![]() In return, we are to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls (see Deut. Additionally, God loves us sacrificially (see 1 John 4:10, 16-21 Rom. The words “steadfast love” is recorded 398 times in the English Standard Version of the Bible, which is closely translated from the original texts. ![]() In fact, the bible says that God abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness- Psalms 86:15 says, “ But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious (compassionate), slow to anger and abounding in steadfast (unfailing, abundant) love and faithfulness (truth).” God also said this same thing about himself in Ex. 1:26) therefore, we are created to love and be loved but because of evil and sin in the world, we become void of genuine love and the ability to love from a pure heart. Since the Bible is the authority on what love is, it is also the authority on God’s love: 1 John 4:8 & 16a says that God is love and we are made in His image and likeness (see Gen. The fact is, only God can perfectly meet our need for love, value, and acceptance. This leaves each person feeling rejected, resentful, angry, sad, depressed, hurt, frustrated, betrayed, disconnected, etc., which block our ability to love from a pure heart. Unfortunately, many people have hurts and offenses in their hearts so they cannot give the love, value, and acceptance we want and they also want. When people’s hearts are empty of love, they try to get their need for love, value, and acceptance through other insecure people with empty hearts. I was one of those people, and my first marriage ended in divorce. Because of these painful memories from childhood, we are tempted to get involved in relationships that would continue the pain of not getting these same needs met. Insecurity creates unhealthy beliefs, which are lies about life, ourselves, others, and God, that are carried into adulthood. When felt love is with-held, we develop insecurities and control issues. Children are most vulnerable to the influence of love or the lack-there-of and are easily hurt when these three desires are unmet. The painful memories we store come from offenses of not being loved, valued, and accepted. An offense is an act of creating resentment, hurt feelings, displeasure, etc. When we don’t love as described above, it creates hurt and offenses in our heart and wounds in our soul. 5) It does not insist on its own way it is not irritable or resentful 6) it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” Wouldn’t it be great if everyone in the world loved like this? How about if our family members love us like this? What prevents us from loving like this? 1 Corinthians 13 (ESV) is the love chapter: “ 4) Love is patient and kind love does not envy or boast it is not arrogant or rude. ![]() We should first look at the gold standard for how we should love other people, according to the Bible. How do you want to be loved? What keeps you from loving others as you want to be loved? ![]()
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