Towards your first love and then towards others. That's what being and giving a good witness for Jesus is all about.
Can I with integrity use words of only one syllable? Yup, but sayin' em is the easy part. You know showing real love can be challenging.
I love..
..I have loved..
....I will love ..yep, God being my Helper and He indeed will.
But hey, the word “beloved” always has three syllables. I wonder why.
How am I to love? This way: both upwards and outwards loving.. with the Lord first. Yes, in that order.
Remember. He first loved. He's the Initiator and I'm/you the responder.
"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
What did Jesus mean when He said, “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12)?
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33 esv
A twice-born person (Christian) was regenerated inside and they can/will show love.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33 esv
A twice-born person (Christian) was regenerated inside and they can/will show love.
He or she has been saved from the penalty of sin (that's called justification); is being saved from the power of sin (that's called sanctification); and shall be saved from the very presence of sin (that's called glorification).
Was, am, and will be saved.
Wait, do I really even need to be saved? Yes, and God offers you this gift in love.
God in 1 John 4:19 tells people like you and me, “We love because he first loved us.”
God in 1 John 4:19 tells people like you and me, “We love because he first loved us.”
It is the effectual agape love of Jesus that first changes our hearts in order to make us even capable of love, and it is His perfect example of love that reminds us again and again and again of our need to love other people.
See verses 20–21. Please be reminded that God’s love for us (you and me), our love for Him (as I have chosen to), and our love for others are inseparable.
See verses 20–21. Please be reminded that God’s love for us (you and me), our love for Him (as I have chosen to), and our love for others are inseparable.
If we have been loved by God, we will love God and we will love others as well. You and I cannot say we love the one whom we have not seen if we do not love those whom we do see — fellow believers who are also objects of God’s saving love. You and I have great value to God, but we are liars if we say we love God but do not love the brethren (v. 20).
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:36-40
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:36-40
To say it another way -- to paraphrase, Jesus was saying, Beloved people, instead of trying to hyper-focus on all of these rules, just try this. Just love God (enjoy close relationship with Him). If you love your Father God as you really ought to love Him, then everything else will fall into its proper place.
Remember when Augustine, one of the early church fathers, said, “Love God, and do as you please.”
Remember when Augustine, one of the early church fathers, said, “Love God, and do as you please.”
Doesn't that almost sound insane? It isn’t. If you really love God biblically, I mean in the way the Bible clearly tells you to love Him, then you’ll want to do what pleases Him. Yep, 24/7/365.
When you love God “with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind,” it means that you love Him with every part of your being.
When you love God “with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind,” it means that you love Him with every part of your being.
To the Hebrews back in the day, the word heart did not refer as much to the emotions as it did to the core of one’s being. For the Christian, the objective is not to focus on your heart; but to focus your heart on God. Know Him and His heartbeat -- know what He loves and hates. He hates sin and evil because these destroy the people He really loves. Don't let them, but draw close to the Lord every day.
What do you know of the four types of love?
I think a godly marriage needs to have all four types of love in it. We are to be people of real love!
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| Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva |
What are the so called five love languages?
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 nlt
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 nlt
What does it mean that love is not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:5)?
What is phileo love? How is phileo love different from other types of love?
What is phileo love? How is phileo love different from other types of love?
Is God’s love reckless? Is God’s love actually reckless, or does it just seem that way from our perspective?
What does the Bible say about how to love God? What does it mean to truly love God?
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| Photo by Tyler Nix |
What does it mean that love is patient? What does 'love is patient' mean in terms of how I show love to others?
Why is there an entire book of the Bible dedicated to romantic love? Is Song of Solomon truly a book entirely about romantic love?
What does it mean that God demonstrates His love? What is the meaning of Romans 5:8?
What does it mean that faith, hope, and love remain (1 Corinthians 13:13)? Out of faith, hope, and love, why is love the greatest?
How can I know if I am in love? What is the state of being in love? What is true romantic love according to the Bible?
What does it mean that love does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4)? What does 'love does not envy' mean in terms of how I show love to others?
What does it mean that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases? What is the meaning of Lamentations 3:22?
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit – What is love? How is love one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
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| Pic by Jez Timms |
Who or what shall separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35)? Nothing, no one. If I am more than a conqueror, what exactly am I able to conquer?
