Christians Beware - Where Is The Glue? Article No. 12 - February, 2014
If I were to ask you what you need most in your Christian walk, what would you answer? The Bible is very clear about what the answer to that question
is.
As Christians, we know we are supposed to LOVE one another. But do we realize what that really means? I had been studying these past months
about who God is and about His LOVE. As I was readying as my table God a revelation came to me about LOVE. It was a though a light came
on and I got it. I said, Lord everything is about LOVE. What a good time I had in the Lord at that moment and have ever since God revealed this
truth to me.
Sure, I had always known about LOVE, but now I really know the mystery of it, if you want to call it that. The reason I say mystery is because I feel many take it for granted and do not understand the depth of it.
If I were to ask you, what is LOVE? You would no doubt give me many answers. There is a LOVE for our spouse, children, parents, and, etc. Unsaved persons LOVE. It is inbred in their being. However, their LOVE is limited unless they have God living in them. This LOVE is a different love than the one we are born with. It is the LOVE of God in me and me in Him. The Greek word is “Agape”. This LOVE is a LOVE of sacrifice. This LOVE is not about me. It has no bias, no ethnicity, no gender, no color, no prejudice, and no, etc. You may say, hey, no problem. I have this type of LOVE. But really? Do you? You may say I’m saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost and on my way to heaven. I’ve got it. But do you really? If
I were to ask you who is God? What would you say to me? Many would probably give many different answers. The simplest answer is, “God is LOVE”. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, Because that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:8-10).
Who is God? He is what He is. Notice “is” is an action verb which means, remains, stands, stays, exists, lives, can be nothing other. He is LOVE. He cannot help loving because His DNA is LOVE. The above scripture is profound and I will explain why and will relate to you one of the most important messages of your lifetime.
You will notice that the Word says if you do not LOVE, you do not know Him. Can you comprehend the life or death seriousness of this? In His LOVE
for us, He showed His Agape LOVE, a LOVE of sacrifice by sending His son that we might live and experience this Agape LOVE ourselves. Not only did He say He loved us, but He proved it with His sacrifice. He showed us the manifestation, the establishing, the expressed, the revelation of His LOVE to us by sending His only son that we might live. He loved you and me so much, He made a way for us through Jesus Christ. This is the way it had to be done because a sacrifice had to be made because He is what He is – LOVE. If you Agape LOVE, you will sacrifice. He said He did this because He loved us. Can you imagine that kind of LOVE? He is our example of LOVE. If He sacrificed His son, then what should we sacrifice to show our LOVE for Him and for each other.
Some it seems have become so modernized and worldly (oh no, she didn’t say that) and self-centered we don’t have time to think of others, just ourselves. Christians, the truth is we must have the Agape LOVE if we want to make it to heaven. It truly is the glue that holds everything together. There is nothing that is accomplished without it. “And above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness” (Colossians 3:14). Without Agape LOVE there can be no perfection. As you can see, this is a serious matter. The truth is, LOVE must be at the top, center, and bottom of everything you do in this life. You must become selfless. You must think of others. You must do the right thing. You must take the time to visit, to call, to feed the poor and hungry, go see the sick, and all the rest. If God lives in you and you in Him, you will do it. It’s a must. Oh, yes, and it will come naturally. Most of you could quote this scripture: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13). But the question is, are you really comprehending the meaning of this?
Jesus was once asked, what was the first of all the commandments? This is His reply: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment, And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31).
A commandment is an order. We have no choice. However, it is a choice that is manifested out of our LOVE for God and His LOVE for us. If we truly have the Agape LOVE, we won’t have to try because it will come naturally. We must love God first and our neighbor as ourselves. This will entail many sacrifices.
The next question we might want to ask ourselves is: Who is our neighbor? Jesus was asked that very question. Read Luke 10 and you will hear Jesus’ reply. A priest and a Levite passed a man on the side of the road beaten and robbed and left for dead. They didn’t want to get involved or just simply didn’t care. However, a Samaritan stopped, attended his wounds and took him to be cared for and paid for his care.
From the scriptures in Luke 10, we know that our neighbor is anyone in need. It can be a Christian in need or a non-Christian in need. Any human
being in need is our neighbor. Now that we have learned who our neighbor is, we know that just praying is not enough when a fellowman is in need.
Yes, indeed pray, but we must do something else. Had the Samaritan not done anything, this man would probably have died. The key to helping our
neighbor is Agape LOVE. The spiritual LOVE than can only come from God. Let’s name just a few people who are our neighbors: Unborn babies, addicts, homosexuals, sinners, sick, suffering, prostitutes, hungry, poor, hurt, and etc. Let’s think about this for a moment. Do you try to stop abortion?
