Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Yearning for “I Love You”

In the chaos and calamity of life, peace will often feel far away and it feels like, no one is heeding. Yet I as a child of Christ is praying for you during these stormy days when we just do not “Hear”. When you wake up everyday keep the following scriptures in mind and remember you are loved by me.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” Isaiah 26:3

“For his anger last only a moment, but his favor lasts a life time weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”  Psalm 30:5 Love

I know this sounds like ridiculous mumbo jumbo to an unbeliever.Why is it important to love each other? But those who have encountered the living Christ understand what I mean, but do they?The issue is our hearts. Who are we? And, are we willing to show love, mercy, with intentionally, and compassion? Will we get caught up in who we should help and love, how often we’re supposed to, and how much; or will we simply allow the Holy Spirit to work through us? 
Let’s look at what the Bible says.Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. The person who loves has become God’s child and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:7-8).

If you could receive a special gift of love every Day of your life, what would it be? For me, it would be the spiritual gift of faith that is found in the list of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. You seeVerse 9 says that some people are given the gift of faith, but as I read about this gift it is not specifically explained. All believers have been given saving faith by God as the only means of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), but not all believers are given the spiritual gift of faith. Like all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual gift of faith was given for the “common good,” which means the edifying of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7). 

When people love each other, we like to give each other gifts. But there’s a problem with this. Sometimes people think you have to give presents to show love. We love others based on God’s abiding love for us in Christ. In response to this love, we share it with all whom we come in contact with—our “neighbors.” Someone who is worried that he doesn’t love himself enough has the wrong focus. His concern, biblically, should be his love for God and his love for his neighbor. “Self” is something we want out of the way so that we can love outwardly as we ought.But we can show love in different ways. We can say, “I love you” with words for someone in need purposely and daily. Let’s take a moment and Emotionally, say in a prayer, “I love you” for someone a number of times silently that you have not talked to for a long time. That’s easy, isn’t it? 

We can show people we love them by listening to them. You’ve been listening to my words for a few minutes now, and I’m glad you’ve given me that gift. When we listen to people, we say, “I love you.” Or how about this? Choose a person you know well and give that person a shout out hug like Jesus did in the parable of the Good Samaritan, was only one who showed himself to be a true neighbor to the man in need: the Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). There were two others, a priest and a Levite, who refused to help the man in need. Their failure to show love to the injured man was not the result of loving themselves too little; it was the result of loving themselves too much and therefore putting their interests first. The Samaritan showed true love—he gave of his time, resources, and money with no regard for himself. His focus was outward, not inward. Jesus presented this story as an illustration of what it means to love one’s neighbor as one’s self (verse 27).

Hugs are great ways to tell people you love them. And you don’t even have to use words that they may not hear! Helping people is another way to say, “I Love You”. What was the one big way Jesus showing his love for us? By dying on the cross. He gave the best gift of love. He gave himself.

Think of ways you show love to others, you can give hugs. You can say loving words. You can help people. There are so many ways to say, “I love you.” And the best gifts aren’t always the ones that cost the most. we see that love does not exist apart from God and that true love can only be experienced by one who has experienced God’s own love firsthand:

 “And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:16-19

To sum it up, God gives all Christians saving faith. The spiritual gift of faith is given to some, who exhibit extraordinary amounts of faith in their Christian walk and who, by their faith, are a joy and an encouragement to others. My challenge to you is to proclaim,” that I will love my neighbor by refusing to house a judgmental spirit.  refusing to focus on the sin in my neighbor’s life as opposed to the sin in my own. However, be bold enough to encounter my neighbor in love, grace and to pray for areas of bondage, pain, injustice, and sin in their life’s. Loving my neighbor by understanding that love doesn’t always feel fuzzy, but often challenges and calls out something greater so that they can experience the fullness of Christ.”

 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.Matthew 9:22

God Bless You and This Ministry!





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