What Manner of Love 

Bishop Jim Lowe

What Manner of Love

I want all of us to start the new year right. So, I have chosen the message that I think the Lord would want us to keep in mind as we go throughout this new year in 2026. 

We don’t know what is ahead of us this year. Each day produces uncertainty, and there will be many concerns and trials along the way. We cannot know what this year will bring, but there is one thing I want us to know we can be certain about: the love of God.

Too many Christians do not live with a true understanding of the love of God toward us.  As a result, We worry unnecessarily when God has already written our story and has promised us a bright, secure future.

The reason many live in anxiety about many things is not God's fault. The fault rests with us. 

We lack the full revelation of the truth God has given us. In fact, the Scripture says, “My people are destroyed because of the lack of knowledge,”  And also that “the god of this age has blinded the minds” of unbelievers.

Remember, I tried to reveal the truth in the last message when I spoke to you in the sermon, “The Most Overlooked and Rejected Blessing In Scripture.” 

I suspect many may have already overlooked it or rejected it because it’s too deep for you to accept, and more because Satan does not want you to remember it and will fight to keep you from knowing the truth that will make you free.

Does anyone remember what that message was about?

The greatest thing you need to know and remember in 2026 and forevermore is what God was trying to tell you in that message: who you really are!  Not who the world says you are, but who God says you are.

You need to truly understand the truth about yourself and stop letting the world dumb you down by defining you by its standards.

Today, at the beginning of the year, I want to remind you of something that I pray you will never forget throughout this year and the years to come. This comes from the words written by John the Beloved. The one who was closest to Jesus among all the disciples. He is one who knew his heart and had greater revelation from God than the others...

John repeats with emphasis what he also wanted you to know so you could be at peace in this troublesome and uncertain world.

Now listen closely. Consider what he wants you to remember most in light of all the gospels' scriptures. Pay attention, especially my young people and the men, because you are the head of the household. You need to know this more than anyone else. So please pay attention!

1 John 3:1–3 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

I have read three verses of 1 John 3:1-3, but I feel the Lord has restricted me to giving you only one verse and teaching the rest in my DADS class. So, I am going to focus on only one verse, but I want you to realize there is so much more, and it is for those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and are willing to give God more. 

Remember, the more time you give to the Lord, He will give to you.

Now, let us begin.

John is reminding us of “The Most Overlooked And Rejected Blessing In Scripture. Remember, I took my previous text from John chapter one. Now I continue with his words where he tells us to…

I. Behold!

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,

Behold - look at that one word!

Whenever we see the word “behold,” it means to stop.

 “Look at this!” 

It comes from a Greek word which means, “Give attention, meditate, and come to understand what is being said here! “

Behold, I am about to tell you something marvelous! Something that is amazing. This is important! 

All the words of the Bible are important, but when we see behold, what follows is of special importance. In other words, this is extremely important!

It is important enough for you to stop and behold it!

You need to focus directly on what he is about to say now. Don’t read too fast over this! Let this sink into your head.

Other places it occurs:

John 1:29, John 19:5, Isaiah 40:9, Luke 2:10-11, John 1:36, Isaiah 7:14, Zechariah 9:9, Revelation 1:7

God wants you to focus on what is about to be said. Satan also knows that what is about to be said is extremely important, and he does not want you to hear it. And above all else, he does not want you to understand what is being said. Satan wants to hide the things that we should behold. 

So again, I say, pay attention! I am up here! Don't look around the room. Don't be scrolling on your phone. Honor God enough not talk to somebody else while I am speaking.

As I said, I will only do one verse. So, can you tarry with me for at least one verse for consideration?

Remember, Satan does not want you to hear this. He wants you to be distracted. 

You need to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Do not even let me become a distraction that keeps you from hearing what God wants you to know.

No matter what I say, focus on what God says!

God says here! 
BEHOLD!

Many of us know some verses of Scripture, but when we see a word like this, we are supposed to take special notice of it. God does not want you to miss it.

