March 23, 2024 • 33 mins
In the latest episode of our podcast, Jen delves into the transformative journey of experiencing and living out the love of the Father.
This message was recorded at the Amore Retreat in Malibu, CA, on March 22-24, 2024. Jen was one of the speakers at the retreat. She shared a wonderful message that was well-received by many. We think it’s one of Jen’s best messages and a wonderful memory of her legacy.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Thank you and Lord, I thank you that for a clear
voice tonight and just for youto share through me what you
want everyone to hear, because Iprepare.
I just think it's so cool howwe're learning from each other
just from what happened, and Ireally did really enjoy our
(00:24):
little group too, and I justwant to.
You know, I think we're all indifferent places in receiving
father's love, but I justencourage each one of you that
there's more like, there's morefor me.
And one of the verses that Ikind of meditate on late I I've
adapted Philippians 3, 10.
You know I want.10.
You know I want to know Christ.
(00:45):
I'll say I want to know Christand you Father is my true father
, the power of your resurrection, the fellowship of sharing in
your suffering, because it'songoing, like I want to know you
more, papa.
And so tonight what I felt toshare on and it hasn't changed
(01:07):
is embracing the love of theFather so that we can embrace
loving each other.
And you know I question thatbecause I feel like I'm with
this.
I like to walk around a littleI guess I can't walk too much
this group of really spirituallymature giants here who have
walked with the Lord for yearsand you guys have character, you
(01:29):
have ministries.
I'm like you know, I don't knowif they need to hear that
message.
They're probably loving well,but you know, it's been so
amazing just hearing fromeveryone, the lingering.
You know our true identity, youknow embracing, rest and
contemplation.
(01:50):
And then when Eric shared aboutstress, I thought, ding, like
you know, there is relationalstress and we do need the love
of the Father so that we lovewell and we don't stay stressed.
We don't need that, we need hislove.
(02:11):
And I'm just going to throwthis out for extra.
It's a new verse that I've justreceived in a week, in Psalm
107.20,.
It says he sends his word andheals them.
So I just believe, you know, inphysical, emotional, spiritual
(02:32):
healing, and it's not just inworship, but I like to say that
before we go into worship orit's not just one on one when
some, and it's in teaching aswell, so just ask the Lord, even
as I'm sharing tonight, for anyhealing you need, and it's
going to be, it's coming already, it has been happening this
weekend and it can continue tohappen.
(02:54):
So okay, it's 7.30.
I'm going to start with a versein John 17, 26.
(03:15):
Jesus says I have made youknown to them and will continue
to make you known in order thatthe love you have for me may be
in them and that I myself may bein them.
So here's Jesus describing thelove of the father and he's
saying I have made you known andwill continue to make you known
.
How many of you haveexperienced the love of the
(03:37):
father?
You see, father's love?
How many of us get this verse?
I don't think any of us, right.
I don't think I do completely,because if we did, we wouldn't
have a care in the world, wewouldn't have any anxiety, we
(04:00):
wouldn't have any stress,because he's saying that the
love you have for me, the wayFather's loving Jesus, would be
in them and that Jesus is in us.
And so just ask Father to giveyou more revelation.
That's one of the things I praydaily.
Jesus, make the Father moreknown to me.
(04:22):
We can have the samerelationship with Papa God that
Jesus did.
Do you find that preposterous?
Do you find that a littlesacrilegious?
Like, if I'm being completelyhonest, father's taking me
(04:42):
deeper, that there might havebeen a little twinge of that in
me and just be able to be honestand frank.
He loves us as much as he lovesJesus.
And if you struggle with that,just take it to him.
It's good to struggle for awhile.
It's good to just tell him andbe honest and say I have
problems.
Is this true?
(05:03):
Can I?
Do you really love me the sameway you love Jesus?
Just struggle with it a bituntil he gives you the
revelation.
You know, just don't kind ofput it over there like maybe
some people get this but I don't, and everybody's timeline is
different.
I was saying to someonesometimes I say to the Father
I'm a slow learner.
I think I am.
(05:24):
Sometimes it takes a while toreally get some of this stuff,
you know, and yet he's so goodwhen we're hungry he's going to
give it to us.
There's another verse I'm goingto read.
John 17, 13, in the Passionsays I love this verse.
I pray that they willexperience and enter into my
(05:47):
joyous delight in you, so thatit is fulfilled in them and
overflows.
So just think about thatexperience.
I like to picture it this wayFather's loving Jesus, jesus is
loving the Father, and then youknow, it's like going back and
forth and then there's HolySpirit, beautiful floaty.
(06:09):
You know, if you don't like myword picture, it's okay, you can
make your own, but that's how Ikind of imagine it.
And he's saying you can enterinto that, that love.
That's happening three ways.
And you know, one of theanalogies I heard at an
intercession time and I think Imeditate on this daily is that
(06:31):
you remember, you all remember,the movie Mary Poppins right,
the old movie, and where Maryand Bert well, we've been
talking about Dick Van Dyke, itwas Bert right when they were
doing the chalk drawings, andthen they entered into that,
they went right into the chalkdrawings, they entered into that
(06:52):
reality.
And I kind of like to think,like there is this reality.
We are actually already in it.
Right, he's in us.
But really it kind of helped meto think we can enter into that
, we really can experience that.
And it's until it fills up,fills up, his love fills up,
fills up, almost like there's atipping point, and it flows out
(07:15):
of us to others, fulfilled inthem, and overflows.
And you know, I like to think,you know, in time, all that's
going to be coming out of me islove.
