HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN JESUS…

…looked inside of my heart and saw what was absolutely abhorrent to His pure soul, my sin nature which was dead in trespasses and sins (Eph.2:1) - DEAD! DEAD! DEAD? These dead things were spiritually decaying and putrid smelling! Only God could handle that repugnant, eternal stench. Jesus saw all of my filthy deadness in the cup He was offered by His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane and wept. He willingly took that horrifying cup drank it up fully.

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN HE…
…saw my sin nature and said I will be judged and punished for this cesspool? This polluted ocean was filled with things lurking to be fulfilled even though I had not acted on all of them? He saw all of the following swirling around in my heart tempting me, waiting for me to say “yes” to: negative thoughts and desires, critical spirit, unforgiveness, disobedience, hypocrisy, gossip, cursing, strife, slander, bitterness, intolerance, unbelief, resentment, sexual impurity, vanity, uncaring, pouting, manipulation, faultfinding, judging, spite, selfishness, addictions, stubbornness, immorality, malice, coldness and so much more(Rom.2:28-32)!   BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE   THE FATHER HAS BESTOWED ON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD! 1John 3:1

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN HE…
…actually became my sin and my curse (Gal.3:13; 2Cor.5:21)? Jesus not only took the above cesspool but BECAME IT!  He felt inside of Him all that was in that cesspool!  Dear God, that overwhelms my heart that on the cross You were completely flooded by what You hated. Your Word declares that You DESPISED THE SHAME of the cross (Heb.12:2)!
The old hymn says it all, THE LOVE OF GOD IS GREATER FAR THAN TONGUE OR PEN CAN EVER TELL…!

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN HE…
…was blamed for what I was and had done? Jesus, was punished for the guilty me in His spirit, soul as well as His body as if HE WAS THE GUILTY ONE! He said, “…I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE...” (Jer.31:3)

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN HE…
…said, "My God, my God why have You forsaken Me?" …knowing that the judgment for all those who die not desiring or accepting His sacrifice would be separated from Him forever. They would be made to repeat their own words, "I DID IT MY WAY!" "I didn’t need You or Your sacrifice."  The words came back from Jesus, "IT WAS NOT ENOUGH!"  Jesus was totally forsaken so that I would not be forever forsaken in a place where God does not exist. “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.” 1John 4:10

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN HE…
…made the offer of His salvation a completely free gift to me so He alone would receive all the glory (Rom.6:23; Eph.2:8,9)? “BUT WHEN THE KINDNESS AND THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR TOWARD MAN APPEARED, NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY HE SAVED US…” Titus  3:4,5

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN HE…
…lives to watch over me (Heb.7:25)? He loves me so much that He came to live inside of me and will never leave me (Gal.2:20; Deut.31:6,8). He actually feels all the pain that I will go through because He lives in me (Isa.63:9). He gives meaning to the troubles I will go through (2Cor.1:3-5) so that I can help others. He gives His promise to limit the temptations (1Cor.10:13). “WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.”1John 4:19

HOW CAN I NOT LOVE AND OBEY HIM WHEN HE…
…loves me so much that He will discipline me in the right way to live which will give me peace (Phil.4:6,7; Heb.12:6)? He experienced everything I would go through to sympathize and be deeply touched in all my weaknesses (Heb.4:14,15).  “AND WALK IN LOVE, JUST AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED YOU, AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US…” Eph.5:2