KNOW GOD is INFINITE

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On the way home, driving in the evening sun, I flipped on the radio to hear a pastor speaking… but what he was speaking made the Spirit rise up inside of me.   He was speaking that manifestations in the book of Acts don’t happen anymore.   I should have just turned the radio off but I thought what if people who were listening didn’t know those manifestations, that he openly denies, do still happen today.  God is not a god of religion and dry bones but a GOD of faith, who makes those dry bones come ALIVE.

He is God who puts muscle and flesh over those bones and gives us a new heart and Spirit.  He is one who feeds us, encourages us, establishes us and empowers us.   

How could he, a pastor… a man of God, not experience the manifestations of the Holy Spirit?  One might ask, “Does he really know God or has he just accepted an aspect of God? 

Knowing he doesn’t believe in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, who then leads him in what to preach to his congregation?  Is it by his mere thinking, wisdom and reasoning?   

“But He (Jesus) answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.  Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:13

Seminary taught or not… Who is to be our TEACHER?  God is to be our teacher who knows what HIS children need to hear and see. 

“For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.”      1 Corinthians 4:20

For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 1 Thessalonians 1:5

Is it not God who removes the veil? Is it not God is who infinite? 

I do wonder how a person can speak of God’s life changing power and then flat out deny the gifts and manifestation of God’s presence.  Does that not seem strange?  Are we not a manifestation of His transforming love? 

I am sure everyone has an aspect of ignorance when it comes to God but I am thankful God helps us overcome that ignorance as we allow Him to reveal the wonderful things of Himself.  

We must not deny something in the bible just because we have never experienced it or told by mere men it doesn’t exist anymore? 

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1:5-8

   We know the Old Testament is the New Testament revealed.   And is God not the same God as in the Old Testament?   So why would God change from what we see in the New Testament to now? 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”   Hebrews 13:8

God is same yesterday and today and forever… He is infinite.  He is unorthodox- granted but this doesn’t mean He doesn’t bestow the gifts of the Spirit and manifest Himself anymore….  God is ALIVE not dead!  And He does not conform to the ideals of men, no matter what their title may have. 

“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power, His understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5

“God is not a man, so he does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.  Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has He ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19

Can you think of what God knows?  Here is just a tiny list.

He knows our hearts.

“But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."  Jeremiah 17:10

He knows every detail of our bodies.

 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

He knows how long we will live here on this earth.

“You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” Job 14:5

He knows when we are tried, tested and tempted.  He knows when we turn our back on Him.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.  But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail.  So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32

He knows when we will fail.

But Jesus said, "Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me." Luke 22:34

He knows where every resource is to help His people.

“However, we don't want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us." Matthew 17:27

He knows where we are and where we will be.

“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”  And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” Acts 9:10-12

UNDERSTANDING

And how often does God tell us and show us in various ways to not depend on our own understanding? 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6

“Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”                                                                    Romans 12:2

For the word of God will never fail. Luke 1:37

"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

“These people come near to me with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
    is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” Isaiah 29:13

Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible." Matthew 19:26

We are talking about our infinite God that is beyond the understanding and complacencies of men taught and untaught.  

God touch those who teach such falsies and believe in such falsies.  If I were to share with these men right now, the miracles I have experienced they would call me a liar and yet call God a liar.

I have seen Jesus.  I have experienced the varied presences of God.  I have experienced things as the prophets of old.  I have experienced heaven.  I have spoke and sung in tongues.  I have heard and told people things that only God knew.  Things I without a doubt spoke because God’s Spirit assured them to me in my soul that they were true.  Strongly directed by God, I have prayed over the sick and they have been healed.  This is not to boost about me for I know one of reasons I have been shown these things is due to of my lack of faith and ignorance.   I have been doubting Thomas, questioning Philip, hypocrite Peter, and religious prideful Saul who became the Apostle Paul.  I speak my testimony.  I speak of these wonders of God to only speak the truth about GOD.  I feel if I don’t many will not know the wonders that are revealed through Christ Jesus.  They might feel God is unreachable and unknowable.  It is God not me who has done and shown me these things and he has no favorites.      

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness, And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface.  Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3

God had only to speak and the universe and the earth came into existence.   God had only to speak light over the earth and there was light.

