What’s Real Love?
God’s Love, the Evidence of Salvation
God IS love. Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God IS love (1 Jn 4:7b,8).
As we get to know Him better, His love also grows in our hearts.
Then, what is God’s love like?
It is a love that gives what is most precious even to the undeserved without reservation, without expecting anything in return, and without fear.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:12-14
The Lord loves EACH of us so very much. We cannot even fathom. We cannot even comprehend, just how much, just how deep, just how wide the Lord loves us. His love for us IS unconditional.
*No matter what we do, no matter what we say, no matter who we are, no matter what the color of our skin, no matter what language we speak He loves us no matter what.
*God commands us that we love Him & our neighbors but if you don’t love yourself you can’t love others!!!!
*Jesus personally demonstrated this Agape love by laying down His own life for US ALL! Not Some, But ALL of US!
* When you are willing to die for others you have no problem giving everything else you have.
*Luke 5:31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
So, how can we possibly love others this way when there is no Real love in us? ****Humanly, it’s impossible, but with God everything is possible. (Mt 19:26)
** The Holy Spirit living in us pours God’s love in our hearts (Rm 5:5) so that we are enabled to love others with God quality love.
When the love of God (Agape) is planted in our hearts and starts to grow in us so that we start loving others the way God loves us, we know that we have received salvation.
*Why do we fail to love right? I think it is because we haven’t loved like Jesus loved. He commanded people to love as He loved them. How did Jesus love? He forgave Peter for running out on Him. He forgave Judas for betraying Him. He forgave His accusers for crucifying Him. He forgave US ALL for OUR SINS.
JESUS believed in people like tax collectors, fishermen, and prostitutes and made them Followers and Disciples. Talk about “Real Love”.
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Gods grace is everything. Everything we are and everything we can be is based and built upon this foundation of grace.
Gods solution to our sin is his unmerited favour given to us through Jesus Christ. He has taken our sins and nailed them to the cross of Jesus Christ. Gods grace is a free gift, and the sin problem, and the guilt problem is overcome.
Our God is the God who justifies the wicked, gives life to the dead, and calls things that are not as though they were. Romans 4:17
Under the Grace and favour of God, there is no place for guilt, or shame, or regret, or unworthiness.
All our sins, past presence and future have been forgiven and justified by the blood of Jesus.
* To be a Christian means you are trying to walk in the footsteps of Christ.
God became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Satan loves to accuse. He is the accuser of God’s brethren. But the accuser has been cast down. Do you know that every time you accuse God’s people, you are doing the devils work?
*The blood of Jesus provided as a once and for all atonement for our sins, continuously washes us and justifies us.
So why are Christians continuously burdened by guilt?
* Guilt weighs us down, and we may feel unworthy because of any sin residuals present in our lives.
* The problem with this, is that the moment you focus on your sins or weaknesses, and wallow under guilt and shame, you condemn yourself when you shouldn’t because your sins have been justified.
*Guilt comes from what you feel may have failed to do.
* Shame comes from how you react to this.
**You may then either choose to condemn yourself and wallow in self pity, or you may chose to take it to Christ in prayer.
*God expects us to have the same kind of love, love that reaches out even to the undeserved, or the unlovable. We don’t have to “like” this person, but we have to love him/her.
*It’s easy to love loveable people, but some people, it’s really hard to love. We all know people whom it’s hard to love. *Yet God loved us while we were still sinners and His enemies. As children of God, we have to learn to love like our Father loves.
The Lord loves us so much that He laid down His life for us, His friends. There is no Greater love than this. We are His friends when we do whatever He commands us to do. What does the
Lord want us to do?
*** All the answers to the questions for your life are in the word of God.
* I point you again to reading God’s word.
*I point you again to praying and seeking His kingdom first and foremost. *I point you again to asking the Lord to Lead and Guide YOU into ALL Truth!!!
* The Lord loves you and He has great things for you and He wants to do great things for you. “…..he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (see Hebrews 11:6).
*Jesus wants you to love Him.
***** He loves you.
**** He loves you beyond measure.
***You are His Masterpiece (Eph. 2:10)
Remember the picture of a character
with his arms open wide that says “I love you this much”. God the Father loves you more!
Let’s pray together:
Father, it is so hard to love everyone. None of us do it perfectly like You do, but Father, as we walk with you day by day, take us baby step by baby step closer and closer to Your ideal.
I thank you Lord for loving me. I thank you Lord for loving me the person that you made me to be. I am so grateful that you love me no matter what Lord and I am so grateful that you placed in me the desire to live a right life before you. Today Father I lift up before you those I do not know. I lift up the down trodden souls. I lift up the drug addict. I lift up the hurting single mother. I lift up the hurting single father. I lift up the woman who sells herself and feel she has no other recourse. I lift up the man lying in the street passed out from drinking I lift EVERY soul that’s bound today to you Father God. I lift them up to you Lord and ask that by your Spirit you would send ministering angels to each of their side. Speak a word of peace, speak a word of deliverance to each of them Lord. Open their eyes to see you. Open their ears to hear you. Show them Lord that you are the way the truth and the life. Cause each of them to be in a place to hear and feel your love for them by your Spirit. Father, breathe upon them your breath of life. I know you love each one of these dear souls Lord. I thank you Lord and I bless your holy wonderful name because I know you will do just that Lord. I know that We can’t touch them all, but Our prayer for them can. And God, May I find greater intimacy with you by Studying and Applying your word. In Jesus name I pray. Amen