Walk In Love

“If I give all I possess to the poor…but have not love, I gain nothing.”

1 Cor 13:3 NIV

“Unconditional love…that gives all and asks nothing in return, the kind of love we fail in daily, and seek to understand.” Glenna Oldham

You know another verse that’s always puzzled me is 1 Jn 4:18 “Perfect love casts out fear…” and something I heard Kenneth Copeland speak on gave me some light on this! Did you know that the minute we step “out of love” we step into fear? And where there is fear faith cannot operate and it’s impossible to receive anything from God without faith (nothing can work as the only medium faith will work in is love). It’s rather like a fish in a bowl of water the more you drain the water out the more restricted the fish becomes! That’s why Jesus commands us to forgive and to forgive quickly (Matt. 6:15, Mark 11:25) because the second you step “out of love” you are actually in a very dangerous and precarious position – open to all sorts of attack and torment! So any emotion that puts us into strife, anger, bitterness, resentment, fear, anxiety, stress, selfishness...causes us to walk out of love and into fear making us travel a very rocky road! So when there is anything lacking in my life or just not working, I ask myself this - maybe it’s not my faith that’s lacking but my love? So hey the solution is to stay “IN LOVE” and you’ll walk in God’s presence as HE IS LOVE! And love’s greatest expression is giving – giving of yourself, your time, talents, treasure and tongue!! S.J.

Oh this is what Joyce has to say… "Is love the main theme of your life? If not, you need to make a change. Often we spend time seeking things that we think are important! Do not major in what Jesus considers to be minor. In other words, don’t spend your time and effort on things that have no lasting value and don’t add to the kingdom of God. The Bible says love is seen in our behavior toward one another. It is by our love that the world will know we are Jesus’ disciples John 13:35.

Love can be described quite eloquently, but I believe the real power of love is seen in how we treat one another. Are we patient, kind, humble, ready to believe the best at all times, not easily provoked or offended and ready to lay aside our rights for other people? Are we ready to quickly and frequently forgive, and to never keep records of wrongs that we have suffered? Will we endure everything without weakening and bear with the failings of the weak? The willingness to do these things is what love is all about. Love is an effort and it always costs us something. Most people today are looking for the easy road, but that is one that leads to destruction. I encourage you to take the narrow road – the one which people who are willing to treat others as they want to be treated travel.” Joyce Meyer

I have been rather hesitant to post this as I have noticed when I speak God’s words – His word is more powerful than a two edged sword Heb. 4:12 and not my own words which are trivial and insignificant and meaningless, He will always test that word in my own life e.g. if I tell someone to do something based on God’s word, the very next day I will be tested in the exact same thing to see if I too will obey His word – will I do what I say? So by writing this I will have to make sure that I also walk in it! It’s not the easy road as Joyce said but it’s the best road one that leads to life and life more abundantly John 10:10.

Something a pastor said, has stuck with me for many years, and is very helpful! He said, “Always walk in the opposite spirit.” This means, when someone treats you badly, you don’t retaliate with the same actions, but you “walk in the opposite spirit” and treat them with love and kindness instead! When you do this, you are 1/ treating others the way you would like to be treated (Matt. 7:12), remember you will reap what you sow. 2/ You will be abiding in the vine (John 15). When you walk in love you are abiding in the vine and staying “in Christ.” The minute you choose to walk “out of love,” you come out of alignment and out of the vine! 3/ You are showing others, by example (not just words), the right way to do things! You become the “living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1), because to do this means you will have to sacrifice your own desires and crucify your flesh!

I would be amiss if I didn't add this last, incredible story - one that I witnessed with my own eyes!

The Prodigal Son

Only just recently, an incident happened in my life, which made me think of Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). For the first time in my life, I was able to understand what the father in the story felt, when his lost son returned home…rapturous joy, shock, surprise, unbelief and delight, all at the same time! Only a parent who has had a wayward, lost child return home, can truly understand that feeling!

Jesus loved to illustrate life principals by using short stories, which are called parables. Unlike today, where we have a deluge of visual aids, He had none, except to use the imagination of stories that He told. The story of the Prodigal Son is probably one of the most popular, as it is a profound one! The youngest of two son’s asks his father for his inheritance in advance, he then leaves home and squanders all of it away in wanton and luxurious living. He is not heard of again by his family and is presumed dead. But one day, the son who had been living in the gutters, finally comes to his senses and decides to return home.

The father would go every day to the end of his road, to see if his son might be there, but would return hopeless and forlorn! But on this particular day, to his utter shock and surprise, he saw his son in the far distance! At first, he could not believe his eyes and rubbed them continually as if to say, “No, I am seeing things.” He then runs towards his son, in jubilant excitement, embracing, kissing and hugging him! He is overjoyed and overwhelmed to the point of bursting, at the thought that his son, who was once presumed dead, is now alive, and who was lost is now found (vs. 32). He is in no way bitter or twisted or angry at his son for wasting his inheritance, or for any wrongdoing he might have done. The father forgives him instantly, and only longs to have restored fellowship with his son! And then he organises a party in celebration for his return. What an amazing story of redemption, isn’t it?

So what was the life principal that Jesus was portraying in this story? If you have not already seen it, we, are the young son, and the father in this story represents our heavenly Father. He is an exact replica of how our heavenly Father sees us, even though we may have squandered and wasted our precious lives, away from Him, His only thought and concern is… “They were lost but are now found.” He does not hold a “big stick” to beat us with and condemn us because of all our wrongdoings (John 3:16,17)1. No He instantly and willingly forgives us and lovingly and joyfully (Zeph. 3:17)2 embraces us, welcoming us back home!

And YET people will still despise and hate this all-loving Father, who in their right mind could reject One as pure and beautiful as He? But after turning down and rejecting such an incredible offer of peace and reconciliation, is He also not just and fair then, to also reject and condemn them???

1“16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.” AMP

2“17The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.” AMP

See You Tube https://youtu.be/8yd8xGhNZXA