Do you witness to the sinners in the hedges and byways, not just in church? The world is usually out of the church. The Lord sat with sinners to save some. Maybe you should sit with some to win some to Christ. Do you visit the sick? Are you preparing meals for some of the poor? Are you taking someone to the doctor who can’t go on their own? I could go on and on with the needs of our neighbors, but I am sure you get it.
Christians, if you ever get to the point that you think you are something when you are not consider these scriptures. “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits” (Romans: 12:16). “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Galatians 6:3). Please know we have not made it yet. Every second, minute, hour and day we must work on making heaven our home. Please know that we must LOVE the sinner. Don’t ever feel you are above them. You are not. Because God loves the world, otherwise you and I would be lost. Where is our compassion, sympathy, concern, and care for the lost? Maybe the LOVE is missing that I have been talking about. LOVE will manifest itself in all these things that we should be doing. I am not talking about works
trying to make it to heaven. I’m simply talking about something that should be in each of us as Christians and that is the LOVE of God.
Brothers and Sisters, we must love one another. “A new commandment I give unto you, that you 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. (John 13:34-35). Stop gossiping about your brothers and sisters. LOVE them, pray for them. Stay humble. If you LOVE God, prove it. You can’t just say it! Now here is what will happen to you if you do not have the Agape LOVE of God dwelling inside of you. I have seen Christians that say they have it all, but I don’t see the LOVE in their lives toward their fellowman. They are too haughty and high minded to be humble. Oh but they need to pray and see where they are going wrong. Because without this LOVE, you will miss out! Repent.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my good to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be buried, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Wow! This comes directly from the Word of God. Christians, you can say you are saved, sanctified, have the Holy Ghost, have all the gifts, and, etc. but without this LOVE I’m talking about, it does you no good.
Can you imagine being able to speak like angels, have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, all knowledge, all faith, give all your gifts to feed the poor, and would give your body to be buried. Wow, what kind of person would that be? However, if you think you know someone like that, they better have this Agape LOVE that I have been writing about because if they are missing the thing that will take them to heaven, we know where they are headed.
I would like to make a personal comment here: I have met some Christians throughout my life that made a huge statement as to who they were, but it seemed something was missing from their life. Some were great teachers, some were great preachers, some were great members, but something was missing from my perspective. I didn’t feel nor see the LOVE in their lives. This LOVE will manifest itself and we are truly known by the fruits we bear.
I am not being judgmental, but all of us can feel LOVE where LOVE is. God is LOVE!
God bless you.
is.
As Christians, we know we are supposed to LOVE one another. But do we realize what that really means? I had been studying these past months
about who God is and about His LOVE. As I was readying as my table God a revelation came to me about LOVE. It was a though a light came
on and I got it. I said, Lord everything is about LOVE. What a good time I had in the Lord at that moment and have ever since God revealed this
truth to me.
Sure, I had always known about LOVE, but now I really know the mystery of it, if you want to call it that. The reason I say mystery is because I feel many take it for granted and do not understand the depth of it.
If I were to ask you, what is LOVE? You would no doubt give me many answers. There is a LOVE for our spouse, children, parents, and, etc. Unsaved persons LOVE. It is inbred in their being. However, their LOVE is limited unless they have God living in them. This LOVE is a different love than the one we are born with. It is the LOVE of God in me and me in Him. The Greek word is “Agape”. This LOVE is a LOVE of sacrifice. This LOVE is not about me. It has no bias, no ethnicity, no gender, no color, no prejudice, and no, etc. You may say, hey, no problem. I have this type of LOVE. But really? Do you? You may say I’m saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost and on my way to heaven. I’ve got it. But do you really? If
I were to ask you who is God? What would you say to me? Many would probably give many different answers. The simplest answer is, “God is LOVE”. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, Because that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:8-10).
Who is God? He is what He is. Notice “is” is an action verb which means, remains, stands, stays, exists, lives, can be nothing other. He is LOVE. He cannot help loving because His DNA is LOVE. The above scripture is profound and I will explain why and will relate to you one of the most important messages of your lifetime.
You will notice that the Word says if you do not LOVE, you do not know Him. Can you comprehend the life or death seriousness of this? In His LOVE
for us, He showed His Agape LOVE, a LOVE of sacrifice by sending His son that we might live and experience this Agape LOVE ourselves. Not only did He say He loved us, but He proved it with His sacrifice. He showed us the manifestation, the establishing, the expressed, the revelation of His LOVE to us by sending His only son that we might live. He loved you and me so much, He made a way for us through Jesus Christ. This is the way it had to be done because a sacrifice had to be made because He is what He is – LOVE. If you Agape LOVE, you will sacrifice. He said He did this because He loved us. Can you imagine that kind of LOVE? He is our example of LOVE. If He sacrificed His son, then what should we sacrifice to show our LOVE for Him and for each other.
