GET TOGETHER – A LOVE LIKE NO OTHER
1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (NKJV)
Last night I was reading an interview with one of my former professors. He was a very solid professor. He taught about holiness. He helped me to come to understand much about holiness, and I realize that I have not completely gotten there yet, but I am asking the Holy Spirit to help me to get there a little more each day.
As I was reading this interview something that he said and something that he used to teach about and stress was perfect love. I must admit that I am not perfect. You can ask J.J., and she would verify that. On the other hand, I think that many of us in the Body of Christ like to use that term “I am not perfect” as a cop out sometimes. We often use it as an excuse to not live as Jesus has commanded us to live and to love as Jesus has commanded us to love.
In Mt 22:37-39 we are given the picture of what perfect love is. Jesus said to him,” ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind “This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Perfect love is loving God more than any other person, or thing. Perfect love is loving God with all of your heart soul mind and strength. Perfect love means that we do not have to be afraid of God as our Judge. Because our heart is always fixed upon God.
Perfect love is loving your family. Perfect love is loving those that you serve God with. Perfect love is loving those that don’t always agree with you. Perfect love is loving those who oppose you. Jesus had this to say about that in Mt 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” He made a distinction between the way that He calls His followers to love and how the world loves in Lu 6:32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.” (NKJV)
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I believe that the Biblical definition of marriage is one man and one woman. I believe that life begins in the womb. I believe that I am to speak the truth about those two issues that our country is so divided about. On the other hand, I know that the same Bible that speaks very plainly on those two matters also contains the Sermon on The Mount.
Many of us are praying for an awakening in our nation. I believe that Hell is a real place. I believe that Hell is a place where those that have not been born again by faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ will live forever in torment. On the other hand, I remember someone telling me that some may preach about Hell, because they don’t love their enemy and are glad that some are going there. The Preacher that is preaching on Hell with perfect love is the Preacher that is shedding tears, and has spent time in the prayer closet praying for those who oppose the Gospel. The Holy Spirit has given the Preacher the love for the lost that He has. We see this type of love in 2Pe 3:9 ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (NKJV)
I must admit that when I see political leaders, actors, actresses, and athletes and other public figures in the media that don’t have a Biblical worldview I don’t get goose bumps. I must admit that sometimes I get very upset. But then the Holy Spirit reminds me that while I was living in rebellion against God that He loved me and that He had others loving me and praying for me. Some of you are some those who were. He then begins to have me to pray for them.
The Apostle Paul lived and was imprisoned under the evil ruler Nero. Paul never compromised the truth. On the other hand, there were people in Nero’s household that became followers of Jesus Christ. What if Paul had been a man that trash talked those who opposed him? What if he had been a man that hated his enemies? Would the following verse be in the Bible? Php 4:22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.
So today please pray for me that I will love people with a perfect heart toward God and a perfect heart toward them. I know we may say that it is hard. But aren’t you glad that Jesus didn’t say that it was hard to love us when we were living in rebellion toward Him?
Let Us Pray
Lord I must admit that I am not there yet. On the other hand, Lord, I don’t want to use the same old cliché that I am just human and that I am not perfect and stunt my growth in love. I pray for all that read this. That we will not compromise the truth of the Gospel. And the biggest part of that truth is loving You with all of our heart, souls, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Hey you guys are pretty easy to love!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
Real Party Ministry 