Love

LOVE

Define: GOD is Love, 1 John 4:8

Love is the first Fruit of the Spirit. It is essential to every Child of GOD because we have the Godhead dwelling within us and without it we fall short of the two great commandments. Many of GOD’s children will try to operate and please GOD without love or live on the edge of it, only to find that it is impossible to do so. Without love you cannot operate in the power of the Spirit of GOD. GOD is love and as his Children, having the Spirit of GOD and being his offspring's, we are love also. Like Father like son. We were made in his image. As he is so are we on earth.

There is no substitute for love. It should be the core of who we are, our motivation. It dictates how we act according to how GOD in his word says we should. Our example is, GOD so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son to die for the us, the grace of GOD. Because he loves us he did not impute our sin and just punishment as he could. The understanding of love does things or causes us to do things that we ourselves cannot begin to comprehend. Love GOD first and in the love of GOD, love the brethren, love your enemy, love your wife, love your family, love what is good and righteous.

To be able to reach such love we must understand the heart. David's heart was after GOD. The Psalms teach us this and how much he loved the LORD. The word teaches us that where your treasure is that's where your heart is also. GOD sees and deal with man's heart, not the outward appearance. It's not what goes into a man's belly that defiles him but what comes out because it comes from the heart. If you give your heart to something or someone, it's what you love. Let us explore why love is so important in GOD and why he used it in expressing his love towards us, how we must love him, why and how we must love others, why we must be careful in not showing partiality in love and giving love in the wrong manner.

From the beginning GOD demonstrated his love for us when he made us. Only mankind in the creation was created in GOD's own image. When he could have destroyed man in the garden and time and time again for our disobedience he had mercy. Then he made the ultimate jester of love by giving his Son, Jesus our Lord to die for a sinful undeserving people.

We understand that GOD requires us to love him without conditions as he loves us. With ALL our heart, mind, soul, might and strength. He leaves nothing out when it comes to the individual concerning how we should be within when it comes to loving him. GOD is a jealous GOD and we shall have no other GOD before him. He is in essence telling us that our love can only go one way. GOD and God alone. No man can serve two master, else he will love the one and hate the other. You cannot serve GOD and mammon.

GOD's Love For Us

John 3

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Romans 5

⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 2

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

1 John 3

¹ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1 John 4

¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Loving GOD Loving JESUS

Matthew 22

³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Luke 10

²⁷ And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

1 John 5

¹ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

³ For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Wrong Love

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