The question I hear probably more than any other is: If God loves us, why does He let (fill in the blank) happen? And I'm not saying I difinitively have THE answer, but I want to kind of explore MY answer. And I generally think things happen for two reasons. But before I get to those two reason I want to point out that a lot of the things we blame God for really are just the natural consequences of our own choices and actions. I find it funny that when things go wrong it's always God's fault, but when things go right we're the ones in control of our own destiny. But I digress. Ok. The two reasons that things happen--that we have to go through things: 1. So that we can learn and grow. 2. So that we can help others through those same things. Because there's a huge difference between "knowledge" and "experience." It's the difference between head knoweldge and heart knowledge. Between knowing ABOUT something and KNOWING something. Let me say it like this, if we never try anything, and never make any mistakes, then how can we learn from our mistakes? Sometimes (most of the time) you have to do it wrong before you can do it right. And that's not failure. That's learning. And that's how our heavenly Father leads, and guides, and protects, and provides, and takes care of us. Look at Hebrews 4:15, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmites; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." And 2 Corinthians 12:9, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Jesus, our high priest, has been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. He knows what we're going through because He already went through it. When we are weak--which in my experience is all of the time--He is strong. When we stop trying to do (fill in the blank) by ourselves, then He has room to move. Let me say it another way, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). In this world we'll have tribulation. Why? Because life happens. Because people do things. Because actions have consequences. BUT we can be of good cheer regardless. The Word (which is Jesus, which is love) has been spoken to us. And the hearing of the Word produced faith. Faith that says, "Daddy's got my back." Faith that lets us walk NOT according to sight. NOT just taking what the world gives us and trying to make the best of it. But knowing there's something more. Something higher. Something more excellent. Knowing that peace comes from the inside, not from the outside. Knowing that we don't have to overcome, because Jesus already overcame. And in Him we are MORE than conquerors. So we go through things. And we learn from them. We grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord. And then we turn around and dig a well for the next person. We say, "I've been right where you are, and I know you're going to be ok. I know you're going to get through this. Because I got through it. And I'm going to help you get through it." We receive God's love and we release it to those around us. We let God love us and carry us through and then we love others and carry them through!

After 2,000 years we're still just scratching the surface of our knowledge of God. Of how much God loves us. And that's ok. Because it's a life-long journey and we have been given the gift of eternal life. I was preaching just last night about how Jesus is the beginning and the end (the Alpha and the Omega) but in reality the "end"--of the old man and everything else that was old--happened already. And we've been equipped and empowered to walk in NEWNESS of life. All things are become new. Life as we knew it before the cross, before we knew Jesus, just doesn't apply anymore. Which is nice because "life" just doesn't cut it. We weren't created just to suffer for a few years, pay bills, and then die. We were created to express God's love. AS an expression of God's love. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it exceeding abundantly. He came that we might know the Father, and in knowing the Father know ourselves as Son(s). He came to improve the human condition. And catch that--He didn't come to TAKE AWAY the human condition. Somehow we've gotten the idea that we're supposed to stop being human in order to be "holy." We've gotten the idea that we're supposed to deny ourselves and be someone else. Guys, the Word became flesh and blood and dwelt among us. We're always so worried about being "more Spiritual" that we miss out on the truth that the Spirit came down to be "more human"! We think we're supposed to separate from everything--whatever your particular culture preaches as "sin", be it TV, or soda pop, or what--when really God wants us to experience His creation to the fullest. I really think that's what Paul was talking about when he wrote about the whole creation groaning and waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. We take what life throws at us and try to do the best we can with it instead of realizing that we are connected to the unlimited source of life. The unlimited source of love. God. HE is the power working within us that is able to DO exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or even think. LOVE is the power. Love can do more than we could ask or think because love is so much bigger and better than we think. We even have this backwards view of love--"I'll scratch your back so you'll scratch mine." But love is never ever about getting. Love is always about giving. Love IS giving. Giving out of the abundance that we have been giving. Receiving and releasing. Sharing what we've got. We are blessed... to be a blessing. We are NOT blessed to be a hoarder. When you keep something to yourself it is what it is. But when you share something... it grows. It gets bigger and better. It gets REAL. And that's what the abundant, eternal, everlasting, Resurrection Life is. It's REAL life. A life of exceeding abundant love. Don't we understand that the only difference between death and life is love? If you know you're loved you can love. It flows from the source. If you know God lives in you you can live. You can partake of His Divine Nature. You can experience His life as HE lives it in, and through, and as you! And that right there is higher than we could ask OR think. That right there is not head knowledge, but heart knowledge. A life... of love.

