Experiencing God's LoveThe Key to Real Life

Experiencing God's LoveThe Key to Real Life

Today we try:

To explain the unexplainable

To describe the indescribable

To encourage you to let go of your fascination with earthly things and, instead, live in the Spirit

To cheer you on to find your real life in God!

Eph. 3:17-19

...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

John Wesley on God’s Love “A perfection far beyond a bare freedom from sin. God did not have to give us experiences of His love. He could have forgiven like a judge and just let us go on. But He longs to have relationship with us so He reveals His love in ways no words or mind can encompass.”

Deepest Foundation for Life • Not just knowing scriptures

• Not just following commands of Bible

• Not just avoiding sin

• Not just doing good works

Deepest, most critical, most powerful foundation is experiencing the love of God for you!

To Know: Yada (Heb) and γινώσκω ginōskō (Greek)--both include experiential knowledge, not merely an intellectual understanding. “To Know” in Bible includes even sexual intimacy between spouses--not merely head knowledge.

“Carnal Knowledge” = Sex.

Adam knew (yada) Eve and conceived Cain. (Gen. 4:1)

“And he [Joseph] knew (ginōskō )her not till she

had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his

name JESUS.” (Matt 1:25)

Paul: “The [incredible experience of the) love of

God constrains me!” (2 Cor 5:14) All other religions

rule by fear. God wants to rule by love.

Experiencing God’s love is the most

transforming, valuable, powerful and

necessary experience we will ever

have on earth or in heaven!

Meeting God in South Philadelphia

Love Not Sin

I came to God for love--not forgiveness. His chief goal is a love relationship with us.Sin is not His focus. He just had to get rid of sin to bring us home as His children.

In God, I found a love beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

I discovered a Person more wonderful and amazing that any human could

ever dream of. Walking in San Gabriel Mountains

I met a Lover who satisfied my heart more than any pleasure I have ever had --and I have had lots! “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Ps 16:11)

I encountered a Being Who has revealed Himself to me over the last 55 years in progressively more exciting and powerful ways.

KPC 1987 and Toronto 1994

I am ruined for the things of earth no matter how good or pleasant.

I cannot live for anything that does not put Him at the center.

No amount of money, no treasure, no fame, no honor, no reputation

No physical, emotional or sexual pleasure could even come close to the pleasures of knowing the love of God.

His love satisfies, heals, delivers from evil, gives a peace and joy this world cannot give and gives more meaning and purpose to life on earth than anything I could do, have or even imagine.

Jer. 9:23-24“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdomor the strong man boast of his strengthor the rich man boast of his riches,but let him who boasts boast about this:that he understands and knows Me,that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”

His Love is a Shield

• Without ongoing experience of God's love, your “shields are down”

• You are more vulnerable to attack from a world full of devils and corrupted matter.

– 1 John 5:19: We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.”

– Japan & China. Gold, glory & girls

• When Born-again, your spirit comes alive.

• Experiencing God's love is the main food for your spirit to grow on—from glory to glory

His Love is Food

• To the poisons of sin

• To the sickness of addictions

• To the heaviness of depression

His Love is an Antidote

• No one can steal it

• We are billionaires compared to 5 billion people on earth who do not know His love.

• His love is a gift. We cannot earn or deserve it.

• He will never take it away.

• It is part of our joint-inheritance with Jesus!

His Love is a Treasure

How to Experience more of God’s love:

1. Surrender all to Him. Put all at His disposal.

2. Renounce all that steals His place as #1 in your heart.• Let God be the center of your life:

“ but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15)

4. Spend lot’s of time with God--just to enjoy Him and let HIm enjoy you. Woo Him, court Him, seek Him, pursue Him, wait on Him, be still before Him, enjoy Him.

Prov. 8:17: I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me.

When I fell in love with YouI fell hard, what else could I doYou took the old and left me newThen I fell in love with You

My heart broken, all hope lostCold and hard, ravaged, wounded, tossedHeard Your love song from the crossAnd then I fell in love with You

ChorusWhen I fell in love with YouYou swept me off my feetWashed me clean and made me newIn You I was made completeWhen I fell in love with YouMy heart embraced what You already knew When I fell in love with You

Sin had bound me through and throughWith every failure the darkness grewYour love fell down with crimson hueAnd then I gave my heart to You

You were waiting, Your love trueMe, debating just what to doMy heart was healed

when You broke throughAnd then I fell in love with You

ChorusWhen I fell in love with YouYou swept me off my feetWashed me clean and made me newIn You I was made completeWhen I fell in love with YouMy heart embraced

what You already knewWhen I fell in love with You