Yesterday we defined what “Beloved” was.

“Dearly loved, cherished, or held very dear to the heart.”

So what does it mean that we are God’s beloved?

Throughout the Bible we read about those who have been said to be “loved by God” or “God’s beloved,” etc.

At Jesus baptism, we hear God proclaim to all who are there -

If only we understood what it means to be God's "Beloved."

In this book Francis starts out by asking the reader a question:

"If you could approace our holy God right now and ask Him how He feels about you, what do you think He would say?

Actually answer that.

Your answer reveals a lot about what you believe about God and yourself."

2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB

"But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."

I recently purchased the new Christine Caine book, “The Faith to Flourish.”

It’s an incredible book. I have always appreciated her zeal for the Lord and love for the lost and broken.

If you are not familiar with her, I encourage you to read up on her and check her out on her social media. She has an incredible ministry and an incredible testimony of God‘s saving grace.

'"Now I am going to him who sent me."

Last week I started a series on the season of Lent. To refresh your memory, or catch you up to speed, Lent is a time where we pause, reflect, and prepare.  A time to ask ourselves how are we doing with Jesus and a time to start fresh.

Lent is time to reflect on how great God’s love truly is! 

Reading in John 16, Jesus starts off with a very powerful statement –

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.”

What is Lent?

Lent is a period of time, 40 days, before Easter Sunday where Christians take time to pause, reflect, and prepare for the celebration of Jesus Christ's victory over sin and death by way of His death and resurrection.

Many fast and pray as a way to prepare. Not all Christian denominations make it a practice but still encourage their congregations to recognize this season as a special time for followers of Jesus to take time to reflect on what He has done on our behalf and to spend time self evaluating how we are doing with Jesus.

Lent is also a time of renewal - a renewal of our commitment to our loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

1 Corinthians 15:1,2 tells us this:

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”

Why do we, Christians, need to be reminded of what the gospel is?

Don't we already know it?

When I first heard this some years back - it really bewildered me, but the more I considered this statement - the more it made sense.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Just be you”…

What does that mean?

Is that easy to do?

Galatians 1:10 “Am I saying this now to win the approval of people or God?

Am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

Sometimes the ache in my heart is so heavy, reminding me of people and things I have loved and lost.

Anyone else feel like this?

You know the routine; you push yourself past your painful circumstances, put that smile on and go on with life, because you have to and you need to.

But some nights that pain creeps up on you and you fall asleep with tears running down your face; hiding from others because you have had to be strong for so long.

It’s tough to see where God is taking us sometimes isn’t it.