Put That On My Account

 

Philemon 1:10-20(NKJV)

10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 

11who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

12I am sending him £back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 

13whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 

14But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

15For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 

16no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 

18But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 

19I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 

20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

For those unfamiliar with the story, Onesimus was a slave who ran away from his mater and found his way to serving Paul while Paul imprisoned.  Onesimus converts to Christianity while serving Paul and then Paul writes this letter to Philemon, the owner of Onesimus, who is also a believer.

Paul seems to be saying "Hey he strayed but he is now a believer.  Please pardon him, if for nor other reason than as a favor to me-"put that on my account."

What a great way we could all be a blessing to others if we took that approach in our daily lives.  Just start looking for simple little was to "put that on my account" for others.  Things like paying for someone else's coffee or feeding their parking meter, or seeing a military member having breakfast and secretly paying for their meal.  There are all sorts of fun ways that we could "put that on my account" and be a blessing to others.  Think about what a smile you could put on someone's face with such a simple gesture. 

As a quick aside, one of the things that I have noticed about some of Paul's writings lately is that he likes to use guilt trips.  He sometimes sounds like the stereo typical "little old Jewish mother".  Like in the passages above.

14But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

 Paul says he wants their granting of his request to be voluntary, not compulsory but then he goes on and tries to guilt them into it.

19I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 

Pretty funny.  I hope you all have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Whom He Poured Out On Us Abundantly

Titus 3:4-6(NKJV)

4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 

5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 

6whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 

On Monday I wrote about Rightly Dividing the Truth.  We looked at the role that the Holy Spirit plays in helping us rightly divide the truth and I explained how you receive the Holy Spirit.  How all you have to do is accept Jesus into your life.  Have you done that yet?  If not, why not take a moment and do it right now?

What I want to look at todays is the promise that this verse contains.  As you can see from the highlighted part, God has promised to pour out the Holy Spirit on us in ABUNDANCE. 

a·bun·dance

1. an extremely plentiful or over sufficient quantity or supply: an abundance of grain.

2. overflowing fullness: abundance of the heart.
3. affluence; wealth: the enjoyment of abundance.

4. Physics, Chemistry . the number of atoms of one isotope of an element divided by the total number of atoms in a mixture of the isotopes.

Wow.  That's a lot of Holy Spirit!  What are we supposed to do with it?  Embrace it.  Learn to listen to the Holy Spirit in your everyday life.  Learn to trust the guidance you get from the Holy Spirit.  He is there to lead you to the life of abundance that God has planned for you!

Zealous for Good Works

Titus 2:14(NKJV)

14who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Zealous for good works.  I like the sound of that.  What exactly does zealous mean?

zeal·ous

full of, characterized by, or due to zeal;  ardently active, devoted, or diligent.

Pasted from <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/zealous?s=t>

Here is my take on it.  Zealous means really into it.  Excited about it.  Eager to help, etc. 

So ask yourself a question.  When you are asked to help in ministry in some way, what is your response.  Is it zealous or is it begrudging?  Remember, God loves a cheerful giver and that includes the giving of our time and effort, not just our money.  So the next time you are blessed with an opportunity to serve, be excited about it!

Rightly Dividing the Truth

 

2 Timothy 2:15(NKJV)

15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Rightly dividing the truth sure can be tough.  There are many things in the Bible that are pretty clear cut.  Easy to understand. 

However there is a whole bunch of stuff in the Bible that really takes some study and some guidance to understand.  We study it by being in the Word daily.  Setting aside time in our schedules to read AND REFLECT on the Word of God.  One of the things that really helped me with the REFLECT part was keeping a daily Bible Reading Journal. 

What I do with the journal is put into words what God said to me that day through His scriptures.  In other words, what did it actually mean to me.  I started that in 2006.  I had read the Bible for many years before that but I never took the time to put into words what it meant.  Doing that added a whole new level of understanding to my spiritual life.

So we are in control of the study part but what about the guidance?  Where do we get that? 

You get the guidance through the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is that little voice inside you that drops a new way of seeing things in your mind as you read a scripture that you've read a hundred times.  The Holy Spirit is the one that turns on that light bulb of understanding on a part of scripture that you have been puzzling over for a while. 

