Are you
sharing love this week? It is after all the weekend coming up that Jesus showed
the most love for us when He died on the cross and rose again! What can we do to
share that love?
Let’s look- In His Word from back in 2005 !
Beloved let
us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of
God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is
love. 1John 4:7-8NAS
"A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you,
that you also love one another. "By this all men will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another." NAS John 13:34-35
"If you
keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My
Father's commandments and abide in His love. "These things I have spoken
to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved
you. "Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his
friends. "You are My friends, if you do what I command you. John 15:10-15
NAS
Okay, so we can see from 1 John
4:7-8 above that God is love. Which means we know what love is its God. But
wait! What does that mean? What does it mean that God is love? He is God how
can he be love too? Strongs suggests;
that this particular love mentioned is that agape (ag-ah'-pay); love i.e.
affection or benevolence; especially (plural) a love feast: KJV - (feast of)
charity ([-ably]), dear, and love.
If you think about it, that pretty
much does describe God, as we know him. Agape love is that unconditional love,
and God loves us unconditionally.
Love is-
Life- Gal
2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives
in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me. Because He gave his life for me, that I might
live, Christ, or God incarnate gave himself for me. So this tells me that His
life for mine, is a giving thing, so love is a giving thing.
God is love
because He gave himself for us.
Obedience- 1
John 4:20-21 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he
is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he
love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he
who loves God must love his brother also.
When we are obedient to God, we will show love for others esteeming them
above ourselves. In a nutshell, we will obey the commandment to love one
another. God loves us in that way putting us over Him. When Christ died for us
on the cross, He showed us obedience in love.
In obeying we show that we know Love, or God, and in knowing God we know
love.
Victory- 1
John 5:1-5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and
everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this
we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His
commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And
His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the
world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. Who is
he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
We have victory over sin and sorrows when we keep His commands, and we can do
this when we know Him personally. We can overcome obstacles in our path when we
put Him as our Path lighter! Jesus wants to light our path so that we do not
stumble, but we have to stay focused on His purpose in our lives, not just try
to wing it or go about life taking it as it comes to us. If we take it as it comes,
we could be taking a lot more trouble on our lives than we need to. When
trouble arises, we need to ask for His help! Take time to realize if you have
actually given him the problems of your life today, gain that victory and give
it up to Him right now!
Encouragement
or exhortation-Heb 3:13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called
"Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of
sin. -When we love someone, we want to encourage them. God encourages us daily
through His Word, or prayer. He encourages us with songs that He has given to others,
and we are blessed by listening to on the radio or on a CD or tape. We know
that God is love, as He has the attributes mentioned here as well!
You could go
through the whole Bible and do a search on the word ‘love’ and you would find
that each attribute mentioned would point to who God is. In fact, I challenge
you to read each of them! In the NIV version you will find five hundred and
sixteen verses that mention love! God is awesome!
There are many ways to find love, we
humans tend to look for the outward signs, but God works on the inside to show
us what love is really all about. It is a heart matter that is for certain, but
it’s so much more! During this month of love,
I want to give you a bit of homework. I would like each of us to find a way to
share God's love with someone each day.
I have gotten flowers, or cards or a cup of my favorite flavored coffee, or little notes suck on a window of my car. He gets very creative, and well we can do the same thing for God!
Why not
write a sticky note and stick it on someone’s car that says, “ I was thinking
of you today and wanted you to know I love you, Love God?” Or something like that? There really are so
many ways you can share God’s love with someone without even speaking! But the
key to this is to remain anonymous! Give God the glory for it all! Do it for
Him, and in somehow, I know that He will see it as an act of love towards Him.
Remember
when we show love for our brethren, we are showing love for our Lord! Take
advantage of the holiday set up to tell your sweetheart you love him, or her
and tell your Lord, your brother or sister, that you love them too! I am sure
Hallmark has a car for it!
Dear Heavenly Father, I love you
today! I thank you for loving me! I ask that you help me to see who and how to
share Your love with this month, and always! Thank you again for being my Lord,
in Jesus’ name. Amen
Suggested
Readings;
Monday: 1
John 4-5 (all)
Tuesday:
Titus 2 (all)
Wednesday:
Psalm 118:1-4 & 29
Thursday:
Psalm 136 (all)
Friday: John
15: 1-26
Weekend Readings; Psalm 119. (all)