And when Leonard Hayes visitedlast May, he said something that
I've kind of taken.
He said when I get to be alittle old man.
If someone pokes me, all that Iwant to come out of me is love.
(07:36):
And I've been kind of saying tohim you know, papa, when I get
to be a little old lady, ifsomeone pokes me, all that I
want to come out of me is love.
It overflows.
So the love of the Father, it'sso amazing.
Another one is you can just askhim for more revelation
(07:58):
Ephesians 3.18,.
You all know this one that,being rooted and established in
love, you may have the power,together with all the Lord's
people, to grasp how long andhigh is the love of Christ and
to know this love that surpassesknowledge, that you might be
filled to the measure of thefullness.
This isn't just the love ofChrist, this is the love of the
Trinity, this is the love of theFather.
(08:19):
So you can only get it byrevelation.
So you can ask him for more Hispower, his love.
Well, so if we've experiencedGod loving us, he's asking us to
love one another well, and youknow you may think that's easy,
(08:44):
but we all know no matterwhether we're in the marketplace
or in ministry, right there ischallenges because the enemy
doesn't want this.
So I'm going to read you acouple scriptures.
First, john 4 7.
In the passion, those who areloved by God, let his love
continually pour from you to oneanother, because God is love.
(09:07):
Everyone who loves is fatheredby God and experiences the
intimate knowledge of him.
That's the passion.
And then, in 1 John 3.16, youknow this one.
This is how we know what loveis.
Jesus Christ laid down his lifefor us and we ought to lay down
(09:28):
our lives for our brothers andsisters.
That's big.
So how do we love?
How do we love like he loves?
It has to be him and his lovein us.
And I'm just going to give youan illustration.
I heard recently, and I'm justgoing to give you an
illustration.
I heard recently, so it was aman or a carpenter, and you
(09:50):
might have heard this already,and he was asked to cut 100
boards, I think 2x4s to 8 feet.
So the first board he took histape measure, laid it down,
marked the 8 feet and sawed it.
And then the second boardinstead of using his tape
measure, laid it down, markedthe eight feet and sawed it.
And then the second board,instead of using his tape
measure, he took the first board, laid it on the second board,
(10:13):
drew the pencil line and sawedit.
And then he took the thirdboard or the second board, laid
it on the third board, drew thepencil line and sawed it, and so
you can see what's happening.
When he finished cutting thatway, doing that method, the
hundred line and saw it, and soyou can see what's happening.
When he finished cutting thatway, doing that method, the 100
boards, he had some that were 8feet and some that were 9 feet,
and I think this is a goodanalogy or illustration of how
(10:37):
we are to walk this walk withTrinity, with Father God, with
Papa Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
We're not to compare ourselvesto the early church or the
previous generation in thechurch before us or what we've
seen modeled.
We're to go back to theoriginal, what was written in
the scriptures by the prophetsand the apostles.
(10:58):
You know what was laid down,and so I think it's a really
good analogy for us.
I'm going to read you somescriptures.
This is a lot of scripture,okay, so you can even close your
eyes.
I am a teacher, so you're goingto get scripture.
I'm also prophetic, but as Iread these scriptures then you
(11:19):
know them and I'm going to givethem a lot of.
It is the message I'll give you,the NIV as well.
Just put it through the grid ofnot comparing to what you've
seen done or you've seen done inchurch, but to what he's saying
to us Receiving Father's loveand letting the love of the
(11:42):
Father flow through us.
So Ephesiansians 4, 4 to 6 inthis, in the message, we
received this in a as aprophetic word in september in
one of our intercession timesfor our community, and it's just
something that I have beenmeditating on daily.
It's been like a grid or ameasure for me.
If I have felt myself a littleirritated, you know I mean a
(12:04):
grid or a measure for me.
If I have found myself a littleirritated, you know I mean yes,
yes, it does happen to me.
Or, you know, feeling a littlecritical, you know it's just
like.
This verse is like rhema.
So in the message it saysEphesians 4, 4 to 6, you were
called to travel on the sameroad, in the same direction, to
(12:26):
stay together both outwardly andinwardly.
You have one master, one faith.
Does that make you feel unified.
Already, one baptism, one Godand Father of all, who rules
over all, works through all andis present in all.
(12:48):
Everything you are and do andthink is permeated with oneness.
I know it by heart because it'sbecome very life-giving and I
hope you can see it's like ameasure Like whoa, wait a minute
, I'm not feeling like that,father, I need your love.
(13:09):
And then in 1 Thessalonians 3.12, I think you know this one in
the NIV it says May the Lordmake your love increase and
overflow for each other andeveryone else, just as ours does
for you.
So it's the Lord, he's doing it.
But in the message I love thisone it says and may the Master
(13:31):
pour on the love, and may themaster pour on the love so it
fills your lives and splashesover on everyone around you.
Don't you love that picture?
I have a picture of Papa, papaGod, with a big pitcher it's
love or a big watering can, andhe's just pouring it on each of
(13:52):
our lives, like Peggy's life orEric's life.
And he's just pouring it oneach of our lives, like Peggy's
life or Eric's life.
And it's just.
He's just pouring it on thelove and it keeps filling our
bodies and keep filling ourlives until it's so.
We're so full of this love thatit's flowing out and splashing
on to people around us and theyget to experience, father, they
(14:14):
get to experience this love.
Another one I was thinking of,almost like you know, tinkerbell
pixie dust.
It's like flicking a littlepixie dust on everybody, but
it's the love and others aroundus.
(14:38):
Another one that we've beenmeditating on in our community,
or was given to us this fall andinto our consecration week in
January, was Romans 12 10.
