Roger Bannister was not a household name in 1951 in Great Britain, let alone the rest of the world. He ran in the 1952 Olympics after barely qualifying by finishing fourth in the nation's time trials. Once at the Games in Helsinki, Bannister finished fifth in the 1500 meters and decided to call it a career. However, a spark illuminated within him and he decided that he would become the first man ever to run a mile in under 4 minutes. Of course, he was laughed at since it was impossible to perform such a feat. Not only that, but Bannister himself was an above-average runner at best, according to his Olympic marks. He continued on anyway and after months of intensive training on May 6, 1954, Bannister broke the World Record with the impossible mark of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds. This impossibility was repeated by another runner less than 2 months later and has been duplicated nearly 1,100 times since. So, how did these 1,100 people do it? What you have not seen or have not experienced, you cannot believe. In other words, since everyone knew running a 4 minute mile was impossible, human kind resigned itself to the fact that it was. Once Bannister cleared the way, however, belief came over the masses and it has since been duplicated over and over and over.

It's the same situation with God's Love. If you don't have the Love of God, you can't believe or share the Love of God. If you have the Love of God, you can give the Love of God. You can't give what you don't have. The Beatles said "All you need is love", but you also need to be loved.

In the Bible, John learned that the relationships we make are the only things that matter. He's obsessed with the topic of love. John was a "love machine", that is, he wrote about it many, many times. Most of us long to be loved, but sometimes we sabotage ourselves. Here are some things that John noticed:

1. When people have a profound experience, they want to share it. Think about it: when something really great happened to you, you called everyone to tell them about it.

2. Such a profound experience takes place when we encounter God's Love. Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and God's Love are a force unlike the world has ever seen. They tell everyone about their experience and then want to go after more.

3. Those who live close to God always find that their love constantly increases. If you hang around someone who is great at business long enough, you'll find yourself being more business-like. If you hang around someone who is great at athletics long enough, you'll find yourself being more athletic. The same holds true that if you hang around someone who is has a true relationship with God long enough, you'll find yourself being more God-like.

4. Love eliminates fear. Most of us want to love, but we're driven by fear. "I might try, but I might fail." We've given up because we're afraid of failing, especially among men. Women are afraid of rejection more than anything. Perfect Love, however, eliminates that fear. Imagine being filled with love; remember that new romance when you two first met? You were unstoppable, invincible. Nothing would get you down or instill fear in you. In fact, fear would never be able to adhere to you. That's the perfect love that we all want and desire that carries into the rest of our daily lives.

Now, we would read an email from a loved one or a close friend as soon as it entered out inbox, right? When was the last time you read the Word of God, a Book that was written directly to you by the Creator? Stay close to God. Hand out with God by having relationships with believers of His Word. Attend church every Sunday to get the Good News. Read your Bible everyday, a Book that is more important than any newspaper or news program on the planet. You can read all the self-help books or attend all the relationship seminars, but if you don't come into a relationship with Jesus, you're doomed to fail.

Love Dare: This week, ask God (not your spouse) every morning to show you one way to show them love that day, then do it. If you are unmarried, make a list of six people and ask God to show you one way to show one of them love each day, then do it.