I know there's something more. Something greater than what our senses can reveal to us. More than just this "world." More than just "life." And that's why Jesus came. Jesus, the light of the world, came to reveal the truth to us. And when He shines His light ON us, what He revealed is that that same light shines IN us. Shines through us. Shines out of us. Because even as Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), WE are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). It's the same light. Before Jesus--before the cross--that light was just buried too deep for us to see. All of that surface stuff made it seem dark. So we stumbled around in the dark, trying to do the best we could with what we (thought we) had. We were "living" but we weren't truly alive. It seemed like something was missing. Love was missing. So we spent our Three T's (Time, Talent, Treasure) looking for love in all the wrong places. Because we couldn't see it. Couldn't believe it. Thought we had to earn it. Thought we had to DO in order to BE. It wasn't much of an existence. Wasn't much of a life at all. When Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil... he died. He didn't die physically, but he died spiritually. And it wasn't until God poured out His Spirit on all flesh--it wasn't until Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit--that we could once again truly live. It wasn't until the Holy Spirit--our love receptor--began to lead and guide us into all truth that we could stop trying to earn what is freely given. And once we knew it was a gift--and that we had already been given the gift of eternal life, which is knowing the Father and the Son, living in the context of Sonship--we could begin to receive it. We could stop trying works and labor (which don't work), and we could start to rest. Stop trying to be someone we're not in order to earn something we don't have, and simply begin to be who we are and enjoy what we do have. Guys, there's a power working in us. And you can call it light, or Spirit, or God but what it really is... is love. If God is all-powerful (and He is) that means LOVE is all-powerful. And being all-powerful doesn't mean being most powerful. It means having ALL of the power. Nothing compares to love. How could anything? Love is exceeding abundantly more than anything we could ask for or even think. Love is better than we could ever imagine. This everlasting life-long journey into the heart of the matter is simply a eternal life-long journey into the height, and depth, and breadth, and length of God's love for us! And the best way--the only way--to truly experience God's love is by loving others. That's the New Commandment. Love one another as Jesus loves you. That's what it means to receive and release the gift we've been given. Receive it BY releasing it. That's what it means to walk by faith and not by sight--we don't always "feel" loved, but when we love one another it's impossible to NOT feel the love. When we share what we've got it grows. We don't lose it by using it. It feeds on itsef and grows and grows like a Holy Ghost wildfire, consuming everything that's not itelf and firing up everyone it touches. Not burning people down. Not condemning them, and giving them more of the same old same old that the world gives. But giving them something more. Something better. More excellent. Exceeding abundant love!

Living the abundant life isn't about getting anything. It's not about what you've got at all. It's about what you DO with what you've got. In our key verse, Ephesians 3:20, we see that God is able to DO exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. And it's according to the power that works IN us. It's what's inside coming out. Which means it's about love. Because, believe it or not, that's what inside. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. And He ensured that we might have that life--partake of His Divine Nature--by giving His own life to us. That's the key. We don't try to live Jesus' life. That's impossible. Nobody can live Jesus' life except Jesus. So it's not until we understand that we ARE Jesus--God in the flesh, love in a body--that we truly understand what it means for Him to live His own life in, and through, and as us. He gave us His life so we could live. He gave us His Spirit so we could receive and release His love. So we might know the love of Christ, and share that love with everyone we come into contact with. He blessed us... to be a blessing. Look at Genesis 12:2, "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." This is what I'm always talking about: You can't give what you don't have, and you can only give what you do have. So in order for us to be a blessing, God had to first bless us. In order for us to forgive, we had to first be forgiven. In order for us to love, He had to first love us. It all flows from the source. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights. We are His Son(s). The light of the world. And when He does above all that we could ask or think, it's really not about "stuff" at all. Stuff is almost inconsequential to God. Jesus told us to seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and all that stuff (stuff that God already knows we need before we even ask) will be added to us. HAS BEEN added to us. We have already been blessed with all Spiritual blessings... so that we can bless others with those same Spiritual blessings. All things that pertain to life and godliness have already been given to us. Everything we have ever, or could ever, need has already been provided. Why? Well to take care of us, certainly. That's what a Father does--He provides for and protects and takes care of His Son. But also so that we might take care of each other. Philippians 2:3-5, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Get it? If I take care of you, and you take care of me, neither one of us has to take care of ourselves. And that's the key to letting the mind of Christ (that's already in you) BE in you. How do we let it be? By thinking of others! Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, just thinking of yourself less. Thinking about others. Taking care of others. Sharing what you've got with others. Being blessed is awesome, don't get me wrong. But it more blessed to give than to receive. It's a more excellent way. It's higher than anything we could ask or think. God loves you. That's as high as it can get. And loving others with that same love is exceeding abundant!

