John 15:8-27What Is Fruit?; Why Strive For Rewards?; Does God Love Us?; If you keep My commandments; Lordship Salvation; To Die For A Friend; Now Friends No Longer Slaves; Is God My Friend?; the elect eklego eklektos; Different Levels Of Torment, Accountability; Not Have Sin?; The Holy Spirits Ministry, Purpose And Work

Dave Ford, Hole #2 Avondale... Hayden,Idaho

For VBF, Sun. 8-28-2016Revelation 22:12 1Corinthians 4:5 2Corinthians 5:10; 1Corinthians 3:12-15 2Corinthians 5:7 Romans 14:23b John 15:5 Habakkuk 2:4 Galatians 2:20 Philippians 3:9 Hebrews 11:1 1Corinthians 9:24-27

BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave KooyersValley Bible FellowshipBox 433Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325God bless you as you examine His Word,Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge. Matthew 10:8 Freely you received, freely give.

http://www.amazon.com/Pastors-Manual-Doing-Church-Growth/dp/097170094X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-2&keywords=a+pastor%27s+manual+on+doing

John 15:8, What Is Fruit?NAU John 15:8 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.Abiding love; NAU John 15:9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.NAU Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love [#1], joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.Some teach that love is the fruit and the rest just describe love.

John 15:8, What Is Fruit? agapeNAU 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us [fruit?]. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

John 15:8 Why Strive For Rewards?NAU John 15:8 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.NAU Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

John 15:8 Why Strive For Rewards?NAU Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity

John 15:9-11NAU John 15:9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

John 15:9, Does God Love Us? NAU 1 John 4:9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the worldNAU John 3:16 "For God so loved the worldNAU Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us1 John 4:8 1 John 3:16 John 15:9-11 Ephesians 5:1-2, 25-27

1 John 4:8 1 John 3:16 John 15:9-11 Ephesians 5:1-2, 25-27 Does God love me? http://www.gotquestions.org/

John 15:10Keep My CommandmentsNAU John 15:10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.NAU 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.Billy Sunday once said, What has Jesus Christ ever asked you to do that wasnt for your own good?

John 15:10, Lordship SalvationNAU John 15:10 If you keepNAU Hebrews 5:9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,The issue with this controversy and the understanding of these types of verses is, is this referring to a condition of salvation, salvation as a reward, or result of salvation? Obedience and commandment keeping, along with love, are the attributes and identification of being in Christ.

John 15:10, Lordship salvation, obey, obedience

NAU John 15:10 If you keep

John 15:11, Jesus Joy In Us?NAU John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.Studying John 15 should make our joy complete and full.How ya doing?NAU John 15:9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved youMaybe you missed verse nine.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Philippians 3:3 John 15:1-11 Psalm 19:8, 42:5, 51:11-12, 55:6-8 Galatians5:22 2 Corinthians12:10, 13:4 Romans15:13 1 Thessalonians 1:6 1 Kings 19:3-5 Job3:11, 33:26, Depressed, Sadness And Depression, GotQuestions.org?

John 15:12, Love One AnotherNAU John 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.So, how do you love one another?Soren Kierkegaard said, To love another person is to help them love God.I think he's right in this regard, to help direct someone's eternity out of hell and into God's love must surely be a great act of love.

John 15:13-15, Now FriendsNAU John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 "You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.So, a good friend/teacher makes known all of Gods Word? What does that say about preachers that don't teach Gods Word

John 15:13, Die For A FriendNAU John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.Can Acts of Love Earn Us A Place In Heaven? drcraigvideos, William Lane Craighttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo93r9Zws1U&feature=em-subs_digest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo93r9Zws1U&feature=em-subs_digest

John 15:10, Lordship SalvationAt John 15:10 (If you keep), I asked if this is referring to a condition of salvation, salvation as a reward, or result of salvation? Now;NAU John 15:14 "You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have [past tense] called you friends, for [it does not say,You obeyed, or, you are going to obey] all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.Our position is not based on our practice, but on our position in the sinless Son of God.

John 15:10, Lordship salvation, obey, obedience

John 15:15 , Now FriendsJohn 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, but I have called you friends, for A dispensational (oikonomia) change? Or a change in position based on Christ's perfect obedience to the FatherA friend is long sought, hardly found, and with difficulty kept. By JeromeJames 2:23 ABRAHAMwas called the friend of God.

