, mercy, healing, forgiveness, and redemption that can only be given through Jesus. But ultimately, it’s a story that displays the glory of our amazing God. And I pray that it encourages you to say yes to whatever Jesus calls you to and to embark on your own Jesus-led story.

{The fruit of obedience is bountiful if we will simply obey.}

How has God blessed you when you were obedient to His word or His call?

Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.