God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

[Gabriel]

Something I struggled with for many years, (But don't anymore) and I think that all of us atleast one point in life, felt or wondered if God loves us. But I realized something. We all have friends or family that do love us very much. So since God IS Love  isn't that the answer? How can can They love us if God doesn't? Since the source is 'him'.  Any thoughts?

Gabriel 

[acomplishedartis]

What is LOVE for some, is not the same than what is love for others... so What is it??

What is love according to the Scriptures, that is love. If somebody doesn't love according to what the Scriptures tell, God can't abide in him and he can't abide in this kind of love.

The paper of Ray called Love (http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3719.0.html), explains that there is different types of love in the Scriptures. It is one of my favorites, it really changed my perception regarding personal relations.

[Kat]

Hi Gabriel,

Yes I can see your point. I think of a mother's love that is so very great for a child and yet God created this in a mother, so how much greater must the creator's love be for His creation? I mean He creates in us to have these feelings of love, so it must come from a source that has a boundless supply, so to speak. I just don't think we can fully grasp His being the epitome of love.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Joel]

To me it is really mind boggling to think about God the Father and the truths that he lets us glean from the Word concerning his Love, from a spiritual viewpoint of course.
God knows every person ever born on the face of the earth, before they were ever conceived until they went to sleep in death.
He cares for every creature great and small, and provides for their necessities of life, on a daily basis, and most don't even realize that fact.
He gave the thing most close to him, to die for the sins of the whole word, being none other than our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. And only a small fraction of today's population are thankful for that show of his enormous Love for mankind, or even have eyes to see that truth.

I am gratefull for all of His blessings, and abiding LOVE.
Joel

[Dave in Tenn]

I like that way of looking at it, Gabriel.  We know the reverse is true.  How can we say we love God if we hate our brother?  But I think the love others have for us is more of a 'parable' or example.  Some of God's creatures don't love us, and most have no thought towards us at all.  Even those that love us best can't be completely 'righteous' in that love because--even if they have the desire, they lack the wisdom and the facts.  He doesn't. 

I wrote a song years ago that had the lines:

You're born into a world
known by just a few
and even less will profess
to possess a love for you.
Just remember one thing
as you grow up and old
promise
is what you hold

I know He loves me by faith.  Sometimes because of--and sometimes in spite of--the way other people are to me, or the way I feel.

[Extol]

This is an excellent point, Gabriel.

My mother has loved me from the moment I was born.
She loved me before I was born.
She has always cared for me and provided for me.
Even though I'm an adult now, her love for me is still abundantly evident.
She would never, ever wish eternal torment on me, or even temporary torment.
Even if I was a serial killer, she would still love me.
She would still weep for me and plead for me if I was given a death sentence.
It would break her heart that I might suffer for a few moments, even if I deserved that penalty.
She would gladly go in my place, if she could.

And yet...

She believes that God will torment most of humanity for all eternity.
She believes (though she would never put it this way) that her love for me is stronger than God's love for the lost. 
There are millions of Christian parents like this. It is one manner in which God's name is "blasphemed among the nations" (Rom. 2:24).

To me, the love a mother has for a child is a powerful argument for the salvation of all.
What mother would punish her son by throwing him in a fire, even for a few seconds?
Are we to think that mothers love their sons more than God loves humankind?

I don't have any children, but I think of the people I love the most--my wife, and my two-year old niece--and I shudder to think of them being burned in real fire for even a second. I shudder to think of any kind of pain befalling them. Forget my wife and my niece...I wouldn't even wish for Usama bin Laden to be burned in real fire. And I'm just a carnal human...I think God loves bin Laden far more than this human heart could ever love his wife or niece.

[JohnMichael]

Extol, your reply reminded me of these verses.

Mat 7:11  If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Mat 7:12  Everything, therefore, be it what it may, that you would have men do to you, do you also the same to them; for in this the Law and the Prophets are summed up.

[Gabriel]

Thank you Jesse, It reminds me of a time back in my early childhood. (I hope I don't sound like a monster for this) When I thought to myself. "If God gave me a choice he would either send my brother (Who means the world to me) to hell for eternity or myself. Who would I choose? But, even at that age I wasted no time, in choosing myself for the flames. That's how much I loved my brother, and is why I was in torments until I found Rays site back in 05

P.S. My brother's name is Jesse. Now I have two brother's name Jesse 

Bless you all.

[Extol]

Jesse is a cool name! It means "God exists".