Foundational Truths

God Loves You

John 3:16 NKJV

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.

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Notice, it begins with God's love, not ours.

"For God so loved the world..."

I want you to Stop right there for a moment.

It doesn't say, "For the world so loved God..."

No, it's about His love for us.

Think about this...

Before you even knew Him, God loved you.

Before you performed, before you succeeded, before you failed, God loved you.

It's not about how much we love God but how much He loves us.

And here’s where we've got it twisted, got it backward in our minds.

We've been taught, maybe directly or indirectly, that our love for God is what qualifies us for His love.

Like there's some heavenly scorecard where God is keeping track of our performance to determine if we're worthy of His love.

But that's not the gospel.

That's not the truth that sets us free.

The truth is, God's love for us is not based on our performance. It's not conditional.

It's not "if you love God enough, then He will love you back."

God Loves You

That's not how it works. God's love is unconditional.

It’s agape love, the highest form of love – unconditional, unchanging, and unending.

Now, you might say, "Okay, Dan, I get it.

God loves me. But what does that mean for my life?"

It means everything. It changes everything.

Because when you understand the depth of God's love for you, it transforms the way you live.

It's not about going, doing, and giving to earn God's love.

It's about living out of a response to His love.

It's like when you love someone deeply, you don't need to be told to express that love.

You want to show it.

It's the same with God.

Our service, our giving, our living – it's all a response to the love we've received.

Illustration: Marriage

God Loves You

Let’s look at our second verse

1 John 4:8 NKJV

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God Is Love

This doesn’t just say God loves; it says God is love.

It’s His character, His nature, everything He does is sole based on this.

So, if God is love, and we are His children, our lives should be a reflection of that love, right?

God’s love is not something He demands of you

God’s love is what He demonstrated on the cross to you.

His love is proactive, reaching out to us even when we're farthest from Him.

So, what does this mean for us? It means that our relationship with God shouldn't be transactional.

It's not about bargaining with God, promising to do better, to go more, give more, do more, in hopes of earning His love.

No, our actions should be a response to His love.

The going, doing, and giving should flow naturally from a heart overwhelmed by God's love, a heart that understands the depth of His love for us.

The love of God is not something He demands from us; it's what He offers to us.

It's what He demonstrated on the cross.

This is where the transformation happens.

When we grasp the depth of God's love for us, our lives begin to change.

We start to see ourselves and the world around us through the lens of His love.

Our actions become acts of worship, not obligations.

Our service becomes a joy, not a chore.

Our giving becomes generous, not a burden.

Take Away

So, what's our takeaway today?

First, understand that God's love for you is not based on your performance.

You can't earn it because it's already yours.

Second, let that truth transform you.

Let it change the way you view God, yourself, and the world.

And finally, let your life be a response to God's love.

Let your going, doing, and giving be fueled by gratitude for His unconditional love.

As we close, I want you to take a moment to reflect on God's love for you.

Maybe you've been striving, trying to earn that love.

Today, I want you to receive it, embrace it, and let it fill you.

Remember, God loved you first, with an everlasting love that changes everything.

Let's pray together, thanking God for His incredible love and asking Him to help us live in response to that love, each and every day.

Have a blessed Week!