Understanding God's love

*SUNDAY SERVICE- 1ST SERVICE (MORNING DEW)*
*(03-2-2019)*
*MINISTERING: PASTOR EBENEZER OKECHUKWU*
*TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE*
*TEXT: 1ST JOHN 4:16-18, 3:1*

The essence of this message is to deepen our understanding of the love God has for us by clearly demonstrating how God shows his love to us.
John the beloved writes by the Holy Spirit, “And we have known and believed that God loved us…”. Have you known and believed the love God has for you?

*WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU?*

*1.Understanding God’s love is the foundation of unshakable faith:* when you see a man whose faith in God does not shake, that man has a revelation of the love God has for him (1st John 4:16). You can’t rely on God’s love if you have not understood it. If you don’t understand it you will be worried and concerned over everything. If you understand God’s love for you, your worries will die and your faith will blossom.

*2. Understanding Gods love for destroys all fears (1st John 4:18):* Perfect love drives out fear. Fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. There are people who can not walk with God because they approach God with a negative fear; they approach Him with panic. The one who has understanding Gods love perfectly is delivered from fear: fear of the future, fear of the unknown, fear of demons, fear of poverty. If you understand God’s love your fear will die.

*3. Understanding God’s love for you is the beginning of your love for God (1st John 4:16-17):* through knowledge of the love God has for us, our own love for him is strengthened, is matured, is perfected. You will never be able to love Him correctly until you understand how much he loves you. Only those who understand how much he loves them will be capable of loving Him. To grow in your own love for God, you need to grow in your understanding of how much God loves you.

*HOW EXCATLY DO I KNOW GOD LOVES ME? WHAT IS THE PROFF OF GOD’S LOVE FOR ME?*

*1.The first way God demonstrates his love for us is by making us His Children:* that is indescribable: that God calls a man in the nature of the devil, puts hos nature in the man and then call him son (1st John 3:1). God didn’t call any of the angels son, they are not qualified. He has given us what even angels can not have no matter how much they desire it. What it means to be like God they don’t know.
The Jews wanted to kill Jesus because he said God is his father. They add one and two and came to the understanding that, that if God gave birth to Him, them He is saying He is God. what the Jews couldn’t allow Jesus to answer is what is given to us freely. John says, “Behold what manner of love is this that we will be called children of God”. That tittle (Child of God) is bigger than Reverend, Apostle, Bishop. It is not a tittle to joke with.

*2. God demonstrates his love by drawing us onto fellowship with Him:* it is his love that pulls us close to him (Jeremiah 31:1-3). God ties the rope of love around us and begins to draw us, “by loving kindness have I drawn you”. That means he draws us close to himself by showing us love. And that is natural, you draw close to people who love you. You know why you are not chasing after God? it is because you have not understood how much He loves you. God does not force us to love him, he uses his loving kindness to draw us nearer and nearer to Himself. Do you know that if God is not drawing you, you will not desire to know Him on your own.

*3. God demonstrates his love to us by being Patient with us when we are failing:* “It is of His mercy that we are not consumed”. If not for God’s love, everyone of us would have been victims of His judgement. If God had chosen to repay you as you have been treating Him, you would have been finished (Psalm 103:8-10 NIV). And that is why some people take Him for granted. The reason God does not pounce on us to destroy us is because of His love. But he will one day judge all those that task His love.

*WHAT MUST YOU DO WITH THIS MESSAGE?*

1. Let your faith in God be boosted by understanding God’s love.

2. Allow this knowledge of God’s love to destroy your fears.

3. Allow this knowledge of God’s love to provoke you to love Him back. The greatest you can do to hurt a loving heart is to reject that love.

The easiest, the best and first way to accept the love of God is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. If you reject his love, you will one day accept his anger.

*PRAYER POINTS:*
1. Lord thank you for speaking to me and giving me an understanding of God’s love for me.

2. Thank you for your love that has been drawing me; help me to respond when you are drawing me.