Message Library

God is Love

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We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19

What has God done to show his love for you? Well I think most of us would say that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. This is true but we will look at other ways God has shown his love for us. The verse above says “We love” as the result of God first loving us.

We will first look at the reason God has always existed as Father, Son, and Spirit. This is because God always had in his heart a loving family, people created in his image filled with his love. Therefore the Trinity reveals the love the Father has for us before he created us. The Son came to earth to reveal the heart of God, show us how God designed us to live, understand our life and temptations we face, and to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins redeeming us to the Father. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7) The Spirit is sent from the Father to those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. The overall purpose of the Spirit is to connect us to Christ and to mold us to the mind of Christ.

After Jesus’ ministry it was time for him to become the “Lamb of God,” the perfect sacrifice. The night before his crucifixion Jesus was in the garden praying; Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. (Luke 22:42) He was face to the ground sweating in agony when the Father refused to take the cup from him, but sent an angel to strengthen him. An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. (Luke 22:43) Imagine the Father looking down seeing his Son pleading for another way, the Son whom he perfectly loves. The Father sent his Son to the cross, and Jesus willing carried our sins to the cross because of his perfect love for the Father and his perfect love for you. Take the cross into your heart and make in personal, because if you were the only person in the world, Christ would die to save your soul. That is how much the Lord loves you and how important you are to him.

We are in God’s family and he takes care of those in his family, and he will let nothing keep his family from coming home to be with him forever in Heaven. He loves us so much he sends his Spirit to live in us, to guide us, to mold us to be like Christ, and makes us one with God. (John 14:15-17) Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23) If these two verses show that God’s heart longs to be with you while on this earth, imagine how much he wants to be with you Heaven.

Today as you read the Word, read it and see the love in God’s heart, and how desperately he wants you to be with him in Heaven. He disciplines us, molding us to be like Christ so our hearts will desperately seek to be in Heaven. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. (Luke 10: 27). This love allows us to put God first in our lives, but the love the Lord has for you is infinite and you are more than first to God. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9). You are God’s special possession!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the love you have for me, and open my heart to be filled with your love that I might reflect it to others. Help me to surrender my life as your servant as you guide me through this sinful world into the new heaven and the new earth, living in your divine presence. Give me the power and strength to overcome whatever Satan puts in my path. In Jesus name, Amen