How do you get this Holy Spirit for guidance?  By simply asking Jesus Christ to take over and be the Lord of your life.  Just close your eyes and say a little prayer like this.  "Dear Jesus, I want to learn more about you and I want to grow closer to God.  Please take over as the Lord of my life.  Amen". 

That's it. Now stay in the Word daily and be prepared to be amazed at how the Holy Spirit will help you rightly divide the truth!

Fulfill your ministry!

 

2 Timothy 4:5(NKJV)

5But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

That's good advice for preachers and others that work in the church wouldn't you say?  But does that apply to the rest of us?

Folks, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ as I am, then we all have a ministry.  We are told to do the work of an evangelist.  Does that mean God expects each and every one of us to get up and preach a sermon?  Not at all. 

evangelist

1. an occasional preacher, sometimes itinerant and often preaching at meetings in the open air
2. a preacher of the Christian gospel
3. any zealous advocate of a cause
4. another word for revivalist

Pasted from <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/evangelist?s=t>

Take a look at number three.  A zealous advocate for the cause.  I don't think God expects us all to be preachers but I do think He expects us to be a zealous advocate for the cause. 

How do we do that?  By letting the love of Jesus shine through us.  By always giving God the glory and sharing with others exactly how God has changed our lives.  By being excited about Jesus!

When we do that, we fulfill our ministry, just as God intended!

Be an Example!

1 Timothy 4:12-13(NKJV)

12Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, £in spirit, in faith, in purity. 

13Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 

Here is another simple piece of scripture that gives us a clear bit of instruction. 

Be an example to believers!  OK, how do we do that?

We are to set an example in our words, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity.  People need to see Jesus shine through us and by focusing on these six areas we are best able to serve Him.

Let's have a great day setting the example!

Why do we exercise?

1 Timothy 4:8-9(NKJV)

8For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 

9This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 

Why do we exercise?  It helps to keep our bodies fit.  It helps to build discipline.  It makes us feel better and gives us more energy.  There are many reasons.

"but godliness is profitable for all things"

As we seek God daily through prayer and by being in the Word we get many of the benefits of physical exercise and then some as we seek godliness.  The study of God's Word can benefit us in all areas of our life.  It builds discipline, makes us feel better, gives us encouragement,  gives us counsel that will help us in building our faith, building our businesses, and building our personal relationships.

Give it a try and see if it works for you!

For God has not given us a spirit of fear!

 

2 Timothy 1:7(NKJV)

7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

This has got to be one of my very favorite verses.   God has not given us a spirit of fear! 

How do you live your life?  In a spirit of fear or in a spirit of power?  Living one way is Godly and living the other way isn't.  Do you know which is which?

Scripture is pretty clear as far as I am concerned.  If you sit around worrying and paralyzed by fear, STOP IT!!!  God did not intend for any of us to live that way.  God gave us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.  He gave us all the tools we need to live a glorious life for Him, if we will just stand on His promise and use the tools that He gave us.

So why do so many people miss out on this?

2 Timothy 1:12(NKJV)

12For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

I think it comes down to a lack of genuine belief.  It's real easy to say the words, but do you really believe it?  If not, why not?  Have you really tried it God's way?  Have you really tried living in the spirit of power that God has given us?  Or have you only mouthed the words? 

If you really believe it than it is time to start showing it in your actions.  Go live life in the spirit of power and love and a sound mind as God intended!

Guard what was committed to your trust!

1 Timothy 6:20(NKJV)

20O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—

These words just spoke to me today.  Guard what was committed to your trust.   In the verse above Paul is talking to Timothy but it could easily be directed to each of us who has accepted Jesus. 

How is that you say?

I see it like this.  When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we enter into a new and special and personal relationship with God.  We have entered into a trust so to speak.  It is up to us to seek God daily and to nurture that relationship with Him.  He is always there for us but it is always up to us to seek Him. 

So how do we guard that trust so to speak?  By being in the Word daily.  By praying.  By focusing on the vision that God has given us for our lives and striving on a daily basis to fulfill that vision.  By witnessing whenever God affords us the opportunity to do so.

So as we start the day tomorrow, let's all ask ourselves how are we doing in guarding what was committed to our trust; and then act accordingly!

"Till I come..."

Continuing on our theme of simple instructions from God, here is another one from Timothy.

1 Timothy 4:13(NKJV)

13Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 

In this case Paul is giving instructions to Timothy of what he needs to focus on until Paul can travel to join him but I think it offers us a simple plan of action as well.

