| “We love Him because He first loved us” – 1 John 4:19 |
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| Our verse to DATE the Word on April 19 (4/19) is 1 John 4:19. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME leads to OH HOW I LOVE JESUS! Every now and then it is good to pause to CONSIDER just how much God LOVES you! The Apostle Paul prayed that we would COMPREHEND the LOVE of God (Eph. 3:18-19). Allow me to place some verses before you to help you consider and comprehend His LOVE for you. John 3:16 “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. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 15:12-13 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Ephesians 5:2 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. 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Frederick Martin Lehman wrote: The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell. The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled and pardoned from his sin. O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure – The saints’ and angels’ song. Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky. Kurt Kaiser wrote the chorus: Oh, how He loves you and me, Oh how He loves you and me. He gave his life, what more could he give? Oh, how He loves you; Oh, how He loves me; Oh, how He loves you and me. As we consider how much God loves us, we should now be asking how much do we love Him. Frederick Whitfield wrote: There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; it sound like music in mine ear, the sweetest name on earth. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. Because He first loved me! It tells me of a Savior’s love who died to set me free; It tells me of His precious blood, the sinner’s perfect plea Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. Because He first loved me! How are you showing your love to God? Again a few verses to bring to your remembrance of what loving God looks like: Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the first and great commandment. John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 1 John 5:3 HCSB For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden, 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Our love for God shines out as we LOVE HIM WITH ALL WE ARE AND HAVE, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND LOVE THE LOST! As we DATE our verse for April 19 (4/19) and consider His love for us and our love for Him I trust you have not lost your first love. (Revelation 2:4) May our love for God grow deeper and stronger and may it then increase in our love for one another and deeper and stronger for those who do not know Him (2 Cor. 5:14). Verse to DATE the Word on April 19 (4/19) is 1 John 4:19. It says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” Continue Strong loving Him who LOVED YOU MORE And remember to DATE The Word |