Banquet With The King: God is Love

God is love—do you believe that?

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11 (Underlined for emphasis.)

We are told, admonished, instructed and persuaded throughout the Bible that God loves us. If you went to church as a child, the first song you probably learned was Jesus Love Me/this I know/for the Bible tells me so. God’s love is for everyone. Love is essential for life—we cannot really live without love.

Who was Saint Valentine for whom Valentine’s Day is named? He could have been several men throughout history but was most considered to be a clergyman or priest in the Roman Empire who ministered to the persecuted Christians and was martyred on February 14th. We could certainly use a man like that now! Five thousand persecuted Christians were killed last year and there were almost 300,000 around the world who were displaced from their homes. There are 50 countries in which it is just dangerous for Christians to live. Pray for your fellow brothers and sisters around the world. God loves them…but they will still be persecuted. One day their trials and tribulations will bring God glory. Remember the compassion that Jesus felt for His friend Lazarus when he died and was buried for four days before Jesus raised him from the tomb? Although that was not persecution, the resurrection of Lazarus was to give God glory. (See John 11.) Will we one day have to face persecution, too? Will our oppression and torment, like that of Job, bring God glory? Can we worship God by showing Him how much we love Him in spite of the treatment we received? Decide before you experience persecution. Remember…God is love.

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 NKJV

Love begins in the home. I taught my children about Jesus from the time they were born. I hope that you take the opportunity to teach your children and grandchildren—by example—of your dedication to the Lord. How can you show them that you love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?

Mezuzah with scripture inside...
posted at the door of our home.
Hear, O Israel:
The Lord is our God;
the Lord is one.
Deuteronomy 6:4

"Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Prayer – Lord, on this day…and on all days…I love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. And as You taught, Jesus, will love my neighbor as myself.

Meditate. Consider God’s love.

Verse of Salvation ~ For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!" Romans 10:13-15

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

What on your table today? My Valentines menu has been changing day by day. I’ve been envisioning individual heart-shaped meatloaves for each person—piled with fluffy mashed potatoes. Served with artichokes, apple butternut squash soup, a tossed green salad with cranberries, sliced Pink Lady apples, chunks of fresh crunchy pears, and toasted walnuts along with a blueberry vinaigrette dressing (Google recipe.). Bread…either cornbread or a bit of crusty French bread and some olive oil-vinegar dipping sauce adds yet another a favorite for all the kiddos. Dessert? How about some black bean brownies with a bit of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed peppermint sticks. A couple of the kids are sick with fevers—so I’m hoping that they’ll at least enjoy the soup. The snowy roads just mean that we’ll deliver this meal early in the day. Traveling in the light is important to us old fogies. Jesus is the light of the world…and we celebrate His love and light in our lives every day.

Happy Birthday, Pastor Kendall Jeske

Revised and reused from February 14, 2024 Banquet With the King blog.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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Banquet With The King

Friday, February 14, 2025

God is Love

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