You know that one Be devoted toone another in love.
Honor one another aboveyourselves.
Okay, here it is in the message.
Are you ready?
(15:00):
Love from the center of who youare, don't fake it.
Run for dear life from evil.
Hold on for dear life to good.
Practice playing second fiddle.
One really, really gets me,because that one you know, like
(15:20):
if you have any naturalleadership in you or you're an
organized person, like thatdoesn't always come naturally.
Like, and so practice playingsecond fiddle.
It's so easy for us to get ourlives centered around ourselves,
our schedule, what we need toget done, and I have found, you
know, recently maybe trying todo something for somebody else,
(15:43):
and then it becomes all aboutthem and what works for them and
what works for their schedule.
And I've just a coupleinstances and I hope there will
be more.
I've gone.
You know what, it doesn'tmatter.
Practice playing second fiddle.
It's a good word, right?
Because what Jesus is theFather?
Jesus said what the Father said, he practiced playing second
(16:05):
fiddle.
And then, okay, I'm giving youlots of scripture.
Is that okay?
Philippians 2, 2-4,.
You know this one In the NIV ifyou have any encouragement from
being united with Christ, anycomfort from his love, any
fellowship in the spirit, thatmake my joy complete by being
(16:27):
like-minded.
Do nothing out of selfishambition or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility, considerothers above yourselves so his
joy is brought to completenessor fullness when we're loving
each other.
And I don't know about you, butI'm sure this is true of a lot
(16:51):
of you.
I'm starting to want to knowhim more and to understand his
moods.
What gives him pleasure?
Jane's relating and like.
It's.
Not that he's moody, don't getme wrong, god is not moody but
what gives him joy, what giveshim delight?
And so it gives him greatdelight when we're loving each
(17:12):
other well and operating inunity.
Okay, this one's really good Inthe message.
Of course it is a paraphrase,but it gives us understanding
right.
If you've gotten anything atall out of following Christ, if
his love has made any differencein your life, if being in a
(17:33):
community of the Spirit meansanything to you, I'm sure it
means a lot to a lot of us.
If you have a heart, if youcare, then do me a favor, agree
with each other, love each other.
I like this one be deep-spiritedfriends.
Deep-spirited friends Don'tpush your way to the front.
(17:56):
Don't sweet-talk your way tothe top.
Put yourself aside enough tohelp others along.
Don't be obsessed with gettingyour own advantage.
Oh, here it is.
Forget yourselves long enoughto lend a helping hand.
That is Philippians 4, 2 to 4in the message message, and I
(18:17):
love that.
Deep-spirited friends.
That's really speaks, doesn'tit?
And then I hear here's a quotefrom Bill Johnson about, like
don't push your way to the top.
I remember he said once if youget into a position in kingdom
by self-promotion, you're goingto have to work really hard to
(18:39):
keep yourself there byself-promotion, and none of us
really want that right.
Why would we want to strivelike that?
We want it to be him and himflowing through us.
So I love that one.
Forget yourselves long enoughto lend a helping hand.
How many of you have beenhelped by somebody?
(19:01):
Practical, loving ways, like Imean, what a blessing I know I
have In 2019,.
When I had this foot surgery, Iwas housebound for three months.
I couldn't wait there.
I was on a scooter.
I was on a scooter.
I thought I'd get so much done?
I really didn't.
I did a lot of soaking.
It took me a lot of work justto get around my island and push
(19:23):
myself up my second floor toget to bed.
But you know there was peoplewho blessed me, like one of the
ladies in our communityorganized a food train for the
first month.
My sister, who's a nurse aprovince away, took a week off
work.
She has so much mercy.
Came down, made me new mealsout of a recipe book, which I
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never do.
Took me on outings because Icouldn't get out in the car.
Like it was, you know.
And then some young man in ourcommunity took an offering and
bought me a chaise lounge couchso I could sit and read in my
bedroom.
What a blessing I have receivedin that way.
Practical, like forget yourselfenough to lend a helping hand,
(20:08):
and I'm sure, just knowing youguys, you have all done that.
But that's what he's asking ofus.
It's not just the spiritual Imean, we do need to help with
praying for each other and thosethings too and giving a word
but it's like the practical aswell.
So I love this one too.
First, Peter 4, 8 above all,love each other deeply, because
(20:30):
love covers a multitude of sins,and in the message, most of all
love as if your life dependedon it.
Because it does, and you know,you think about it.
Why did he say it that way?
Because it is so important,right?
And I was thinking about that,like, well, if you didn't love
(20:51):
and you let yourself get bitter,your life is going to be
miserable and really your lifedepends on continuing in love,
depends on continuing in love.
So, yeah, so those are thescriptures on love.
(21:13):
Why does he ask us to love likethis?
You know, John 13, 13, 35 saysby this will everyone know you
are my disciples if you love oneanother.
So you know.
Obviously he wants us to be soloving that those outside of the
(21:34):
family of god or of faith findit attractive and and want to
come to know him.
And this, I'm sort of startingto land this verse.
I just read it really in mydaily readings and included it
about a week ago and it reallyhas been impacting me and I
(21:55):
don't know if I have thecomplete revelation, but I'm
going to take a stab at it.
Know if I have the completerevelation, but I'm going to
take a stab at it.
In 1 John 4, 12, it says thisis the one that has.
Oh sorry, I'm reading my notes.
No one has ever seen God.
But if we love one another, Godlives in us and his love is
(22:20):
made complete in us.
So I've been asking like, well,what does that mean?
