GOD’S PERFECT LOVE (BY PTR. EMMANUEL PAYUMO)

• Maraming fears ahead of us, but the Lord is faithful. These fears can be driven out by His perfect love.
• If He is a perfect God, then nothing will come from Him that is not perfect.
• Perfect (Adjective): Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; absolute; complete.
• God’s love is perfect, for it is unconditional and eternal.
• We need to be aware that we already have this perfect love in us. Hindi ito magbabago, magbago ka man.
• Romans 8:37-39 (NIV): No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
  • Convinced because you experienced it.
  • More than a conqueror – Lahat ng glory kay Lord, lahat ng benefits sa atin.
• These verses assure us that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the perfect love of God.
• It is better to obey the Word of God than do what you think is best.
• Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV): The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
  • God loves us with an everlasting love. Wala ng kundisyon, wala pang hanggan.
• Psalm 136:1 (NIV): Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.
  • Our situations will always change but His goodness will never change.
  • His love endures forever.
• His perfect love continues to save us from whatever this world will throw at us (trials, problems, etc.).
• This perfect love ay di natin trinabaho but is given to us along with His Son, Jesus.
  • It gives us peace and rest. We do well in His love. Kaya alalahanin natin lagi ang pag-ibig ng Diyos.
• Formula: Perfect love drives out fear. (1 John 4:18 NIV)
  • Learn to discover the love of God.
  • Fear makes one’s life burdensome and unappreciative.
    • Fear of what the future brings leads us to worrying.
      • Worrying about your future is different from thinking about your future.
      • Jeremiah 29:11: God wants to prosper you and with that prosperity, He doesn’t want to harm you.
      • The God of all creation has a plan for us all – a good future, to become prosperous and not to harm us.
    • Fear of losing leads us to compromising.
    • Fear of rejection leads us to proving our worth.
      • Kung alam mo na tama ang ginagawa mo, you don’t have to prove your worth.
      • Fear – resulta ng paggawa ng mag-isa.
      • When you do everything on your own, you will become fearful and restless.
  • Fear hinders us to experience the peace of God that brings real rest.
  • Mark 6:31: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
• May solusyon sa lahat ng ating problema – si Kristo. At kung alam mo na may solusyon, mamromroblema ka pa ba?
• May sagot sa lahat ng ating pinagdadaanan knowing that God will never leave us nor forsake us.
  • Isaiah 26:3: You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
  • John 16:33: These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
  • John 14:27 (NIV): Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
  • Philippians 4:7: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
    • When peace is present, and fear has no place, then we will experience real rest.
    • We just don’t have the perfect love of God.
    • We are now experiencing it.
    • We are now benefiting from it.
• The antidote is nothing else and no one else but Jesus.
  • Learning who God is, is equivalent to learning God’s love for us. Knowing His love is knowing who God is.
  • John 3:16 (NIV): For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
  • Romans 5:8 (NIV): But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
  • Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV): “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
    • When we are doing things together with God, real rest is guaranteed.
  • Exodus 33:14: The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
    • Real rest can only be found in God’s perfect love.
    • Real rest is having the peace of God with us.
    • The very moment we received Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior:
      • We received God’s perfect love.
      • Love that connects us to the peace of God.
      • And the peace of God connects us to real rest.
• We have everything we need. We’ve got Jesus! Everything will be alright!