- It is partly diary (Gordon and I read a short chapter from a commentary on 1 John while on the long M1 from Yorkshire to Hertfordshire: the road was busy, but it was a time in which we sat in the car considering God’s love).
- As a reminder (though we spent a good chunk of time and many miles on these points – we need to come back to them time after time)
- As part picture of the love we are after in our marriage (we have some rough spots that need to be corrected at present)
- As a prayer for our parenting evening tomorrow at Spicer Church.
- As pointers of spiritual value to every reader.
- As a prayer of thanksgiving for the reality and enormity of God’s love and for our God Who is love. We would love to make the points in here specific prayer requests for our own marriage, for the two marriages of our children and all known and unknown marriages.
GOD IS LOVE
- The essence of God’s being is love.
- At the heart of the Triune deity is a dynamic inter-relationship of love.
- It’s God’s nature to love. To deny God’s love for us is to deny His very nature and to distort His grace.
- God’s love cannot be earned or deserved.
- 1 John 3:7 Love comes from God. God is the source of love.
- God’s love is seen in the cross of Christ.
- Love’s actions are for the benefit of others.
- “…not that we loved God…” This is no reciprocation by God, meeting us halfway.
- He shows love to those who don’t love Him, who don’t want to love Him. He show His love to His enemies, to rebels. He shows His love to a world of lost sinners.
- If it was not for the love of God, we would have no explanation of mercy or forgiveness; no hope, no future.
- In love, God sent His Son, His one and only Son. To send His only Son is a measure of the enormity of God’s love.
- Jesus was sent into a hostile and rebellious world. Jesus satisfied and turned God’s wrath away. Jesus achieved forgiveness and reconciliation for us.
- We are to try to grasp and get to know more and more the length, height, width, breadth, devotion and scope of God’s love.
- We have been ransomed by God’s love.
- God’s love is stronger than death or hell.
- In Jesus’ death, He dealt with our sins. We received eternal life instead of certain death. Rebels are pardoned and made sons.
- There are multitudes upon multitudes in heaven made right with God through Jesus.
- John 4:11,12 – we love because God has loved us.
- Jesus’ blood flowed for our forgiveness.
- 1 John 4:12: love amongst Christians reveal the love of God. God’s supernatural love for sinners has often been made more credible when unbelievers see that love reflected in the lives of God’s children. John 13:35:
- Love is the hallmark , the family characteristic of God’s children.
- People see Christ’s love in our relationships. Those who aren’t God’s children should encounter Jesus’ love in the love Christians have for one another.
- In the modern equivalent of washing one another’s feet – God’s love take its effect in our lives. Love fervently and love practically.
- Have a self-giving love that flow out of God’s love.
- God’s love is a love that sends us out into the world as it send Jesus into the world.
- If we know that God really loves us, let us allow that love to overflow into our lives and overflow from our lives.
