HOW TO EXPERIENCE GOD'S LOVE

HOW TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF GOD

This is sequel to the series Trial of Brother Lazzie.

I took Sunday School 'Fruit of the Spirit' today and I gathered these truths for you on Love.

I just want to go straight to the point.

Thank you.

1. Believe His awesome love for you.

God is 'crazy' about you. And nobody can help you understand it except you believe it. If  you believe the Scriptures, can you dare believe these ones ? Try.

1 Peter 5:7 KJV
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

'To care for' is a higher level than 'to care about'. If I care for you, it means that I worry for you, think for you, plan for you, step steps for you and so on.

What manner  of love is this that the Father has for us? Let's go on please.

John 3:16 KJV
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.

1 John 3:1 KJV
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Corinthians 5:14 KJV
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

Romans 5:8 KJV
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 KJV
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Luke 12:7 KJV
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Psalm 8:4 KJV
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

God thinks about you every microsecond of the day.

Just believe it.

2. Confess your love for Him.

'I love you'.

I am sure you know the value of those words when you befriend a person. A boy and a girl. A man and his wife. A parent and a child. Those words weigh tonnes.

So why do we shy from saying them to God - who so loved us beyond any human love? The least we can do to show we love Him back is to tell Him.

Psalm 18:1 KJV
I will love thee, O Lord , my strength.

3. Brag about His love for you.

John was the 'Discple Jesus loved' - and guess what? Je was the one who labeled himself so.

John 21:20, 24 KJV
Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

[24] This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

Can you beat that?

It is one thing to be one among  the harem who loves the prince, it is another thing to be so sure you are the one the prince loves the most. That's it.

Flaunt it. Brag it.

They say it got Joseph into trouble, but how do you hide a 'coat of many colours'?

Don't blame the lad, just see how his story ended.

Brag it, if you know it.

4. Train your eyes to see God's love.

Listen to messages on God's love. Read about His amazing love for you. Feed on the information till it transforms you. The Scriptures are filled with the love of God. Nature is painted with the love of God. Train your own eyes to see the love of God around you all the time.

Psalm 19:1-6 KJV
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

[2] Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

[3] There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

[4] Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

[5] Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

[6] His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Lamentations 3:21-23, 25 KJV
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

[22] It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

[23] They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

[25] The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

4. Think upon the love of God.

'What you think upon grows'

Jesus told us 'Take no thought...' when He taught us about Worrying. So you can choose your thoughts. Take thoughts of God's love. Just take time to bask in the thoughts of His amazing love for you.

Philippians 4:8-9 KJV
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

[9] Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

5. Practise the love of God to others.

We are so loved of God so we can love people. We cannot love God back so well because we cannot see Him. So He gave us neighbours.

Matthew 22:37-39 KJV
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

[38] This is the first and great commandment.

[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mark 12:31 KJV
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Romans 13:9 KJV
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Romans 13:10 KJV
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Galatians 5:14 KJV
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

1 John 4:19-21 KJV
We love him, because he first loved us.

[20] If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

[21] And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

James 2:8 KJV
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Use people to master God's love.

Sorry about the word 'use'.

Do not use people. Love people.

These are some of the ways you can open your self up to God's love.

This may be the most important task of your life.

God help us all.

Amen.

- Adeolu Olumodeji