Make Believe
Christmas 2022
“Real Love”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (NLT)
We talk a lot about God’s Love, but what do I do if I cannot sense, feel, or see it?
God’s Love is Experienced Through Truth, NOT Feeling
Matthew 4:3-4, And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (ESV)
2 Peter 1:3-4,His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (ESV)
God’s Love is Expressed Through Needs, NOT Wants
2 Peter 3:9, Now the Lord is not slow about enacting His promise—slow is how some people want to characterize it—no, He is not slow but patient and merciful to you, not wanting anyone to be destroyed, but wanting everyone to turn away from following his own path and to turn toward God’s. (Voice)
Psalm 94:18, When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. (ESV)
God’s Love is Established by Faith, NOT Good Standing
Romans 5:6-8, For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person, one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (ESV)
John 3:16, For God so loved Your Name, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)
