12.4.7 "Knowing God through Loving Others"

"Knowing God through Loving Others"

Daniel 11:35-12:13
I John 4:1-21
Psalm 123:1-4
Proverbs 29:2-4

How do we get to know God? The first priority is in reading his Word. That's a great way to get to see a picture of who God is, and gain wisdom for everyday life. As you read the word, you're going to find that there's more to getting to know God.

"Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know him better. But if a person isn't loving and kind, it shows that he doesn't know God - for God is love." I John 4:7-8

The incredible God of the universe wants to have a relationship with each on of us. In our simple minds, we get this crazy idea that our relationship with God is only "personal". "It's just between me and God." "Who cares what anyone else thinks." You know what? That's not quite true. Your relationship with God shows itself in how you relate to other people. A direct result of loving God is loving people.

Some people can seem hard to love at some times. Guess what? That's when and how we get to know God. As we begin to approach everyone we meet with the love of Christ, His Spirit begins to flow through us, and we know him better.

Our love for others needs to be regardless of their response. Often, one will reach out in love, but because it isn't appreciated the way we thought it should, we apply the "shake the dust off our feet" method, and walk away. Guess what. That is NOT knowing God!

"God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into this wicked world to bring to us eternal life through his death. In this act we see what real love is: it is not our love for God, but his love for us when he sent his Son to satisfy God's anger against our sins." vs.9-10.

God didn't send his Son because we "deserved" it. He didn't even send him because we "appreciated" it. He sent His Son because he LOVED us. We need to apply the same principle when dealing with one another.

We don't love because it is deserved or appreciated. "Dear friends, since God loved us as much as that, we surely ought to love each other too. For though we have never yet seen God, when we love each other God lives in us and his love within us grows ever stronger." vs. 11-12

My knowledge of God is shown in my love for those around me. If I'm caught up in my own world, I'm not knowing God the way I need to. This isn't a suggestion. This is a scriptural principle. It's not "hey, wouldn't it be fun if we were in Relationships Devoted to Unity?" We are COMPELLED to be in Relationships Devoted to Unity. It's is a necessary part of growing in Christ. It's an essential part of discovering and becoming who God has created us to be.

Know God better today by loving others more.


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


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