SPIRITUALITY CONTROLS REALITY: RECIPROCATING GOD’S LOVE by Awotiku Akinlayo David

GOD’S PUROSEFUL YOUTH (G.P.M.) ONLINE TEACHING

 SPIRITUALITY CONTROLS REALITY: RECIPROCATING GOD’S LOVE

Let us pray!

Almighty and everlasting God we are so joyous to have u as our father. Thank u for dying on d cross just to save us, thank u for d gift of d Holy Spirit u av given to us which will abide in us forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Lord we are here again to study about spiritual things, teach us expressly to love d way u love, help us to do as we have learnt and taught, not d hearer alone but d doer in Jesus name. For in Jesus name we have prayed. Amennnnnn

Last week we talked on God is Love and we discuss that what defines God's nature is His love, His Love is Unconditional

Let's start with 1john 4:7-21 – ‘Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live 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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, 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 casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. 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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

We will be starting will d verse 19 "we love him, because he first loved us"

Get it first. He was d one who first loved us.

When?

While we were yet sinners Romans5:8

While we were His enemies

If He loved us when we were His enemies and now His love is shared abroad in our heart, then we are to love

It is not long hours prayers or long fasting that defines our love for God but our showcasing of love to our fellow brethren.

Let's start with d laws, God gave 10 commandments to Moses, y? So that we won't cheat God not cheat ourselves. Anyone that tries stealing which is against d law is punishable under d Law of Moses Section Exodus and sub section 20 paragraph 15.

This law gave a wrong mindset to people so instead of abiding fully and love one another, they were scared of being punished and it shows our faults.

Dont forget Romans where Paul was saying d more u know d law, d more u are guilty of it.

So obviously, d law didn't bring out God's right or correct nature... We can question that law self if it’s truly from God because Jesus always refer to it as law of Moses. (my own view)

God is love and everything he does should show forth his nature as a loving God.

Jesus came and summarized this law to tell us d mindset behind d law which is LOVE

1. Love d lord your God with all of u.

2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

That is obviously God's mind.

He want us to show forth His nature that has been imputed into us through d Holy Spirit.

No wonder Gal.5:22 started by saying "But d fruit of the spirit is LOVE, joy, peace..."

Love is d show that we have God in us.

Let's go to chapter 2 of 1John verse 3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the LOVE of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Hence d commandments of God is no more ‘Thou shall not do this or that’

But now He just say LOVE, LOVE AND KEEPING LOVING.

Because this so called Love of God that saved d whole world in John 3:16, d love has been perfected in us. (1John 4:17)

If God's love is unconditional then ur love for ur brothers and even enemies should be as well unconditional.

If u did nothing to deserve God's love then it is expedient for u to love ur Neighbors and enemies irrespective of whatsoever good, bad, evil and big evil that they have done to u, doing to u or planning to do to u, it should not move u or affect ur love for them. u will have to keep loving them till Jesus comes.

Now from verse 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that SAITH he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

CAN u see here that Love is not something we struggle to do, we do it easily because its our nature, we walk in light.

We show we are in light by not saying it but by showing it.

It’s a reciprocating of God's love when we love our neighbors and enemies.

On this, I'm not saying fasting and praying are not necessary in Christian neither am I in any way limiting d efficacy of the power therein.

But am emphatically saying it is useless if ur relationship with ur neighbors is not good, u don't show love to him yet u say u are a Christian. I doubt ur being born again.

Let's remember Paul in 1Cor.13:1-3 AMP: If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.

If u go back to d previous chapter, he took time to explain spiritual things to them but ended with Love.

So, love God by loving others.

U know many of us we happily quote john 3:16 and ignore 1John 3:16

Let's see what's there.

1John 3:16 – ‘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.’

Should I run away now?

Someone is saying y will I die for someone, I resemble Jesus.

But d truth is we should be ready at any point in time to willingly lay down our life for our friends.

I'm rounding up already, let's go back to 1John4, where we started from.

Everyone born of God is love, y? Because God is d definition of LOVE.

When u love, it is a sign that u know God.

Verse 11, if God so loved us. we ought to love one another

Verse 13, D love we show to people is a sign that d spirit he gave us dwells in us.

Reciprocating that love of God is potent and realistic by d way we show it to our brothers and enemies as well.

Don’t just assume u love God and hate some people and yet says u are a Christian, our love is unconditional.

Finally brethren!

Start loving everyone around u right now, it is a show that u love God.

Let's pray.

God we bless u for ur love upon us. We pray that d way u love us, that we can start reciprocating that love to others. Grant us grace to love unconditionally just as u av loved us. Blessed be ur name God of love. For in Jesus name we have prayed

King_Hosanna cares

From Awotiku Akinlayo David

G.P.Y. ADMIN

#ISTANDFORTHETRUTHOFTHEWORDOFGOD