There are, in a sense, two "realms." The world... and the Kingdom. And each of these realms has a report. The world deals with the natural senses. What you can see with your natural eyes, and hear with your natural ears. The external. The situations and circumstances we find ourselves in on a day to day basis. Now we can accept this report, and try to do the best we can with what we (think) we've got. We can buy in to the idea of "if the world gives you lemons, make lemonade." OR. We can understand that what the world gives us is just the surface stuff. We can understand that there's something deeper. A power working in us. And this power comes from the heart. Because this power is love. It ALL comes down to love. Every single time. Look at our key verse again, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask of think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). Something more. Something better. More than just making lemonade out of lemons. More than just doing the best we can with what we think we've got. More than we could ask OR think. If you ever think, "This is as good as it gets," well... you're mistaken. There's always something better. Something higher. And, again, it's love. Not love as we generally understand it though. Not love that is trying to get something. Because love is never about getting. Love is about giving what you've got. Because love IS giving. And that's my thought for today. The only way to experience this abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life is by loving others. The only way God can do exceeding abundantly FOR us is by doing exceeding abundantly THROUGH us. He fills us up, yes, certainly. But not just so that we can be filled up. That's a side effect, and an amazing one. But God fills us up (and really, already FILLED us up on the cross) so that the love He filled us with can overflow out of us. So that we can receive it and RELEASE it. Receive it BY releasing it. So that others who don't know what they've got can see it when our light shines. Can see it with Spiritual eyes and hear it with Spiritual ears. An abundant life is not about you having more than you can handle. It's about you having more than you need so that you can give it away. Remember what Luke 3:10-11 says? "And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." I don't like this idea that "Christians" are supposed to live in poverty. God promised to make Abraham rich. God also made Solomon rich. And on and on and on. God doesn't mind if you have stuff. He gets a little worried though when stuff has you. He wants you to give out of a generous heart. To give out of your abundance. If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have one. Meet a need. And look how "small" this seems. If someone's hungry, feed them. If they're naked, clothe them. These are basic needs. But I'm telling you, it's hard to hear someone's words over the growl of an empty stomach. So it's like this: You're blessed to be a blessing. To receive from the Lord and release what you've been given. To live out of abundance by sharing the wealth you've got. It's not about getting. We already have it all. It's about KNOWING what we've got and DOING something with it. The power (of love) working in us to do more than we could ask or think. Not "get" more but DO more!

I quoted this verse yesterday, but I want to really dig into it. Because I think our perceived place of lack is what holds us back so many times from experiencing, and enjoying, what is available to us. We take what the world throws at us and try to make the best of it instead of tapping into the unlimited realm of the Kingdom of God. So here's our key verse, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). I say this all this time, but I'm going to say it again: Jesus did it all so we could get it all. The work is finished. We have it all. And yet we still go around with our hands out begging our Father to do something. Guys, we don't need a move of God. God already moved 2,000 years ago on the cross. What we need is a revelation of Jesus so that we can know and understand (and believe) what that move of God was. And look at the end of our key verse, "according to the power that worketh in us." We're always looking outside when we need to be working inside. We're always looking at external situations and trying to find external solutions. But there's a More Excellent Way. And it doesn't come from without, it comes from within. And it doesn't "change" without. It's a light that shines in order to reveal things as they REALLY are, not as we see them with our natural eyes. That's why we walk by faith and not by sight--so we can lay aside the weight and the sin (unbelief) that so easily besets us. We see mountains and valleys, ups and downs. It feels like we're on a roller coaster. But look at Isaiah 40:4 (NLT), "Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places." The straight and narrow way that leads to life isn't hard. It's easy. It's a flow. Because JESUS made the way straight. HE brought the valleys high and the mountains low. I know the old saying, "God gives us mountains to learn how to climb," but while I DO believe we go through things in order to learn and grow (and to build wells in order to help other people through those same things) I think we make it too hard for ourselves sometimes. We make mountains out of molehills. We come from a place of lack. We TRY to overcome instead of understanding that in Him we have ALREADY overcome. There's nothing left TO overcomes because He won the war to end all wars on the cross. We come from a place of lack instead of a place of abundance. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. That's what's available. More than all we could ask or even think. The mind of Christ is already there. Everything we could ever need--the desire of our heart (which is love)--is already there. All we have to do is LET the mind that's already in us BE in us. All we have to do is know and believe. Let the power working in us... work.

