A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day March 15, 2019
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
God is a faith God and He demonstrates His love toward us by faith. This verse says that God demonstrated His love toward us in such a way that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us while we were still sinners. Again, God’s love is based on faith. Man’s love is based on performance.
Years ago, while counseling with a young couple, I looked at the husband and I made this statement: “Do you love your wife?” He looked back at me and said, “I would if she would only . . .” What he wanted her to do was irrelevant. The fact is he wanted her to do something in order to earn his love. True love does not have to be earned. True love is given freely without the expectancy of a return action.
Of course, it’s much more pleasant to love someone who loves in return or to love someone who’s pleasant. But God’s love stretches beyond the natural love of man. God’s love loves unconditionally.
What I’m going to say may irritate you, but according to the Word of God, it’s true. God loves the prostitute as much as the preacher. He loves the murderer as much as the victim. Now, He doesn’t love or condone what the prostitute and murderer have done (prostitution and murder), but He does love them. This seems totally contrary to the way we think, but the reason is that people base their love on performance.
Not everyone receives love. There are those who will reject your love and there are those who even reject the love of God. When we reject God’s love, we do not benefit from it. Only those who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior are saved. Those who reject Him are lost. But nevertheless, the same love was extended to both.
So today, remember this. First, God loves you unconditionally and wants you to accept His love. Secondly, we must be like God. This doesn’t mean that we subject ourselves to abuse, but it does mean that we must be like God and love unconditionally whether it’s received or not.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body [a]to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not [b]puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, [c]thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:1-8, NKJV)
