February 19. 2021 HERE IS LOVE
Romans 5:5 “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
1 John 4:7-9,16 “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. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” “And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
We must not think that human love and the love of God are one in the same. In order for the scriptures like the ones above to be experienced in our lives, we must be grounded in the love that God has poured out in our hearts. If we are trying to live according to the scriptures with human love, we will fall short. For example, when I become irritated with a brother or sister, or whoever, it is a sure sign that I am not at that moment living out of God’s love. 1 John makes it very clear; “everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” It is a major issue-if I know God, then I will love with His love. We can’t have it both ways; we cannot live in ungodly ways and at the same time say we love God. The point is, knowing and experiencing the love of God transforms us, making us new, enabling us to respond to others out of His love. Do not misunderstand; sometimes love confronts and sometimes love leads to serious conversations-but always in a spirit of love. Let us look at some of the characteristics of love as found in 1 Corinthians 13. Those who are trained to distinguish between counterfeit money and real money, focus on what real money looks like, and by being familiar with the real thing, they can easily spot the counterfeit. As we examine real love, let us not be condemned, but be motivated to know and experience His love. From this chapter we see that love is patient, kind, not jealous, does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things; love never fails. There is indeed a stark contrast between God’s love and human love. As we look at the love that comes from God-the love we are to love others with-we may feel that that type of love is unrealistic or out of reach for us human beings with all our frailties. Here is the good news: God has worked in such a way that you and I can know the love of God and we can be expressions of His love to others. Let us not limit ourselves by concluding that because we are imperfect human beings, we cannot be conduits of His love. He has poured out His love into our hearts.
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
1 Corinthians 16:14 “Let all that you do be done in love.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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