Notice that it starts with reading.  Be in the Word daily.  That will help you fulfill the next two steps.

Exhortation, meaning to exhort.  But what exactly does the mean? 

ex·hort

1. to urge, advise, or caution earnestly; admonish urgently.
2. to give urgent advice, recommendations, or warnings.

What should we be exhorting about?  The good news of Jesus Christ.  We need to continue to share our faith.  The more we are in the Word reading, the easier it should be to share our faith. 

Doctrine.  Let's again start with a definition so we are all on the same page. 

doc·trine

1. a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government: Catholic doctrines; the Monroe Doctrine.

2. something that is taught; teachings collectively: religious doctrine.
3. a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject: the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

If we are in prayer daily and in the Word daily, we are much less likely to be led astray by false doctrine.  Remember that just yesterday in Timothy we read the following:

1 Timothy 4:1(NKJV)

1Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 

We are warned in advance that we will need to be able to discern between correct and false doctrine.  We do that by reading the Word, praying, and listening to the Holy Spirit.

How do we get the Holy Spirit?  By accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  If you haven't done that yet, why not do it now.  Just say a simple prayer and ask Jesus to come into your life.  You'll be glad you! 

When God Makes It Easy!

As you know, I like things simple.  Now in the Bible, God mixes it up.  Sometimes it is simple and to the point and sometimes He makes us think, we have to depend on the Holy Spirit to discern God's meaning. 

Well today He made it simple for me.

1 Timothy 4:6(NKJV)

6If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 

Couldn't be simpler than that could it?  So what is it that I am supposed to instruct about?  Take a look.

1 Timothy 4:1-5(NKJV)

1Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 

2speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 

3forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 

4For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 

5for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

As I've written before, I don't think we are supposed to know exactly when the end times are coming.  My main basis for this belief is that Scripture tells us that even Jesus doesn’t know the exact time and if Jesus doesn't know then why should we?

However I do believe that the Bible gives us clues so that we can get a general sense if we are getting there.  Today's Scripture gives us another of those clues.  The way I read this, in the end times some in Christianity will start to move back to more of an OT system with more emphasis on the law and less on faith. 

As Paul has written in many of his letters, we gentiles are not bound by the law and never have been.  We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ.  So if we start to see a movement within the Christian Church towards more dependence on the law, I think we will have another piece of the puzzle dropping into place. 

Sometimes I just Shake My Head

As I've written before, there are things in the Bible that I just don't get.  I ran across another one of them today. 

One of the criticisms of Islam is that it is not accepting of other religions at all.  If you are a Christian in a Muslim country you are often persecuted.  If you convert from Islam to another religion you receive a death sentence.  If you are a Christian or another religion and you proselytize in a Muslim country you are risking your life. 

And we call this barbaric and unenlightened.  Imagine my surprise when I ran across this passage in my reading today.

Numbers 25:16-18(NKJV)
¹⁶Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 
¹⁷“Harass the Midianites, and attack them; 
¹⁸for they harassed you with their schemes by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peor.”

Here we have a passage where God tells Moses to harass and attack the Midianites for basically the same thing.  I don't get it.

"For there is one God"

1 Timothy 2:5-6(NKJV)

5For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 

6who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 

This can be a real sticking point for some people.  There are many out there that ask, "but don't we all serve the same God?"  And as I have written before, the answer is no in my opinion. 

The main reason that I believe that is that different religions have different focuses.  Christianity believes that Jesus was God's son and the only way to salvation.  Islam believes the Mohamed was the last great prophet.  If we are all serving one God then that means that God is lying to one of us and I don't believe that is in God's nature.

That's what I like about this verse.  Very simple and to the point.  One God and one path to salvation, Jesus.  Are you on that path yet?  Why not ask Jesus into your life today?

He'll Meet With You Too!

Many of us know the story of how God used Moses to lead the Jews out of Egypt.  Well here's a story of another guy that God met with.

Numbers 23:2-6(NKJV)

2And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 

3Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height. 

4And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”

5Then the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 

6So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

Think about that.  Can you imagine what it must be like to meet with God?  Well guess what.  God is waiting to meet with each and every one of us.  It's a lot different than it was in the old days.  Back in the OT, you had to wait for God to meet with you.  There were only a handful of people in the whole Old Testament that God chose to meet with.  It was God's choice whether it would happen or not.

