Satan kept it out.
There’s one wonderful word about the Son of God – and you, also as a Son or Daughter of God – that Satan would like to purge from your consciousness. Do you know what that word is? There are probably lots of words he wants us to never think about, but this one is extra special.
Don’t you often wonder how our Holy, holy, holy Father can love us after all the times and ways we fall short and outright sin from time to time? If you’re like me, though I’ve preached often on his grace, mercy and forgiveness and acceptance back upon repentance – it still comes up, doesn’t it, that we simply fall short of his glory.
When Yeshua (Jesus) was about to start his earthly ministry, he was baptized – immersed -- in the Jordan River by John. Biblical baptism is by immersion of the whole body – not just having a few droplets of water sprinkled on you. Anyway, as Yeshua came up out of the water, he heard a voice. Do you remember what He heard: “This is my BELOVED son, in whom I am WELL pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
OK, OK, we can accept Yeshua certainly could be the beloved son because he always perfectly did His Father’s will. But table that for a second and just remember that was the complete sentence – that he was a beloved son and well pleasing to his heavenly Father.
Right after that he headed to the wilderness to be tested by the Devil (which means “Accuser”). That’s in Matthew 4.
After fasting 40 days and nights, Yeshua was famished. Satan (“Adversary”) comes to him and sneers “IF you are the son of God, command these stones to become bread” (Matthew 4:1-3).
Not only did he try to put doubt into our Master’s mind by starting the question with “if”—but he left something out. Click on “Continue reading” to discover that missing word and how it relates to you and me and the doubts we sometimes have.
You know the missing word, right? What’s missing is “beloved”. Satan does not want God’s children to be reminded that they are beloved of God Most High. If you don’t always know you are beloved of your father, you’re listening to Satan.
Our Father is kind and sends rain and sun to the just and unjust. He forgives us of all our sins. He looks for us like a loving shepherd when we are lost from time to time. His love is greater than we can fathom.
But even we mere mortals who are dads and moms know that no matter what our children do or how they act, though we might be very hurt and even disappointed in them, if anything we find that our love for that errant child looms even stronger as we think of that one almost constantly in their woes.
If we, being mere mortals can feel that, how much more does our heavenly father’s love for you and me stay strong? See some recommended sermons at the end of this blog.
But are YOU feeling beloved? You should. Don’t listen to Satan who leaves out that precious word. In the Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon), the word “beloved” is used over 40 times as each one calls the other their “beloved.”
King David, in spite of his terrible, terrible sins – and they were really bad and serious indeed – knew he was the beloved of God. And by the way, that’s what “David” means – “Beloved.”
Psalms 108:5-6
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
And your glory above all the earth;
That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.”
But that term is not reserved just for kings, apostles and prophets. Oh no, it’s for you and for me as well. Notice how Paul addresses the brethren in Rome:
Romans 1:7
“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 9:25
As He says also in Hosea:
"I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved."
Paul and John especially use the word “Beloved’ dozens of times in context of specific brethren, but also of brethren generally. In Ephesians 1 he tells us – in spite of our failings – how we are seen as “Beloved”. It’s by God’s grace, by his kindness and by seeing us as being IN Christ. He sees Christ covering you and me when he looks upon us. So in him we become accepted and even beloved.
Ephesians 1:4-6 (notice verse 6 especially)
“…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”
Colossians 3:12-14
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13
“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth…”
And John has so many places in his epistles where he calls the brethren “Beloved” – or when he assures us of being the beloved of God.
Here are just a couple:
1 John 3:1-3
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
1 John 4:17-19
“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.”
So when you’re wondering if you’re beloved, pull out this blog and review these scriptures. In fact Yeshua prayed in John 17 that our Father love us as he loves Yeshua. Wow! Fathom that one!
John 17:23 KJV
“I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”
So don’t let Satan leave out that precious word when you think of your relationship with Abba, our dear heavenly Father, God Most High. You are His Beloved child.
Good accompanying sermons for this topic could be found in June and July 2014. Remember to be checking out sermon titles and topics all the way back to 2004!!
“Come to Know Abba our Loving Father” June 2014
http://www.lightontherock.org/index.php/message/come-to-know-abba-our-loving-father
“Do we fall out of Abba’s love when we sin?”
Also the sermon in July 2014 – living in the JOY of His Salvation – is a good follow-up.
Don’t doubt Abba’s love for you. Relish it, value it, and walk ever more worthy of that love by letting Christ live in you more and more each day.