Although we can list many things that seem to have the greatest impact
on humanity, I believer the two greatest forces in the world today are
love and selfishness. Selfishness is what makes a person concerned
chiefly or excessively with himself, and having little or no regard for
others. It is a robber. It breaks friendships and hearts. It wrecks
marriages and homes. It flat out steals, kills and destroys because all
of these things are a product of Satan. (John 8:44, 10:10) There is only
one force able to conquer selfishness and destroy its destructive
nature. That force is not simply love, but the God kind of love. Natural
human love is motivated by human desires, that is, what satisfaction,
what pleasures can "I" get from another without giving anything in
return. It can turn in a moment from expressing affection and concern to
neglect, hatred, jealousy and even murder.
A home could never be destroyed if every member would love as God loves.
The wife would never remember the past mistakes of her husband, nor the
husband ever remind the wife of any unpleasant happenings of her past. All the mistakes and failures of the past would be wiped out. What homes we would have if we were to love as
God loves. There would be no more quarreling over finances, no more
bitter hurtful words spoken, but each one would be seeking how they
could put others above themselves even at their own expense. Why is
this? Love never takes advantage of anyone. Love always bears the
burdens of the weak. Love says, "It is all my fault. Had I done
differently, or spoken differently, or lived in love, it would never happened." People
who walk in the God kind of love never injure anyone, never take
advantage of anyone. They simply walk and live in God. They respond to
the fruit of the spirit and give no place to the selfish works of the
flesh. (Galatians 5:16-26)
No matter what evil the adversary may bring into a life, love will
change evil to good, and will bring forth good fruit. (Romans 12:21)
Jesus said, "Al1 things are possible to him that believes." (Mark 9:23) That means "a believing one" can operate in the God kind of love. How do we know this? "For the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23) Jesus tells us, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Believers, the branches, are linked
up with Jesus, Who is the Vine. The branch is the fruit-bearing portion
of the vine. Therefore, the believer has a legal right to the Father's
love and Jesus' ability to carry it out. (Philippians 4:13)
The believer is to take Jesus' place in this life. He is a reproduction
of Jesus (John 17:20-26) to carry out the will of the Father just as
Jesus did when He walked this earth. Jesus was the first man who ever
walked in the God kind of love on this earth. When selfishness is
eliminated in us and love gains the dominion, we will not seek our own
any longer. We will live as Jesus lived. We will seek only the Father's
will as Jesus did. (John 6:38) As we walk in the God kind of love,
we will be walking just as Jesus walked. There isn't a thing in the New
Covenant or in the finished work of Christ that does not belong to
every believer, especially the God kind of love. God is able to make us
all what His great heart desires us to be. He delivered us out of the
hand of the enemy. (1 Peter 2:9) He gave us His own nature. (2 Peter
1:3) He made us a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We are His
workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. (Ephesians 2:10) He
is in us now living and working His own good pleasure. (Philippians
2:13) Let us all yield to His Word and give Him the right-of-way in
every area of our lives.
Please take some time, slowly read and meditate on the God kind of love as revealed in the Gospels from the Garden of Gethsemane to resurrection of our Lord. Paul tells us, " But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Also, take some time to read and reread the Amplified Version of the God kind of Love as revealed in
1 Corinthians 13:4-8...
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor
boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not
display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated
with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.
Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own
way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or
resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no
attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love
bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to
believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all
circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never
fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
Monday, May 22, 2023
The God Kind Of Love
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