Lesson 1 for April 4, 2009

God doesn’t just

have love or show
love. He IS love.
His essence is
love.
God created us in His image,
so He gave us love and the
ability to love.
We cannot live without
giving and receiving
love.
 “but showing love to a
thousand generations of those
who love me and keep my
commandments.” (Exodus 20:6 NIV)

“Give thanks to the Lord, for

he is good; his love endures
forever.”
(1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV)
“Lord, the God of Israel, there is
no God like you in heaven or on
earth—you who keep your covenant
of love with your servants who
continue wholeheartedly in your
way.” (2 Chronicles 6:14 NIV)
“You gave
me life and
showed me
kindness,
and in your
providence
watched
over my
spirit.”
(Job 10:12 NIV)
 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not
consumed, for his compassions never fail.”
(Lamentations 3:22 NIV)

“ ‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be

removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who
has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10 NIV)
“In all their affliction He
was afflicted, and the
Angel of His Presence
saved them; in His love
and in His pity He
redeemed them, and He
bore them and carried
them all the days of old.”
(Isaiah 63:9)

“I drew them with

gentle cords, with bands
of love; and I was to
them as those who take
the yoke from their
neck. I stooped and fed
them.”
(Hosea 11:4)
 “Now hope does
not disappoint,
because the love
of God has been
poured out in our
hearts by the
Holy Spirit who
was given to us.”
(Romans 5:5)
 “But God demonstrates
His own love toward us,
in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died
for us.” (Romans 5:8)
 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world
does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1)
 He who
does not love
does not know
God, for…

God is love
(1 John 4:8)
 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, with all your
strength, and with all your mind, and your
neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

When God comes to live in us, we stop loving just ourselves and we
begin to also love Him and our neighbours (even our enemies) with
selfless love, expecting nothing in return.
 “When self is
merged in Christ,
love springs forth
spontaneously. The
completeness of
Christian character
is attained when the
impulse to help and
bless others springs
constantly from
within—when the
sunshine of heaven
fills the heart and is
revealed in the
countenance.”
Ellen G. White, God’s Amazing Grace, May 17)
“We may love Christ more
and increase our capacity
for loving Him by
contemplating and talking
of His love. Cultivate the
habit of talking with the
Saviour when alone, when
walking and working. Let
gratitude and thanksgiving
ascend to God because
Jesus loves you and you
love Jesus.”
Ellen G. White, That I may Know Him, September 28