And how we too were much like the earth.   How we were clothed and blinded in darkness until we surrendered to God and He breathed light into our life changing us from the inside out.  And He awoke us to the reality of Himself.  The same Holy Spirit that hovered over the earth testified mightily to our soul that Jesus is LORD over our soul.  How we need to remember that, how we need to remember our first love everyday of our lives.  How we need to remember our need for Him and how far He has brought us.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.   We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing great treasure.  This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”  2 Corinthians 4:6-7

"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--he will testify about me.” John 15:26

This same infinite Spirit, this Great Teacher, that people of this world aren’t even aware lives in us thanks to Christ Jesus. 

“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 14:17

"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.” John 16:13

When I think of God being infinite I think of this verse in Ephesians,

“Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” Ephesians 3:8-9

Think about it… the boundless riches of Christ. 

“KNOW GOD is LOVE.  KNOW GOD is Infinite,” flashed on the screen of my mind a few days back and now I am starting to understand why.

His infinite understanding is much higher then our ways and thoughts.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Where we might think appearance, human power, strength and some level of higher intelligence or education are necessary but God says, “No. It’s the heart and my Spirit that are important.”

Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. Zachariah 4:6

“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”  Matthew 5:8

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” 1 Corinthians 1:27

Think of David, a young shepherd boy who is anointed as king of Israel.  Do you remember what happened after he was anointed as king?

“So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.” 1 Samuel 16:13

For David to be king of Israel he needed to be anointed by the Holy Spirit and David knew nothing else could sustain him to go into the role and do that role without the Holy Spirit in his life.

I love you, Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:1-2

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” Psalm 73:25

“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” Psalm 54:4

It is no different for us as Christians.  The Holy Spirit needs to be active in our lives to sustain us to walk out our faith.    

“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

No wonder why John reads,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5

Note: John is speaking of Jesus –the Word.

God is LIGHT.  Light that is never overcome by darkness.  Light that is infinite.  Light that wraps/clothes our eternal soul for eternity.

Why is it important to know God is infinite?

God wants us to rely and live in Him who infinite, so that we might live beyond our sometimes often burdening, shortsighted, limited understanding and circumstances.  God wants us to learn to continually abide in Him who gives us daily refreshment for our soul. Through Him come the companions of peace, joy, love, mercy grace, hope, and an empowering faith.

 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16

Think to know Him and experience Him… is walk the road less traveled (mentally/ physically and of course spiritually).  It is to see life in a whole different way/light.   It is to have manifesting presence active in our life by looking and submitting to God who is INFINITE.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20

Know God is Infinite.

Scent of Love

On the third month of the 16^th day of the year two thousand fifteen I woke to these words, “I am sending my son to scent of love.” 

Not sure as what all this entailed I said to the Lord, “May it be as you have said Lord Jesus.”

It being 4AM, I pondered these words as I drifted back to sleep… these words spoken as if part of a conversation, a conversation I was not all the way privy.  A story… a mysterious plan held in the hands of the all-knowing wondrous God, my keeper. 

“They are plans for good not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Still what did He mean by “scent” of love?

When I rose, I remembered the utterance I had heard early that morning and I was reminded of a scripture that spoke of a sweet smelling fragrance.   

“But thank God!  He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.  Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.  But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.  To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?                2 Corinthians 2:14-17

“Who is adequate for such as task?”

This question made my mind stir… To not let my mind drift too far in any given direction I submitted God’s love, the love that keeps us. 

What makes us adequate for such a task to God?  Obviously looking at our biblical examples of Moses, Gideon, Joseph, Jeremiah, David, Esther, Peter and so on… it is not anything that comes from ourselves.  

And what makes this sweet perfume?

It’s our relationship with God.  This fragrance is God emanating His love in and through us.

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”       1 John 4:9

I was then reminded of the dream that I posted last month.  http://prisonersetfree.blogspot.com/2015/02/dream.html 

Being reminded of the auburn hair woman in modest dress that I danced with - that supernaturally emanated these wondrous godly characteristics.  I revisited the post…

There it was clear again that it was her relationship she had with God that caused her to possess these godly virtues… virtues that I admired and I too wanted to simulate in my life submitted to God.        

When I reread the post my eyes also fell upon these verses about the bride.          

“You are like a private garden, my treasure, my bride! You are like a spring that no one else can drink from, a fountain of my own.  You are like a lovely orchard bearing precious fruit, with the rarest of perfumes: nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, myrrh and aloes, and perfume from every incense tree, and every other lovely spice.   You are a garden fountain, a well of living water, as refreshing as the streams from the Lebanon mountains.”   Song of Songs 4:12-15

How does the Bride of Christ bear precious fruit and the rarest perfumes?  How can the Bride of Christ be garden fountain or a well of living water? 

