Weekly Bible Study

Love is not just a word or a concept …
Love is not just a feeling or an emotion …
Love is not a physical action or an experience …
and ...
Love is not only an attribute or characteristic of God!

No!
Love is all of that … and much more!

Love is God Himself!

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
--- 1 John 4:8

Therefore ...
... unless you know love ...
... unless you know how to love ...
then the Bible says ...
... you don't know God!

God is love …
… and love is what motivates God’s actions …

God’s actions towards man …
… and
God’s actions on behalf of man …

Love is the foundation of our relationship with God
Therefore ...
... we need to know who Love is ...
... and we need to know what Love does …

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
--- John 3:16

God gave His best and He gave His all …

Love did everything to restore man to Himself …
Love did everything to restore the relationship between Him and man …
In fact …
Love gave Himself for man …

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us,
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
--- Eph. 5:2

Love not only reached out to man ...
Love not only restored man …
But ...
Love cleanses and heals ...
And ...
Love holds nothing against man …

And above all things have fervent love for one another,
for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
--- 1 Peter 4:8

Love reaches out to man …

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

and …
Love not only gave His all to man ...
Love Himself came to live in man!

God not only wants to reveal Himself as God to man …
… God wants to reveal Himself as God in man …

In other words …

God wants to meet our every need …
God wants to show Himself strong on our behalf …

Love wants to continue to give Himself for us …
… as God said to the Apostle Paul …

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
--- 2 Cor. 12:9

What is at the root of our weakness …
... FEAR …
Satan’s most powerful weapon … fear!

How does satan use that weapon?
He tries to get our attention off of God ... and onto the problem!
but …
God wants us to get our attention on Love …

So ...
How do we stand against fear?
How do we have victory over fear?
… by looking to Love ...
... by putting our trust and our hope in Him!

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.
--- Rom. 5:5

What does the presence of God mean in your life?
What is the presence of God going to do in your life?

What is Love going to do in your life?
What can Love change in your life?

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
--- 2 Tim. 1:7

How does God do that?

As you allow Love to abide in you …
As you allow Love to be your strength …
… Love will restore you …
… Love will remove every trace of sin in your life …
… Love will become your provision …
and …
… Love will be your sufficiency …

as His divine power has given to us all things
that pertain to life and godliness,
--- 2 Peter 1:3

For His grace is sufficient for you … (2 Cor. 12:9)

Are you under pressure?

Is the devil putting pressure on you?

with thoughts of …
… sickness …
… lack …
… loss …
… loneliness …
… financial pressure …

Is the devil putting fear on you?
Is the devil pressurizing you into allowing cares to overwhelm you?
… as he did to the Apostle Paul …

… besides the other things, what comes upon me daily:
my deep concern for all the churches.
--- 2 Cor. 11:28

Then remember what God said to the Apostle Paul when he was under pressure …

"My grace is sufficient for you,
for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
--- 2 Cor. 12:9

How do you get out of that place of pressure?
How do you get into that place of sufficiency in God?
... by submitting yourself to Love!

Therefore submit to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
--- James 4:7-8

What do you do when you draw close to God?

You get to that place …
… where God becomes real to you …
… where His promises become as real as your problems …
to where …
… Love becomes more real than your problems …

You get to that place …
… where you start trusting God to take care of your needs …
… by simply …

… casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
--- 1 Peter 5:7

Upon Whom is it that you are casting you cares?
Upon Whom is it that you are casting your problems, your pressure?

Upon Love Himself …
... upon the One who has already given Himself for you!

And what happens when you do that?
… Love steps in and takes control

Love has been perfected among us in this:
that we may have boldness in the day of judgment;
because as He is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.
But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
We love Him because He first loved us.
--- 1 John 4:17-19