James 2:23, John 15:15 , friends

John 15:15, No Longer Slaves

John 15:15, Is God My Friend?gracethrufaith.com, This question was derived from watching a video on Youtube. The speaker frightened me by saying that God is not your good buddy, he is not your friend. After I watched this video I felt like I lost my only true friend, and it made me feel like Ive shamed God by praying to him as my friend as well as my Lord. I pray throughout my day while Im at school or while Im working and I dont always bow my head and close my eyes. Is this disrespectful?A.One of the advantages of the Internet is that it gives us access to a much wider variety of information than ever before. But it requires that we have a stronger foundation of belief so we can discern what the Bible teaches from

http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/is-god-my-friend/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

Is God My Friend?Tuesday, May 6th, 2014Q.

John 15:15, Is God My Friend?something thats just someones opinion. Otherwise we risk becoming hopelessly confused.InActs 17:11Paul commended the Bereans for searching the scriptures daily to prove that what he was teaching them was the truth. If you do that in this case youll find that God has given us the authority to become His children, (John 1:12) and to call Him our Father (Gal. 4:6). Youll find that Jesus called us His friends (John 15:12-15) and that God says were not to fear Him (Rom. 8:15-16). And youll conclude that while its right to respect God, its also right to think of Him as a friend and to desire a close and personal relationship with Him.http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/is-god-my-friend/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/is-god-my-friend/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

Is God My Friend?Tuesday, May 6th, 2014Q.

John 15:16, Whatever You AskJohn 15:16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.1 John 5:15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

1 John 5:15 John 15:16 Exodus 4:20, The Staff Of God

John 15:16, the electNAU John 15:16 "You did not choose [eklego] Me but I chose [eklego] you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruitRoot is literally out called eklego

Mark 13:20, the electMark 13:20 "Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect [out called ones] , whom He chose, He shortened the days. eklektosMeaning: select, by impl. Favorite Usage: choice(2), choice man(1), chosen(1), chosen(9), chosen one(1), elect(8).Mark 13:22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.Mark 13:27 "And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

Chosen Or Elect Or What?gracethrufaith.comIn the New Testament the Greek word translated elect (16 times) is also translated chosen (7 times) and can refer to believers on Earth, believers in Heaven, Israel, the Church, Jesus, and certain angels..Showing thatMatt. 24pertains to Israel can be done by pointing out that the Lord never mentioned the Church there, but did mention the people in Judea (Israel), the Temple (Israel), travel on the Sabbath (Israel), and a warning against being fooled by false Christs (Israel). Also, His phrase He who stands firm to the end will be saved inMatt. 24:13 cannot apply to the Church because our salvation is guaranteed from the moment we believe (Ephesians 1:13-14). The entire chapter was devoted to the Lords answer to three questions ofMatt. 24:3. When will these things happen (the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem), what will be the sign of your (2nd) coming, and of the end of the age, (completion of Daniels 70 weeks prophecy). All these were of primary importance to Israel.

http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher

John 15:17, Love One AnotherNAU John 15:17 "This I command you, that you love one another.Jesus repeats the commandment to love one another, as a commandment.Why do you suppose Jesus I had to command this?If the if in John 15:10+14 etc. are conditions, or prerequisites, to our salvation then Jesus is commanding here that we save ourselves by our obedience. That would be salvation by works. Clearly the ifs must represent evidence of our salvation by grace.

John 15:18If The World Hates You NAU John 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

1 Peter 4:14 Luke 6:22 John 15:18

John 15:20, The Secret History of the Jesuits - Edmond ParisNAU John 15:20 "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

The Secret History of the Jesuits - Edmond Parishttp://www.slideshare.net/EboBlack/the-secret-history-of-the-jesuits-edmond-parisThe most dangerous of men are those who appear very religious, especially when they are organized

The Secret History of the Jesuits - Edmond Parishttp://www.slideshare.net/EboBlack/the-secret-history-of-the-jesuits-edmond-paris, Published on Dec 14, 2015The most dangerous of men are those who appear very religious, especially when they are organized

John 15:22 Different Levels Of AccountabilityNAU John 15:22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.NAU John 9:41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.NAU John 15:24 "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.Matthew 11:20-21,

