God is Love...

"Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love" ~ 1 John 4:8


In Galatians 5:22, the first and most important Fruit of the Spirit is Love.

It’s not always easy to love others, especially when we are surrounded by so much negativity and hostility in this world. As a Mental Health Worker, I teach Anger Management to children with severe behavior problems. I give God ALL the glory for this because what I teach comes from Him and not me. Some who knew me in my BC (Before Christ) days would tell you that I was definitely not a "happy camper". I could have used some Anger Management classes myself. I walked around angry, bitter, and cursed 100 words a minute. I thought everyone was looking at me the wrong way and wouldn't hesitate to tell them off. Oh Yes, little 5 foot Paty was always ready to throw some punches. But you see all of that came from my own insecurities. It was not until I accepted Jesus into my heart that He slowly started to chip away the anger, bitterness, hate, jealousy, fear and resentfulness in me. Only God could do that. Oh, He's not done with me yet. I'm still a work in progress. God continues to mold me, shape me and teach me more and more about His Perfect Love. Every day He surrounds me with loving people and He speaks to me through scriptures and devotionals. He even uses Radio and T.V ministry to show me how much He loves me.

Sunday mornings in our home start with Charles Stanley's televised message. Pastor Stanley is one of my favorite Teachers because his messages are clear, thought provoking and inspirational. This past Sunday, he taught about God's "Omnipotence" (being all powerful) and "Omnipresence" (being present everywhere). As I was listening to Pastor Stanley say that God knows every detail about our lives and already knows what we're going to do before we do it. I thought about some of the bad choices I've made in my life. You mean to tell me that God is in everything I do and everywhere I go? Is He in the mistakes I have made and continue to make? Even in the small things? Like yesterday when I decided to order that gazillion calorie, venti latte instead of a green tea? ...Absolutely! Well, if God is Omnipotent and Omnipresent, why would He allow us to make the wrong choices? He allows us to make our mistakes to draw us closer to Him, so that we may come to know Him and His unconditional Love.

How amazing it is to have confidence in knowing that God has been and continues to be and will ALWAYS be in every part of my life. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" ~Jeremiah 29:11

God loves us unconditionally, even when we have not made the right choices in life and have strayed away; "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose". ~Romans 8:28.

I know that God loves me and has kept me on the right path. He has a plan and a purpose for my life. I can recall several moments in my life when I felt God's embrace. Like a loving father, He has shown me how much He loves and cares for me by putting certain people in my path to redirect me. I see God's Love in others, a love that is so indescribable. I know without a doubt that "God is Love".

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him" ~1 John 4:16