Now, what is it that he wants us to behold?

II.  What Manner of Love

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, 

John wants us to take time to consider the Incredible awesome greatness of the love of God towards us. 

Another translation might be, "See what the great proof of the quality of the love of God is...”

This is an uncommon type of love! It is not like earthly love. Nothing on earth can compare to the magnitude of this love. 

Look at what John says..

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Skip the following proofs when preaching save for DADS CLASS

Paul wanted us to know the same thing

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Paul prayed for us to be able to comprehend the great love of God

Ephesians 3:14–19 NKJV

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

We have accepted Jesus as our Savior and we know He paid the price for our sins. 

Isaiah 53:4–5 NKJV

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

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John 3:16 NKJV

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. 

This is awesome, yes, and many consider it the greatest verse in the Scripture. He came from heaven, took off his royal robe, took on the form of man, and paid the price so that we might have life. Truly, there is no greater love!

But John tells us here that he did way more than just save us. 
Salvation was just the beginning of what God was doing. He always does exceedingly and abundantly more than what we can imagine.

John tells us here, BEHOLD!

III. He Calls Us Children of God

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 

Considering our evil nature and that we are as filthy maggots in the sight of a three-times-holy God, it is an awesome wonder that he came and died for us. But he died for us because he loved us…

But more than loving us to save us, this verse says his love was so great that he would call us his children!

We were more children of the devil than God! Be honest with yourself. You know there is some terrible stuff about you that you don't want anyone to know. God knows these things about you —every little filthy thing you have done and still do. 

The great love of God is proven, not just because of his willingness to save us but because of the greatest fact in all the Bible, that he elevated us from a position of sinners, guilty of death, to a position of being called and adopted as his children.

WOW!

He has called us His children by the process of regeneration of the Holy Spirit. He has caused us to be born again of a new spirit that enables us to become more like him as we live each day of the coming new year. 

Oh, if we would simply recognize who God says we are. So many blessings we could receive through faith.

 BEHOLD! 

God wants us to do more than just read that verse. He wants us to focus on it, to ponder it, and to allow it to resonate in our minds. He does not want us to miss the main point!

What is the main point and the most rejected and ignored scripture? ( Is Derrick Young in the audience?)

 He has declared us children of God!

That is the main purpose of our salvation — to be made children of God!
God’s love is awesome, and his loving kindness endures forever. That is why he saved us, but he saved us for one reason… that he might make us his children!
Think about that!
Behold That!
God loved you to save you from eternal damnation... but more than that, and behold this, ..he saved you so he could make you his children!

Get this, God sees you as his child!

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 

Oh, but if you could just grasp this revelation. Grab hold of this, he is saying to behold!

Behold, you are not just saved from sin — you are claimed by God as His child!

Now think and see how the world has deceived you. See how much Satan wants to keep you ignorant of how God sees you.

Now, I ask you, according to the Scripture, how does God define you?

When God looks at you, does he see you as black or white? 

Does God see you as rich or poor? 

Does God see you as educated or uneducated?

How does God see you?

God does not see the way the world sees you.

Isaiah 55:8–9 “8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” 

You have the opportunity to see yourself as God sees you in 2026, or you can continue seeing yourself the way the world sees you and defines you.

John 1:12–13 NKJV

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 

13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I have chosen to believe in the Word of the Lord and see myself as loved by God so much that he didn't just save me; he adopted me, named me, and claimed me as a joint heir with Christ. 

Therefore, I am now recognizing I am not limited to what the world says about me. I have been reconciled unto God, and there is nothing impossible for me, and that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I need to behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on me, that I should be called a child of God! 

God has restored me to the status that he intended for all mankind before Satan pulled us down. I now have a divine potential not just an earthly one.

