The most powerful force in the universe is love. It never fails! (1 Corinthians 13:8) Love is the greatest attribute of God Himself. Love is what created mankind and caused God to send His only Son to redeem us.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
No one can know God outside of love.
1 John 4:7-10 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Obeying God’s Word is the barometer of our love for Him. Our obedience to God is our response of our love for Him. The more we believe Him, the more we obey Him.
John 14:15-17;21-24 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (manifest = to be made known)
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the Word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
We are not talking about the keeping of a bunch of rules, but keeping His love in every action and every decision we make.
1 John 5:2-5 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His command-ments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
If you truly believe God loves you, it will change everything in your life. The more we love God the more we act like Him.
1 John 4:16-17 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
It is because of God’s love for you that Jesus came to earth as a man and suffer the pains and weaknesses we experience.
Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, {Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.} (NLT) 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus laid down His divinity. Everything Jesus did He did as a man led by the Holy Spirit. A man led by love. We are His representatives here on this earth.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be reconciled to God. 21 For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
It is not the keeping of rules and regulations that makes our faith work. It is our love for Him that produces faith—our trust in Him. Faith will not work without love. R+R-R=R+R
Galatians 5:6-8 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 7 You did run well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? (The Word*) 8 This persuasion comes not of Him that calls you. (*emphases mine)
John 17:17-18 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
As God’s ambassador, as His legal representative, you should never allow the circumstances to overwhelm you. It is God’s love that says “Come to Me for your needs and don’t be shy about it.
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
All you need is love. He never fails! Therefore, neither shall you as you walk in love.
