1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:19-20 We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-13 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
God has a LOT to say about LOVE! LOVE is the most important because GOD IS LOVE!
We can do nothing without LOVE. We are called above all else, to LOVE. The only way to receive this LOVE is from LOVE HIMSELF! And if we do not have it, we cannot give it.
Receiving God's LOVE is not some mystical thing that happens in a dim lit room with praise music and an emotional heart. Not that you can't receive it under those conditions, but my point is that LOVE is a CHOICE!!! We have to choose, on purpose to accept God's LOVE!
Once we have received God's LOVE we are told, by God, to then share it with others. But be reminded that, you cannot give (or share) something you do not have! God's LOVE has the ability to take root deep inside of us. It's supply is limitless! And unlike a "feeling" or emotional love, with God's LOVE, the more we share it with others, the more of it we receive! Think of yourself like a vessel. We are God's vessels. We carry His LOVE inside of us. He fills us up and we pour ourselves out on others and He keeps us filled up! The secret to the continual filling and pouring is HIS WORD! The Bible is God's Words to US! He encourages us through His Word. He instructs us through His Word. He corrects us through His word. He LOVES us through His Word!!!
Satan is the total opposite of LOVE. He is anger towards others. He is jealousy of others. He is fear of others. So we have a choice! We either choose God's LOVE or we choose the way of the enemy.
It is not always easy to LOVE others, but it IS possible! Sometimes it comes easy and sometimes we just have to LOVE and trust that God will take care of everything else!
I am not saying that we have to agree with a person demonstrating a wrong behavior. Even if that wrong behavior is towards us. But we still should choose LOVE. Even when The Lord reveals to me when I am in the wrong, He still LOVES me. He does not condemn me. Sometimes the LOVE is simply in our hearts for a person. We may never see that person or talk to them, but in our hearts, we have LOVE and we can pray for them with that LOVE. (for example, I do not see or talk to the man who raped me, but because of the power of forgiveness and God restoring my wounds, I can LOVE him and pray for him to accept Jesus). And trust me when I say, THAT was a CHOICE that could only be made because of GOD'S LOVE!!!
I really hope I am making sense! hahaha I do not want to just ramble on and on! Oops, may be too late! =)
I hope you are encouraged today! I really do LOVE you, but more importantly, GOD LOVES YOU!!! And He give us all the ability to LOVE!! So today I challenge you (and myself) to LOVE ON PURPOSE!!!!
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