LOVE ONE ANOTHER

LOVE ONE ANOTHER 

The Bible tells us "God is love". Of course we know that Jesus is God so we can say "Jesus is love". Jesus came to earth with His main purpose of becoming the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, to shed His pure, innocent blood to pay the penalty for our sins so that the New Testament (new promise or covenant) of mercy would finish the Law (Old Testament). In place of judgement we now have the opportunity to repent and find mercy because of Jesus blood shed at Calvary. That was Jesus' main purpose in coming in flesh to this earth. But He had a second purpose also. That was to live a pure life before mankind in order to set an example for us to pattern our lives by. 

Study the life of Christ in the four Gospels. Everything Jesus did was for the purpose of setting an example for us to follow. His every act was executed, His every word was spoken in pure love. When we really look closely at the individual acts and teachings of Jesus we don't see a God, (tho God He was and is), but we see an humble, selfless Servant to all. Even when He performed great miracles, we find Him saying,  "now, go and tell no man..."  His agenda was not to make a reputation for Himself, but to serve those He loved, mankind.

(Philippians  2:5-7) "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"

I truly believe that is the key to loving, humbling ourselves and doing our very best (as God has gifted us individually) to simply serve Him, by serving others. We should study the entire chapter of Philippians 2. It is a beautiful lesson on true love one to another. Our acts of service, or even obedience are not love in themselves. But our 'intention' to put others before ourselves, to put our own human desires away and instead seek God's will, then live in obedience to it. This is love manifest. I guess the whole thing can be said in one word, MOTIVE. If you do not fully understand the meaning of that word (motive) look it up. It's about WHY we do what we do. Do we "do" this or that in order to have praise of others? Is it to feel holier than others or just to "feel" holy within ourselves (which is a nice way of defining 'self-righteousness')? Is it because we're trying to be good enough to earn God's favor? The only thing these acts will accomplish is to exhaust us mentally and physically, but will not bring us God's favor. 

David writes his prayer in Psalm 26:2

"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart."

The meaning of the word "reins" in this scripture is simply "motive". David was praying for God to purify his motives. He speaks to God in this chapter about how he (David) has served God faithfully, obediently...but then he realizes that real, pure LOVE goes beyond the visible acts of service. Real love is found deep within a hidden corner of our hearts that no one sees but God Himself; that is where "motive" lives. We can become so absorbed in "being good" that we forget to look at WHY we're being good. David knew this and prayed fervently for God to continually search and purify his motives, (those hidden reasons or agendas buried in our human subconsciousness). 

Here's the bottom line: 

What I do for my brother or sister

What I do to win the lost

What I do to appear holy (inwardly or outwardly)

All my self-sacrifice humanly possible

.......though these are certainly all acts of Christianity, and will most assuredly be prevalent in the life of a true Christian, in themselves they will not and cannot save us. 

Paul says it so well in I Corinthians 13:3 (Message)

"If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake and be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."

Study the entire chapter of I Corinthians 13, often referred to as the "The Chapter of LOVE" and we'll find "love" has very little to do with "self" other than the dying out thereof. 

I don't have all the answers, but I do know this, love is not an act. Love is a state of one's heart in intimate relationship with God. Only when this bond of relationship is formed in the ultimate, unconditional (Agape) love for God, can the real selfless (Phileo) brotherly love be manifested and result in selfless, Christ-driven, effective service to others. 

Jesus taught in Matthew 25:40, "...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

May The Lord bless you,

Sheila Ashcraft.

PRAYER - "Trouble with Prayer" 

Prayer will get you into trouble, but prayer will get you out of trouble again. I have often prayed for a thing only to create the exact opposite effect. Jesus rebuked the devil in a deaf and dumb child, but the devil "cried, and rent him sore." The people said, "He is dead!" But Jesus took his hand and raised him up. Don't be immobilized if Satan fights back. Pray on! 

Acts 16:16 - "...it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us"

PRINCIPALS - "Adam's Rib"

God put Adam to sleep and performed surgery. He removed one of Adam's ribs and made a woman from it. From the bone marrow came Adam's DNA, making her the first clone - a female version of Adam. An identical twin. Same eyes, same hair, same size. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them," Genesis 1:27. Two people. One image.

Genesis 2:22 - "And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman."

PRINCIPLES - "God is a Blesser"

Look at God's track record! He blessed Adam with a garden paradise. He blessed Noah with an escape route from the flood. He blessed Lot, sending angels to deliver him from Sodom. He blessed Joseph with dominion over Egypt. He blessed fleeing Israel with sensational miracles. He sent miraculous food, miraculous water, even miraculous shoes! There is no need God cannot provide. Stop thinking God cannot or will not bless you, too!

Psalms 84:11 - "...the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."

PROPHECIES - "As the Days of Lot"

Everyone who is born again will escape the wrath of God when it comes to earth. But the same day, the judgment begins on those who remain. Justice will conclude at Armageddon.

Luke 17:28-30 - "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

You Can Open That Door

Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

– Matthew 7:7

How long has it been since you were backed into a corner, hemmed in by a seemingly insurmountable problem? If you're anything like most folks, it hasn't been very long. Some of us spend years trying to work our way out of financial binds only to end up more bound by debt than ever. Others work fanatically on marriages that, despite their best efforts, deteriorate from year to year. Still others fight battles against fear or depression, drug addiction or disease.

Deep within our hearts, each of us knows there must be an answer to the problem we face. But often it seems to be out of reach, hidden behind a door that's locked tightly against us.

What I want you to know today, however, is this: we can open that door! Jesus Himself has given us the keys.

Right now you may be facing a situation that looks utterly hopeless, but God has a key ring full of keys that will unlock any situation. He has the keys that open the doors for you spiritually and physically, financially and emotionally. No matter how hard the devil tries to trap you, if you'll get hold of the right key, you can find your way out.

God's Word is full of keys of kingdom principles—keys to bind the devil's operations and keys to loose yourself from his snares. God has a key that will unravel any knot that the devil can tie. He also has a key that will lock up the devil's operation so tightly that he won't be able to move.

Remember this: There's no situation so dark and so cleverly designed by the forces of darkness that there is not a kingdom key that will unlock it with kingdom power.

There is an answer to your situation. So keep digging for it. If you've been digging in the Word of God in one spot and haven't found your answer, then look at another chapter, a different verse. Keep digging until you find the key. Keep knocking at every door until you find the one that opens.