His love is made complete in us, and I'm not sure I have all
the theological understanding,but I'm just going to take a
stab at it.
Logical understanding, but I'mjust going to take a stab at it
(22:46):
Because it kind of emphasizesthe importance of why he's
asking us to love.
You know, god doesn't reallyneed our help, right?
But okay, he doesn't.
(23:10):
But he chooses to walk with usas sons and daughters and to
work, like to work, co-laborwith us.
He chooses to include us.
It's like a dad, like Eric, wastalking about building the wall
with his sons and, like youknow, maybe Eric could have done
it all himself or maybe hecouldn't have.
Maybe this is a bad analogy,but maybe just take a dad who
wanted to build a stool and youknow he could have just got it
done a lot faster with his sawand hammer and all those things
(23:35):
and nails by himself, but hewanted to include his son
because he wanted a relationshipwith his little boy and to
start maybe mentoring him in askill that maybe he'd have for a
lifetime, but just the timetogether.
And I think that's like PapaGod with us, like there's so
many things he could do on hisown, but he wants to walk with
(23:56):
us as sons and daughters andinclude us.
Like you know, he doesn'treally need us to evangelize and
share our faith.
He could just zap everybody andthey get saved, right.
But he chooses to use us topray for people and to look for
open doors and to love peopleand share.
(24:17):
When he shows us to.
He doesn't really need us toheal anybody, he could just heal
everybody.
He's been loving everybody onthis entire planet and he is
loving them and he's lovedeverybody so well who's ever
lived on this planet.
Like he doesn't really need usbut he chooses to want to walk
(24:37):
with us as sons and daughtersand I'm kind of wondering if
that's the way with love.
His love is made complete in us.
It's like he's already lovingeverybody.
Everybody is totally loved byhim.
We are totally loved by him.
We can't be loved more.
(24:58):
He gives it all to each one ofus, but I'm wondering if it's
brought to complete expressionor fullness, as his love is
poured from us to others.
It's the fullness of theexpression of his love here on
(25:19):
earth which couldn't bemanifested in ways if he
couldn't do it without us.
Like the example of a snowflake.
A snowflake has, like everysnowflake is unique right.
And then Peggy gave the exampleof the cheetah.
Thank you, I know I was goingto say leopard, but I knew it
was cheetah.
(25:39):
I went back and the cheetah has.
Oh, that was so fascinating.
Every cheetah has a uniqueright display of I was going to
say dots but spots.
It's just only God could dothat, right.
And each one of us is a uniqueexpression of him.
(26:00):
There's not one of us, his kids, that are the same, and each
one of us, I believe, manifestsa part of the Father that only
we can manifest.
And I think it's the way withthe love, as his love is poured
through us.
Each of us brings an aspect ora facet of his love that only we
(26:24):
can bring, and so I guess Iwould like to think that this is
how his love is brought tocompleteness, a complete
expression, a fullness ofcompletion as each one of us
lets the love of the Father flowthrough us.
I believe it gives him greatjoy, right, because it's a part
(26:47):
of him, the way we express love,that only we can bring it kind
of hits you doesn't it.
I know it hits me.
It's like, wow, he could do itwithout us.
(27:11):
But he chooses to co-partner,he chooses to include us and
we're his kids, and it givespapa great pleasure when we let
this love flow through us.
So how can we love others?
Well, so it's his love beingpoured through us.
And then there's just onelittle thing, and I'm not going
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to like harbor on this orbelabor this, but sometimes, to
enable his love to flow throughus, we have to do the heart
forgiveness.
If there's someone or some areawe haven't completely forgiven,
that's going to be a block tohis love flowing through us.
So we need to do that.
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Do the heart take the time?
Do the heart take the time?
So in 1 Corinthians 13, 7, itsays Love always protects,
always trusts, always hopes,always perseveres.
And then in 1 Corinthians 14,when it says go after a life of
(28:20):
love, as if your heart dependedon it, or your life depended on
it.
Because it does, and that's inthe message.
So I'm going to end us with a, asong, if that's all right, and
it's Jen Johnson for the one.
And I'm just gonna ask you, asyou just sit and meditate and
(28:45):
reflect and listen, which isthat father love you and and ask
them for more of his love to bepoured in your heart so that
you can love others, but alsotake time.
You know, we just want to keepshort accounts.
If there's anybody that youknow you need to.
You've been feeling this littlebit of irritation.
Does that mean, you know, justtake that time and do the
(29:08):
forgiveness, the heartforgiveness, and maybe you're
going to need more time for that, but let him show you that.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
The one for whom you love and gave yourself for
humanity.
Increase my love.
(29:42):
Help me to love with open arms,like you do, a love that erases
all the lies and sees the truth.
Oh that, when they look in myeyes, they would see you, even
(30:07):
in just a smile, they would feelthe Father's love.
Oh, how you love us.
Smile, they would feel thefather's love.
Oh, how you love us, from thehomeless to the famous, and in
between, you formed us, you madeus carefully, cause in the end,
(30:36):
we're all your children.
So help me to love with openarms, like you do, a love that
erases all the lies and sees thetruth.
Oh, then, when they look in myeyes, they would see you, even
(31:04):
in just a smile, they would feelthe Father's love, would feel
the Father's love.
Let all my life tell of who youare and the wonder of your
(31:26):
never-ending love.
Let all my life tell of who youare.
You're wonderful and such agood father.
Let all my life tell of who youare and the wonder of your
(31:55):
never-ending love.
Let all my life tell us who youare.
You're wonderful and such agood Father.
You are wonderful and such agood Father.
