From last week:

What is it worth to you? Do you want to learn the love of God? Press in, sacrifice, give, expecting nothing in return. Give, give, and when you’re tired and weary—give some more. His grace will be there to carry you. You’ll never learn Christ until you put yourself in a situation where you have to know Him; you’ll never learn Jesus in an easy chair.

Paul said, “To Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.” He just ends this beautiful exhortation with those words. Why? As he’s pinning, Paul remembers who He is and what He does in the human soul. He remembers the One He loves and all that He has done for him. What God is like comes rushing to the forefront of his thoughts and it so elevates his soul in the love of God, he cannot help but finish it by saying: To Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.

The love of God is to be highly prized. Love is the most precious thing given to a human being and may I say this once: given love can never be taken from you. You alone must be willing to yield it up. You alone must make the decision you’re not going to love anymore. Love cannot be taken from you - no matter what kind of suffering is involved it is the decision of our will to retain love or yield it up.

Romans 8: 31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]

Remember, Paul wrote this book. How many suffered what he suffered in his lifetime? That’s the part we miss. We are more than conquers because Christ loved us. We gained a surpassing victory through Him, Who loved us. My dear friends, regardless of where you’ve been, where you are, where you’ve come from, or where you’re going, you cannot look at your life and, in all honesty, doubt the love of the One, Who gave His life for you. His love is a Pillar! His love is there whether you’re suffering or not, whether everything is going right or absolutely nothing is going right, whether everyone understand or no one understands. Christ remains with you, and His love is with you no matter how deep the suffering may go. He loves you, and you are precious in His sight. Don’t ever forget; you’re not just anyone, you are the one. He gave His blood; He suffered the cross for you. You are not just anyone; if you are suffering, He’s suffering with you. If you feel pain, He’s feeling it with you, and He has a plan and a purpose. Don’t foil the mix by rejecting Christ in your suffering. Endure, knowing that love is not only carrying you, love will also bring you through.

Through Christ, you are more than a conquer. God called you to this path. Why? To give Him glory - to bring Him glory. What an honor! You were selected to bring Him glory in the midst of trouble, and you will bring Him glory as He brings you out of the trouble. He calls you; you are precious in His sight! Love is calling! Love is supplying! Love is enduring, and love will bring you through to the victory if you do not quit! That is why Love is a Pillar of God!

When, through great tears of love, He spoke to me about why He allowed my child to suffer as she did, I knew I would go through it all again. When you mature in the love of Christ, you will no longer count your life according to your sufferings, but rather, according to the glory that you were allowed the privilege to bring to your Lord.

The angels stand in awe of the Church. They know that they have never known the suffering that a Christian knows in this iron furnace called earth. Still, through all the suffering, we choose Christ. The angels love the people of God because we’re willing to endure for Him. The devil wants to tell you that there’s something wrong with you, that you’re no good and of no value but when you suffer, it is just the opposite. Take His hand, receive His grace, and let the beauty of the nail-pierced hand be poured out in your life. Seek to know Him. Ask Him to make you into His image through your suffering; this is His goodness personified. He is love - He is the Pillar of Love.

I was on the phone with a pastor who was pleading with me to return to his church. I said: "I can’t right now. I don’t know if I ever can. Your city rejected the prophetic ministry, so there’s a day when He’s not going to permit any prophets set foot in that soil. He said, “You’re just hurt because they didn’t understand the last message you preached.” I replied, “It has nothing to with that. I love your city I would move there in a minute if the Lord would allow.”

While he and I were in the midst of this conversation, the Lord took me up, and I found myself sitting on the Father's lap. He wrapped His arms around me and said to me, “I allowed you to experience the scriptures right here in Corinthians where Christ did not please Himself. He gave no thought to His own interests, but as it is written 'the reproaches and abuses of those who reproached and abused you, fell upon Me.'” He said, “at that moment the scripture was fulfilled in your life, Nita.” His arms were wrapped around me; I felt so protected, and all the love of His great heart was going into my soul. He said “I chose you to bear the reproaches with which they reproached Me; Nita, it is an awesome privilege to bear My reproaches. I don’t give this privilege to very many.” I said, “Why?” He said, "because it takes great grace to endure, and you have to walk very close to Me to bear that kind of grace."

Brothers and Sister, the devil wants you to think you’re not of value, but when, you bear the reproaches of Christ, you are proving your highest value. It is an awesome privilege to suffer for Him. Don’t forget; God is love, and He is wise in all of His ways.

[Prayer]

Father, we don’t understand Your ways. Your ways are higher than our ways. How great is Your mercy. How great is Your goodness, Lord? How great is Your grace, Lord? How powerful You are, how majestic You are Lord. I love You so much! The lessons of this life are not always easy Lord that’s why you told us to pick up our cross and follow You. How many times we lay those crosses down not understanding that it is love You are placing within us, a much greater way of glory through the suffering we endure. We are storing up glory for the other side. When we suffer as a Christian, it is like opening a closet and shoveling in the gold to be stored, only to be opened when we come home to be with You and You say to us, “I was storing up for you a greater weight of glory because you endured for Me. You did it for Me. Now come in and receive your reward; see what great things I have for you because you endured for Me."

There is none like You, Lord. We don’t understand Your wisdom, but we’re learning, and only want to understand more. You are goodness through and through, Lord. No matter what we’ve endured, no matter what we will endure, you are good, and love has called us to endure. May we honor your trust. May we honor your faith in us Lord. Tonight, I want you to stand, lift your hands to Him, and open your hearts.

Jesus, I cannot impart the glory of this truth in their hearts. Nor can I impart the love that has to come only from You. But, You told me You wanted to give each person a measure of love; as they embrace what You had to say, they would be given a new measure of love. Let it be now, Lord, let the measure be granted now to each person, Lord, according to their capacity, and according to their need. Lord, to walk in that love, to know that love, is the most glorious thing in the world—there is nothing like learning the lessons of life, and then to stand before Your face and have You say, “Well done, now good and faithful servant, you have learned love.” Lord, deposit it in their hearts. Let them feel the love; feel how special they are to You; how special their life is to you; how important it is to You, Lord. Great is the faithfulness of the Lord our God and great is Your mercy. Great is Your love.

[End of Prayer]

In His Amazing Love,
Nita Johnson