7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
If God can love me, I know that through Him I can love anybody. In my own strength and will the only one I would love is myself and anyone who serves me. In my own will I would rid myself of anyone that did not make me "happy".
Which brings me to a something that has been on my heart. The goal of a Christian is NOT to be happy. The goal of a Christian is to serve God and to find fulfillment in HIM. Until we learn to love the unlovable through the power of the Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus Christ, we will never be happy.
Which brings me to a something that has been on my heart. The goal of a Christian is NOT to be happy. The goal of a Christian is to serve God and to find fulfillment in HIM. Until we learn to love the unlovable through the power of the Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus Christ, we will never be happy.
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We did not love God first. He loved us. He loved the unlovable first.
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
If we as Christians love one another, the world will see God through us. It's our proof that God lives in us.
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
It's not about what we do for God. It's about Jesus. John received the Spirit and through the power of the Holy Spirit he proclaimed Jesus. If we acknowledge Jesus, the we have God too.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
I have to admit that I have not been made perfect in love. God is still working on me as there are times when I have my doubts. I believe that is because of my human relationships that have failed me. I transpose those failures onto God.
God's love is perfect and he will never fail us. The closer we walk with him the farther away fear becomes because we take our eyes off human failures and put them on him.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
If you love God, loving your brother or sister is a natural out pouring. If you don't love your brother or sister, examine your relationship with God.
God bless.
If you love God, loving your brother or sister is a natural out pouring. If you don't love your brother or sister, examine your relationship with God.
God bless.
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