Blog

37: Divine Love

     As I have allowed the love of God to reach my heart, I am seeing such good fruit in my ability to love others, particularly those who are closest to me, my wife and my children. When we are secure and accepted in the knowledge of God’s love for us, we are equipped to love others. It is true, “We love, because He first loved us.”

     Our goal then is to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. I heard a wonderful statement at a retreat this weekend. On our worst day, Jesus says to each of us; “I’m crazy about you. I cannot love you more, and I will not love you less.” May the following study contribute to our comprehension of how much God loves, likes, and enjoys us.

     I have chosen several scriptures to represent the relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son. For those who want a more complete list, a pdf has been added.

     I am not going to comment on the words, but am trusting for the ministry of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of our heart and renew our minds in the truth. But I am leading up to one scripture in particular that is mentioned at the end.

     Matthew 12:18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

     Luke 10:22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

     John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing.

     John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John 10:30 I and the Father are one.”

     John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

     John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

     John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:31 I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.

John 16:27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

John 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

John 17:21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

     John 17:25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

     I hope you have been edified and encouraged as you have bathed in the word of God. Now take a deep breath and prepare to hear an incredible inspired verse:

John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

As the Father loves Jesus, so does Jesus love you, and me. If you need more affirmation replace the pronouns with your name and Jesus.

“As the Father has loved Jesus, so has Jesus loved Esther.”

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

 

Steve