Audio Messages:
Pastor Wade Burleson

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God's Everlasting Love for His People

Genesis88.mp3 (14.5 MB)

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Genesis 25:19-23 (KJV)

19. And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:
20. And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
21. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
23. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

10. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

"The children not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls; it was said . . . Jacob have I loved" (Romans 9:11-13). In "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Jonathan Edwards says:

"O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in. God holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire. The God that holds you over the pit abhors you. His wrath towards you burns like fire. You are abominable in His eyes. Let everyone that is out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell now hearken unto the loud call of God's Word."

1. God's love predates my physical birth -- "the children not yet born".
   Therefore it matters not your lot in life or your temporal riches. Your skin color, your parents (or lack thereof), your handicaps or your background -- He loved you before you were born. In fact, His love for you is the reason your background is what it is.
2. God's love precedes my good works -- "neither having done any good or evil".
   It is not what you have done that has caused God to love you. His love for you is without conditions. "God loved us when there was nothing good to be seen in us and nothing good to be said for us." John Blanchard. This love is without conditions. Since His love precedes my good works, it is not sustained by or affected by them.
3. God's love provides my deliverance -- "that the purpose of God might stand".
   
   1. This love compelled God to send Jesus Christ, His Son, for us (John 3:16).
   2. This love compels God to give me every single grace I need (Romans 8:32).
      Faith, repentance, good works, and all the gifts are graces of God's love.
   3. This love is an eternal love for the people He has chosen (Ephesians 1:4).
4. God's love points me to His provision -- "but of Him who calls".
   "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee" (Jeremiah 31:3). "We love Him because He FIRST loved us" (I John 4:19). But I would never love Him if He did not love me first! You can't think, "If I don't love Him, it's His fault because He did not love me." The primary command is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and body. The absence of love for God in your heart is a matter of law and condemnation. The presence of love for God in your heart is a matter of grace and commendation.
5. God's love prepares me for glory -- " (you) have I loved, says the Lord".
   "Rather than find fault with God for his altogether righteous dealings with hell-deserving sinners, let us adore him for his eternal, gracious, saving love of others of us just as deserving of damnation" R.B. Kuiper. "For the love of Christ constrains us" (II Corinthians 5:14).

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