God Loves YOU!

People from every facet of life want to know they are loved. From the young to the elderly everyone needs the affirmation of love. Just knowing that someone cares for us puts a skip in our step. We begin to act happier, smile more, talk nicer to others and even develop a confidence within. I suppose we could honestly say Love is very powerful. 


Of course we all know there are four types of love. 
#1. Storge. Is brotherly love, like the love of a family member. Whether a person is a blood relative or a friend that's just like a family member, this is the kind of love that's expressed. Your family may have a time-honored friend that you call Aunt or Uncle, because of the sentimental fondness. Storge is the love conveyed to grandparents, parents, and your family in general.


#2. Philia. A friendship love. Many of us have friendships we've developed through various life events.  A close relationship could have developed from your school years, whether elementary or college, you've remained devoted. Regardless of how you came to generate this bond you have this Philia love for them.


#3. Eros. Romantic love. Probably the love with which are are most familiar. And truthfully needs less explanation. But nonetheless it's a passionate love with sensual desires and longing. One encyclopedia said it was "pure emotion without the balance of logic".


#4. Agape. Unconditional Love. This is the type of love God expresses towards us. And the sort of love we are to express to others. Agape love is selfless, expecting nothing in return.


So in light of this, we all in one form or another need and want love. Yet we are ultimately searching and craving for unconditional love.  We want someone to love us regardless of our faults, despite our inadequacy, or without regard to our appearance. And sadly there are many people who never experience this true type of love.  Let me just say there is One who loves you this way. God loves you! You could be the most despicable person, and He still loves you. Oh, He may not love the things you do or have done, but He loves YOU!  1 John 4:10GNT says, "This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven."


The devil wants to steal the revelation of God's love for you.  He'll do it through the means of media, rude and uncaring people, or your own thoughts based on your past. Also people often view their circumstances as a judgement call of God's love.  Just because things in your life haven't gone well, does not mean God does not love you. Know that in life there will be hardships. Romans 8:35 says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?....yet in ALL these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Paul went on to write in verse 38, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."


NOTHING can keep you from receiving God's love unless you allow it. Push back fear or thoughts that are shouting louder than His love, and just receive it now.  Say "GOD LOVES ME! I AM LOVED! GOD LOVES ME!  I AM LOVED!"


Prayer:  Father, You have given me a spirit of power, of love and a sound mind. I refuse to be fearful about anything! I am empowered by the Holy Spirit and recognize Your love for me. I overcome every circumstance that comes against me through Jesus' love. I AM more than an overcomer through Christ! Your love reinforces my faith and helps me to become powerful in life situations by the Holy Spirit. I choose to daily confess Your love for me, thereby reinforcing my faith.  Thank you Lord, for I know faith works by love! Amen.

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