{"id":5706,"date":"2015-02-03T22:25:51","date_gmt":"2015-02-04T02:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=5706"},"modified":"2015-03-10T12:21:57","modified_gmt":"2015-03-10T16:21:57","slug":"jesus-loves-you-is-the-feeling-mutual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=5706","title":{"rendered":"Jesus Loves You- Is the Feeling Mutual?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><em>The following message was posted on our signboard as we begin to prepare for the upcoming Valentine&#8217;s Day holiday:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\">JESUS LOVES YOU!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\">IS THE FEELING MUTUAL?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Jesus Loves You&#8230;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Chapel-Cross-Bible-_1102040852.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-4455\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Chapel-Cross-Bible-_1102040852.jpg\" alt=\"Chapel Cross-Bible _1102040852\" width=\"107\" height=\"137\" \/><\/a> Jesus loves you&#8230; we hear that so many times that it begins to sound kind of cliche, or trite.\u00a0 Jesus- the Son of God- loves&#8230; ME?\u00a0 Really???<\/p>\n<p>The familiar Sunday School song says, &#8220;Jesus loves me, this I know.\u00a0 For the Bible tells me so.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>How does the Bible tells us that Jesus loves us?\u00a0 Here are a few places&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-container et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_top_tabs'>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t1\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t2\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t3\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t4\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t5\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t6\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t7\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Hosea+14%3A1-4&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Hosea 14:4<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I will heal their waywardness and love them freely,\nfor my anger has turned away from them. &#8221; NIV<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Now this is the LORD God Jehovah speaking about the Hebrews in the Old Testament, but in John 10:30 Jesus said, &#8220;I and the Father are One.&#8221;\u00a0 Love is at the core of the fundamental nature of God and of Jesus.<\/span><\/em>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John+15%3A1-9&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">John 15:9<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you&#8230;&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John+11%3A1-36&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">John 11:33-36<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.\u00a0 &#8220;Where have you laid him?&#8221; he asked.\u00a0 &#8220;Come and see, Lord,&#8221; they replied.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus wept.<\/p>\n<p>Then the Jews said, &#8220;See how he loved him!&#8221;\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matt+23%3A29-37&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Matt 23:37<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+John+4%3A7-10&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">1 John 4:9-10<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.\u00a0 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.\u00a0\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=1+John+3%3A1-3&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">1 John 3:1<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Mark+10%3A14-16&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Mark 10:14-16<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. \u00a0 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.&#8221;\u00a0 \u00a0 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.\nNIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .et-tabs-container -->\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Is the Feeling Mutual?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We humans have a hard time loving someone if they don&#8217;t love us back.\u00a0 Of course with God (or Jesus- His divine Son), His love doesn&#8217;t depend on our love.\u00a0 But how do we make the &#8220;feeling mutual&#8221;?\u00a0 Or, how does the Holy Spirit guide us to respond to God&#8217;s unconditional love?\u00a0 Here are some ideas&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-container et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_top_tabs'>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t1\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t2\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t3\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t4\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t5\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t6\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\t7\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Micah+6%3A1-8&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Micah 6:8<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 He has showed you, O man, what is good.\u00a0 And what does the Lord require of you?\nTo act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.\nNIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matt+5%3A43-45&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Matt 5:43-45<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;You have heard that it was said, &#8216;Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.&#8217;\u00a0 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,\u00a0 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.&#8221;\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Mark+12%3A28-31&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Mark 12:28-31<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, &#8220;Of all the commandments, which is the most important?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The most important one,&#8221; answered Jesus, &#8220;is this: &#8216;Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.\u00a0\u00a0 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.&#8217;\u00a0\u00a0 The second is this: &#8216;Love your neighbor as yourself.&#8217; There is no commandment greater than these.&#8221;\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John+14%3A15-24&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">John 14:23-24<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. \u00a0 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.\nNIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Ephesians+5%3A1-2&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Ephesians 5:1-2<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.\nNIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John+21%3A1-15&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">John 21:15<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, &#8220;Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?&#8221;\n&#8220;Yes, Lord,&#8221; he said, &#8220;you know that I love you.&#8221;\nJesus said, &#8220;Feed my lambs.&#8221;\u00a0 NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matt+25%3A30-46+&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Matt 25:40<\/a><\/span>\u00a0 &#8220;The King will reply, &#8216;I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.&#8217; NIV\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .et-tabs-container -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Seaville-Outdoor-Chapel-Cross-_0906041024.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-4457\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Seaville-Outdoor-Chapel-Cross-_0906041024-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Seaville Outdoor Chapel Cross _0906041024\" width=\"156\" height=\"219\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Seaville-Outdoor-Chapel-Cross-_0906041024-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Seaville-Outdoor-Chapel-Cross-_0906041024.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 156px) 100vw, 156px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We have all heard over and over that &#8220;God is Love.&#8221;\u00a0 Even when we&#8217;re going through the storms of life and we doubt (see <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=mark+4%3A35-41&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Mark 4:40<\/a><\/span>), God&#8217;s character doesn&#8217;t change. God loves us (take a look at <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm+22&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Psalm 22<\/a><\/span> or <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Isaiah+53&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Isaiah 53<\/a><\/span>!) and He wants us to love Him back.\u00a0 He wants us to put away our sin and selfishness and replace them with a piece of His awesome love.\u00a0 We love Jesus by loving others.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080; font-size: 14pt;\">Jesus Loves you&#8230; is the feeling mutual???<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following message was posted on our signboard as we begin to prepare for the upcoming Valentine&#8217;s Day holiday: JESUS LOVES YOU! IS THE FEELING MUTUAL? Jesus Loves You&#8230; Jesus loves you&#8230; we hear that so many times that it begins to sound kind of cliche, or trite.\u00a0 Jesus- the Son of God- loves&#8230; ME?\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[148,91],"class_list":["post-5706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-signboard","tag-godslove","tag-love"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5706"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5725,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5706\/revisions\/5725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}