My pastor preached a very powerful message on Love today, he said that there is no higher level of power than Love.
1 Corinthians 13 describes love as being the following; patient, kind, not jealous, not boastful or proud or rude, Nor is it demanding or easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It never rejoices about injustice but is happy when the truth wins. Love doesn’t give up, never loses faith, is always full of hope and knows how to keep going in every situation.
Love is such a beautiful thing.
The bible actually explains that God is Love (1 John 4:8), don’t you just love it when you can read scripture and see how everything is connected?
I once thought that I was a Loving person, until I got tested. Especially when I first received the Holy Spirit, I felt that I could love anyone and everyone no strings attached. There’s something about the holy spirit that can make one feel invincible.
Over the years, however my love for others has grown somewhat cold. This is literally due to the fact that Love does indeed hurt (Matthew 24:12).
Sorry to say but there have been many a time where I’ve felt like ‘I give up, I just can’t do this anymore!’ or ‘I don’t care what happens to them, it’s not my problem.’
I know, how wicked.
And don’t get me started with keeping records of wrongs, there have been many times where I’ve really and I mean really had to pray because I found it so hard to let things go. I mean, as much as I really wanted to, I had to wrestle with God until I finally let go.
I want to share what I’m learning and by going on to say that Love that hasn’t been through anything isn’t really Love (Well it’s not agape Love).
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We can see here that God proved his love for us in this passage by making the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.
This my friend is the message of the Gospel and it’s fantastic news, this means that God is no longer angry with humanity but has chosen to love us, knowing our sinful state. Isn’t that amazing?
When we accept Christ, God becomes our Father and there in no longer any condemnation for us for God is not holding our sins against us .
Let’s do something here if God is love I think that its fair to say this:
(God) is patient, (God) is kind. (God) does not envy, (God) does not boast, (God) is not proud. (God) is not rude, (God) is not self-seeking, (God) is not easily angered, (God) keeps no record of wrongs. (God) does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (God) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (God) never fails.
Looking at these attributes of Gods character, I can see many areas where I still need more of God.
Love is not something that comes natural, if I’m going to be real then I have to tell you that it’s more natural to hate than to love so without God it’s impossible to love.
I hope that I will be able to Love in this way for then and only then will I be like my Maker.
Matthew 24:13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
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