Not without God.  For these desirable fruits and perfumes cannot be produced or manufactured by the world but by God alone.  This garden fountain cannot bring peace and joyful sounds into the “garden” without God.   And this well of living water surely cannot happen without God living in it.

Jesus said, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:14

Jesus said "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

  

Jesus is saying abide in me and live and to know what it means to live.  For in surrendered submission to Him, He liberates our soul from the world and ourselves.  And in living in that liberation God gives, we show what it means to live immersed in God’s love.

This is the same message God spoke to me when I asked Him. “How do we persist in your wonderful freeing manifesting presence?”  And he replied, “Stay in my love.”   Post link: http://prisonersetfree.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-reality-of-god-manifesting-him-in.html

God doesn’t want us to be religious and carried away in the flesh which is just stench and acrid smell to his nostrils (Isaiah 65:5, Isaiah 29:13, Isaiah 64:6) nor does He want us to be burdened and grow stagnate by circumstances and our own understanding.  God knows what happens when we fall into seeing life only through “human” eyes.

Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Knowing and surrendering to God’s liberating love is the key!  

Do you remember this verse?

^“Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Luke 8:8

The fertile soil is God’s mighty love and acceptance and surrendering to that love which has such yielding results in our life.

¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. ²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Ephesians 3:16-20

God wants us, His children, to take advantage of the benefits of His love.  He wants His love to be at the forefront of our hearts and minds as we go about our day.  For this is the scent of a genuine Christian life that is liberated, set free, enlightened, renewed in His love which can be gracefully bestowed upon others.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.  You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:13-16

One might say… “let the empowering goodness of God’s love "live" in your life that you may be a scent of God’s love to those around you.”  

 

Personal Notes: Reality of God & Manifesting Him in our Life

Have you ever noticed the interweavings between “knowing of God” and “knowing God” in one’s life of faith.  How they are like this growing organism.

How the “knowing of God” ushers the believer to pursue God while the “knowing God” brings about confidence in God over one’s life.  And yet while there is an ever- growing confidence in God, the “knowing of God” is never depleted nor does it cease because God and the things of God are far greater.  

Longing... I guess that would be a better word for the phrase "knowing of God".  A person has a longing for God.   Just as one longs for the one we love.  We long to know that person we love.  We long to know to that special person more intimately.   

So we long after God to know Him more.

Now there is another aspect of "knowing of God" but no longing or pursing of God takes place in that person's life.   They have intentionally or unintentionally set themselves on a massive divide- estranging themselves to the empowering reality of God's love in their life.
 
“Yes they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks.  And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.  The result was that their minds became dark and confused.  Claiming to be wise they became utter fools instead.” Romans 1:21-22

One must seek God not just know “of” Him.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

The Jews who were rescued from Egypt had this same problem.  They knew “of” God, they were taught about God and heard about God but when God revealed His Presence and power they shuttered with fear and told Moses to go speak to God alone.

Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die." Exodus 20:19

The difference was Moses knew God and was empowered by his relationship with God (faith) but the people struck by the sudden realities of God were terrified.  They witnessed the miracles God did on their behalf but they wanted to settle for “knowing of God” and because they settled for just “knowing of God” they did some pretty foolish things and were not empowered in God's love. 

Note: Anyone who just settles for just "knowing of God" will think and do some pretty foolish things.
    

I would imagine this would be no different today …  if we placed a person who did not pursue God and took another person who knows God and had them stand before God… I am certain their reactions would be very different.  The reality of God would be overwhelming, I would even say terrifying, to the one who didn’t know God but the one who knew God would have peace.

 “Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Romans 5:1

We must not confuse faith as religion but faith as relationship which we know becomes a reality through Jesus Christ's Lordship over our life. 
  

Jesus came to save human souls but he also came that we might come to know God and know Him personally as our Heavenly Father.  And through this relationship have LIFE.
 

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“And this is the way to have eternal life- to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” John 17:3

The reality of God in our lives changes us, transforms us, liberates us, and empowers us.  He satisfies and refreshes the soul for He made the soul.  Man is lost for lack of knowledge of God.

 The book of Hosea 4:6 says:

"My people are being destroyed because they don't know me..."
 