Today God has given us the choice and control of that issue.  He has made us a promise.  If we accept His son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior then God will meet with each and every one of us through the Holy Spirit.  Have you accepted Jesus yet?  If not, why not?  God is waiting to meet with you!

If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat!

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12(NKJV)

7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 

8nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 

9not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

10For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 

11For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 

12Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

We hear a lot about being compassionate, about social justice and fairness, but look at the verse above.  I think it makes an interesting distinction.  

We are told in scripture to care for the poor and I think that is a good thing to do.  However, what I like about this passage is it makes a distinction between  those who are able to work but won't and those who are truly needy.

"If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat!"

Wow, let someone starve?  That's not very compassionate or Christian!  Isn't it?  This scripture seems to indicate otherwise.  It gives us a clear warning about being taken advantage of by the lazy and shiftless. 

Something to think about!

When?

As I have written in the past, I don't believe that we are to know the exact time that Jesus will return.   Why not?   Because not even Jesus knows the time.  But we are given clues and here is one that I ran across today.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4(NKJV)

1Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 

2not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of £Christ had come. 

3Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of £sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 

4who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits £as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

So here we have a passage that tells us that Jesus will not come until these things happen.  That the anti-Christ is revealed and he is sitting in Jerusalem.  Do you see that yet?  Me neither.

So what should be we be focusing on?  Putting our hand to the plow and focusing on serving God.  The end times will take care of themselves.   In the mean time God has given us work to do so let's get to it!

Taking Vengeance, Wow!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-10(NKJV)

3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 

4so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 

5which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 

6since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 

7and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 

8in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 

10when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who £believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

I've never noticed this before.  Jesus will be taking vengeance on those who do not know God.  He's not just sending them to Hell.  According to this Scripture, the purpose of sending them to hell is to take vengeance on them. 

As I read this I wondered what the exact definition is of vengeance.  Let's take a look:

venge·ance

1. infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person; violent revenge: But have you the right to vengeance?

2. an act or opportunity of inflicting such trouble: to take one's vengeance.

3. the desire for revenge: a man full of vengeance.

4. Obsolete . hurt; injury.

5. Obsolete . curse; imprecation.

Pasted from <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vengeance?s=t>

The infliction of harm on a person, by a person who was originally harmed by the first person.  In this case the harmed "person" is God.  As I've written in the past, it's not a simple live and let live thing for those that reject Jesus.  God doesn't just say "that's OK, whatever you want to believe is OK with me".

When someone rejects Christ, God is harmed, it hurts Him.  It's hard to imagine that we have the power to hurt God, maker of the know universe but that seems to be what this Scripture is saying. 

Now the good news is that whether you have to incur the vengeance of God is totally within your control.  All you have to do is accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.  Just say a little pray and simply ask Jesus to come into your life today.  You'll be glad you did!

Do Not Quench the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22(NKJV)

19Do not quench the Spirit. 

20Do not despise prophecies. 

21Test all things; hold fast what is good. 

22Abstain from every form of evil.

How many of you are comfortable hearing directly from the Holy Spirit?  Does it freak you out, seem odd, or does it seem perfectly natural to you?

One of the biggest blessings that we get when we accept Jesus is that we get the Holy Spirit to guide us.  It's that little voice deep inside us that God uses to speak directly to us. 

If you will listen and take it to heart, in other words don't quench, the Holy Spirit, you will have an incredible resource to draw on for the rest of your life.  Let the Spirit live and flow through you.

1 Thessalonians also gives us a warning here.  As you get more and more comfortable listening to the Holy Spirit, more will be revealed to you, prophecies if you will.  Don't get freaked out by that or don't be fearful of that.    But don't just immediately accept it either.  If you think something is being revealed to you, test it against all the things that you know about God from the Bible.  Also continue to pray about it.  "God, here is what I think you are telling me, am I getting it correct?".

Does what is being revealed to you line up with God's word?  If you continue to get confirmation then run with it, it is good.  God has blessed you with some revelation.  The more you listen to the Holy Spirit, the more that will be revealed! 

A Gift for Service!

Did you ever think of your ability to serve others as a gift from God?

Numbers 18:7(NKJV)

7Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

Aaron was given the priesthood by God, not as a duty but as a gift for serving.  Serving who?  God and others.  When we serve others it allows them to see the love of Jesus shining through us which is part of our service to God.

