L-O-V-E-

Written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
To Warn Encourage Uplift & Affirm
the will and purpose for His people

L-O-V-E

There is only one love!

In today's day and age our language has come to that place which fulfills the prophesy of Jesus.
That right will be wrong and good will be bad. The very words spoken will have meanings other than what they once were to man and in the light of God. We live in the last days; this season when our focus needs to be centered on "The Word"... Jesus! So that truth may prevail in all that we do and especially what we say. Our words have stayed the same; it is the meaning that has been altered. We need to reexamine just how much has been altered and stolen from us in the forms of exaggeration and hype as well as what has been accepted as cute or hip. Words are the root of our communication and when their meanings are altered, no matter what the reason, we speak lies. Yes no matter how cute, silly, amusing they are lies. What has followed this line of thought is that God changes or what He said changes. Now, words may have because of the many altercations bear various thoughts and ideas to our mind other than their original intent, they are not only misrepresenting their meaning they are in fact apposing it. And what one says may be other than what others hear; to their own understanding. With this in mind let us look at the one word that refers to and sums up God to our spirit man.
Love... God is Love!

The definition of love varies today at its widest and most incomplete thought. We love people; but how? We love animals. We love material things, cars, homes, jewelry etc. We even love money. We love ideas and thoughts. We even love to fantasize. All these loves are not quite what the Holy Spirit was speaking through John; when he said "God is love!"

This is love: 1John 3:16

Now let us review the love of God as seen and attested to in Jesus.
Jesus is perfect love. He is selfless; as there is no personal gain to Himself in anyway; He serves His father in serving us. This selfless love is more clearly seen in everything as a sacrifice. And ultimately He sacrifices His life for us, in obedience to His father for our sake.
Jesus teaches "There is no greater love then a man lay down his life for his friends"
The strength of His words are met in His committing Himself to doing just that; dying for those He loves. This description of love has been abased in so many ways and it is no longer found to be the basis for Christian love. To die for each other is no longer a thought or goal of our love.

We have a touch base, surface love which is basically lip service and now it, as well as the rest of our language, is being altered and watered down in both meaning and in use.

Note: God so loved the world that He did something; He sent His son.
Love is verb; love acts; love gives; love brings relationship; love forgives; love changes things... God is love!

Love is more than a word; it is the act of selfless, sacrificial personal beneficent commitment to another.

We are loved as we are because we are and not for any other cause or for something we've done.
Jesus tells us, God loves us as much as He loves Jesus who is perfect.
We know that Jesus is God.
God is saying He loves us as much as He loves Himself!
The death of Jesus and His loving act of forgiving our sin that we may once again have relationship to God is not words nor is it one act that ends in a time and place. The love demonstrated in Jesus is here it is now it is with us and it is in us and it is for eternity. It gives and gives... the question is, are we receiving and receiving being transformed into His likeness?
That image of Jesus, which is seen in our acts of selfless sacrificial beneficent commitment to others is proof of being dead to our selfishness.
Love one another... . As I... is a command because it is God who is love and there is no relationship without that perfect love given being shared. It was given in and through Jesus and it continues by the Holy Spirit within us.
How do we know we're living in the light?
How do we know we have passed from death unto life?
How; by the way we love the brethren... as Jesus!

How do we love?

When you thirst you seek water and you drink.
God provides our need as we seek to fulfill it. this is man without a need or relationship to God. He has need and he goes and finds what he needs and tries to satisfy his need. That being accomplished he can thank God.
The motive: Self concern-self serving-self love.

When we find relationship and we thirst we consider our family, friends or neighbors and ask if they would like a drink as we go to find water... this is good. It is considerate, it is sensitive to the needs of others but we consider our need first and you don't need to be aware of or have relationship to God to act in this manner. (This is most of the motive in the church today doing good for others as we find time or as it fits into our life style)
The motive: Self concern-self serving- self love. If there is another motive it is not discernible.

When we care if someone thirsts or is in need of a drink whether we thirst or not and we fetch water for them and drink not this is God and this is the love of God. It is the act of sacrificial, selfless love. Caring for the need of another(s) before we give consideration for ourselves... this is the love of Jesus!
"My food is to be about the work of my father!"
"If you give a cup of water to a prophet, you receive a prophets reward"
"...Give us living water and we will never thirst again"
and it has been given and we have this water within us... will we give it?
The motive: Giving without benefit to yourself in any way this is Jesus!

Selfishness is flesh and flesh is anti-Christ; our natural man rebels against selfless sacrificial beneficent acts of love. Spiritual war begins within ourselves. We are called to submit and die to ourselves. This is the outward sign of baptism washed of sin we die and are buried and alive to Jesus within us. We need to put off the old man and put on the mind of Christ. We cannot follow in the flesh and we will not. We will make a form of Godliness that has no context of love. We will act selfishly and justify our effort for appearance sake. We will do what looks good but without the Holy Spirit and thus without God.

The love of God is selfless...
The love of God is sacrificial...
The love of God is Beneficent...
The love of God is always giving...
The love of God is always serving...
The love of God is always doing... for others...
The love of God is Jesus! alive in us to finish the work together...

The world will know the love of Jesus is alive in us as we love them together...

Jesus Christ’s Community at Hebron