“Now hope does not disappoint, because THE LOVE OF GOD HAS BEEN POURED OUT IN OUR HEARTS by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. But God DEMONSTRATES His OWN LOVE toward us, in that while WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.” (Romans 5:5-8) “By this WE KNOW LOVE because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. My little children, let us NOT LOVE IN WORD OR IN TONGUE, but in DEED and in TRUTH.” (1 John 3:16-18) Our love is not demonstrated by what we say but by WHAT WE DO!
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and EVERYONE WHO LOVES (agapaō) IS BORN OF GOD AND KNOWS GOD (ginōskō: understand, perceive, to be intimate with). He who does not love DOES NOT know God, for GOD IS LOVE (agapē).” (1 John 4:7-8) “Agape” is one of several Greek words for love. When the word “agape” is used in the Bible, it refers to a pure, willful, sacrificial love that intentionally desires another’s highest good. We can LOVE WITH GOD’S LOVE when we are “Born Again” and when we have an “intimate relationship” with God, WHY? Because this is God’s love we are talking about so, we have to know (ginōskō) God to love with HIS LOVE. Remember the NEW Commandment, “A NEW commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, IF you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
“…when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they met together to question Him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried TO TRAP Jesus with this question: “Teacher, which is THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must LOVE THE LORD your God with ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR SOUL, AND ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and GREATEST commandment. A second is equally important: ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as yourself.’ The ENTIRE law and ALL the demands of the prophets are BASED ON these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
“God so loved the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. For God DID NOT send His Son into the world TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, but that the world through Him MIGHT BE SAVED.” (John 3:16-17)
Say this with me, “GOD IS LOVE AND HE LOVES ME!“
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham