Power of Love
Jerry Wilhite, author How powerful is love ?
Could you forgive someone who killed your child? He (God) does; our sins sent Jesus to the cross.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Love is so powerful that all the law is fulfilled in it.
Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Here is the problem:
Galatians 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
How do we avoid the problem?
Galatians 5:16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
This is what comes out of our flesh when we are not in or of the spirit:
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Galatians 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Galatians 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I
tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
And here is what we should allow, and only what we should allow in our minds, spirit and soul:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and
lusts.
Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Faith is what we live by. It is what is talked about so much, but the greatest is not faith, but love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity (love).
Here is what Jesus had to say:
Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matthew 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Matthew 22:38 This is the first and great comandment.
Matthew 22:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Iniquity causes love to grow cold.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Here are some more verses that Jesus spoke about love.
Mark 12:30 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 comandment.
Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
It takes more than just loving those who love you or those that you see; you have to love all, no matter what. Consider how you love a child. You do not love a child less for being ignorant. The same is true here, just because some who do not know the Lord act out of ignorance, you can not love them less. Even if they know the Lord and act in ignorance, this is just a sign of a lack of maturity. So either act as Jesus would out of love or don't act at all.
Luke 6:32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and [to] the evil.
Love your enemies, and do good. How can someone do that when they have a hard time loving those who are friends? We need to operate in, live in the Spirit more, or else we will be like the world and act as those in it. John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
The only way to know the Father is through the Spirit, He is Spirit.
John 13:34 A new comandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my comandments.
The only way to keep the comandments is to be saved and be of the Spirit. Through the Spirit be strengthened and renewed by the blood of Jesus.
John 14:21 He that hath my comandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
John 15:10 If ye keep my comandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's comandments, and abide in his love.
You can truly be a part of God and Jesus through the Spirit. The only way to keep that which is of the Spirit is to be of the Spirit. Remember what the fruits of the Spirit are, meditate on them daily.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
John 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
If we Love the Lord we will tend to each other and feed each other, not cut down, or knock, or accuse of having the wrong interpetation, but we will have understanding, and Love , and compassion for each other. