Jesus Loves Me Anyway

Why does God love you?
Why does God love me?
Why does God love anybody?

Deuteronomy 7:7-8
It was not because you were greater than all other people that the Lord loved and chose you. In fact, you were the smallest of peoples! No, it is because the Lord loved you and because He kept the solemn pledge He swore to your ancestors that the Lord brought you out with a strong hand and saved you from the house of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh, Egypt’s king.

God loves you.
God loves me.
God loves all people.

He loves us because He is grace!

2 Corinthians 8:9
You know our Lord Jesus Christ treated us with undeserved grace by giving up all His riches, so you could become rich.

So there is nothing you can do to get God to love you.
There is nothing you can do to earn God’s love.
There is nothing you can do to be good enough for God to love you.

Grace is the truth that God loves you because He wants to love you.

You have to connect with God’s grace.

Romans 5:6-10
When we were unable to help ourselves, at the right time, Christ died for us, although we were living against God. Very few people will die to save the life of someone else. Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die. But God shows His great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger, because we have been made right with God by the blood of Christ’s death. While we were God’s enemies, He made us His friends through the death of His Son. Surely, now that we are His friends, He will save us through His Son’s life.

You have to understand you are helpless to be acceptable to God in your own goodness.
You have to understand that it is all based on Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection.
You need to surrender. Surrendering means to stop trying and start trusting and obeying.

You have to trust in the power and plan of God’s grace.

The Power:

Romans 2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

It is not through force.
It is not through fear.
It is through God’s kindness and goodness.

The Plan:

Romans 3:21-25a
But God has a way to make people right with Him without the law, and He has now shown us that way which the law and the prophets told us about. God makes people right with Himself through their faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because all people are the same: Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard, and all need to be made right with God by His grace, which is a free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ. God sent Him to die in our place to take away our sins. We receive forgiveness through faith in the blood of Jesus’ death.

Grace is accepted by faith.
Grace is available to all.
Grace leads to a removing of sin.
Grace is freely given.
Grace brings forgiveness and salvation.

The grace of God brings comfort from God. It provides what we really need.

Romans 5:1-5
Since we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace with God. This happened through our Lord Jesus Christ, who through our faith has brought us into that blessing of God’s grace that we now enjoy. And we are happy because of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory. We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out His love to fill our hearts. He gave us His love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.

This comfort shows itself in peace.
This comfort shows itself in privilege.
This comfort shows itself in endurance.
This comfort shows itself in hope.
This comfort shows itself in love.

Grace is God’s promise that as His children He will relate to us by doing what is best for us.

Romans 8:28
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God - those whom He has called according to His plan.

The reality of God’s grace is that we experience it in everyday living.

Philippians 2:12-13
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.

Grace is given when we humble ourselves under God’s authority.

1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, then under God’s mighty hand, so that He will lift you up in His own good time. Leave all your worries with Him, because He cares for you.

Sidewalk Prophets have a song called You Love Me Anyway.

The fourth verse says:
I am the thorn in Your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas’ kiss
But You love me anyway
And the chorus says:
But You love me anyway
It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known
You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me
How You love me

I have five people in my life who love me unconditionally. I am thankful for them. There are two of them who have known and loved me unconditionally for 30 to 40 years and every time I reflect on their love for me it is amazing.

But there is One who knows everything about me. He knows every evil action I have ever done. He knows every wicked thought I have ever had. He knows every ugly and perverted thing I have ever desired.

AND HE LOVES ME ANYWAY!

His name is Jesus and He is beyond amazing.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about experiencing Jesus’ grace
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about experiencing Jesus’ mercy.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about experiencing Jesus’ love.

The absolutely only way to experience His grace, mercy, and love is to humbly surrender your life to Jesus as your Master.

With My Gracious Master Raising The Roof and Removing The Walls
Joe