Friday, June 27, 2014

Longing for Love


We all long for love.  Whether we deserve it or not we all long for love, for love is unconditional.  Love does not depend on our attitudes, our mood, our deeds or behavior.  Brotherly Love is the enjoyment of each other's fellowship. 

There are three characteristics of a healthy team:
1.  We Share a common vision.  We know our purpose.  We know why we're here.  We know the ultimate goal.
2.  We have a chemistry together
3.  We all know our jobs and our role as an individual contributor to the common goal.

A winning team works together for the joy of the fellowship and the striving together for a common purpose so that the role of the individual is less important than the shared goal of winning for the team.

Team chemistry is about love.  Loving others puts the welfare of others above my own.  Jesus said, a new commandment I give you, that you shall love others as I have loved you.  John 13 says the payoff is that all men shall know that ye are my disciples if you love one another.  Others will marvel at your love for one another.  Others will be attracted to the team where the team chemistry coalesces in the bond of love.

When we fail to meet each others' expectation, this builds up a "resentment" bank.  Deposits to the resentment bank stem from thinking that my rights have been violated.  Sons often build up a resentment bank against their dads, especially when they compare their dads against other dads.  However, there is no resentment in the love of God in manifestation.  Love "seeketh not her own."

Sometimes "tough love" is manifested in a 2 x 4.  Romans 12 says let love be without hypocrisy.  Jesus told the Pharisees the truth of the Word, but they couldn't handle the truth. Paul said by revelation, abhor (hate) that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.

There are several Greek words for love:
The love of God is one of the qualities or "fruit" of the spirit.  We must first have the spirit of God within us in order to love with the Love of God. God's love manifests itself in loving others above ourselves.  As Paul said, Let this mind (of love) be in you which was also in Christ.  Honor them above yourself.  Jesus humbled himself and took upon himself the form of a servant and was faithful unto death.

When God sees us, he doesn't see our frailty and our weakness, our woulda's, shoulda's, and coulda's.  He sees the perfection of Christ in us the hope of glory.  God’s love focuses on our righteousness in Christ, not the weakness of the flesh.

In 1 Cor 13 Paul by revelation gives us God's "charity checklist:" These are God's "terms of endearment."  These are the terms of his endearment to us, our endearment to him, and our endearment to others within the body of Christ.

Love:
suffereth long - is kind - vaunteth not itself - is not puffed up - seeketh not her own - is not easily provoked - beareth all things - believeth all things
hopeth all things - never faileth

Love forsakes self and focuses on The Lord.  Love is manifest when you give it away.  God set us in this world so that we could love others with the love wherewith we have been loved.  Where is your heart?  What is the motive behind your actions?  If you look at what you do, would you be "convicted of righteousness."  To be convicted of a crime, there must be a malicious intent and a malicious act resulting from malicious intent.  To be convicted of righteousness, there must be a loving intent and a loving act resulting from loving intent. Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh upon the heart, the motive behind the action.  Love is the motive.  Love activates believing which appropriates the promises of God.

Why did God say to love him above all?  If I told you to love me, wouldn't this command sound egotistical?  However, God always has our best interest in mind.  God is love.  When we love God, we reflect the nature of God himself.  God said to love him above all so that he in return could bless us.  We receive God's blessings when the love of God, the renewed mind in manifestation activates our believing according to the Word.  Loving God allows him to bless us in return:  this is God's virtuous cycle:  as we love and give, God can give blessings back to us.  Loving God is loving others.  Love manifests itself in giving.  Love is a reflexive verb:  what goes around comes around.  Jesus said,  "In that ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me."

John 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.


Your Brother in Christ, Michael

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