(32:25):
So help me to love with openarms, like you do, a love that
erases all the lies and sees thetruth.
Oh, they would never look in myeyes.
They would see you Even in justa smile.
(32:47):
They would feel the Father'slove.
Thank you and Lord, I thank you that for a clear
voice tonight and just for youto share through me what you
want everyone to hear, because Iprepare.
I just think it's so cool howwe're learning from each other
just from what happened, and Ireally did really enjoy our
(00:24):
little group too, and I justwant to.
You know, I think we're all indifferent places in receiving
father's love, but I justencourage each one of you that
there's more like, there's morefor me.
And one of the verses that Ikind of meditate on late I I've
adapted Philippians 3, 10.
You know I want.10.
You know I want to know Christ.
(00:45):
I'll say I want to know Christand you Father is my true father
, the power of your resurrection, the fellowship of sharing in
your suffering, because it'songoing, like I want to know you
more, papa.
And so tonight what I felt toshare on and it hasn't changed
(01:07):
is embracing the love of theFather so that we can embrace
loving each other.
And you know I question thatbecause I feel like I'm with
this.
I like to walk around a littleI guess I can't walk too much
this group of really spirituallymature giants here who have
walked with the Lord for yearsand you guys have character, you
(01:29):
have ministries.
I'm like you know, I don't knowif they need to hear that
message.
They're probably loving well,but you know, it's been so
amazing just hearing fromeveryone, the lingering.
You know our true identity, youknow embracing, rest and
contemplation.
(01:50):
And then when Eric shared aboutstress, I thought, ding, like
you know, there is relationalstress and we do need the love
of the Father so that we lovewell and we don't stay stressed.
We don't need that, we need hislove.
(02:11):
And I'm just going to throwthis out for extra.
It's a new verse that I've justreceived in a week, in Psalm
107.20,.
It says he sends his word andheals them.
So I just believe, you know, inphysical, emotional, spiritual
(02:32):
healing, and it's not just inworship, but I like to say that
before we go into worship orit's not just one on one when
some, and it's in teaching aswell, so just ask the Lord, even
as I'm sharing tonight, for anyhealing you need, and it's
going to be, it's coming already, it has been happening this
weekend and it can continue tohappen.
(02:54):
So okay, it's 7.30.
I'm going to start with a versein John 17, 26.
(03:15):
Jesus says I have made youknown to them and will continue
to make you known in order thatthe love you have for me may be
in them and that I myself may bein them.
So here's Jesus describing thelove of the father and he's
saying I have made you known andwill continue to make you known
.
How many of you haveexperienced the love of the
(03:37):
father?
You see, father's love?
How many of us get this verse?
I don't think any of us, right.
I don't think I do completely,because if we did, we wouldn't
have a care in the world, wewouldn't have any anxiety, we
(04:00):
wouldn't have any stress,because he's saying that the
love you have for me, the wayFather's loving Jesus, would be
in them and that Jesus is in us.
And so just ask Father to giveyou more revelation.
That's one of the things I praydaily.
Jesus, make the Father moreknown to me.
(04:22):
We can have the samerelationship with Papa God that
Jesus did.
Do you find that preposterous?
Do you find that a littlesacrilegious?
Like, if I'm being completelyhonest, father's taking me
(04:42):
deeper, that there might havebeen a little twinge of that in
me and just be able to be honestand frank.
He loves us as much as he lovesJesus.
And if you struggle with that,just take it to him.
It's good to struggle for awhile.
It's good to just tell him andbe honest and say I have
problems.
Is this true?
(05:03):
Can I?
Do you really love me the sameway you love Jesus?
Just struggle with it a bituntil he gives you the
revelation.
You know, just don't kind ofput it over there like maybe
some people get this but I don't, and everybody's timeline is
different.
I was saying to someonesometimes I say to the Father
I'm a slow learner.
I think I am.
(05:24):
Sometimes it takes a while toreally get some of this stuff,
you know, and yet he's so goodwhen we're hungry he's going to
give it to us.
There's another verse I'm goingto read.
John 17, 13, in the Passionsays I love this verse.
I pray that they willexperience and enter into my
(05:47):
joyous delight in you, so thatit is fulfilled in them and
overflows.
So just think about thatexperience.
I like to picture it this wayFather's loving Jesus, jesus is
loving the Father, and then youknow, it's like going back and
forth and then there's HolySpirit, beautiful floaty.
(06:09):
You know, if you don't like myword picture, it's okay, you can
make your own, but that's how Ikind of imagine it.
And he's saying you can enterinto that, that love.
That's happening three ways.
And you know, one of theanalogies I heard at an
intercession time and I think Imeditate on this daily is that
(06:31):
you remember, you all remember,the movie Mary Poppins right,
the old movie, and where Maryand Bert well, we've been
talking about Dick Van Dyke, itwas Bert right when they were
doing the chalk drawings, andthen they entered into that,
they went right into the chalkdrawings, they entered into that
(06:52):
reality.
And I kind of like to think,like there is this reality.
We are actually already in it.
Right, he's in us.
But really it kind of helped meto think we can enter into that
, we really can experience that.
And it's until it fills up,fills up, his love fills up,
fills up, almost like there's atipping point, and it flows out
(07:15):
of us to others, fulfilled inthem, and overflows.
And you know, I like to think,you know, in time, all that's
going to be coming out of me islove.
And when Leonard Hayes visitedlast May, he said something that
I've kind of taken.
He said when I get to be alittle old man.
If someone pokes me, all that Iwant to come out of me is love.
