THERE’S NO LOVE LIKE MAMA’S/PAPA’S LOVE…

OR IS THERE?

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us…” John gushes in 1 John 3:1.

Comprehend: God Is A God Who Loves Us, Even When We

Don’t Love Ourselves.

Cain and his brother Abel. Now Cain is explicitly named, identified as one who “…belonged to the evil one…” (1 John 3:12).

“Why is your face so dark with rage?” the Lord inquires in Genesis 4. “It can be bright with joy…Sin is waiting to attack you, longing to destroy you -- But you can conquer it!” (Genesis 4:6-7, Living Bible)

“O Love that will not let me go -- I rest my weary soul in thee -- I give thee back the life I owe -- That in thine ocean depths its flow -- May richer, fuller be…”

My life was “…an

obstructed life…a life …beaten persistently against the cage of circumstance… [but] even [during my greatest abandonment -- I never heard God saying] “Good night,” [I heard God saying “Good morning.”

Lavish Encouragement And Hope, On Those Around Us.

“…God is light… [thus] if we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in darkness…we do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light…we have fellowship [with God, and in addition] with one another…” (1 John 1:5-7).

“Let no foul or polluting language, nor…worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth -- but only such [speech] as is…beneficial to the spiritual progress of others…that it may be a blessing…to those who hear it.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit…Let all bitterness…and wrath (rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking or abusive language) be banished from you…

And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you…”

(Ephesians 4:29-32, The Amplified Bible).

Learn The Hardest Lesson Of Love, The Lesson Of Sacrifice

And Humility.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And [so] we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers…”

(I John 3:16).

It’s a life of sacrifice and servant-hood, thinking more of others, than self, loving not just with “…words or tongue, but with actions and in truth…” (I John 3:18).

“Whoever wants to become great…must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all…” (Matthew 20:26+37).

Emulate servant Jesus – who “…laid down his life for us…” (I John

3:16). For Jesus is right:

“Whoever wants to become great…must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first, must be slave of all…” (Matthew 20:26+27).