Love By Choice

• Pray
• Text: Galatians 5:22

We MUST realize that we don’t have a CLUE when it comes to God’s Love for us …

• Romans 8:39

Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord

• Realize that nothing you have or haven’t done can make God love you any more or any less than HE does right now.
• We are talking about the unconditional, by choice type of love
• Intrinsic value of people – God’s creation in His Image
• Our language = one word for love. Grk has four. We only concerned with “agape” for now
• By choice

Agapao (n) Agape (v)

• Concentrate on agapao and agape – very similar but a diff.  (n/v)

• God’s unconditional love toward man  (John 3:16)  (unconditional, by choice)

• God expects unconditional love of believers towards all men   (John 13:34)

• Very  hard to live out – God never asks anything impossible – (just difficult)

• Bible principle – Sowing and reaping / seed time and harvest – (Mark 4:24 – 29) – we get what we give

    24And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give to [the truth you hear] will be the measure[of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.25For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away[^]by force], 26And He said, The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed upon the ground,27And then continues sleeping and rising night and day while the seed sprouts and grows and increases--he knows not how.28The earth produces [acting] by itself--first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29But when the grain is ripe and permits, immediately he sends forth [the reapers] and puts in the sickle, because the harvest stands ready.

·         You get what you give

• God expects and has provided for us to be able to unconditionally love all men. (Gal 5:22 NLT)

22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law

• We show God’s love by:(1) What we say (edify) –  build up (The Word always does this)

(Proverbs 18:22) Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof

(2) What we do – when we obey (show others God by being kind – no need to be flakkey)

• What separates Christians from non Christians

(Eph 4:26 “Be angry, and do not sin do not let the sun go down on your wrath,)

• Satan comes against us when we decide to walk in love -

·         God Gave us emotions and feelings for reason – some reasons? – apply God’s Word to our lives.

Bible says be angry and sin not – Eph 4:26 – we can still be in touch with our feelings and still walk in love – way of life – meditate on the Word (Josh1:8, Roman 12:1-2)

• Intrinsic value of people – recognize and live out the fact that other people are every bit as good as we are.
• Bible says to “rejoice when others rejoice” (Romans 12:15)
• God has made provision for us to fail, in any phase of life. He is interested to the max about every aspect – everything good or bad in our lives. When we fail – keep trying (John1:9)

-          the smallest decision

-          Love always builds up and is for others – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

• Start by showing God’s love (on purpose) to others, maybe 2 or 3 a day – build up and make showing kindness (God’s Love) a way of life. You don’t need to be “a sappy overbearing Christian” don’t over spiritualize !

-          just be nice to others – ON PURPOSE! (way of life)

-          in a practical way (book of James)

Tts 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tts 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

• We can only show other The Love Of God when we realize that it comes as a free gift (His Mercy)

 From Him  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

• John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing

We need connection with God to even get close to agape love
           John 15 ⁷If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

Practicality of Word, - James 1:2 – God wants to take you through not eliminate Psalms 23:4

MEDITATE ON James 2:13-16    ¹³For to him who has shown no mercy the judgment [will be] merciless, but mercy [full of glad of you says to him, Good-bye! Keep [yourself] warm and well fed, without giving him the necessities for the body, what good does that do?confidence] exults victoriously over judgment. ¹⁴What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no [good] works [to show for it]? Can [such] faith save [his soul]¹⁵If a brother or sister is poorly clad and lacks food for each day, ¹⁶And one