See if now you can make this connection:

John 1:12 NKJV

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

John 14:12 NKJV

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

The way I connect these dots is that there is a divine connection that God has made with me as a believer who has received Christ as my Lord and Savior, and his power to do all things. The only limitation I have is the inability to have faith in that divine connection that gives me the power of sonship as a joint heir with Christ.

I have had my challenges in dealing with this reality for almost 15 years. 

I remember when it first began to settle in my heart was when he told me to stop seeing and judging people according to how the world sees them, but to see them only as his children or Satan’s children. 

I am sure that many of you will wrestle with this same thing when you become aware of this truth.

I was caught up in this world and my culture. Having been trained all my life to think like the world and see myself as the world said I was.

It was not until I did the DADS study on the last teachings of Jesus that I finally came to grips with this reality.

Now, if it has taken me 15 years to get a partial understanding, many of you may not get it from what I am saying in the few minutes of this message. But I encourage you to stop, behold, give some thought, and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you and cause you to ...

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 

To really understand who you are, you are going to have to spend some time with the Lord and let him reveal to you your divine potential. 

You're going to have to deny self, stop conforming to the pattern of this world, and be transformed by the renewing of your mind to come to understand who God says you are… You're going to have to stop letting the world tell you who you are.

You say you believe in God, then, believe his word! Make it important!

His word is life and health to you. It is not an idle word. You will live and enjoy life when you trust it over the world's word.

This is hard!

It is going to require your faith to make this great leap and not be drawn back down, according to the world's teachings.

You need to learn to see yourself as God sees you.

Two questions for you: 

1) How does God say he sees you?

2) Why then do you let what the world sees in you define you?

 

It's time to grow up church!

Why do you continue to let the world and its influences override the word of God concerning your life.

You must come to... “Behold what manner of love” God has for you that he would call you his child.

He does that because he knows you better than the world does.

God sees the potential in you. Your Divine Potential.

Before he formed you in the womb, he knew you.

Before this day ends, He has already planned it for you.

Man may see you as unworthy of consideration. Even your family may reject you. They may leave you out in the fields tending sheep when there is a real need, thinking you are not qualified but I want you to remember this … 

1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Think about this for a moment. God sees you differently from the world!

Then, what did God do with that shepherd boy? In the course of time, he made the one who was rejected... the greatest king of all time.

Let's digress for a moment…

Tell me about some of the greatest people of the Old Testament of the Bible. Name a few… Let's see if we can talk about what God did with them.

Now, think about this: 

Luke 7:28 tells us that there was no one greater than John the Baptist yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than him.

This means that out of all the people we can name in the Bible the least in the kingdom is greater than them. 

Why?

Because not one of them was ever called a child of God!

Behold, and consider how God has exalted you! 

He has named you as his child. He never did that for the great prophets in the Old Testament.

Behold and know this, most people in the world don't even know you. ..

So why have you let them define you?  

Why do you continue, year after year, to let them confine you with their words?

The world doesn’t even know you,  but God ...knows you!

He even knows you by name!

Oh, if you would just simply begin to behold how much God loves you!

He considers you as one of his jewels. 

Malachi 3:17 “17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”” 

He has written your name on the palms of his hand (Isaiah 49:16 ).

And he has written his name on your forehead (Revelation 7:3, 14:1, 22:4.)

With his hands he is reforming you into the image of himself. 

By his name he has claimed you!

He even has numbered all the hairs on your head. Luke 12:7

So Why? Tell my why!

Why do you continue to let this world dictate to you who you are?

 

Your Father will never forsake you! 

Your father will never forget you, 

Your Father will never fail you.

He has declared that you are his.

Your acceptance of what the world says about you over what God has said about you has limited you. It has handicapped you!

If you continue to let the world define you, you are rejecting what God says about you.

Why is God’s word in this area rejected and ignored? John says you should Behold this!

The lack of knowledge of what God says about you has been destroying you. 

That is why I am trying to reveal the truth to you.

Jesus says in John 8:31-32, " If you will abide in his word, you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. 

