1st John 4

This chapter is really amazing to talk about love and just the true spirit of God in us. It is really crazy to think about God choosing us and freely giving Himself to us. I often think about Acts 2 and how crazy it is because before that God did not give the gift of His Holy Spirit and now today I feel like we so much take it for granted and don't even comprehend how amazing and special it is to have the all powerful Master and Creator loving and dwelling in us! God has compassion on us and like it says For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). God has had plans for us and knew us before we were in the womb. He loves us more than we can ever love someone or even Him. It is literally impossible. Especially when we are slaves to sin we are so hardened to truly loving people and receiving the joy that comes from loving people. I love getting to love people and have them know I love them! But the fact that God wanted a way to save us and so He sent His one and only son to DIE for us was alone amazing but He didn't stop there. He then sent His spirit to us and leads us to God and to love Him more. Love is a hard word to define. I often say love is God for Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8 NIV). Well what does that mean? Well what is God? He is patient, helpful, faithful, forgiving, merciful, magnificent, powerful, everlasting, never ending, kind, compassionate, devoted, comforting, loyal, giving, understanding and perfect. Our love can never be perfect be we can definitely keep trying! 

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:20, 21 NIV). Loving others is a fundamental part of knowing and trusting and being saved by God. It is not an optional thing or dependent on your mood; besides loving God, His next command is to love others. And not just to pretend to love them but to love people as brothers and sisters. Hate and anger in our souls lead to hardening of our heart towards God. We can't have sore feelings about someone and keep going with life and not give it to God. Love is a special thing and is really wonderful when everyone is loving as God calls them to. 

The only reason,"we love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19 NIV). God gave His only son to die for all of our sins and open the gates to heaven! There is no greater act of love than that! God puts His love in us when we accept that that is true! Love can be a weird thing in this world and I am not saying that everyone should be saying I love you to each other or being romantic because that is the worlds twisted take on it, I am just saying we should act in love as God has for us. 1st John 4 is really wonderful and just from Gods heart! 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30, 31 NIV). 

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35 NIV). 

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2 NIV). 

And I had to put this in since it's about love:). 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 NIV).