The Love Of God

"God loves whom He chooses. He does not love everybody." A.W. Pink.

:laugh: I am sorry brother, I couldn't resist. I am just playing around...

Great idea for a post. Now for my real comment:

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:5-6

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" Titus 3:3-5

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16

"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 1:21

"And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." 2 Thess 3:5

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." 2 Cor 13:14

 

Well, I will make a post too Charles and its not about "us", even though "us" is included.

John 3:16
16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

What a concept, Charles...focusing on God's love brings His children together!

I'm thankful that God loved me enough to let me experience some consequences to my rebellion over the years. But yet He loved me enough to not give me the CONSEQUENCES that my sin ultimately deserves! Ain't His mercy and grace grand!

 

Here are a few of my favorite verses :godisgood:

When Jesus was asked which commandment in the law is the greatest?"
"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Matthew 22

Matthew 22: 39 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Romans 13: 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:10 Worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law

1 Cor 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Thank you Charles for this thread

Joe

 

I am thankful that today was the first day of school and that for this one day ALL the kids pretty much collectively focus on the wonder of God's love!

I used Col 1:15-17 for our opening devotion with the 8th graders. He is before us and holds us together. We discussed how our work and our athletics and our friendships need to honor and glorify HIM and that the word OUR really needs to come out of the common vocabulary because they are HIS, not our's at all.

I praise God the Creator the he loved us enough to send his Son!
I praise God that he loves us enough to sustain us when we are tired.
I praise God for the opportunity to teach and learn and share.

 

Col. 3:12-17

Put on then as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humilty, meekess, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."—1 John 4:10.

 

If you say you love someone and do not show it, then it is not the real love. Love is something you can feel, not just mere words. So many say "I love you", but you have never seen any action to show that to be true. God said to love your enemies and even the world loves its own. Therefore if you just love your own, you have not fulfilled what God has commanded. Little children love one another as I have loved you. If you say "I love you" but will not talk to you again, then the sound is hollow. I have seen brothers in church who refused to shake each other's hand, do you think God was in that? God's true love is to practice what you preach. but thats just me.

 

I have seen this too Brother Bob.
And you know that even though we have our disagreement, I would be happy to shake your hand if I ever saw you in person.
I really mean that.

 

The same goes here Bro. Dale-c, I like a good strong debate. I don't think if we can not stand the heat, we should not be in the kitchen. Of course, it has went too far at times, but neve drove us apart.

 

The best way we can demonstrate God's love to us, is to demonstrate our love to our fellow human beings, IMO.

 

The Love of God
by Frederick J. Lehman, 1917

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure ---
The saints' and angels' song.

When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God's love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam's race ---
The saints' and angels' song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.