Loving God
Edward B. Allen 8/3/06
Based on ThePleasures of Loving God by Mike Bickle
You are God’s favorite
You are God’s favorite.
He is big enough to have lots of favorites.
There is nothing you can do about it.You cannot earn it.You cannot prevent it.
Ephesians 2:4-7
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions―it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
What is God trying to tell you?
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
I am loved by God. I am a lover of God.
Therefore, I am successful. I am important.
Loving is fun.
Loving God is fun for you.
Psalms 36:8-9
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Psalms 16:11
You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Loving you is fun for God.
Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
Immaturity is not the same as rebellion.
Psalms 37:23-24
If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
I am free to love people.
John 15:12
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
I am a working lover, not a loving worker.
Ephesians 2:8-10
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith―and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God― not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
I am a lover of God. This is who I am. This is what I do.