Some it seems have become so modernized and worldly (oh no, she didn’t say that) and self-centered we don’t have time to think of others, just ourselves. Christians, the truth is we must have the Agape LOVE if we want to make it to heaven. It truly is the glue that holds everything together. There is nothing that is accomplished without it. “And above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness” (Colossians 3:14). Without Agape LOVE there can be no perfection. As you can see, this is a serious matter. The truth is, LOVE must be at the top, center, and bottom of everything you do in this life. You must become selfless. You must think of others. You must do the right thing. You must take the time to visit, to call, to feed the poor and hungry, go see the sick, and all the rest. If God lives in you and you in Him, you will do it. It’s a must. Oh, yes, and it will come naturally. Most of you could quote this scripture: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13). But the question is, are you really comprehending the meaning of this?
Jesus was once asked, what was the first of all the commandments? This is His reply: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment, And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31).
A commandment is an order. We have no choice. However, it is a choice that is manifested out of our LOVE for God and His LOVE for us. If we truly have the Agape LOVE, we won’t have to try because it will come naturally. We must love God first and our neighbor as ourselves. This will entail many sacrifices.
The next question we might want to ask ourselves is: Who is our neighbor? Jesus was asked that very question. Read Luke 10 and you will hear Jesus’ reply. A priest and a Levite passed a man on the side of the road beaten and robbed and left for dead. They didn’t want to get involved or just simply didn’t care. However, a Samaritan stopped, attended his wounds and took him to be cared for and paid for his care.
From the scriptures in Luke 10, we know that our neighbor is anyone in need. It can be a Christian in need or a non-Christian in need. Any human
being in need is our neighbor. Now that we have learned who our neighbor is, we know that just praying is not enough when a fellowman is in need.
Yes, indeed pray, but we must do something else. Had the Samaritan not done anything, this man would probably have died. The key to helping our
neighbor is Agape LOVE. The spiritual LOVE than can only come from God. Let’s name just a few people who are our neighbors: Unborn babies, addicts, homosexuals, sinners, sick, suffering, prostitutes, hungry, poor, hurt, and etc. Let’s think about this for a moment. Do you try to stop abortion?
Do you witness to the sinners in the hedges and byways, not just in church? The world is usually out of the church. The Lord sat with sinners to save some. Maybe you should sit with some to win some to Christ. Do you visit the sick? Are you preparing meals for some of the poor? Are you taking someone to the doctor who can’t go on their own? I could go on and on with the needs of our neighbors, but I am sure you get it.
Christians, if you ever get to the point that you think you are something when you are not consider these scriptures. “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits” (Romans: 12:16). “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Galatians 6:3). Please know we have not made it yet. Every second, minute, hour and day we must work on making heaven our home. Please know that we must LOVE the sinner. Don’t ever feel you are above them. You are not. Because God loves the world, otherwise you and I would be lost. Where is our compassion, sympathy, concern, and care for the lost? Maybe the LOVE is missing that I have been talking about. LOVE will manifest itself in all these things that we should be doing. I am not talking about works
trying to make it to heaven. I’m simply talking about something that should be in each of us as Christians and that is the LOVE of God.
Brothers and Sisters, we must love one another. “A new commandment I give unto you, that you 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. (John 13:34-35). Stop gossiping about your brothers and sisters. LOVE them, pray for them. Stay humble. If you LOVE God, prove it. You can’t just say it! Now here is what will happen to you if you do not have the Agape LOVE of God dwelling inside of you. I have seen Christians that say they have it all, but I don’t see the LOVE in their lives toward their fellowman. They are too haughty and high minded to be humble. Oh but they need to pray and see where they are going wrong. Because without this LOVE, you will miss out! Repent.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my good to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be buried, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Wow! This comes directly from the Word of God. Christians, you can say you are saved, sanctified, have the Holy Ghost, have all the gifts, and, etc. but without this LOVE I’m talking about, it does you no good.
Can you imagine being able to speak like angels, have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, all knowledge, all faith, give all your gifts to feed the poor, and would give your body to be buried. Wow, what kind of person would that be? However, if you think you know someone like that, they better have this Agape LOVE that I have been writing about because if they are missing the thing that will take them to heaven, we know where they are headed.
I would like to make a personal comment here: I have met some Christians throughout my life that made a huge statement as to who they were, but it seemed something was missing from their life. Some were great teachers, some were great preachers, some were great members, but something was missing from my perspective. I didn’t feel nor see the LOVE in their lives. This LOVE will manifest itself and we are truly known by the fruits we bear.
I am not being judgmental, but all of us can feel LOVE where LOVE is. God is LOVE!
God bless you.
