by David Brenneman
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
Romans 12:9-13
I'm not old enough, in my own estimation, to consider myself wise by any stretch of the imagination. However, you don't have to have years around the sun to recognize wisdom.
King Solomon wrote of wisdom frequently. About seeking it as a precious jewel.
Perhaps it is why I tend to think a lot about many things. I would rather seek out instructional videos or books than watch drama or other things on television or movies.
People seek out, by way of the plethora of books on the subject, to know what the will of God for them is. Wisdom, as per how King Solomon wrote it, isn't going to be found outside of the written word of God in the Bible. Anyone else's books will not stand the test of time like God's Word. Anyone else's wisdom must always be compared to the unerring Word of God with regard to truth or falsehood. Only the Word of God is protected by the Spirit of God. No other works written by mankind have that protection. None.
People have written many songs trying to define what love is. Jesus settled that several thousand years ago. Too many people actually subscribe to the notion written in a song from the 1980's "I want to know what love is...I want you to show me...". We have all been shown what love is, everything important about love is wrapped up in its entirety in the finished work of God in Christ Jesus on the cross of calvary.
What we DO with our salvation after coming to Christ is what's on us. We read the other day on the parable of the talents. We're either going to live life expectantly awaiting Jesus's return, doing our absolute best to live life in the ways He taught or we'll sit on what's been entrusted to us and reap that judgment concerning doing that nothing as we saw in that passage.
Jesus's example isn't complicated...He said to love God with our everything and love others as He loves us. Written as well is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Prefer one another above ourselves. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Seek not our own welfare but the welfare of others. Seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.
It's a matter of Spiritual proportions. It's not wrapped up in physical proportions. What we do physically absolutely impacts ourselves and others Spiritually.
His kingdom and His righteousness aren't exclusive to out brief moments in human history. It spans the ages from the beginning of Creation to the end of the book of Revelation. Our part in it is to be lived in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.
Loving other as He loved us.
How? His love for me is unconditional. His love for you is unconditional. By His nature and His absolute word of honor He cannot love you or I any less that with His own perfect love.
"There is a name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
it sounds like music in my ear,
the sweetest name on earth.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
because he first loved me!
It tells me of a Savior's love,
who died to set me free;
it tells me of his precious blood,
the sinner's perfect plea.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
because he first loved me!
It tells of one whose loving heart
can feel my deepest woe;
who in each sorrow bears a part
that none can bear below.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
because he first loved me!
Another:
Oh, how He loves you and me, Oh how He loves you and me. He gave his life, what more could he give?
Oh, how He loves you; Oh, how he loves me; Oh, how he loves you and me.
I am NOT going to get living this life right. Neither are you. We're to do what we can as unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:23-24. Take also into consideration 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall."
We can't know what love is outside of the complete, full, beautiful love of Christ Jesus beginning with Genesis and ending in the book of Revelation. The Bible has been often referred to as God's love letter to mankind. People the world over are about to spend billions on a day celebrating love. All the while hating others in many millions of cases.
What does our Bible say about this?
"If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also." 1 John 4:19-21.
We need to learn what love is only from the One who first loved Us.
When you go out into the world today, don't look at people in the way you have been. Look at them as Jesus looked at you. It might, just might, make you dealing with them a bit more God honoring than you have been towards them.
You don't need to agree with how they are living to be able to show the love of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus's love didn't end because He found out their vocation or way of life. He doesn't ask for credentials.
He waits at the door of every single heart asking to come in. Regardless of who it is.
"We love, because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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