(07:36):
And I've been kind of saying tohim you know, papa, when I get
to be a little old lady, ifsomeone pokes me, all that I
want to come out of me is love.
It overflows.
So the love of the Father, it'sso amazing.
Another one is you can just askhim for more revelation
(07:58):
Ephesians 3.18,.
You all know this one that,being rooted and established in
love, you may have the power,together with all the Lord's
people, to grasp how long andhigh is the love of Christ and
to know this love that surpassesknowledge, that you might be
filled to the measure of thefullness.
This isn't just the love ofChrist, this is the love of the
Trinity, this is the love of theFather.
(08:19):
So you can only get it byrevelation.
So you can ask him for more Hispower, his love.
Well, so if we've experiencedGod loving us, he's asking us to
love one another well, and youknow you may think that's easy,
(08:44):
but we all know no matterwhether we're in the marketplace
or in ministry, right there ischallenges because the enemy
doesn't want this.
So I'm going to read you acouple scriptures.
First, john 4 7.
In the passion, those who areloved by God, let his love
continually pour from you to oneanother, because God is love.
(09:07):
Everyone who loves is fatheredby God and experiences the
intimate knowledge of him.
That's the passion.
And then, in 1 John 3.16, youknow this one.
This is how we know what loveis.
Jesus Christ laid down his lifefor us and we ought to lay down
(09:28):
our lives for our brothers andsisters.
That's big.
So how do we love?
How do we love like he loves?
It has to be him and his lovein us.
And I'm just going to give youan illustration.
I heard recently, and I'm justgoing to give you an
illustration.
I heard recently, so it was aman or a carpenter, and you
(09:50):
might have heard this already,and he was asked to cut 100
boards, I think 2x4s to 8 feet.
So the first board he took histape measure, laid it down,
marked the 8 feet and sawed it.
And then the second boardinstead of using his tape
measure, laid it down, markedthe eight feet and sawed it.
And then the second board,instead of using his tape
measure, he took the first board, laid it on the second board,
(10:13):
drew the pencil line and sawedit.
And then he took the thirdboard or the second board, laid
it on the third board, drew thepencil line and sawed it, and so
you can see what's happening.
When he finished cutting thatway, doing that method, the
hundred line and saw it, and soyou can see what's happening.
When he finished cutting thatway, doing that method, the 100
boards, he had some that were 8feet and some that were 9 feet,
and I think this is a goodanalogy or illustration of how
(10:37):
we are to walk this walk withTrinity, with Father God, with
Papa Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
We're not to compare ourselvesto the early church or the
previous generation in thechurch before us or what we've
seen modeled.
We're to go back to theoriginal, what was written in
the scriptures by the prophetsand the apostles.
(10:58):
You know what was laid down,and so I think it's a really
good analogy for us.
I'm going to read you somescriptures.
This is a lot of scripture,okay, so you can even close your
eyes.
I am a teacher, so you're goingto get scripture.
I'm also prophetic, but as Iread these scriptures then you
(11:19):
know them and I'm going to givethem a lot of.
It is the message I'll give you,the NIV as well.
Just put it through the grid ofnot comparing to what you've
seen done or you've seen done inchurch, but to what he's saying
to us Receiving Father's loveand letting the love of the
(11:42):
Father flow through us.
So Ephesiansians 4, 4 to 6 inthis, in the message, we
received this in a as aprophetic word in september in
one of our intercession timesfor our community, and it's just
something that I have beenmeditating on daily.
It's been like a grid or ameasure for me.
If I have felt myself a littleirritated, you know I mean a
(12:04):
grid or a measure for me.
If I have found myself a littleirritated, you know I mean yes,
yes, it does happen to me.
Or, you know, feeling a littlecritical, you know it's just
like.
This verse is like rhema.
So in the message it saysEphesians 4, 4 to 6, you were
called to travel on the sameroad, in the same direction, to
(12:26):
stay together both outwardly andinwardly.
You have one master, one faith.
Does that make you feel unified.
Already, one baptism, one Godand Father of all, who rules
over all, works through all andis present in all.
(12:48):
Everything you are and do andthink is permeated with oneness.
I know it by heart because it'sbecome very life-giving and I
hope you can see it's like ameasure Like whoa, wait a minute
, I'm not feeling like that,father, I need your love.
(13:09):
And then in 1 Thessalonians 3.12, I think you know this one in
the NIV it says May the Lordmake your love increase and
overflow for each other andeveryone else, just as ours does
for you.
So it's the Lord, he's doing it.
But in the message I love thisone it says and may the Master
(13:31):
pour on the love, and may themaster pour on the love so it
fills your lives and splashesover on everyone around you.
Don't you love that picture?
I have a picture of Papa, papaGod, with a big pitcher it's
love or a big watering can, andhe's just pouring it on each of
(13:52):
our lives, like Peggy's life orEric's life.
And he's just pouring it oneach of our lives, like Peggy's
life or Eric's life.
And it's just.
He's just pouring it on thelove and it keeps filling our
bodies and keep filling ourlives until it's so.
We're so full of this love thatit's flowing out and splashing
on to people around us and theyget to experience, father, they
(14:14):
get to experience this love.
Another one I was thinking of,almost like you know, tinkerbell
pixie dust.
It's like flicking a littlepixie dust on everybody, but
it's the love and others aroundus.
(14:38):
Another one that we've beenmeditating on in our community,
or was given to us this fall andinto our consecration week in
January, was Romans 12 10.
You know that one Be devoted toone another in love.
Honor one another aboveyourselves.
Okay, here it is in the message.
Are you ready?
(15:00):
Love from the center of who youare, don't fake it.