Why do you still want to be a slave to the world?

Behold and consider the manner of love God has for you ...that he would call you his child.

I know this is a hard word to believe, but it must be said again and again because Satan is alive and well. He says that the word you are called by God as his child is not that important, but the apostle John says you need to behold what God has said because of his love!

Now, Whose report will you believe?

Some of you may be thinking, “Bishop, you don't know what I've been going through. It's hard for me to believe what you are saying.” 

I understand. I have to struggle with this also.

But don't believe me because of what I am saying, believe God because of what he is saying.

Behold and listen to hear what God is saying to you. 

We are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. What we need is the knowledge and the understanding of who God says we are. 

We need to stop listening to and believing what the world has said about us. The world doesn't even know us!

No matter how old you are, if you receive the revelation that you are a child of God, that recognition will change your confession. And your confession will bring life to you as a child of God. 

Because life and death are in the power of the tongue, and you are snared by the words of your mouth.

Stop confessing what the world says about you. 

Confess what God says about you and Watch your life change!

And because you are children of God you need to know… John goes on to say...

IV. The World Does Not Know Us

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 ... Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

If the world does not know us, why allow the world to define you?

If the world doesn't know God, and can't see him in all of the works that he is done… Why do you allow the world to treat you like it knows you?

The world is spiritually blind and dumb. 

If you truly come to know who you are as a child of God, the world will hate you and  try to destroy what God is doing in you.

John says later—

1 John 3:13 NKJV

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

Jesus confirmed this and said

John 15:18–20 NKJV

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 

20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

This hatred exists because God has given you favor.

Just as He did with Israel, God has made you His child. Satan understands this even when the world does not, and that is why he stirs hostility against God’s people.

The world ridicules believers and attempts to portray them as foolish, but Scripture tells us that true wisdom does not come from the world.

The media may mock Christ and His people, but mockery does not undo adoption.

The media may make fun of Christians and Christ. They will not say anything against other religions because the people who write the stories are of their father the devil.

Too bad! All the world can do is hate, but their hating won't change what God has done. 

They can be against you but they cannot defeat what God has declared. His word is settled in the heavens! 

You are his child!

The world is going to have hell to pay for all of its mistreatment toward you because God said touch not my anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm.

They may give you hell now, but they will have hell to pay and no weapon formed against you shall prosper

It's time for us as Christians to wake up!

I pray that throughout 2026 this truth settles deeply in your heart—

You are a child of God.

You are no longer of this world.

So stop lusting after the world and the things of the world. They will only rob you of what God has prepared for you.

1 John 2:15–17 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 

17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Not because I say it, but because God has said it.

You should quote the Scripture in this way

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on me that I should be called a child of God!

Now, let me show you something else…

I am going to stop in just a moment but I want to give you something to ponder.

Remember the Canaanite woman who came to ask Jesus to heal her daughter? 

Matthew 15:26–28 NKJV

26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 

27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

The bread was for the children.

The blessings were for the children of God not the people of the world.

He said the bread was for the children of God, not the people of the world.

This means that there are certain things that God has reserved for you as his child that the world can never experience. 

You need to get alone with God in your study and ask him for the revelation of your divine potential.

When that woman exercised faith, her daughter was healed. Her faith brought her into the position of receiving what belonged to the children.

When you, by faith, truly realize that you are a child of God, more of God’s blessings will begin to flow in your life.

My brothers and sisters, behold the manner of love that God has bestowed on you that he would call you his child. And know this, no loving parent withholds what is good from their own child.

When you honor God by accepting what He says about you—and stop calling Him a liar by accepting the world’s definition—you will begin to experience a different kind of life. An abundant life.

Let that begin now on this first Sunday of the year of 2026.

Declare that God’s love has made you His child.
Reject the world.
Walk as His child.

Remember, you are called to—

“Cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

And finally—

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Stop letting the world define you in 2026!

I will now conclude and continue this message on Wednesday night…