John 15:22, Not Have Sin?NAU John 15:22 they would not have sin NAU Acts 17:23 "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you 30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

John 15:22, Not Have Sin?NAU Romans 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

John 15:22, Not Have Sin?NAU Acts 14:16 "And in the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; 17 and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.NAU Micah 4:5 Though all the peoples walk Each in the name of his god, As for us, we will walk In the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.Eph 2:12, Psa 81:12,

John 15:22 Different Levels Of TormentNAU Matthew 11:22 more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.NAU Matthew 10:15 more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.NAU Luke 12:47 "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes, 48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.NAU James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.2 Peter 2:20-21, Luke 10:12, Hebrews 10:26, John 5:14, 2 Timothy 3:13

John 15:24, ProphecyThe odds of Jesus fulfilling just EIGHT of the prophecies from the Old Testament is 1:100,000,000,000,000,000. [17 zeros]These are just a few of many prophesies...this book was not an invention of man but written by God. The Holy Spirit used men to write.From: The Reformation Resurgence.

From: The Reformation Resurgence.

From: The Reformation Resurgence.NAU 2 Peter 1:20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

From: The Reformation Resurgence.

John 15:26, The Holy Spirits Ministry, Purpose And WorkJohn 15:26 "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me, 27 and you will bear witness also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.John 16:13-1513 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 "He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.

In conclusion, wait on the LORD

THE END

Photo taken by Hubble Telescope. Scientist don't know what it is, but have given it the name .... "Heavens Gate".

For VBF, Wed. 4-27-2016

BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave KooyersValley Bible FellowshipBox 433Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325God bless you as you examine His Word,Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge. Matthew 10:8 Freely you received, freely give.

http://www.amazon.com/Pastors-Manual-Doing-Church-Growth/dp/097170094X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-2&keywords=a+pastor%27s+manual+on+doing

John 15:26 is at 27 minutes inhttps://archive.org/details/Dr.MalCouchJohn15 John 15 by Dr. Mal Couch, John 14-16

Topics Dr. Mal Couch, John, Revelation, Dispensationalism, Bible, Christian, The Apostle Paul, Prophecy, Rapture, Clifton Bible Church, Scofield, Bible Answers

John 15, by Dr. Mal Couchhttps://archive.org/details/Dr.MalCouchJohn15 Usage http://www.copyright.gov/Topics Dr. Mal Couch, John, Revelation, Dispensationalism, Bible, Christian, The Apostle Paul, Prophecy, Rapture, Clifton Bible Church, Scofield, Bible Answers

Salvation and Eternal Security - Part 8 (John 15:1-6)What does it mean to abide in Christ? [59 minutes]http://www.spiritandtruth.org/teaching/Soteriology_by_Andy_Woods/26_Eternal_Security_8/index.htm?x=x

http://www.spiritandtruth.org/teaching/Soteriology_by_Andy_Woods/26_Eternal_Security_8/index.htm?x=x

Abide in Me

http://www.dts.edu/edia/

Click on browse by speaker,Choose which speaker,Choose a recording

Sovereignty and Prayer (Matthew 7:1-12) from the previous list was not there

1 John 2:27-28, John 15:4-10, Abide in Mehttp://www.dts.edu/media/play/following-him-pentecost-j-dwight/Following HimJ. Dwight Pentecost on September 1, 2011 in DTS ChapelDr. Dwight Pentecost, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Bible Exposition; Adjunct Professor of Bible Exposition, DTS, reflects on what it means to abide and follow Him.

1 John 2:27-28, John 15:4-10, Abide in Me

John 15:13, altruism, lay down, BIRDS HELPING BIRDS, TODAY'S CREATION MOMENTAltruism helping one another is a real puzzle to those who explain the world of living things in terms of materialistic evolution. Evolution is supposed to work on the selfish survival-of-the-fittest principle, so there should be no reason for any creature, including man, to develop a helping attitude. In fact, there is no way to explain how the genetic code could possibly develop and pass on a trait such as altruism.Researchers have studied a bird called the white-fronted African bee-eater. Members of this species help each other, sometimes even at the sacrifice of their own life. For example, one bird will face a spitting cobra to defend another, and scientists have been puzzled to know how this altruistic trait can possibly be passed on, when it often results in death. Another common altruistic habit of the African bee-eater is that one female will put off starting her own family to help another bee-eater raise her young. Some argue that such behavior is limited to birds that are related. But they admit that even adopted orphaned bee-eaters will help their adopted parents in this way.While it is often denied, the theory of evolution has yet to adequately explain altruism. Altruism is a demonstration of that commandment given by our Creator to love our neighbor.Notes: Kathy A. Fackelmann, Avian Altruism, Science News, Vol.135, June 10, 1989, pp. 364-365. Photo: Courtesy of Luc Viatour. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation 1.2 License.