What's inside comes out. Because it's too big to contain. But the key is KNOWING and BELIEVING that it's in there. That's what faith is, and that's why faith is so important. But watch this: Faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). And watch this: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). You hear about God's love, and your faith explodes. Because when you hear about God's love, you have something to believe in. You know it, and you believe, and then it comes out naturally. You hear the Word of life (Jesus, love) and then you walk in newness of life. You walk by faith and not by sight! And this is so powerful: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). See, we hear the Word of life. We know it and we believe it. We behold it. And what we behold, is what we become. Because the Word isn't just a Word. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And then on the cross it went even further than that. More than just dwelling AMONG us the Word took up abode (or dwelling) INSIDE us. Grace and truth, goodness and mercy, don't just FOLLOW us all the days of our life... they (HE, Jesus) live in us! And if the Word of life is living in you... that equips and empowers you to truly live. Not just "life" but abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life. I'll say it again: Newness of life. Why? Because God spoke and said, "Let there be light." He showed us who we really are by showing us who He really is. He showed us that we are His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased by showing us that He is our heavenly Father and by giving His life for us and giving His life to us. By showing us that He's not mad AT us, but mad ABOUT us. By showing us that He would rather DIE than live without us. He laid His life down so that He could pick it up again. So that we could have something better than we even knew was possible. Ephesians 3:20 says it like this, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Before the cross we were trying to do the best we could with what we had. The problem is that we didn't know what we had. We didn't think we had anything except human effort. So that's what we tried to use to get the desire of our heart. But here's the thing about love--you can't earn it. It's a free gift. It has to be received. And that's what the Holy Spirit is all about. The Holy Spirit is our love receptor. It (HE) leads and guides us into all truth. It (HE) testifies of our true identity by testifying of Jesus. It (HE) tells us who we really are by telling us who Jesus really is. By revealing the unconditional love relationship of the Father and the Son. THAT'S the Word of life. That's what God says. That's who Jesus is. And, because as He is, so are we in this world, that's who WE are. He IS our true identity. We're here to live. And by that I mean we're here to love. Because to live is to love and to love is to live. It's the same thing. The Word of life is the Word of Love. It's the Word of God because God IS love. He wanted us to live. To be loved and to love each other. So He gave us life. He gave us love. He gave us Himself. So that we might know and believe that love lives in our hearts. And since it's in there, it can't do anything but come out all on it's own!

Why did God speak the Word of Life (which is Jesus, which is love)? So that we might live! 1 John 4:9 (NLT) says it like this, "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him." And look at what is directly connect to life: LOVE. He showed us how much He loves us by giving His LIFE to us! Because to live is to love and to love is to live. It's the same thing. But catch this part: "So that we might have eternal life THOUGH HIM." It's HIS life. And we're simply partaking of it. Simply letting Him live it in us, and through us, and as us. There is no life apart from God because there is no life apart from love. That's why when the heaven and the earth (the mind and the body... you) was dark and void and without form God said, "Let there be light." He inserted Himself into that void. What else could fill a God-shaped hole but God? What else could satisfy the desire of our heart but love? That's what we needed, so that's what He gave us. Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God, right? He wanted us to live by faith so He spoke the Word of Life. He gave us something to believe in. He gave us Himself (LOVE) to believe in! He spoke, and those with ears to hear were able to receive His gift. (Again, I believe the gift was given to everybody. The Spirit was poured out on all flesh. But there's a difference between being given a gift and receiving a gift. A difference between having something and KNOWING you have it.) It goes like this: the deep calls out to the deep. God is a Spirit and Jesus said we must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. We have to connect with Him on HIS level. Spirit to Spirit. Holy to Holy. Love to love. He wanted us to live so He gave us HIS life. He wanted us to love so He first loved us. You know the old saying, "Before there were cows God created grass for them to eat. Before there was a sinner, there was a Savior." Like the good Father that He is, God has always provided for us before we even knew we had the need. He spoke into the darkness when we were stumbling around trying to do the best we could with what we had, and He showed us how things really are. Showed us what we REALLY have (all Spiritual blessings, everything that pertains to life and godliness). He showed us that things ARE in Divine Order so we could stop TRYING to make them that way. He showed us that the work is finished so that we could rest. He gave us His Son so that we might live through Him. And not just live... not just have "life"... but abundant life. Eternal life. Everlasting life. Resurrection Life. Newness of life. When God spoke He said, "Jesus." He said, "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." He said, "I love you." And that Word of Love IS the Word of Life! Because life and love don't just go hand in hand. In fact (in TRUTH), they are the same thing. God is love, and He spoke the Word of Life!

