Have you ever tried to sum up in one sentence all that God is really trying to say to every one of us on the planet? I did recently and I came up with this. "My children, love me and love people!"
Maybe you're thinking is that it? Yes! In 66 books, that were written by 40 different authors in a period of 1600 years, that is it. Love me and love people! God wants to pour His love (Himself) in us and through us to others!
Jesus told us to, "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself."
He also said, You will know My children by their Love, for one another. Notice that He didn't say you will know my children by their giftedness, anointing, passion, their deep spiritual truths, miracles, ministry, impact, speaking ability. etc. He said "You will know My kids by their love.
Why is this so simple, yet so incredibly difficult to do? Because, we can't love, trusting in our own resources. Thats why Jesus said, ..... for apart from Me you can do NOTHING!
God's nature and character is one of love. We all know John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He Gave.... The world longs to see and the church longs to experience the love of God living through a host of people who intimately know Jesus as their Lord, Savior and Life!
Can you imagine what it would feel like, what positive impact it would make on the Church, our society, our country and our world, if we all lived with the understanding that nothing matters more than loving God with all of our hearts, then experiencing His love personally in us and through us to others?
God has given us everything we need for life and Godliness to live this life of love, by giving us His son who now lives inside of us. Learning to live out of our identity and our union in Christ, is the key to enjoying this life of love.
Imagine exchanging our weakness for His strength, our impatience for His patience, our insufficiency for His sufficiency, so that we can practically experience this life of love and all its relational benefits.
No matter how tough the relationships get or how difficult your circumstances are with friends, family, co-workers or at church, the answer will always be to choose to let Christ love through you. I always say, "When in doubt love your way out."
Why is living a life of love so important? Because, without love, we are nothing.
Paul said it this way to the Corinthian believers in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
"If I speak in the tongues of men and or angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge... but have not love I am nothing...and if I have the faith that can move mountains, but have not love I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor... but have not love, I gain nothing. If I were burned alive for preaching the gospel, but didn't love others, it would be of no value what so ever!"
In other words, Paul is saying, I can have the eloquence of an orator. I can have the knowledge of a genius. I can have the faith of a miracle worker. I can have the generosity of a philanthropist. I can have the dedication of a martyr. But, if I don't love, it just doesn't matter. It equals NOTHING! Life - Christ's love = 0
So what do you think my friend? Shall we surrender to Father and allow His Son to live in us and through as the greatest lover the world has ever seen or known.
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