Over the years that I have been sharing the revelation of Father's love, I have heard from many people who desperately wanted to know God's love but felt frustrated at their attempts.

No matter how hard they seem to try, the love they are looking for only seems to elude them. I can really understand their frustrations as I believe many of us have struggled in this area at one time or another.

I know from my own personal experience that i typically don't find love, but love finds me. The Bible says in 1 John 4, that 'we love, because he first loved us'. Love is not something that we initiate, but is something that we receive. Not because we earned it or deserved it, but just because the One Who is love, has chosen the human race to be objects of His affection.

Love usually finds me at my weakest, darkest place. Love picks me up and dusts me off when I have tripped and fallen for the thousandth time. It is in these times that my understanding of what love is, is short-circuited.

While we were sinners, Jesus laid down His life for us. It wasn't like we were looking for Him or anything. He was looking for us. David said in Psalm 139 that there was no place he could go to hide from God's presence.

There is no place that we can go either! No matter how distant you feel from the love of God, love will always find you!

I write this blog as we are winding down the Fatherheart School in Tonsberg, Norway. I am always amazed to see how our God and Father transforms people lives in such a short period of time! He is a good Father and He loves to reveal His amazing love to His kids.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled! (Matthew 5:6) It is always with a grateful heart for me to be part of schools and conferences that help people find their way home to love.

To see people come to a deeper revelation of our Father's love and see many of the things that hinders consumed by the fire of His love is truly remarkable.

It is with a full heart that I begin to turn my heart towards home. But before I leave, I want to declare one more time... Father loves Norway!

I am sitting at the gate at the Toronto Airport as I am waiting to board the plane that will take me on my first international trip in 3.5 years.

I am very excited to see some old friends in Norway and the many new friends that I will meet over the next 11 days as I help to teach a Catch The Fire/Fatherheart School.

I used to travel quite a bit until I felt the Lord's prompting to slow down and stop traveling internationally almost 4 years ago. While I never really understod the big picture, I did know that I had "bit off a bit more than I could chew" (a Canadian expression), trying to manage the many demands of the Father's Love Letter ministry as well as itinerant travel.

During this time of learning "to be still and know that He is God" (psalm 46:10), I have realized something quite amazing on a deeper level about my Heavenly Father... He doesn't love me for what I DO for Him, He loves me just because He loves me!

While i have known that for many years, it seems that the 'knowing' of this has found a deeper place in my heart than ever before. For someone who has equated love and acceptance to performance all my life, this absolutely blows my mind!

It seems like it has taken a major 're-boot' of my own internal system so that i could slow down long enough for me to come to this very simple, yet profound place in life. I am loved beyond imagination ...just because He loves me! And He not only loves me, He is loving me right now!

While sons will model servanthood like no servant ever could, I am becoming more convinced that Jesus didn't die for me to make me a good worker in His Kingdom. He exchanged His life for my life so that He could be the first born among many brothers and sisters! (Romans 8:29)

So i am off to Norway to share what I have been learning these past 3.5 years... I am loved beyond imagination by a Father who gave the most precious gift He could ever give, just to see me live in His house as a son... Not as a servant. ...just because He loves me!

I will hopefully update this blog (directly from my iPhone) to share some of the things that I experience on this adventure. Please pray for the dear folks in Norway, that God would give them the power to grasp the vastness of His immeasurable love ...not because they do anything to deserve it! (Ephesians 3:14-21)

In Father's love,
Barry Adams

In 1 Corinthians 14:1, Paul starts the chapter by saying "Follow the way of love..." (NIV). The NLT translation says it this way... "Let love be your highest goal".

While this exhortation from Paul seems to be something we would all agree with at face value, I don't think love is always our primary focus in life. There seems to be so many things that compete for our attention in this world that we live in. Thousands of media messages infiltrate our senses daily, pressures of work, family, bills, etc., etc. Even in the context of the life of Christian service, many things can get in the way of living a life of love. Respected author, Henri Nouwen once said "Nothing conflicts with the love of Christ like service to Christ".

I can remember one time I was getting ready to speak at a church and the well-meaning pastor asked me a question that jarred me... "I heard all of the 'Fatherheart' speakers before, what else do you have to share?" I was a little taken aback by his question, though I am sure he was sincere. I am not completely certain of how I responded, but in my heart I was screaming... there is nothing else!!!!

The love of God is the very foundation of life itself. 1 John 4:16 says that God is love, whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in him. When Jesus responded to the question of what was the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:34-40 that God required, He simply said Love God and love others as you love yourself  and everything else will sort itself out in life (my paraphrase).

The very nature of love is humble, kind and not self-seeking (1 Cor. 13:4-8), so it doesn't shout in the streets to get attention or forcefully impose itself on anyone or anything. Love is often overlooked as we are 'wowed' by more external, exciting things. Yet love continues to wait, until we have exhausted every other option in life.

When we come to our senses and realize that love is the only thing that really matters, then we can point our heart towards home and run into the welcoming embrace of love. A father's love, a mother's love, a brother's love, a bridegroom's love, a friend's love... Every love that we need is found in one source. The Triune God - Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. (1 Cor. 14:1 The Message)

In this 9:24 minute video blog, Barry Adams shares the importance of learning to trust God with the heart of a little child. 

Scripture References:
Proverbs 3:5-6

Availability:
This video available in a streaming format on this site and youtube.