LOVE-ACTION-PRAYER
![Text Box: “For God so loved the World”
Jonathan Swift, the satirical author of Gulliver’s
Travels, said, “We have just enough religion to
make us hate, but not enough to make us love
one another.”
The Bible warned that, Spiritual gifts, no matter
How exciting and wonderful are, useless and even
destructive if they are not ministered in love.
The main evidence of maturity in the life of a true believer of God is a
growing love for God and for our Neighbor, means love for all human beings.
Love is enriching! Believers are “taught of God to love one another”
Jesus Christ said,
“My command is this; love each other as I have loved you.”
How is it possible for Jesus to command us to love others?
Can true love be commanded?
We must keep in mind that Believer’s love is not basically a “feeling”. It is an act of the will. The proof of our love is not in the feelings but in our actions.
Jesus laid down His life for His friends & for His enemies, while the emotions are certainly involved, real love is an act of the will. It means treating others the way God treats us.
Jesus commands us to love each other and Jesus said: “I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He cause his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
I struggle with this in my life. How is it possible for me to love my enemy and how can I show my love for my enemy? Forgive and forget – maybe this is what it means. But it did not work for me always; I can forgive but not forget.
I remember Jesus Christ, when people were nailing His hands. Instead of cursing them, He said “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
Yes! Not only to forgive them but also pray for those who hurt you or persecute you. The more you pray for them sincerely the more you will be joyful and you will experience victory. And this is how you can love your enemies.
Why we hate those whom God loves so dearly?
“God wants all men to be saved”
The most important lesson in the school of faith is to love your neighbor. Love enriches all that it touches.
Love is edifying. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies [builds up}” This means we must not think of ourselves, but of others; and this demands love.
Love “seek not [its] own, is not easily provoked, think no evil”
Means True Love “does not keep any record of wrongs.” Love does not rejoice in iniquity. Love shall cover the multitude of sins”
Like Noah’s sons, we should seek to hide the sins of others, and then help them make things right.
Love is enduring. Love will endure forever; for “God is love”
Love is enduring and what it produces will endure.
In the Bible God gave three Graces to believers: FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
Three graces given by God to Believers will endure, even though “faith will become sight, for we live by faith and not by sight and hope will be fulfilled.”
But the greatest of these graces is love; because when you love someone, you will trust him and will always be anticipating new joys.
Faith, hope and love together, but it is love that energizes faith and hope.
It is stated in the Gospel that one day a Jewish lawyer inquired of the Lord Jesus Christ which commandment of the Lord our God was the most important of all. In reply, Jesus said,
“Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And a second commandment like unto it is this: Thou shall love they neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang the whole law and the Prophets.” (Matt.22: 35-40; Mk.12: 28-31).
In accordance with this, it is also said in the New Testament “owe no man anything, save to love one another. For he that loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, thou shall not commit adultery, thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal, thou shall not covet and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in these words, namely, thou shall love they neighbor like thyself. Love works no ill to his neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law”.
(Rom.13: 8-10).
Love to God produces love towards His creatures and especially towards mankind at large.
The true believer loves God because he knows that God has first loved him, and this love of God weans him from caring for the pleasures and riches of this transitory world. As this love of God grows in his/her heart, he/she becomes more and more zealous in the service of God and in doing good to his/her fellow man. As he/she grows to know and love God more and more, he/she will be continually thinking of and praising God for all the blessings that he/she receives from Him. Then he/she will show his/her gratitude and contentment, not only by words, but also by his/her whole conduct.
The Bible says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
It is no wonder that this verse has been described as “the gospel in a nutshell”.
For God so loved the world. What does this mean?
God loves all human, each and every human being and all people without exception. God loves Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists...all!
God loves Americans, Asians, Africans, Europeans…..all!
God loves whites, blacks, brown, yellow races…..all! All are his creation.
One of the 99 names of Allah (God) in Muslim’s Holy book Qur’an is
“Al-Wadud”, which means “The Beloved, The Affectionate One, which is also found in the Bible.
One of the Muslim mystics from Iran, Jalal-ad Din ar Rumi uses love as the central theme of his voluminous work on Muslim spirituality. He defines love as both desire and need. According to Rumi, God at one time said: “I loved to be known, so I created the world.”
Muslim also love God the creator and pray to God the Creator of the Universe one and only God.
God Is Love. Love cannot be lost It has always victory. Love cannot die He is Eternal.
Do you believe that God loves us all? Then love the person next to you whom God loves.
Love is essential ingredient for all believers’ lives. Love is the key for all success. Love is the fragrance, the glory and the power for all believers living.
Love makes you a true follower of Jesus Christ. Love is the secret of holiness, saintliness, and fruitfulness. Love is the summation and fulfillment of the law. Love is the basic fruit of the Spirit.
If you really believe that God loves all, then see your fellow man as your God sees.
“that he gave his one and only son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”
To be continued](image1251.gif)