TODAY'S CREATION MOMENTBIRDS HELPING BIRDS, inAnimals, Listen

John 15:9, God Is Love, God's Love, Does God love me? gotquestions.orgQuestion: "Does God love me?"Answer: The question of whether God loves us personally and individually is common. Surrounded by the conditional love of finite humanity, we cannot easily comprehend that God would love us. We know our faults. We know that God is perfect and sinless. We know that we are not. Why would God, who is infinite and holy, love us, who are finite and sinful? And yet the great truth of the gospel is that He does! Time and again, Scripture reminds us of Gods love for us.To begin with, God created mankind in His own image. And He did so with great care and concern. He formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the mans ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (Genesis 2:7, 21-22). Theres an intimacy here between God and mankind. With the rest of creation, God merely spoke and it was. Yet God took time in forming man and woman. He gave them dominion over the earth (see Genesis 1:28). God related directly to Adam and Eve. After the Fall, the couple hid from God when He came walking in the garden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). It was not abnormal for them to speak with God; it was abnormal for them to hide.Relationship with God was broken after the Fall, but His love remained. Immediately following Gods pronouncement of curses on the sinful couple, Scripture paints another loving image of God. The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and also take from the tree of life and eat, and live forever. So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of the Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken (Genesis 3:21-23). Gods action here is not vindictive or punitive; it is protective. God clothed Adam and Eve to hide their shame. He drove them out of Eden to protect them from further harm. God acted out of love. Then, Gods plan of redemption and restoration begins to unfolda plan not designed after the Fall, but before creation (1 Peter 1:20). God loves humankind so much that He chose to create us even knowing the heartache it would cause Him to redeem us.

There are many verses that demonstrate Gods love. We can see His tenderness in Old and New Testament alike. David and other psalmists were particularly articulate regarding Gods love. Just look at Psalm 139. Song of Solomon is another great picture of love. Gods love is even evident in the history of the Israelites, as He continually preserved a remnant and pled with His people to obey and live. God is seen as just, but also merciful. He is tender. He is jealous for His people, desirous that relationship be restored.

Sometimes we look at the Old Testament and think that God only loves people as a nation, not as individuals. But it is important to remember that Ruth, Hagar, David, Abraham, Moses and Jeremiah were all individuals. God stepped into each of their lives and loved them individually. This love becomes obvious in the person of Jesus.

God confined Himself to human skin in order to redeem us (see Philippians 2:5-11). He entered our world as a baby born to an unassuming family in a very humble way (He spent His first night in an animals feeding trough). Jesus grew up like any child would. During His public ministry, He often associated with societys outcasts. He stopped for the sick. He healed. He listened to people. He blessed the children. He also taught us about Gods love. Luke 13:34 records Jesus crying, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! This speaks Gods heart desire that people would return to Him. He longs for us. Not to punish us, but to love us.

Perhaps the greatest picture of Gods love is Jesus passion and crucifixion. Paul reminds us, You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). Jesus work on the cross was a clear, unmistakable declaration of love. And this love is unconditional. We were in our worst state when Christ died for us. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins 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 that you have been saved (Ephesians 2:1, 4-5).

This salvation has made true life possible. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, Jesus said. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). God is not stingy. He wants to lavish His love on us. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death, Paul proclaims in Romans 8:1-2.

Remember, Paul was formerly an enemy of Christ. He vehemently persecuted Christians. He lived by the letter of the law rather than through an understanding of Gods love. Paul, if he even thought of Gods love, probably felt that God could not love him apart from rule-following. Yet, in Christ, he found Gods grace and accepted Gods love. One of his greatest articulations of Gods love is this: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . 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 (Romans 8:31-32, 35-39).

