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We all know what love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So, we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. – 1 John 3:16

Do you believe Jesus loves you?

I didn’t. I denied that God loved me.

Over time I have been proven wrong again and again, a couple of years back, I heard of a guy by the name of Brennan Manning. What he said, how he portrayed the love of God was like nothing I have ever heard before.

“I am utterly convinced that on Judgement Day the Lord Jesus will ask one question and only one question, did you believe I that I loved you? That I desired you? That I waited for you day after day? That I longed to hear your voice?”

“But many of us who are so faithful in our ministry, our practice, our church, are going to answer. Well, frankly, no sir, I never really believed it”.

That is the difference between believers and that others that acknowledge God but pay no homage to our Heavenly Father.

Brennan continues, “I have a word for you. I know your life story. I know every skeleton in your closet, I know every moment of sin and shame, dishonesty and degraded love that darkens your past. Right now, I know your shallow faith, your inconsistent discipleship. And my word for you is this. I dare you to trust that I love you, just as you are! Not as you should be. Because none of us are as we should be.”

I believe Brennan Manning’s message of the love Jesus has for you were the modern words of Christ himself, using this evangelist to get the truth into the lives of all who are broken, lost, angry, addicted, confused, sick, and those who grieve what could have been.

So my challenge to anyone who reads this is, will you dare to trust that Jesus loves you?

“Whatever you are up to, there is nothing and no one standing between you and a living encounter with the holy God” – Alistair Begg

DJS