Anthem

 

The title of today’s message is called Anthem because God's love for us should be like a song that is sung in our hearts and played out in our daily lives.  Let me give you the definition that I'm using to justify the usage of the word Anthem. The definition I’m using from the dictionary is Identified with a particular subculture, movement, or point of view. Aka us Christians. Pastor John says God has him preaching on grace oftentimes. For me, it seems that my Heavenly Father wants me to speak on love.  Sadly I must admit that I have no clue about love, I say that because if I truly love God I would keep the two commandments dealing with love, but yet I don’t. What a hypocrite I’m.  Despite my failure our Heavenly Father still loves me.  It’s a love I don’t deserve; it’s a love I can’t earn! The good news is you have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb! That is an Anthem worth shouting and sing from the top of our lungs. Yet I don’t!

 

(1 John 4:10). Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

 I want to remind you that our Heavenly Father’s love is not based on how well we tide, or sing songs of praise, or how many Christian events we attend weekly,  it is based on His nature, for you see God is love, that is the reason we received grace and mercy.  We can never earn His love or the gift of salvation. Both are gifts of a good Father, who is not willing to let anything separate us from Him. An Anthem we should sing daily!

 

(Psalms 94:16-17). Who stands up for me against the wicked? Who takes a stand for me against evildoers? 17 If the LORD had not been my helper, I would soon rest in the silence of death.

 

Not only does the Father stand up for us, but He sent Jesus down for us because we couldn’t go up to Him.

  (John 15:13).  No Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

  That was love, for the sinner. Yet each time the enemy tells me I’m not loved and I’m not a child of the king.  I’m reminded that my Heavenly Father, will never abandon me or leave me. Each one of you is carrying some form of hurt or pain or shame and our Heavenly Father wants you to surrender it all to Him and take instead His perfect love. That is the Anthem we should reflect daily to all that we come into contact with.

 

 For you see from the beginning God knew He would never give up on us, nor leave us in our broken state. So the Father makes a promise in Genesis to redeem us at any cost.  Jesus gave all of Himself on a cross for you and me, that’s the Father’s love. He became a curse so we could become the redeemed.  That’s the Father’s love. That is the Anthem we should shout from the tops of the mountains!

 

 

 

 

 

Love is woven throughout God’s word. Love came and lived among us so that we might know the Father’s love for us. Jesus,  demonstrates this through His death and resurrection, proving the power of God’s love,  that nothing will separate us from His love. That is the Anthem we should proudly sing to all that will listen about the Father’s love for them!

 

(Romans 8:38-39).  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I know these words to be true in my life! That is the Anthem I want to proclaim to all I meet.

 

Granted when you have been cast into darkness and your cries go unanswered, it hard to see the Father’s love in that. Everything you once had is taken away and now you are told that your only value is what they say it is.  It’s hard to see the Father’s love in that. Cast into prison and forgotten, it's hard to see the Father’s love in that. Now Joseph tells his brothers that what the enemy did for evil the Lord our God has turned to good. At that moment Joseph can see the Father’s love!  Joseph Anthem is about the Father’s love and how now he can see it in his life. What is it that is keeping you from seeing the Father’s love moving in your life today?

 

Is it past pains? Fear, shame? Or The lies of the enemy that have convinced you that you have no value?  You are more precious than anything else in the universe to God. He loves us even in our present state. Remember that is why He called us to come to Him just as we are!  Remember the Father sent His son who just happens to be skilled with His hands and knows how to make all things new.   Many of you have tried to hide your scares, pretend bad things never happen to you, Jesus stands there with arms wide open waiting for you to bring all your pain, all your tears, to Him and take upon yourself His perfect love.  Do you understand just how deep His love is for you? David discovered that there was nowhere he could hide from the Love of God. Our Heavenly Father loves you so much that He won't allow anything to come between you and Him. If He has to tear down every idol in your life, He will because His love for you and me will not allow anything to steal our heart from Him! That is an Anthem that we should speak of daily.

 

His love for you and I is perfect so are His plans for your life. 

 

 Nothing else in creation has been given such promises, not the fallen angels, only mankind has been offered redemption.  The Father makes a promise that He keeps to, a mere man who is simply dust and shall return to dust. Even death can’t separate us from the love of God! That is an Anthem my life should reflect daily to the world.

 

(Psalms 8:4-6). What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things] under his feet.

 

 

 

That is the Father’s love!  Our Father sacrificed His only begotten son out of love for you and me. All He wants is for you to believe in Him and trust in Him let His perfect love flow through you!  He won't quit till He has all of you! Know what He has begun in you, He is faithful to complete.  Because of His love for you. That is an Anthem that the redeemed of the Lord should sing!

 

(Mark 12:30-31)“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 31 “The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

 

It was God’s Love that redeemed us, Love fights for us, Love wants to teach us, to abide in the Father’s love and give love, not just to those you feel deserve it.  But like us, give it to those who don’t deserve it or could earn it. Cause we deserve hell, Despite our failing faith, God's love is there to guide us through the darkest hours.  God will never give up on you!

 Daily when the accuser stands before the Father and accuses me, it's Jesus who stands up for me! Reminding the Father that I was bought by His love and I’m covered by His blood!

(1 John 4:7-8)

Brothers and sisters, let us love one another, as God commanded us to do so that the world might see and know what love is. That is the Anthem that the believer should let shine brightly into a dark world. Everyone who shows loves is born of the Father and knows God. Love can only come from God so if we have no love for each other then we don’t truly know the Father. Jesus said He did the things He saw His father do! He dies for me and you because He knew how much the Father loved you!!!!

So daily our voices & our lives should be reflections of God’s love. We should be salt and light in the lives of the people that we come into contact with. In other words, if we want them to believe in God then we need to show them, God. By His love,  reflected through us to one another. I want my life to be an Anthem of God’s love.  What does your life say to those around you? Does it speak of God’s love? God’s redemption for a lost world? What Anthem does your life speak of? What  Anthem does the world hear and see loudly come from you???