How do you love God?

If it seems impossible to love a mysterious invisible omnipotent supernatural force that can punish you for eternity… you aren’t alone.

This is the ultimate question the whole world has tried to answer in every way imaginable. From the extinct Mayans, Easter Islanders, or most primitive Amazonian tribe… to the most ascetic Hindu gurus, Buddhist monks, or Muslim extremists… even the most “sophisticated” Harvard-educated philosophers…

Everyone asks the same question at some point: How should I, how can I, or how do I love God?

No matter what the rituals, sacrifices, pyramids, statues, churches, idols, myths, or superstitions try to say, there is only one answer. Loving God starts with believing He first loves you.

This simple answer (along with all ultimate truth) comes straight from the Heart of God through the Word of God:

“In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us…” (1 Jn. 4:10)

God Himself insists you must see yourself as His beloved child to enter His Kingdom. You must allow yourself to be loved by Him as His newborn child. You must see His eyes looking into your eyes as He feeds you with Himself.

Jesus said love of God fulfills all law. Loving God above everything allows you to love your neighbor as yourself… so loving your neighbor as yourself means loving your neighbor as you’ve been loved by God.

This makes you eternally perfect! This is how you stop being discontent with your spouse, frustrated or impatient with your kids, or condemning or angry with other people.

How do you start to love God? By being loved by God!

Living loved and forgiven is only possible when you trust Him enough to love you. Then you can receive His love. Which brings you right back to the Gift of His Righteousness:

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all other things will be GIVEN as well.” (Matt. 6:33)

To love God, you must receive His love. Position your newborn heart to receive the Gift your Perfect Father wants to give you. According to the Word of God, you do this simply by believing He wanted to die for you to give it to you.

Jesus said believing in the atoning gift of His life, death and resurrection is the only required “work” you must do to meet all His legal requirements (see Jn. 6:29). Receiving His Love cause you to love Him “above all else” in return.

In this heart posture, your conscience is clean of ALL sin because you believe He’s given the newborn you His Gift of Righteousness… which starts with total complete forgiveness of sin and its consequences. Read it again:

“In this is love, not that you loved God, but that He loved you, and sent His Son to be the atonement for your sins.” (1 Jn. 4:10)

Remember the original created value God assigned to you; creating you to be His own Image of love from the beginning. This allows you to stay lovable!

Now you stay conscious, not of your sins and failures, but of your reborn status as His beloved child who He wants to father and guide (rather than condemn and punish).

The newborn you is His very Image and Likeness, the way He intended you to be from the beginning.

You can now: “Sing aloud Daughter Zion (that’s you), rejoice and exult with ALL your heart! The Lord has taken away the judgement against you!” (Zephaniah 3:14)

If you stumble into an old behavior pattern momentarily forgetting the Goodness of God, you will gladly thank Him for His Love and forgiveness as soon as you remember the beautiful price He paid to redeem you from that lie!

To proclaim the “good news of GREAT JOY” to your children, you must—like Jesus did—focus on each one’s original created value made in His Image with His Righteousness purchased at the Cross… and stop focusing on sins.

Starting with yourself.