Run for dear life from evil.
Hold on for dear life to good.
Practice playing second fiddle.
One really, really gets me,because that one you know, like
(15:20):
if you have any naturalleadership in you or you're an
organized person, like thatdoesn't always come naturally.
Like, and so practice playingsecond fiddle.
It's so easy for us to get ourlives centered around ourselves,
our schedule, what we need toget done, and I have found, you
know, recently maybe trying todo something for somebody else,
(15:43):
and then it becomes all aboutthem and what works for them and
what works for their schedule.
And I've just a coupleinstances and I hope there will
be more.
I've gone.
You know what, it doesn'tmatter.
Practice playing second fiddle.
It's a good word, right?
Because what Jesus is theFather?
Jesus said what the Father said, he practiced playing second
(16:05):
fiddle.
And then, okay, I'm giving youlots of scripture.
Is that okay?
Philippians 2, 2-4,.
You know this one In the NIV ifyou have any encouragement from
being united with Christ, anycomfort from his love, any
fellowship in the spirit, thatmake my joy complete by being
(16:27):
like-minded.
Do nothing out of selfishambition or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility, considerothers above yourselves so his
joy is brought to completenessor fullness when we're loving
each other.
And I don't know about you, butI'm sure this is true of a lot
(16:51):
of you.
I'm starting to want to knowhim more and to understand his
moods.
What gives him pleasure?
Jane's relating and like.
It's.
Not that he's moody, don't getme wrong, god is not moody but
what gives him joy, what giveshim delight?
And so it gives him greatdelight when we're loving each
(17:12):
other well and operating inunity.
Okay, this one's really good Inthe message.
Of course it is a paraphrase,but it gives us understanding
right.
If you've gotten anything atall out of following Christ, if
his love has made any differencein your life, if being in a
(17:33):
community of the Spirit meansanything to you, I'm sure it
means a lot to a lot of us.
If you have a heart, if youcare, then do me a favor, agree
with each other, love each other.
I like this one be deep-spiritedfriends.
Deep-spirited friends Don'tpush your way to the front.
(17:56):
Don't sweet-talk your way tothe top.
Put yourself aside enough tohelp others along.
Don't be obsessed with gettingyour own advantage.
Oh, here it is.
Forget yourselves long enoughto lend a helping hand.
That is Philippians 4, 2 to 4in the message message, and I
(18:17):
love that.
Deep-spirited friends.
That's really speaks, doesn'tit?
And then I hear here's a quotefrom Bill Johnson about, like
don't push your way to the top.
I remember he said once if youget into a position in kingdom
by self-promotion, you're goingto have to work really hard to
(18:39):
keep yourself there byself-promotion, and none of us
really want that right.
Why would we want to strivelike that?
We want it to be him and himflowing through us.
So I love that one.
Forget yourselves long enoughto lend a helping hand.
How many of you have beenhelped by somebody?
(19:01):
Practical, loving ways, like Imean, what a blessing I know I
have In 2019,.
When I had this foot surgery, Iwas housebound for three months.
I couldn't wait there.
I was on a scooter.
I was on a scooter.
I thought I'd get so much done?
I really didn't.
I did a lot of soaking.
It took me a lot of work justto get around my island and push
(19:23):
myself up my second floor toget to bed.
But you know there was peoplewho blessed me, like one of the
ladies in our communityorganized a food train for the
first month.
My sister, who's a nurse aprovince away, took a week off
work.
She has so much mercy.
Came down, made me new mealsout of a recipe book, which I
(19:46):
never do.
Took me on outings because Icouldn't get out in the car.
Like it was, you know.
And then some young man in ourcommunity took an offering and
bought me a chaise lounge couchso I could sit and read in my
bedroom.
What a blessing I have receivedin that way.
Practical, like forget yourselfenough to lend a helping hand,
(20:08):
and I'm sure, just knowing youguys, you have all done that.
But that's what he's asking ofus.
It's not just the spiritual Imean, we do need to help with
praying for each other and thosethings too and giving a word
but it's like the practical aswell.
So I love this one too.
First, Peter 4, 8 above all,love each other deeply, because
(20:30):
love covers a multitude of sins,and in the message, most of all
love as if your life dependedon it.
Because it does, and you know,you think about it.
Why did he say it that way?
Because it is so important,right?
And I was thinking about that,like, well, if you didn't love
(20:51):
and you let yourself get bitter,your life is going to be
miserable and really your lifedepends on continuing in love,
depends on continuing in love.
So, yeah, so those are thescriptures on love.
(21:13):
Why does he ask us to love likethis?
You know, John 13, 13, 35 saysby this will everyone know you
are my disciples if you love oneanother.
So you know.
Obviously he wants us to be soloving that those outside of the
(21:34):
family of god or of faith findit attractive and and want to
come to know him.
And this, I'm sort of startingto land this verse.
I just read it really in mydaily readings and included it
about a week ago and it reallyhas been impacting me and I
(21:55):
don't know if I have thecomplete revelation, but I'm
going to take a stab at it.
Know if I have the completerevelation, but I'm going to
take a stab at it.
In 1 John 4, 12, it says thisis the one that has.
Oh sorry, I'm reading my notes.
No one has ever seen God.
But if we love one another, Godlives in us and his love is
(22:20):
made complete in us.
So I've been asking like, well,what does that mean?
His love is made complete in us, and I'm not sure I have all
the theological understanding,but I'm just going to take a
stab at it.
Logical understanding, but I'mjust going to take a stab at it
(22:46):
Because it kind of emphasizesthe importance of why he's
asking us to love.
