“That everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (John 3:15).

God loves you.

It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done. It doesn’t matter what’s happened to you.

God loves you.

But this is only half the story. God loves you, but unless you receive God’s love and believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord, God’s love for you doesn’t mean anything.

Because God loves you, even though he could, even though he is absolutely deserving of our love, God will not force nor coerce you to love him back.

What you choose to do with God’s love, however, has eternal consequence.

C. S. Lewis wrote, “At the end, there are only two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God will say, ‘Thy will be done.’”

God loves you. God made a way through his Son Jesus so that everyone who believe in him will be saved. But should you continue to reject God’s offer of life through his Son, God will honor your will.

God loves you. Choose him. Trust him. Believe in him.

I don’t know who wrote this. I saw this in one of the social media feeds. As we prepare to worship this Sunday here is something to consider.

If you go to church looking to become offended, you’ll succeed.
If you go to church looking for places where people fall short, you’ll find them.
If you go to church looking for imperfection, you’ll see it. 

But if you go to church looking for an opportunity to worship alongside broken people (just like you), you’ll find it. 
If you go to church looking for a place to serve, you’ll find one.
If you go to church to love people like Jesus, you can.

10/10 times you find what you’re looking for. 

So as you prepare to go to church this weekend, what will you be looking for?

“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem. Look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seek the truth, I will forgive this city” (Jeremiah 5:1).

“If you can find but ONE PERSON who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this CITY!!!”

Wow! Wow! Wow!

During the days of Jeremiah, things were not looking good for the Jews. The ten northern tribes of Israel had already been defeated and sent into exile by the Assyrians. For the remaining two souther tribes, things were not looking good. You would think that the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin would have learned their lesson from seeing what happened to the northern ten tribes.

The northern tribes thought they could reject God and live like the other nations. They would make deals with Egypt and worldly leaders to protect them against the Assyrians who were conquering the world. Instead of learning from the misplaced trust of the northern tribes, Judah and Benjamin were copying their game plan!

It was in that context God declared, “If you can find but ONE PERSON who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this CITY!!!”

Two things.

First, Jerusalem and the southern tribes would be utterly defeated. The Temple destroyed. The people and their king utterly humiliated and taken into exile to Babylon. What did God say to the people in Jerusalem? If there is just ONE PERSON. The sad reality is that there were none to be found.

Wow. That’s sad.

Second, look at what just one faithful person can do! One faithful person has the capacity to save the entire city!!! So, what would an entire church filled with faithful people accomplish for the kingdom of God in this city? Can you just imagine!

Let’s do this Little Church! Let’s do this Lakewood Grace!