Jesus is the Word of God. And the Word of God is life. Because what did God say? He said, "Let there be light." He said, "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Basically, He said, "I love you." John 6:63 (NLT) puts it like this, "The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." Remeber how Jesus had the ministry of reconciliation and gave that same word of reconciliation to us? Whatever the Father has He gave to the Son. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand" (John 3:35). That, to me, is the ultimate truth of the universe. So let's track this: The Words Jesus spoke to us were spirit and life. That means we HAVE His Spirit and His life. He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. And He accomplished that by giving us HIS abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life. He poured His Spirit out on all flesh, equipping and empowering us with the ability--the soft heart--to receive God's love. God always loved us--what else could the God who IS love do?--but we didn't KNOW that He loved us. Until He told us. And showed us. Until, through the Holy Spirit (our love receptor) we could hear it and see it. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God. LIFE comes from the Word of life! Love comes from the Word of love! Everything God has, and everything He is... He gave to us. By giving HIMSELF to us. By drawing us into Him when He was lifted up from the earth on the cross, and by planting Himself in us and taking up abode, or dwelling, inside us. Getting rid of any idea of separation. Jesus said it like this, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). The unity of love. The unity of LIFE and love. If you don't love you dwell in death. But if you love--with the same love that you are loved with--you experience the life that you were meant to live. Not stumbling around in darkness, but walking in the light. Walking in NEWNESS of life. A new life for a new man. A New Commandment for a new man; love one another as Jesus loves you. Let the gift of God fill you to overflowing so that it comes out naturally. As easy as breathing. As easy as speaking life. And not trying to "change things" but simply seeing things as they really are. Seeing the change that took place 2,000 years ago. Hearing God say He loves you and then repeating that by telling others you love them. Letting it flow. The Word of God is not condemnation and hellfire and brimstone. The Word of God is the Word of life. The Word of love. We speak life by speaking love. And if faith comes from hearing... and someone else hears you say you love them... guess what: You just built up someone's faith. You just gave someone what they desperately want and need. You just filled someone up with what you've been filled with. By taking that Word of life... and sharing it. By receiving and releasing the love of God!

Here's where I think "religious folk" get in trouble: We make Christ too complicated. We lose the simplicity of it. We set up all sorts of hoops that people have to jump through "in order to be saved." Or "in order to be reconciled." And, listen, I just got done Ranting not too long ago about BEING what we already be. I get that receiving the gift that we've already been given. But the truth is the matter is we ARE saved. We ARE reconciled. It's a done deal. It is finished. And to me, the really tragic part is when we preach salvation in the context of "being saved from eternal damnation in hell." Matthew 1:21 (NLT) spells it out, "And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." What did Jesus save us from? OUR SINS! Our unbelief. He saved us from the lie that says we have to do in order to be. And how did He save us from our unbelief? By giving us something to believe in! By giving us HIMSELF, LOVE, to believe in. He came AS the Word of Life in order to GIVE us life. And not just any life, but HIS life. He made us partakers of the Divine Nature by pouring His Spirit out on all flesh. He equipped and empowered us to receive the love of God--the love that IS God--by giving us the Holy Spirit (our love receptort). I really believe God has only ever said one thing: Let there be light. And watch this: God IS light, and a Spirit, and a consuming fire, and love. So when He said let there be light, He was saying let there be love. Let there be the Holy Spirit. Let there be a consuming fire that burned up everything except itself. The burning bush in the wilderness that burned but wasn't consumed. Love doesn't consume love. It feeds on love, and it grows. We receive it and release it. We recieve it BY releasing it. This idea that the word of God condemns sinners to that firey after life is so abhorrent to me. Jesus said He didn't come to condemn the world but that it might be SAVED through Him. He said He came that we might have LIFE and have it more abundantly. He didn't come to judge us. The Father committed all judgment to the Son. Jesus wrapped us all up in Himself, and then He was judged--righteously. Which means we all were judged righteously. The judgment of God was not a death sentence, or a prison sentence, but a LIFE sentence! We make this "Christianity" about every and any thing else. When it's about life. Jesus is the Word of God. When God spoke He said Jesus. And then the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And the Word took up abode IN us. Jesus is the Word of life. When God spoke He said, "Life, life, and more life!" He said, "Love, love, and more love!" It's that simple. WE make things complicated. WE make the Word of God of none effect through our traditions. And that brings it right back to BEING what we already be. To letting the truth be true for us, simply by knowing it and believing it. Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God. Life comes from hearing the Word of life! And that's what life is for--living! To live is to love and to love is to live. Jesus empowered us to love by loving us. He empowered us to live by giving us His life!