OK, that is talking about Aaron and the priesthood but what does that have to do with us?

Hebrews 7:14-17(NKJV)

14For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning £priesthood. 

15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 

16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 

17For £He testifies:      “You are a priest forever     According to the order of Melchizedek.” £

Hebrews talks about Jesus being a high priest in the order of Melchizedk.  Well once we accept Jesus we serve in the priesthood with Him.  So we too are offered that gift for service from God.

So the next time you are called to serve, do it with excitement and joy.  It's a gift from God to be called to do that!

Is God's Love Really Unconditional?

I heard a preacher recently say "God's love is unconditional" and I thought to myself, is it?  For some reason that didn't really ring true to me so I decided to take a look at what Scripture had to say on the issue.  Here is the conclusion that I came to.

John 3:16-19(NKJV)

16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

So in the big general sense I believe it is correct to say that God's love is unconditional.  From the standpoint that God sacrificed His own son for the good of all future mankind, that to me demonstrates unconditional love. 

But on the other hand, on an individual basis, no I don't believe God's love is unconditional.  I think Scripture very clearly tells us that.  Now there are many that will say "how can that be, look at I John 4:8."

1 John 4:8(NKJV)

8He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 

There are a lot of people that take that simple verse and extrapolate it to mean that God is so loving that He will always love us know matter what we do.  That God is so loving that He would never really condemn anyone to hell, He loves us too much.

I believe  this is false.  While I agree that God is love, God is also much more than that.  One of the other things that God is, is a Just God.  The whole point of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection was that there was still a blood price that had to be paid for our sins before we could be given eternal life.  That blood price had to be paid to satisfy God's sense of justice. 

Now think about it, if God would subject His only son Jesus, who I think God might love just a little bit more that the rest of us, to pay that price, what makes you think that God loves everyone else so much that He will let them skip out on the whole deal and give them eternal life any way.  That would mean the death of His own son would have been totally in vain.  Does that seem like something a Just God would accept?

Of course not.  Contrary to the God loves everyone unconditionally concept let me share some scriptures with you that tell us that there are people that God actually hates.    

• Psalm 5:5, "The boastful shall not stand before Thine eyes; Thou dost hate all who do iniquity,"

• Psalm 11:5, "The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates."

• Lev. 20:23, "Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I shall drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them."

• Prov. 6:16-19, "There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers."
• Hosea 9:15, "All their evil is at Gilgal; indeed, I came to hate them there! Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house! I will love them no more; All their princes are rebels."

For those that might be inclined to say "yeah but God loves them at the same time" I suggest you re-read Hosea 9:15.

So if on an individual basis God's love is conditional, what is it conditional on?

Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  Take a look at John 3:16-19 again.

John 3:16-19(NKJV)

16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

At the point that you reject God's son Jesus, you have rejected God.  You have chosen to be against God.  Do you really think God loves you after you have just called Him a liar?  Do you really think God loves you after you reject what His son did for you before you were even born?  Read John 17:6-9 and then I'll make another point.

John 17:6-9(NKJV)

6“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 

7Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 

8For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

9“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 

Here we have Jesus speaking and He is telling us who He is praying for and why He is praying for them.  Is Jesus praying for everybody?  No.  Jesus is only praying for those that "have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. " Those that have rejected Jesus are known as the world and Jesus says specifically that He isn't praying for them. 

Here is my question,  if God loved every individual unconditionally, why would He allow Jesus to exclude them from His prayers? 

Now here is the good news.  You get to chose whether you experience God's love or not.  If you deny God then you have turned off the switch to God's love.  But the cool thing is that God let's you control that switch.  You can turn it right back on by admitting to God that you made a mistake in rejecting Jesus.

God will never deny His love to anyone who asks, unless they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit.  Other than that, no matter what you may have done, no matter what sins you may have committed, as long as you believe that Jesus is God's son, that God sent Jesus to pay the price of sin for all mankind, and you ask Jesus into your life, you will experience God's love in ways you could never imagine. 

So what are you waiting for?  Flip that switch.  Experience all of the love that God has to offer.  It's as simple as saying this prayer: "Dear Jesus, I don't really get all of the details, all of the ins and outs yet but the one thing I do get is that you are God's son and you paid the price for my sin.  Please come into my life and lead me, help me to discover God's love.  Thank you so much!  Amen."