Yup, total randomness...
Jonathan Perez (Youth ministry leader at my church, Pabellon de la Victoria) started a series about God's love and this week's title was "I recognize and believe in God's love" Here are my notes on the subject:
God's great teaching was: love God, love yourself and love others
Without God's love, we cant love. Because love is not something that originates from us.
1John 4:16 clearly states that God is love
Love starts with God/ Love comes from God
*There is no love outside God's*
Love is simple, but its not easy.
God starts love and finnishes it.
He loves us even if we don't love Him (This is stated on 1John 4:10-19 and John 3:16)
The simple fact that we are how we are is prove of God's love towards us
*This is important: God gave His son for us. We have to depend on this love sacrifice.
Our life depend on accepting the love of God every day, Jesus' death being the most prominent example.
On the Old testament they used to sacrifice animals because of these two reasons:
1)forgiveness
2)being thankful
Now, thanks to Jesus' come, we dont have to do that, but its translated in modern times as prayer and Bible lecture among other things.
People often think that if we do this, God will love us more. But we're wrong.
It doesnt matter what we do, God loves us. He's love is free
We have to learn how to recieve His love constantly.
He doesnt love you because of your actions or what you do.
GOD LOVES US! He's like the perfect boyfriend. He's love is unconditional and pure.
RECIEVING IS NOT EASY
Even if you fail, He will love you
But if we dont recieve His love, there are consequences.
Without God's love, we literally die.
He doesnt love us because of what we do, but because of His mercy
One of Jesus' deciples refused to let Him wash his feet. But Jesus told him that if he didnt let Him wash them, he could have no part with Him.
We have to DECIDE to recieve
But we have to remember that none of us deserved God's love.
Even if you are the most evil person on earth, He will still love you.
He loves you without the need to change your life.
Something that offends God even more that sin is if we dont accept that He loves us.
Conclussion: Our acceptance and recievement of Jesus' love must be clear in our lives on a daily basis. (Eficians 3:17-21)
View User's Journal
<a href="http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh64/c05m01ch08/?action=view¤t=mar1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh64/c05m01ch08/mar1.jpg" border="0" alt="mar"></a>
ChibiMar