God is pure love. We know Him through His love. He “abides in us” when we acknowledge He loves us so much He gave His son to save us. We are “born of God” and we get to “know God” when we flow His love out to others. Our challenge is to get our own self-centered interest out of the way of the flow. For example: If we harbor any hate in us, we do not love God. We need to purposefully reflect on our thoughts and actions, figure out what is in the way, and make changes to maximize the flow of Gods love through us and out to others. As we improve the flow, His love becomes “perfected” in us. When we “are” God’s love in action, we can have confidence on judgement day.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7)
“…God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 john 4:16-17)
Key scriptures:
- At His very essence God is pure love:
“God is love” (1 John 4:16)
- He loves us so much He gave his son for us
“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.” (John 3:16)
- We bring God’s love alive inside us when we acknowledge His love and what you did for us.
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:15)
- We begin to “know God” when we love others
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)
- It is your love that enables us to love others
“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
- His love becomes alive in us when we flow love to others, The chain of love is “perfected”; from Him to Us to Others
“No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)
- We are to do “Everything” in love, not just some things
“Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)
- Our mission in this life is to recognize and receive God’s love, bring it to life in us by flowing it to others, and “become” God’s love in action in this world.
“…God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16-17)
- The ultimate goal is to “become” pure love – like God
“…God is love…. as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16-17)
My prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me and never giving up on me. I thank you for helping me understand that Love is the answer. Your love is in me as I acknowledge the sacrifice you made for me. I am committed to becoming Your love in action in this world. Help me see things from your perspective, Help me hear your word and know how to apply it to my life. Help me to identify and remove the self-centered things impeding the flow of your love through me. With your continued help, I will make my life a bright shining beacon bringing glory to you and your kingdom. Please help others gain an appreciation of your love, and recognize the opportunity they have to set their own self-interest aside and maximize their flow of your love to others. By perfecting your love in them, they can have confidence in the inevitable day of judgement. I ask this in Jesus’ holy name.