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Jentezen Franklin quotes “The God that appears to you is the God that you begin to reflect to other people” What is it that makes us slow to believe the love of God? Sometimes it is pride, which demands to prove itself worthy of the love of God before it will receive it. Sometimes it is unbelief, which cannot trust the love of God when it sees the hurt and pain of life. And sometimes it just takes time for a person to come to a fuller understanding of the greatness of God’s love. It is essential that we Behold the Love of God and in two ways. Behold what manner of love, the way, the quality of God’s love. It’s patient, kind, not jealous, not proud or rude or demand its own way, its gentle and rejoices in truth, never giving up, never losing faith, always hopeful and endures until the end. That’s the quality. But the love also has a quantitative value. Behold what manner of the Love the Father has “bestowed” upon us. How much mercy, grace, forgiveness, healing, provision, the quantity of God’s love, the blessings that come from being a child of God is beyond anything we could receive in this world. Ephesians 3 tells us make Christ home in your hearts, so that you may experience the fullness of God found in the height, depth, width and length of God’s love. The issue that keeps us from beholding God’s love is habitual sin. John says whoever sins has neither seen Him nor has known Him. The literal translation for sin here is an ongoing, lifestyle and habitual behavior that is in direct opposition to the Law of God, the Work of Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Habitual sin makes God look foolish to the sinner (1 Corinthians 2:14); it enslaves us, making it our master (Romans 7) and results in a rebellious hostility against God. (Romans 8:7) Habitual sin is incompatible with the work of Christ. Jesus was revealed to take away the power, penalty and presence of sin in our lives. The sting of death is sin, but thanks be to God who gives us victory through Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:56-57). Christ has not only taken away sin, He has destroyed the father of sin, the Devil. We are not afraid of the devil but we do recognize he can work in a way that steals, kills and destroys us and our loved ones. But Jesus came to give life and have it to the full (John 10:10) Don’t believe in the father of lies (John 8:44) but behold the love of Christ which takes away and destroys the evil one. Habitual sin is incompatible with the ministry of the Holy Spirit. (v.9). When we are born of God, we become a new creation, the old way of life has passed and new way begins (2 Cor. 5:17) Internally the Holy Spirit transforms our mind, and in turn changes our behavior patterns. This love of God not only abolishes the power and work of sin in our life, it also ignites a love, an empathy and compassion for our neighbor. We no longer operate from a place of pride, jealousy and hatred such as Cain with Abel (v. 11-12; Genesis 4). We become selfless people who lay down our lives just as Jesus did (v. 17) empathizing with those God brings us into relationship with. And finally, this kind of love abolishes sin, ignites love for our neighbor and it brings a beautiful blessing into our lives. This love assures our hearts against self-condemnation and gives us a confidence in prayer and petition towards God. (v. 19-22) Fred Rogers better known as Mister Rogers, spent his entire life motivating children to love their neighbor as themselves. A part of the great commandment that Jesus gave us in Matthew 22. Rogers quotes “I think everybody longs to be loved and longs to know that he or she is lovable…."When we look for what's best in the person we happen to be with at the moment, we're doing what God does; so in appreciating our neighbor, we're participating in something truly sacred." I believe that if we Behold the sacred manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, we will become what this world needs to heal, restore, redeem and flourish once again in community. So Behold what manner of love the father has bestowed upon you, you are a child of God, and that means the power of sin is broken and the power of love has been ignited in your hearts towards God and towards your neighbor!