God's Love to Us - Getting The Order Right

God’s love for us should be our focus. Unfortunately far to many Christians put all the emphasis on loving God while never understanding his love for them.

“He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” – Matthew 5:45

Key Scripture:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. — 1 John 4:7-11

The Right Order

I must love others or I’m not born of God and know God
This is dyslexia (dog vs. God)
Being born of God and knowing him – causes us to love others
I have to love if I am going to know God. NO! – That’s backwards!
Knowing the God (Who is love) – causes us to love.
…the love of God was manifested toward us…
This is to be our focus…God’s love to us!!
We need a revelation of the love of God to us and toward us FIRST!!
…not that WE loved God, BUT that HE loved us…
…if God so LOVED (pass tense) us, (then) we ought to love one another.

Knowing vs. Believing

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. — 1 John 4:16

We have known of his love
BUT do we believe the love God has toward us.

Love vs. Fear

In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].

We love Him, because He first loved us. — 1 John 4:17-19 [AMP]

John’s revelation of Gods perfect love to us
Don’t question his love for you
He see you as Jesus (in Christ)
This brings BOLDNESS to your relationship
(v18)…Perfect love cast out fear…Fear has torment…
Believe his love for us – it cast out fear of him that causes torment
1. Does He really love me???
2. Can I trust Him???
3. Is He punishing me for my short comings???

Perfect love CAST OUT FEAR…

Not your love for Him, BUT His love for YOU!!!! (revelation)

When you know (intimately) His love for you – fear is no longer an issue.

Security in the relationship
Trust is automatic
No one can talk you out of it

(v19) We love Him BECAUSE (for this reason)…He first loved us

He gave us the capacity to love

Base Your Relationship on God’s Love (not Yours)

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” — Mark 12:28-31

It can not be done without a revelation of God’s love to and for you FIRST!!

Your love is not consistent, it wavers and tosses about … But His is!

Don’t base your relationship on “Your love for Him” [this is law drive] Works. Instead base your relationship on “His love for you” He first loved you [this is grace driven] Gift

Example: Sea sickness

Don’t look at the unstable boat and waves
Look at the horizon – it relieves you from sickness
HIS LOVE IS STABLE, NEVER WAVERING!!!

Four Dimensional Love

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. — Ephesians 3:14-21

Understanding God’s love for us opens the door to understanding our Father because… John 4:8 God is love.
It’s for all the saints, not just a chosen few.
It’s 4 dimensional – need the Holy Spirit to get a revelation of it.
How do you describe 3D to a 2D world. Or 4D to a 3D world???
…According to the power that works in us…
1. Good things happen to those who knows God loves them.
2. God’s love in us is the power working in us.
3. 1 Cor 13…This is that love to us… this is how God relates to us.