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Devoted Love
Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with thy entire mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
This love requires an attitude where God is so valued and esteemed that we long for his fellowship and strive to obey him. We need to make it an effort to obey him. Your love must be a whole hearted faithfulness to your commitment to him and have a desire to fellowship with him and feel his presence.
If we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep his commandments. Rather than worrying about all we should not do……We should concentrate on all we can do to show our love for God and others. Love for God and his will as revealed in his Word must control and direct our love for others. Love for God must always be first. We must befriend each other in trials, as well as when everything is going good, be careful of each other’s feelings and reputation, and deny ourselves, to promote each other’s welfare.
Galatians 5:3-16 for brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, But if ye bit and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
James 2:8 if ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself ye do well.
John 13: 34 & 35 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.
Love is not simply warm feelings it’s an attitude that reveals itself in action. To love others was not a new commandment (Lev.19:18) but to love others as Jesus loved others was. We are to love others based on his sacrificial love for us. Such love will bring others to him and keep each believer strong and united.
How can we love others as Jesus loves us?
By helping when it is not convenient. By giving when it hurts. By absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back. By devoting energy to others welfare rather than to our own. By showing love to those who seem to not love you. This kind of love is hard to do and that is why people will notice when you do it. If you have totally committed your life to the Lord you will be able to manifest some of these characteristics of love. Love is presented in scripture as the very nature of God.
I John 4:7 & 8 beloved let us love one another: for love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God. and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love.
I John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God id love and he that dwelled in love dwelled in God and God in him.
I John 4:11 Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another.
Discord prevails among many Christians; they hold resentments and carry ill-feelings because they lack love. The word discord means: strife, lack of agreement, to be out of harmony, clash.
Everyone needs to love and be loved, Love is a built in need, and we cannot live without it. Love dissolves discord and puts into practice the fruits of the spirit.
Galatians 5:22&23 But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, Longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.
We increase in love by committing our life totally to God and by giving comfort and help to others as we share the love of God.
I Corinthians 13:3-7 (Living Bible I use the King James but I like the way the Living Bible says it.) Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way, it is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly ever notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone you will be loyal to them no matter what the cost, You will always believe in them, always, expert the best of them. And always stand your ground in defending them.
When we are totally committed to the Lord we are able to love one another like this. This kind of love is not natural and is only possible when God supernaturally helps us set aside our own desires and instincts, so we can give love while expecting nothing in return. The closer we get to God the more love we will show to others. God’s love should flow through us to meet the needs of the people around us. Love flows like a river overflows, breaking loose old drifts, and picking up trash, cleansing and purifying the earth. Over flowing love banishes resentments, sweeps away hurts, refreshes, renews. revives.
I Thess 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another and toward all men. Even as we do toward you.
Many people are self-centered and overly concerned with their own personal pursuits, their love is dwarfed and fails to grow. We must give our love nourishment by feeding it things that will make it grow. It will grow as we love God and others by assisting those in trouble, and sharing the Love of God with them in the things that we do for them.
When we love others they in turn are going to love us. The more we love the more loving we become. Others will see and want to know the source of our love.
I John 4:7 & 8 Beloved let us love one another for Love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God, he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love.
Love is not a feeling it is a choice and action
Eph. 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice and be ye kind one to another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
John 3:16 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.
This verse proclaims God’s love for mankind. Man’s love is imperfect for it is limited in its outreach. God’s love is unlimited and reaches out to everyone. He forgives you for your sin and he wants you to leave that life style behind and be totally committed to him.
How well is your love for God and others displayed in the
choices you make and the actions you take? Some Christians
often talk about love but then display very little of it.
Their lack of action speaks louder than their words. Our
actions should express our inward love. Let talk match your
walk. Why does God create? Because he loves he created
people to love. Why does God care? Because he loves them, he
cares for everyone even the sinful. Why are we free to
choose? He wants a loving response from us. Why did Jesus
die? His love for us caused him to be the solution to the
problem of sin. Why do we receive eternal life? His
love expresses itself to us forever. When you love someone
you want to give. Give them Jesus by showing them the Love
of God.He wants each and every one of us to be loyal,
faithful, and set apart to serve him in these last days. How
devoted are you?
Fighting Sins in
2010
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