SCRIPTURE READING: 1 JOHN 4:7 - 21.
Key Text: Verse 12 - If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.
Love. "Love" is probably the most misused word in life. Books are written about it, songs are composed about it, poems by the thousands exist about it, movies are made about it, and even sermons are delivered daily about it. In spite of everything that is available on "love", we still do not have the slightest idea of what it is all about. That is why there will always be a market for anything related to love.
We read in the Scripture reading for today what God meant love to be. God is love! "Those who obey His commands," as we find in 1 John 3:23, "...live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us" (1 John 3:24). The Spirit is forming our spirit of love to help us live God's love.
About man's love John Hamilton Thom wrote, "The spirit of love must work the works and speak the tones of love. It cannot exist and give no sign or a false sign. It cannot be a spirit of love and disguise itself with irritable and selfish impatience. It cannot be a spirit of love and at the same time make self the prominent object.
It cannot rejoice to lend itself to the happiness of others and at the same time be seeking its own. It cannot be generous and envious. It cannot be sympathizing and improper, self-forgetful and boastful. It cannot delight in the rectitude and purity of other hearts, yet unnecessarily suspect them."
Let us live love! Not torn between the opposites as Thom has described it, but in obedience to how God gave it to us in His Word.
Abide in me; o'ershadow by Thy love
Each half-formed purpose and dark thought of sin,
Quench, ere it rise, each selfish, low desire,
And keep my soul as Thine, calm and divine
Beecher Stowe
THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE,
PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT ALL FEAR.
God Bless!!!
Love. "Love" is probably the most misused word in life. Books are written about it, songs are composed about it, poems by the thousands exist about it, movies are made about it, and even sermons are delivered daily about it. In spite of everything that is available on "love", we still do not have the slightest idea of what it is all about. That is why there will always be a market for anything related to love.
We read in the Scripture reading for today what God meant love to be. God is love! "Those who obey His commands," as we find in 1 John 3:23, "...live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us" (1 John 3:24). The Spirit is forming our spirit of love to help us live God's love.
About man's love John Hamilton Thom wrote, "The spirit of love must work the works and speak the tones of love. It cannot exist and give no sign or a false sign. It cannot be a spirit of love and disguise itself with irritable and selfish impatience. It cannot be a spirit of love and at the same time make self the prominent object.
It cannot rejoice to lend itself to the happiness of others and at the same time be seeking its own. It cannot be generous and envious. It cannot be sympathizing and improper, self-forgetful and boastful. It cannot delight in the rectitude and purity of other hearts, yet unnecessarily suspect them."
Let us live love! Not torn between the opposites as Thom has described it, but in obedience to how God gave it to us in His Word.
Abide in me; o'ershadow by Thy love
Each half-formed purpose and dark thought of sin,
Quench, ere it rise, each selfish, low desire,
And keep my soul as Thine, calm and divine
Beecher Stowe
THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE,
PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT ALL FEAR.
God Bless!!!
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