{"id":21493,"date":"2022-04-27T23:14:54","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T06:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/gospel-express\/2022-iknow-copy\/"},"modified":"2022-04-27T23:22:41","modified_gmt":"2022-04-28T06:22:41","slug":"2022-lavisheslove","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/gospel-express\/2022-lavisheslove\/","title":{"rendered":"He Lavishes Us with Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

He Lavishes Us with Love<\/h1>\n

It was supposed to have been a day of dreams coming true.\u00a0But across town, Jack Autry was in a hospital, struggling to stay alive.<\/p>\n

Chrysalis and the women in her family found the perfect bridal gown in Amy Wells\u2019 shop.\u00a0One Jack might never see.\u00a0Because of his cancer, he couldn\u2019t come to see his daughter try on her dress. And because of medical bills, the family couldn\u2019t buy the dress yet for him to see.<\/p>\n

Amy, the bridal store owner, said, \u201cGod clearly spoke to me.\u201d\u00a0And she turned to Chrysalis and said, \u201cTake the gown and veil right now to the hospital and wear it for your daddy.\u201d\u00a0Jack couldn\u2019t believe how beautiful Chrysalis looked.\u00a0Three days later Jack died.<\/p>\n

Amy\u2019s generosity created a moment of cascading grace. Isn\u2019t this how God works?\u00a0He doesn\u2019t just love us; he\u00a0lavishes\u00a0<\/em>us with love (1 John 3:1). His grace is \u201cexceedingly abundant\u201d (1 Timothy 1:14),\u00a0\u201cindescribable\u201d (2 Corinthians 9:15).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Provision of Grace<\/h1>\n

\u201c\u2019Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.\u201d When penned this promise, he did so out of personal experience. His greatest test came the day he buried his wife, Mary. He\u2019d loved her and prayed his death would precede hers. But his prayer was not answered.<\/p>\n

Yet, on the day Mary Newton died, John Newton found strength to preach a Sunday sermon.\u00a0The next day he visited church members. Later he officiated at his wife\u2019s funeral. He grieved, but in his grief he found God\u2019s provision.\u00a0He later wrote, \u201cThe Bank of England is too poor to compensate for such a loss as mine. But the Lord, the all-sufficient God speaks, and it is done.\u00a0Let those who know Him, and trust Him, be of good courage.\u201d<\/p>\n

My friend, disease, calamity, and trouble populate your world.\u00a0But they do not control it.\u00a0Grace does.<\/p>\n

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