In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. From that
moment until this, He has poured out His love for you in each thing He
does. Before time began, He knew you and planned for you. The Father is
love and gives it abundantly to all who ask for it. God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). He allowed His beloved
Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for you so that you might live. The problem
is that most folks do not understand this. Those people who asked Jesus
into their hearts may understand some of this but none of us truly sees
the full picture of the sacrifice God made or the pain that Jesus went
through so that we who believe can enter into the blessing and love of
the Lord. If you are a brand new believer or someone who has been born
again but haven't grown as much as you would like, I invite you to explore
this with me as I learn this lesson of love, the greatest gift.
One of the first things a believer should come to realize is that God IS
love. It isn't that He just squirts out a portion here and a portion there.
He IS LOVE. It is a tangible, touchable substance spiritually. Please get
this revelation. It is NOT a feeling. Yes, you can have feelings of love but
the Love that comes from the Father is spiritual. It is not all goosebumps and warm cuddly teddy bears.
1 John 4:7-11, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Love is a Being, a Person. This is the foundation for what you will learn in
your walk as a believer. If you do not grasp this first, it will be difficult to
go any farther in your growing up in the Lord. Because God IS love, His
desire is for us to love one another. No matter who they may be, the
person is a creation of God. It can be your best friend or your worst
enemy. They can have done the most horrifying thing on earth but if they
are human, they are to be loved.
'But Father, he raped me." "I know, child, love him."
"How can I love the person who stole all I have? My bills are due and the kid took all my money." "I know, child, love that kid."
"I have been abused since I was little. There was never anything like a childhood for me. How can I love that person?" "You can. Forgive them."
"But Father, they say I hate someone." "I know, child. They said that about Me too. Love them."
"That beast murdered my whole family." "I know. Love them."
"Those people are killing new babies every day! It is incomprehensible. How can I love them?" "Love them, child. They are my creation too."
"Father, they killed my child!!" "They killed mine too. Love them."
It is vital that you grasp this. To the Lord, it does not matter what a person has done. The command is to love them.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
It is not about our ability to love but about Who loves us. It is about the
fact that God IS love and that His love is flowing from the throne of God
to you right this minute. His love flows to every person that has ever lived
and ever will live. If we can just get ahold of that, we will be blessed
beyond belief. If someone has done a wrong to you, it is vital that you
remember that God sent His Son to die for that person too. It is important
to see that if you cannot love and forgive them, the Father cannot
forgive YOU! WHAT did you say?
Mark 11:25-26, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
In many Christian circles the scripture just prior to this is a real faith Word
and that is so true. Many people want the faith to move mountains but
they never come to these Words that have to be included or their faith
cannot and will not grow. You MUST forgive those who hurt you and
despitefully use you.
Matthew 5:44, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
Why must I do this? They did horrible things to my family and to me.
Because God is love. When we are born again, God puts something into
our hearts that we could never have on our own. We have feelings of love
for our spouse or family but the one thing we must understand is that
feelings are fickle and will lead you on a wrong path if that is all you are
going by. But how can I love someone who has hurt me so badly?
Ephesians 4:23-24, "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
Each and every day, we need to renew our minds because when thoughts
of hate and hurt come, they come in the mind. You became a new
creation in Christ(2 Cor. 5:17) when you asked Jesus into your heart.
Your spirit is not acting like that anymore BUT your mind has to catch up.
It was not made a new creation. It has to be trained to obey you! Please
understand, you are not your mind or your body. The mind is the soul.
You are the spirit residing inside that body, which is a human suit. You are
thinking with the mind but you are spirit, created in the image of the
Father. Think about it! God IS love. You are made in His image. Now, YOU
are love IF you are willing to walk in the love of the Lord.
Now it is time to begin to grow up in the Lord. As you read and study
God's Word, it will begin to penetrate into your spirit. It will be much like
when you eat a meal. Your spirit will strengthen and as this occurs daily,
you will notice that some of the things you used to think are being
replaced by thoughts of love and hope rather than hate and
unforgiveness. At some point, it will dawn on you that it is vital to you to
forgive everyone you have ever had a problem with. This is walking in the
Love of the Lord. When you start to see what God has to offer you
because of His love, the joy of the Lord which is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) will blossom out like a brand new flower in spring. So go get your Bible and start to read and study. It may seem to start out boring but I
want to tell you that when you begin to see what God has for your life,
you will get so hungry for God's Word that it will go with you everywhere
you walk. Be blessed in the Lord today.
If you have not asked Jesus into your life or if you have but are not
walking in the path He has given you, please go to Him right now and pray
to Him. Talk to Him about your sins. Ask His forgiveness. He will pour out
His love for you just as He did on Calvary hill when He gave His life for
YOU!! Yes, you! No matter who you are, no matter what you have done,
God loves you and WILL forgive you of your sins. NO MATTER WHAT! One
thing you need to know. You cannot, I said CANNOT, exhaust the mercy
of God. Just go to Him today. You will never be the same again.
Click Here for More Articles in Growing up Spiritually.
back to the home page of Lura's Bookcase
Then perhaps you should Check out Freenet an anonymous peer to peer publishing system that is very resistant to censorship
For more Sermons, Teaching, Preaching, Bible Studies, and
general Christian Writings, Please visit the Front Page of Lura's Bookcase
and be sure to stop by A Peculiar Place
for more Bible Study, Teaching, and general Christian articles
Please be sure to visit our sponsors:
