by Barbara Latta
We see many examples of sacrificial love from unselfish
people. Men and women have died defending others. Parents have given up
comforts, financial security, and their lives for their children.
But this human devotion still is not the perfect love 1 John 4:18 speaks of. Because no matter how much a person does for another one, that love can’t cast out fear.
There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. (1 John 4:18 NKJV)
Fear does involve torment.
I can find myself wrapped up in a knot of worry sometimes
without realizing that’s what I am doing. Watching the news lately is enough to
form hurricane waves of torment. That’s why I only listen to enough to know
what I need to know.
Worry, depression, doubt, and anxiety are forms of fear. We
fear what may happen, we might not have enough money or food, our children may
stray, or we may be rejected.
The perfect love John wrote about was not human love but the
love of the Father in heaven. When we live in fear we are not realizing the
perfect love our Father.
God loves us more than we can realize. Nothing we face takes
Him by surprise and everything that comes against us has a solution in His
Word. His news is good news.
To avoid the torment of fear we can find a Scripture for each
need in our lives.
Philippians 4:6-7 covers all forms of anxiety that can
plague our minds.
Be anxious for nothing, but
in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests
be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Are your worried today? Or anxious, depressed or feeling
rejected?
God’s loving arms are stretched farther than any problem you
can imagine. Let His comfort take away the torment of fear.
Christ gave us His identity and authority. To know what we He
has given us we need to feed on the Bread of Life and drink from His living
water.
This week I am giving away a copy of the book God’s Love For You Scriptural Devotional. This little book is written by Carrie Picket, the Assistant Vice President of Charis Bible College in Colorado and a former missionary to Russia for sixteen years. I think you will enjoy this power packed devotional filled with verses that will encourage you and lift your heart. There are pages for you to record the loving whispers the Holy Spirit gives you.
Each person who comments will be placed into a drawing starting
Friday, February 24 until midnight Thursday, March 2.
Please feel free to share your thoughts.
While I always enjoy your posts Ms. Barb, this one caused me to stop, think, pray, and praise. What I realized about the many wonderful examples of human expresssions of love is that at their core (in a great many cases I suspect), we find the love shared with God. His perfect love is what we try our best to imitate, but like all things of this world, it is but an imitation or copy. Nothing is ever as good as the original is it? I'm sure glad God made you an original my friend.
ReplyDeleteYou are an original too, J.D. God made us all unique which is another aspect of His perfect love. Thanks for sharing your kind words. Blessings, my friend!
DeleteWe are so blessed that we have God's perfect love. I don't think we're able to comprehend His infinite love, but we are granted blessings beyond measure. As you point out, freedom from fear is one we are given on a daily blessing. Such a joy to know we are so loved. Thank you, Barbara.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I agree that God is so infinite we can't comprehend everything about Him. He has given us so many gifts over and above what we can ask for. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
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DeleteGod’s perfect love is hard for us to comprehend. That’s because He is perfect and we are not.
ReplyDeleteCandyce
Amen, Candyce. His perfect love covers all our imperfections. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
DeleteI'm so thankful for God's perfect love, even though I can't really understand it. Thanks for giving me something to think about today, Barbara.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, Annie. God's love is so infinite we can't understand the depths of what He does for us. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
DeleteBarbara, this post is beautifully-written food for thought. The more we embrace God's love, the better we can love others and the less fear we'll hold onto. I hope to remember this point: "God loves us more than we can realize. Nothing we face takes Him by surprise and everything that comes against us has a solution in His Word."
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful His love continues to embrace us even in our failures. Thanks so much for stopping by to share. Blessings!
DeleteThe winner of this week's drawing is Katherine Pasour. Congratulations, Katherine and thanks for be a faithful contributor to this blog.
ReplyDeleteI am blessed to receive God’s perfect love even when I can never be perfect. Thank you for the inspiration Barbara
ReplyDeleteGod's perfect love is a blessing. You are right, Yvonne. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
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