Archive for March 2015
1 Jn 4:19 We love Him Because He First Loved Us
5 Good reasons to receive the Father’s love:
1) His Love Changes Us: Love does not judge, condemn, shame, accuse or reject! Love makes allowances for weaknesses and majors on strengths. This creates an atmosphere for change!
Even when Jesus addressed the issue of Peter’s betrayal at breakfast on the shores of Galilee, 3 times He made him admit that he only had phileo love (friendship love) not agape love (sacrificial, unchanging love) for Jesus.
But each time Peter confessed his weakness, Jesus said to him, ”Now go, feed my sheep”. He corrected Peter whilst at the same time telling him he wasn’t finished, he wasn’t washed up, there was still a work for him to do!
Prov 10:12 Love covers all sins!
2) His love Brings Security: When we know we are loved, it gives us the strength to overcome all obstacles and setbacks.
When Jesus rose up out of the waters of baptism, the Father couldn’t hold back any longer and in an audible voice He boomed across the thousands gathered there, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!”
The Father was affirming His Son at a strategic point in the beginning of the Son’s ministry, for Jesus would straight way go into the wilderness and fight His first major battle against satan.
It was knowing His Father loved Him that gave Him the strength, not only to face satan but defeat him!
Song of Songs 8:6 Love is invincible when facing danger and death!
3) He Loves Us For Who We Are, Not For What We Can Do:
Only when we know we are loved unconditionally will we stop performing in order to get love and change to a receiving kind of love.
Under the Old Covenant, maturity of love was measured by how much man loved God.
Under the New Covenant, maturity of love is measured by how much man can receive the Father’s love!
1 Jn 4:10 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.
4) His Love Accepts: When we know we are loved unconditionally, we will run to the Father not run from Him!
Many times, when a young child has done wrong, he/she will go running to their Father! Why! The child wants to know they are still accepted in the midst of their wrong doing! This knowledge in the child breeds security and stability!
Hence, the Father wants us to run to Him and worship Him. Then, when His tangible presence comes, it heals our hurts and wounds, and He becomes Daddy God to us!
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved (Jesus).
5) His Love Removes Fear: Fear either immobilises a person, or makes them run away! Fear causes panic and destroys relationships. But knowing we are loved ejects all fear from our lives, enabling us to face upto and walk through difficult circumstances!
1 Jn 4:18 Perfect love casts out all fear.
Let us settle it in our hearts once and for all, we need never fear God ever again. Listen to His word: ‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound, well balanced, disciplined mind’! (2 Tim 1:7)
We finish with Paul the apostle’s words, proclaiming that the whole of his Christian life and ministry, is founded on the Father’s love for Him!
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Meditation Point: Let us stop trying to prove our love for God. That is an Old Covenant concept! Instead let’s be New Covenant people and ask the Father to teach us how to receive His love! Put Him to the test! He will not fail you!
No tags