Encouragement
A suicide victim left a note in his pickup which said, "You have to have love to live!"
How sad to die, never having experienced real love.
I've been very blessed with the love of family, beginning with my parents, grandparents, brothers and now from my wife, our children and our grandchildren.
When I came to my desk yesterday morning to finish this paper, there was a beautiful Valentine card waiting for me.
La Moyne had made it on the computer (she's not only loving, but 'smart' too).
Let me just add something here:
You should see/hear the 'tug of war' that goes on when I have written something about my Moyne and she doesn't want me to include it. Some of the time, I win out! :)
The Apostle John was called 'the Beloved Apostle' and his writings show that he felt deeply about God's Love through Christ.
He shares this in his writings in the Gospel and Epistles of John.
In I John 4:7-11: "Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God. He that loves not, knows 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 atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. If we love one another, God dwells in us and His love is perfected in us."
The quest of many people today, is for love...
but many are looking for it in all the wrong places!
Last week's paper was entitled 'God Will Make a Way'....
and we know that that way is the way of Love.
Many people (Hollywood stars included) are looking for love, but many times they look in the wrong places....
and thereby become involved with the wrong people.
The only 100% proof for REAL love are in the Scriptures and Jesus!
It has to be 'Christ in us, the hope' (Col. 1:27) so that it is no longer 'I' who lives...
but Christ Who lives in and through me!
Later on in I John 4:4:
"Greater is the power that is in the believer than any power that is in the world".
You see that 'real love' leaves no choice.
Once and for all in the New Birth experience, you make the right choice...
then Christ in you, helps you the rest of the way.
Someone said, "The Christian life is so daily".
By faith, hope and love, we are able to become victorious Christians.
Faith is how I know 'where' I'm going....
Hope is 'what' keeps me going....
and Love is 'how' I get there!
Some say that Paul talked 'faith salvation' while James talked 'work salvation'.
Anyone who reads the New Testament knows that the faith that saves...
is the faith that works!
Faith sees the invisible....believes the incredible.....and receives the impossible.....
but you MUST make it personal.
Love is both believing AND doing.
Life and Love involve the 2 Great Commandments:
Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.
One deals with our vertical relationship with God....
and the other deals with our horizontal relations with people.
While preparing this paper, God gave me some words that describe 'love'.
1) A COMMAND TO BE OBEYED
2) BE CONSIDERATE TOWARD ALL PEOPLE
3) COMMUNICATE LOVE BY 'LOOKS' AND 'ACTIONS'
4) CHRIST-LIKE LOVE (as He loved with a towel, a whip and a Cross)
5) CONSISTENT
6) COMMITTED
7) COUNT (Real love does not keep 'score')
8) COMPASSION (Jesus wept)
9) CONTINUES STEADILY (acting in a Christ-like way....not re-acting in an evil way)
CONCLUSION:
What is the theme of your life?
Every life (good or bad) will have a theme.
It will make a difference for now...and after you leave this life.
Hopefully it has been a good and Godly theme!
As a pastor for over 53 yrs. there were a few times that I was called upon to conduct a funeral service for someone who did not seem to have a Godly theme for their life.
Praise God there were not many, but my heart ached for their families.
The hymn 'Love Is The Theme' tells what the theme of our life should be:
"Of the themes that men have known,
One supremely stands alone;
Through the ages it has shown,
’Tis His wonderful, wonderful love.
Love is the theme, love is supreme;
Sweeter it grows, glory bestows;
Bright as the sun, ever it glows.
Love is the theme, eternal theme!
Let the bells of Heaven ring,
Let the saints their tribute bring,
Let the world true praises sing
For His wonderful, wonderful love.
Since the Lord my soul unbound,
I am telling all around....
Pardon, peace and joy are found
In His wonderful, wonderful love.
As of old when blind and lame
To the blessed Master came,
Sinners, call upon His Name,
Trust His wonderful, wonderful love."
Another song that we used to sing said,
"Your life's a book before their eyes,
They're reading it through and through.
Say, does it point them to the skies?
Let others see Jesus in you"
Please remember:
Love knows no limit to it's endurance...
No end to it's trust....
No fading of it's hope.
It can outlast anything!
Love asks no reward....just to be allowed to go on loving more and more.
THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE!
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