Love is a word that we use or say sometimes on a daily basis. It is an intense expression of how we think or feel. We tell our loved ones that we love them and we show our love by kind acts to people expecting nothing in return. Love is shown in a variety of ways such as carving names on a tree, tattoos, skywriting, on the beach in the sand, signs on freeway overpasses, on jumbotrons at sporting events, on television commercials, on cars, on clothing and by Hallmark greeting cards. When a baby is born the Doctor will place the baby on the Mother’s chest so that she can bond and love on her child immediately after birth. Love and honor are bestowed on special days such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays with great anticipation of getting together to celebrate. And another special day that is celebrated by buying chocolates, flowers and gifts as an expression of love is February 14th, Valentine’s Day. We go to great lengths with our time, money and attention to achieve the perfect satisfaction all in the name of love. There are famous quotes that have been passed on through the years like “love is in the air”, “love makes the world go round”, “love is a 2-way street”, “love is bliss”, etc., etc. There are love songs that have been made to fit any particular situation that life affords.
And then there’s the love of God. That “agape” love. The most important love of them all. The love that saves, that heals, that cares, that comforts and forgives even the vilest offender. Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons/daughters of God. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31: 3) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3: 16) “For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God.” (John 16: 27)
God, sending His Son in the flesh to draw us back to Him, was the utmost, supreme form of love that could ever be displayed. It can never be duplicated. He saw us as wretched, sinful and pitiful having no hope in a lost world full of corruption. Sin was our lifestyle. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We were programmed to do and follow sin wherever it led. We were slaves to a heart that was deceitful and desperately wicked. But God cleaned us up to make us presentable to Himself and gave us His Spirit. The Spirit to teach us the laws and ways of God so that He can be glorified. “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them” (Deuteronomy 11: 16)
The real test of love is in the adversity that you face on an everyday basis. The heart and mind works together to express your true feelings about a particular person or thing. Thinking bad or negatively about a situation starts in the mind and makes it way into the heart. We try to suppress certain feelings but the heart will speak the truth although we try to deny our feelings. You can say that you love a person but deep down inside you can’t stand them. Even the mere sight of them or the mention of their name agitates you. That hatred is in the heart and God wants to eradicate it. “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His correction: For whom the LORD loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” (Proverbs 13: 11-12)
It is never loving to affirm, coddle, dismiss or minimize sin. Sin is destructive. “The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but He loveth him that followeth after righteousness. Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.” (Proverbs 15: 9-10) “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24: 12) “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13: 8-10)
Love is a bible mandate and is not an option. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22: 37-40) Love is a test of discipleship. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13: 34-35)
As Jesus walked the earth with His disciples there was always a show of love from Him even up to His death. He fed the hungry, raised the dead and healed all manner of disease and torment. He healed a guy’s ear when it was cut off by Peter as they came to take Him away to be crucified. And then He prayed for the very ones who put Him on the cross. What an awesome love that was as He faced the ones who brutally tortured Him. They hated Him without a cause. His heart condition was that of love. Pure, undefiled love. “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” (Ephesians 5: 2) “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.” (Proverbs 8: 17) “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Joshua 22: 5)
Scripture alone is absolute truth, essential truth, decisive truth, authoritative truth, undiluted truth, eternal, everlasting truth. “I rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying: but Thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I praise Thee because of Thy righteous judgments. Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them. LORD, I have hoped for Thy salvation, and done Thy commandments. My soul hath kept Thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.” (Psalm 119: 162-167) “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 21)
If you truly love the Lord you will keep His commandments and you will receive the precious promises, you will be in a right relationship with Him and He will fill your treasures and open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings. “If ye love Me, keep My commandments. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me.” (John 14: 15, 21, 23-24) Love is the central component and the foundation of our faith. Upon conversion we automatically get love, for God is love. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Love conquers all and makes you do right when you want to do wrong. Love never fails.
Let all of your work be done in love. Be on that firm foundation and solid rock, being grounded and rooted in love, having your pure hearts knitted together in love. Love God and His commandments above fine gold. Keep them and incline your heart to perform His statutes always. Let brotherly love continue.
As the secular world can love its own, how much more we Kingdom people can celebrate, honor and glorify our God by:
1. Telling Him we love Him daily by keeping His commandments
2. Continually carving His Word in our hearts
3. Meditating and bonding with Him daily
4. Celebrating Him every day, not just holidays
5. Composing spiritual love songs and making melody to the Lord in our hearts
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” (Romans 12: 10) “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1st Corinthians 13: 4-7, 13) “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” (2nd Corinthians 13: 14)
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