The God I Wish You Knew - Pt 3 - Tom Lowe

The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you. But the Lord watches over those who fear

him, those who rely on his unfailing love. Psalms 33:16-18 – NLT

It’s only when we’re spent that we abandon ourselves to God.

The Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. Psalms 33:18 – NLT

God’s love will never stop pursuing you! His love will absolutely track you down!

He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:5a – NLT

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 – NKJV

If you’ve always seen God as being harsh, angry, and austere you will always hold Him at arms length! But if you know that He loves you – if you know that He’s a God of Unfailing Love – you will want to run to Him – you will want to be close to Him.

O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,     so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.

Psalms 86:5 – NLT

Christ Church Small Group

Discussion Guide

God’s unfailing love is the preeminent story of the bible

Love is the Divine Attribute …

“God IS love…” 1 John 4:8. “The Fruit of the Spirit is love…” Galatians 5:22.

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love— and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13.

The God I Wish You Knew is the God of unfailing love. And we also need to understand that the only capacity we have to receive and extend love to God and others – is that He first loved us!

If you want to be great at loving God – it starts by being keenly aware of God’s love for you!

“… I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20b – NKJV

Paul emphasized that HE was loved by God! It was a personal thing! He positioned the magnifying glass on God’s love for Him so that it burned right into his mind and spirit! God wants to magnify His love for us to the point that it burns deep into our minds and into our spirits that we are loved by God. That is the start of everything in our lives! The Unequivocal love of God!

Human love is sadly conditional and so easily fractured! GOD’S LOVE is completely unconditional! Always available! The same today as it was yesterday! Never failing, never ending.

Some people live with a sense of shame and abandonment. They feel like they have messed up so bad and so often that they don’t deserve God’s love any more! But here is the truth – you never deserved God’s love in the first place – none of us did. But He loves us in spite of ourselves!

God’s love has no limits. It will never falter, wither or decay! God’s love is permanent. It can never be abolished.

Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 13:8... Love “will last forever” (NLT).

Love “never dies” (MSG Paraphrase). Love “never ends” (ESV).

Love “never stops loving” (TPT). Love never fails. (NKJV)

Governments will fail – but God’s love will last. Crowns are temporary – but love is eternal. Your money may run out – but His love never will. His love is unfailing!

Unfailing love is often translated merciful-kindness. Merciful-kindness means undeserved compassion that desires to help.

God doesn’t just see what we’re doing – He knows why we’re doing it – and He wants to help.

God is like a parent. He doesn’t just stand back and judge us when we miss the mark. He knows everything about us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows the pain of our past… He knows the devil’s attacks against us… He knows the corruption of the world around us… He knows our sin-nature. He knows that we’re weak and fallen and that we can’t change without Him. He knows our lack of understanding. God takes everything into consideration! And so, He doesn’t just judge your behavior… He knows why you’re doing it.

God knows everything that’s been done to us and takes everything into consideration! And still… His unfailing love reaches to us! Why? Because the love of God originates from His character – not from what He finds in us. His love is unearned… unwarranted and spontaneous.

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:10 – NLT

God’s love isn’t dependent on yours. The abundance of your love does not increase His. The lack of your love does not diminish His. Your spiritual aptitude does not heighten His love – nor does your weakness dilute it.

God loves you simply because He has chosen to do so.

God loves you when you don’t feel lovable.

He loves you when no one else will.

People may ignore you – abandon you – abuse you – divorce you – but God will love you; always.

No matter what!

I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.

Jeremiah 31:3 – NLT

The God I Wish You Knew – is standing in the shadows of your life – just waiting for you to respond to His love!

Small Group Discussion Questions:

1. What part of the message resonated with you the most?

2. Why do some people have trouble accepting that God's love is unconditional? 

3. Why are we so prone to loving with conditions?

4. How do we develop God’s type of love in our lives?

5. Why do we feel like the closer we are to God, the more He will love us? Do you find comfort in knowing that even though we waver, His love never changes? Talk about it.

6. Why do we sometimes think we need to "clean up our lives" before we come to God?   

7. Have you ever kept God at arms length? Why do you think you did that or might currently be doing that?

8. What keeps you from accepting God’s unfailing love?

9. Why do you feel that your character has to be just right before you turn to God to receive his merciful-kindness?

10. What are some ways that God has shown His love in the past?

11. What are some immediate ways that God has shown his love to you during this difficult time?