You know, god doesn't reallyneed our help, right?
But okay, he doesn't.
(23:10):
But he chooses to walk with usas sons and daughters and to
work, like to work, co-laborwith us.
He chooses to include us.
It's like a dad, like Eric, wastalking about building the wall
with his sons and, like youknow, maybe Eric could have done
it all himself or maybe hecouldn't have.
Maybe this is a bad analogy,but maybe just take a dad who
wanted to build a stool and youknow he could have just got it
done a lot faster with his sawand hammer and all those things
(23:35):
and nails by himself, but hewanted to include his son
because he wanted a relationshipwith his little boy and to
start maybe mentoring him in askill that maybe he'd have for a
lifetime, but just the timetogether.
And I think that's like PapaGod with us, like there's so
many things he could do on hisown, but he wants to walk with
(23:56):
us as sons and daughters andinclude us.
Like you know, he doesn'treally need us to evangelize and
share our faith.
He could just zap everybody andthey get saved, right.
But he chooses to use us topray for people and to look for
open doors and to love peopleand share.
(24:17):
When he shows us to.
He doesn't really need us toheal anybody, he could just heal
everybody.
He's been loving everybody onthis entire planet and he is
loving them and he's lovedeverybody so well who's ever
lived on this planet.
Like he doesn't really need usbut he chooses to want to walk
(24:37):
with us as sons and daughtersand I'm kind of wondering if
that's the way with love.
His love is made complete in us.
It's like he's already lovingeverybody.
Everybody is totally loved byhim.
We are totally loved by him.
We can't be loved more.
(24:58):
He gives it all to each one ofus, but I'm wondering if it's
brought to complete expressionor fullness, as his love is
poured from us to others.
It's the fullness of theexpression of his love here on
(25:19):
earth which couldn't bemanifested in ways if he
couldn't do it without us.
Like the example of a snowflake.
A snowflake has, like everysnowflake is unique right.
And then Peggy gave the exampleof the cheetah.
Thank you, I know I was goingto say leopard, but I knew it
was cheetah.
(25:39):
I went back and the cheetah has.
Oh, that was so fascinating.
Every cheetah has a uniqueright display of I was going to
say dots but spots.
It's just only God could dothat, right.
And each one of us is a uniqueexpression of him.
(26:00):
There's not one of us, his kids, that are the same, and each
one of us, I believe, manifestsa part of the Father that only
we can manifest.
And I think it's the way withthe love, as his love is poured
through us.
Each of us brings an aspect ora facet of his love that only we
(26:24):
can bring, and so I guess Iwould like to think that this is
how his love is brought tocompleteness, a complete
expression, a fullness ofcompletion as each one of us
lets the love of the Father flowthrough us.
I believe it gives him greatjoy, right, because it's a part
(26:47):
of him, the way we express love,that only we can bring it kind
of hits you doesn't it.
I know it hits me.
It's like, wow, he could do itwithout us.
(27:11):
But he chooses to co-partner,he chooses to include us and
we're his kids, and it givespapa great pleasure when we let
this love flow through us.
So how can we love others?
Well, so it's his love beingpoured through us.
And then there's just onelittle thing, and I'm not going
(27:35):
to like harbor on this orbelabor this, but sometimes, to
enable his love to flow throughus, we have to do the heart
forgiveness.
If there's someone or some areawe haven't completely forgiven,
that's going to be a block tohis love flowing through us.
So we need to do that.
(27:55):
Do the heart take the time?
Do the heart take the time?
So in 1 Corinthians 13, 7, itsays Love always protects,
always trusts, always hopes,always perseveres.
And then in 1 Corinthians 14,when it says go after a life of
(28:20):
love, as if your heart dependedon it, or your life depended on
it.
Because it does, and that's inthe message.
So I'm going to end us with a, asong, if that's all right, and
it's Jen Johnson for the one.
And I'm just gonna ask you, asyou just sit and meditate and
(28:45):
reflect and listen, which isthat father love you and and ask
them for more of his love to bepoured in your heart so that
you can love others, but alsotake time.
You know, we just want to keepshort accounts.
If there's anybody that youknow you need to.
You've been feeling this littlebit of irritation.
Does that mean, you know, justtake that time and do the
(29:08):
forgiveness, the heartforgiveness, and maybe you're
going to need more time for that, but let him show you that.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
The one for whom you love and gave yourself for
humanity.
Increase my love.
(29:42):
Help me to love with open arms,like you do, a love that erases
all the lies and sees the truth.
Oh that, when they look in myeyes, they would see you, even
(30:07):
in just a smile, they would feelthe Father's love.
Oh, how you love us.
Smile, they would feel thefather's love.
Oh, how you love us, from thehomeless to the famous, and in
between, you formed us, you madeus carefully, cause in the end,
(30:36):
we're all your children.
So help me to love with openarms, like you do, a love that
erases all the lies and sees thetruth.
Oh, then, when they look in myeyes, they would see you, even
(31:04):
in just a smile, they would feelthe Father's love, would feel
the Father's love.
Let all my life tell of who youare and the wonder of your
(31:26):
never-ending love.
Let all my life tell of who youare.
You're wonderful and such agood father.
Let all my life tell of who youare and the wonder of your
(31:55):
never-ending love.
Let all my life tell us who youare.
You're wonderful and such agood Father.
You are wonderful and such agood Father.
(32:25):
So help me to love with openarms, like you do, a love that
erases all the lies and sees thetruth.
Oh, they would never look in myeyes.
They would see you Even in justa smile.
(32:47):
They would feel the Father'slove.
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