So the simple answer is, yes. Yes, God loves you! As hard as it may be to believe, it is the truth.

Other Scriptures about Gods love for you:

1 John 4:8 God is love

Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

John 15:9-11 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Fathers commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

1 John 3:16a This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

Recommended Resources: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson and Logos Bible Software.

1 John 4:8 1 John 3:16 John 15:9-11 Ephesians 5:1-2, 25-27 Does God love me? http://www.gotquestions.org/Question: "Does God love me?"Answer: The question of whether God loves us personally and individually is common. Surrounded by the conditional love of finite humanity, we cannot easily comprehend that God would love us. We know our faults. We know that God is perfect and sinless. We know that we are not. Why would God, who is infinite and holy, love us, who are finite and sinful? And yet the great truth of the gospel is that He does! Time and again, Scripture reminds us of Gods love for us.To begin with, God created mankind in His own image. And He did so with great care and concern. He formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the mans ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (Genesis 2:7, 21-22). Theres an intimacy here between God and mankind. With the rest of creation, God merely spoke and it was. Yet God took time in forming man and woman. He gave them dominion over the earth (see Genesis 1:28). God related directly to Adam and Eve. After the Fall, the couple hid from God when He came walking in the garden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). It was not abnormal for them to speak with God; it was abnormal for them to hide.Relationship with God was broken after the Fall, but His love remained. Immediately following Gods pronouncement of curses on the sinful couple, Scripture paints another loving image of God. The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and also take from the tree of life and eat, and live forever. So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of the Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken (Genesis 3:21-23). Gods action here is not vindictive or punitive; it is protective. God clothed Adam and Eve to hide their shame. He drove them out of Eden to protect them from further harm. God acted out of love. Then, Gods plan of redemption and restoration begins to unfolda plan not designed after the Fall, but before creation (1 Peter 1:20). God loves humankind so much that He chose to create us even knowing the heartache it would cause Him to redeem us.

There are many verses that demonstrate Gods love. We can see His tenderness in Old and New Testament alike. David and other psalmists were particularly articulate regarding Gods love. Just look at Psalm 139. Song of Solomon is another great picture of love. Gods love is even evident in the history of the Israelites, as He continually preserved a remnant and pled with His people to obey and live. God is seen as just, but also merciful. He is tender. He is jealous for His people, desirous that relationship be restored.

Sometimes we look at the Old Testament and think that God only loves people as a nation, not as individuals. But it is important to remember that Ruth, Hagar, David, Abraham, Moses and Jeremiah were all individuals. God stepped into each of their lives and loved them individually. This love becomes obvious in the person of Jesus.

God confined Himself to human skin in order to redeem us (see Philippians 2:5-11). He entered our world as a baby born to an unassuming family in a very humble way (He spent His first night in an animals feeding trough). Jesus grew up like any child would. During His public ministry, He often associated with societys outcasts. He stopped for the sick. He healed. He listened to people. He blessed the children. He also taught us about Gods love. Luke 13:34 records Jesus crying, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! This speaks Gods heart desire that people would return to Him. He longs for us. Not to punish us, but to love us.

Perhaps the greatest picture of Gods love is Jesus passion and crucifixion. Paul reminds us, You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). Jesus work on the cross was a clear, unmistakable declaration of love. And this love is unconditional. We were in our worst state when Christ died for us. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins 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 that you have been saved (Ephesians 2:1, 4-5).

This salvation has made true life possible. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, Jesus said. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). God is not stingy. He wants to lavish His love on us. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death, Paul proclaims in Romans 8:1-2.

Remember, Paul was formerly an enemy of Christ. He vehemently persecuted Christians. He lived by the letter of the law rather than through an understanding of Gods love. Paul, if he even thought of Gods love, probably felt that God could not love him apart from rule-following. Yet, in Christ, he found Gods grace and accepted Gods love. One of his greatest articulations of Gods love is this: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . 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 (Romans 8:31-32, 35-39).

So the simple answer is, yes. Yes, God loves you! As hard as it may be to believe, it is the truth.

Other Scriptures about Gods love for you:

1 John 4:8 God is love

Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

John 15:9-11 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Fathers commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

1 John 3:16a This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

Recommended Resources: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson and Logos Bible Software.