ARTICLE: JUST HOW FAR WILL GOD GO TO SHOW 
HOW MUCH HE LOVES YOU AND I?🎺❤️

When contemplating on how I should answer this question, I am immediately reminded of two scriptural references (parables); although there are many more holy passages that reveal Father God's love for you and I (some of which I intend to share below): Let us begin by addressing the following two parables in the Bible: (The Parable of The Lost Sheep & The Parable of The Prodigal Son)

1). THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP: (Luke 15:1-7)
"Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.".

This aforementioned parable of the lost sheep is an excellent example of how much Father God loves you and I-- He will go after the one lost soul until He finds YOU; and yes, He knows how to reach us-- He will venture into any "dark cave of our loneliness and isolation"; He will go into the "deepest waters" where we are losing strength in our own efforts to keep our head above those crashing waves; He will be the "fourth man in the fire" when the enemy turns the furnace temperature up seven times hotter than normal in our trial(s); He will "cause those lions to lose their appetites" in our Lion's Den; He will be "the power behind our stone and sling shot" when we are facing our "Giant(s)"; He will be "the voice in a burning bush" in the blistering, hot desert, to get our attention; He will give a donkey the ability to speak in our human language to get our attention; He will even "use His finger to place "the writing on the wall" to communicate with us; He is "The Potter" and He will "mold YOU and I, "the clay", into "His divine plans and purposes for OUR lives" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Father God loves you and I more than we can begin to fathom, because we measure "the standard of what we perceive to be authentic LOVE based on our earthly parents, siblings and friends"...but man has a bad tendency to fail miserably when it comes to our ability to love and to be loved.

Before I address the second parable (The Parable of The Prodigal Son), please allow me to share a few scripture references regarding The Love that God has for YOU and I.

SEVEN INSPIRATIONAL SCRIPTURES REVEALING FATHER GOD'S LOVE FOR YOU AND I: 
Although there are numerous scriptures in the Bible that addresses the issue of Love, for the purpose of this "article", I have chosen seven inspirational scriptures in particular, that speaks of God's love for you and I: (Please see below:)

For these first six scripture references, I challenge you to get out your bible and look these up-- it's important that We renew our minds daily by reading it ourselves. (DULY NOTE: Spoon-fed Christians result in "stunted growth and lack of maturity in the knowledge of Father God's WORD" -- this was a Rhema Word for someone out there! SELAH my friend(s)). I will address the seventh scripture because it happens to be my favorite promises of Father God's love for you and I (please see below)👍❤️

John 3:16; 2) Ephesians 2:4-5; Zephaniah 3:17; Peter 5:6-7; Psalm 86:15; and Romans 5:8-- (see #7 below):

❤️Romans 8:37-39 - "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord".

Now I would like to share the second parable -- The Parable of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). Many of you may know this parable, and perhaps you were (or currently are) a "prodigal child" (a wayward soul), and you can relate to this incredible example-- a similarity to Father God's love for his backslidden child(ren): It is always good to be reminded of the story's message of love, forgiveness restoration and redemption. This is why I have chosen to share this parable in its entirety:

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON: A father had two sons and the youngest son said, "Father, give me my share of the estate". So the father divided their inheritance between his two sons. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants". So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found". So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. "Your brother has come", he replied, "and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound." The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, "Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him"! "My son", the father said, "you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

I LOVE this parable, because there was a time in my life, after experiencing a painful divorce, when I was a "prodigal son" and I found myself doing much of what the youngest son did in this parable. I too "squandered my inheritance" on "meaningless unmentionables". I was terrified when I tried to imagine how Father God would receive me when I came to my senses and decided to return "home" to "The Body of Christ". Much to my surprise, as it was with the youngest son, I didn't get rejected, coupled with a long lecture of "how wrong I was in squandering "the inheritance" that I have in His Son Jesus Christ". Instead, I felt Father God's arms around me, as His LOVE, FORGIVENESS, RESTORATION and REDEMPTION in Jesus Christ, all spoke in "Love in Action"; demonstrating, loud and clear, how much He loved me and how happy He was to have me back home safely. In His loving embrace I heard these words: "Welcome back home Jay. I love you my son". I believe I cried for days with authentic remorse and an incredible amount of sincere gratitude for "second, third, fourth.....chances! Father God truly is "the God of Restoration"!

Luke 15:7 says, " I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent". GLORY TO FATHER GOD WHO LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE IS WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO REACH YOU AND I IN THE MESS WE MAKE OF OUR LIVES!❤️🎺👍AMEN?

My beloved, I just felt that someone needed to know how much Father God loves YOU; and this article is also for someone out there who is currently "a prodigal child" and you desire (or need) to come "back into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father". He is waiting for YOU and He has left a light on in Heaven's window...awaiting YOUR RETURN! It is His passion that none would perish, but ALL either "come back home" and/or "for those who are searching for His love and acceptance-- and are willing to receive "The Gift of Salvation" that is only obtained through accepting His son, Jesus Christ, as your personal Lord, Savior and Redeemer".

John 3:16 says, "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".

I pray that now you have an answer to the initial question I asked in the title of this article: JUST HOW FAR WILL GOD GO TO SHOW HIS LOVE FOR YOU AND I?

May you find great comfort in knowing you are NOT in an UNREACHABLE place or circumstance(s); NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST; Father God is WILLING and ABLE to reach down with the POWER OF HIS LOVE and pull you out of any deep, miry pit you find yourself in; the very "pit" that Satan intends to keep you held "captive" in chains of lies and deception-- with his ongoing goal and objective: "to Steal, Kill and Destroy mankind". If Father God has anything to do with it, (AND He indeed DOES IF YOU WILL ALLOW HIM TO DO SO), you can bet, that the Redemption found in Jesus Christ will "break those chains of bondage" and you will experience "The Truth that sets the captives free" (John 8:32). ...So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).

Much love and blessings to all of you!!

06-02-16 J.