GOD IS LOVE.  By Janet Henman.

“And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” – 1 John 4:16

God’s love is unfailing and never changing. He is always with us through the good times and the bad. He is always there whenever you need him, and he will always love you, no matter what.

Do you believe this?  So many times when we are feeling lonely, unloved, upset, hurt, angry, we can forget what His love is and how to receive it.

When We Are Lonely

Whenever you feel alone and you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, know that God is still there. When you feel like you have to live life by yourself and feel like you have to go through hard times alone, God is with you and he will continue to love you, especially when you are lonely. He is always with you and with Him in your life, you are never alone.

“And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:8

When We Feel Unloved

We all have moments in our life where we do not feel very loved or feel unworthy of love. This can come from rejection or heartbreak. We feel like we may not find someone who will love us or are constantly looking for love in the wrong places. God’s love is way greater than the love that anybody else on earth could give us. He loves us so much that he died for us and he will continue to love us for the rest of our lives and into eternity.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ….I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When We Are Upset

Being upset and frustrated when things go wrong is the natural human reaction. We can get upset at small things and big things. When we are going through hard times and sad times, God is always there. He is always faithful. When we are upset, we can turn to him for comfort and know that everything is going to be okay, because he has a plan and he will see it through.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:7

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”    Jeremiah 29:11

When We Are Angry

There may be situations in life where we get angry. Life does not always go the way that we plan it to. Gods’ plans are different than our own. He knows what is best for our life and we need to trust him with that. His plan is the best plan and he will bring us love and good things. We need to be open to new ideas and changes in our life to receive the good things that he has planned. We need to learn how to respond to anger the way God wants us to.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:17-18

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

“Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26

He Will Always Love Us

No matter what, God will always love us. No matter how many times we mess up, sin or fall away from him, his love is never ending and unfailing. He will continue to love us unconditionally through thick and thin, all the days of our life.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”    1 John 4:8

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

Nothing You Can Do Can Stop Him From Loving You

We are all sinners; we sin on a daily basis. We are all human and we are imperfect. We make mistakes. There is no mistake too big that will make him stop loving us. He will love us no matter what and will always forgive us for our mistakes.

“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2

How To Love Others

God has shown us throughout His word how much He loves us and He calls us to do the same selflessly, without expectation or something in return.  Love is given utmost importance in His Word. He wants us to love others as He loves us.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandant.  And the second is like it: Love you neighbor as yourself.”  Matthew 22:37-39

Here are 3 ways to choose how to love our neighbor:

1. Love others through prayer: Because He has commanded us to love others, He does not expect us to do it on our own. Pray for His guidance, and He will direct you through the Holy Spirit.  Ask God to help you see people through His eyes.  Through God we can gain the strength to love those who may be difficult to love.  Humble yourself before the Lord!
2. Love others through action:  Love isn’t all service, but it is a large part of it.  We serve Him by loving each other, and we can serve others in love.  Put love into action by volunteering, helping a neighbor with yard work or a meal, or introduce someone to Jesus by inviting them to Hearts Being Healed conference, March 16, 2024 at Neighborhood Church.
3. Love others through attentiveness: Family and friends love to feel loved.  Offer recognition of the time and effort put into the dinner on the table, be concerned when they are unhappy, or give words of affirmation when they need some encouragement.  Simply being available can show your love in big ways.

We know how it feels to be on the receiving end of love, so how wonderful it is also to spread His love to others.  When we consider the gift of God’s unconditional love for us, we realize how truly lucky we are to be loved by Him and by loving others is how we show Him we are listening and want to do as He does, love others unconditionally!

Go into this new year with your Heart Full of His Love so that we can receive that Love He has for each of us and then to share that LOVE with others!!