As adults, many of us came to experience the harsh realities of life that often treats us unfairly. For many, love seems to be impossible to find.
Tina Turner sang the popular song, “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” Technically, love should have everything to do with it. It is so unfortunate that many people find themselves in a veritable love famine.
Fortunately, we have a loving Heavenly Father who is ready and willing to joy over us in His love, forgiving our sins and proving Himself our Abba Father.
Abba, by the way, is Hebrew for Daddy!
The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 [AMP]
The Beatles sang “All You Need is Love” back in the 1960’s. There is truth in those five words. Love is truly all that we need. And the type of love that we need is God’s agape love.
20But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;
21Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--[which will bring you] unto life eternal.
21Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--[which will bring you] unto life eternal.
Jude 20-21 [AMP]
Jude exhorts us to guard and keep ourselves in the love of God. When people get on your nerves… guard and keep yourself in the love of God.
When some knucklehead cuts you off in traffic, nearly causing a wreck… guard and keep yourself in the love of God.
When idle office gossip causes you to miss a promotion or even to lose your job… guard and keep yourself in the love of God.
Love is the greatest of the spiritual gifts. Love is the very nature of God. And, according to Burt Bacharach… it is what the world needs now.
This week’s blog provides expository on the importance of loving each other with articles from Pastor Jake, Judypie, and Brotha DC.
Love One Another
by Pastor Jake
This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
John 15:12 [NASB]
This is My commandment, that you love one another
This is the “new commandment” (John 13:34-35) that is to govern the relationship of the disciples of our Lord. We are to love each other with the love of Christ as He loved us with the love of the Father even to death on the cross.
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13 [NASB]
Greater love has no man than this
No higher expression of love can be given. Life is the most valuable object we possess; and when a man is willing to lie that down for his friends, it shows the utmost extent of love. When he considers the life of a friend greater than his own then he has loved with the love of Christ; there is no greater love. To lay down one’s life may not mean in death always, but that he consider the welfare of others above his own.
You are My friends if you do what I command you.
John 15:14 [NASB]
If you do what I command you
Friends love their Master and friend and obey Him from that love.
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15 [NASB]
No longer do I call you slaves
A slave receives the command of his master without knowing the reason why it is ordered. It is one of the conditions of slavery not to be let into the counsels and plans of the master. It is the privilege of friendship to be made acquainted with the plans wishes, and wants of the friend. This instance of friendship Jesus had given to His disciples by making them acquainted with the reasons why He was about to leave them, and with His desires in regard to them. As He had given them this proof of friendship, it was proper that he should not withhold from them the title of friends.
Our friendship with Christ is evidenced by each revelation we receive of His word. It is His desire that His friends know all mysteries as they seek to know them from a heart of love.
You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
John 15:16 [NASB]
You did not choose me
Our Lord had chosen these to be His Apostles; they did not choose Him to be their teacher but He chose and commissioned them that they bear much fruit and that their fruit remain.
We are God’s elect through Christ our Lord; chosen and called to serve and to bear the fruit of righteousness to the glory of the Father. Those who remain steadfast in their calling bear much fruit and their fruit remains. We have the Apostles as witnesses of this fact. They were steadfast in their faith even unto death and their fruit remains to this day as evidenced by their writings that we are privileged to study.
so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you
Our Lord has made covenant with His disciples as He did with His first disciples; and if we remain faithful to that covenant then whatever we ask of the Father in our Lord’s name our Father will give it to us.
We are reminded that:
God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Numbers 23:19 [NASB]
This I command you, that you love one another
John 15:17 [NASB]
that you love one another
This is the third time our Lord speaks this command to us; this is, no doubt, to emphasize the importance of our obedience.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 [NASU]
Selah
James C Sanford
Longsuffering
by Brotha DC
Why can’t we seem to find it within ourselves to put up with the annoying traits of our brothers and sisters? After all, God puts up with us.
21Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times?
22Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!
22Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!
Matthew 18:21-22 [AMP]
They hurt me, and brought my spirit down
i can’t see why...
i still have to love them
when i’ve suffered undeserved
Tried to kill my joy
The devil, he’s seeking to destroy
i realize...
i can’t fail to love them
Though my love is not returned
If i don’t forgive them of their trespass
i won’t have peace from God
So i will suffer long even though provoked
In faith, keep going strong
So, i will suffer long
Although i forgive and Forget their sin
They won’t let me live in peace with them...
i won’t cease to love them
when i suffer undeserved
Heart to reconcile
our differences; Fight to wear a smile
while facing this...
Inside i’ll still love them
Though my love won’t be returned
Loving Others
by JesusLover Judy
Heavenly Father, You made me what I am and gave me a new life; and long ages ago You planned that I should spend my life in helping others. You are a great God, a loving God, a giving God, and I purpose to imitate You. The end of all things is at hand, and I will be serious and watchful in my prayers. Above all things, and by Your grace, I give myself to a fervent love for others – a love that covers a multitude of sins, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
Ephesians 2:10 [AMP]
But the end and culmination of all things has now come near; keep sound minded and self-restrained and alert therefore for [the practice of] prayer.
1 Peter 4:7 [AMP]
Love
by Brotha DC
…for God is love.
1 John 4:8b [AMP]
For You gave Your Son for me
i love You, Father
For He went to Calvary
i love You, Father
For Your mercies never fail
i love You, Father
For You took away the veil
i love You, Jesus
‘Cause You gave Your life for me
i love You, Jesus
‘Cause You came to set me free
i love You, Jesus
For the gift of the new birth
i love You, Jesus
Spread Your word across the earth
i love You, Spirit
For the comfort that You bring
i love You, Spirit
For You led me to my King
i love You, Spirit
You’re my Comforter, my Friend
i love You, Spirit
You have sealed me ‘till the end
i love you, brother
With the love that Jesus brings
i love you, brother
Not expecting anything
i love you, brother
As the word of God commands
i love you, brother
Leave you in His loving hands
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