Knowing I have tendency to feel burdened by life from time to time, I asked the LORD how do we stay there in this wonderful place…. where You continually manifest Your presence in our lives?

And almost as if I asked a silly question He said to me…. 

“Stay in my love.”

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. John 15:9

I suppose it was a silly question.   But in my congested state of a head cold I was trying to figure it out,  “How in world can I make this occur in my life more persistently?”  The point is “I” cannot make this occur- for in order for me to have what God wants for me, if that be salvation, wisdom, peace, patience, hope, joy, faith, courage, purpose, etc I have to surrender in humble obedience to God’s love.  He is the source.  We would think from the moment of our salvation in Jesus Christ we would see and remember it is God who transforms a life- He is one who does the work in us but sometimes we don’t.  He created life, he transforms a life and makes a LIFE for a person.

Perhaps I need God to shorten the chain to He who is my anchor so my thinking doesn't drift so far from this truth. (wink)
 

And in sharing all this God showed me something else... We were created to do things…. We see this from the Garden of Eden to now.  So by nature we like to do things.   We like to figure things out, name things, create things, grow things, cook things, learn things and teach things and so on.   God designed us this way.  And we see many positive and awful outcomes come from this.  Our design to want to do however was created for something much more wonderful.

We were designed to be partnered with God’s Holy Spirit.  We are a created creation that when surrendered to the will of God, God manifests in us and through us.  We not only learn the reality of who God is and the comforts of knowing Him and His love for us but we “do” and "do"supernaturally as we were created in Him.  His love takes us beyond ourselves.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Without God’s love, allowed to work in our life, we are incomplete…

 "...God is love, and all who live in love live in God and God lives in them. And as we live in God our love grows more perfect.  So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world."  1 John 4:16-17

Think about... Nothing is greater then God!  I am astounded when I read such statements because the Holy Spirit cheers them on in my soul.

"In it's place you have clothed yourselves with a brand new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you." Colossians 3:10 

This new nature not manifested by ourselves but by God's transforming love enables and allows us to see and walk through this life differently.  Again this is only through Jesus Christ- the securing cornerstone of our life.

 "The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.  This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous to see.  This is the day the LORD has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:22-24

We who are renewed daily in God's love are inspired, strengthened, encouraged, comforted.   I know  I could never contain God in so many words.... the only way one will know... is to taste and see the Lord is good.  And sometimes that is tasting and seeing in our lives and/or other people's lives as well.

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
  

Without God's love to have access into our life, we are simply missing out on the fullness of LIFE that His love brings which not only enriches our lives but touches other people’s lives as well.
 

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Perhaps you want to know this love for yourself.  This love we can only know through Jesus Christ.  This love that saves us from hell.  This love that delivers us from ourselves.  This love that helps us overcome circumstances in our lives.  This love that cannot be bought or earned.  This love that is a gift to all who want to accept it.  This love that is often beyond our understanding.

If you want Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life and know God's love pray with me now.

Lord Jesus forgive me of my sins I have committed in my life.   Lord Jesus come and be my Lord and Savior of my life.  Put a new heart and your Spirit in me that I may know you as a child of God.  I want to know your mighty and freeing love in my life.  Teach and show me I pray, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just have prayed this prayer,  I encourage you to read the bible (https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/)  and get God's word down into your heart so God can draw those verses to your mind when you need them.  You may not have been able to read and understand the bible before but since God's Spirit is now in you, you will be able to understand it now.  And if you are not clear on a scripture verse ask God to help you understand it.  If you are able, I encourage you to find a Holy Spirit filled bible believing teaching church to encourage you in your growth in Christ.  You have encouraged me by allowing me to pray with you.  Thank you!  May God Bless you.

   
ADDITIONS:

A.W. Tozer wrote: "God is love, and is for that reason the source of all the love there is.  He has set as the first of commandments that we love Him with all our hearts, but He knows that the desired love can never originate with us.  We love him, because he first loved us, is the scriptural and psychological pattern.  We can love Him as we ought only as He inflames our minds with holy desire.  Yet there is also a love of willing as well as of feeling.  Though we may not be conscious of any great degree of inward sensation, we may set our wills to love God and the feeling will come of itself.  Let us bring ourselves under obedience to His revealed Word and our love for Him will grow.  Obedience will strength faith and faith will increase knowledge.  And it a well-known law of the spiritual life that our love for God will spring up and flourish just as our knowledge of Him increases.  To know Him is to love Him, and to know Him better is to love Him more."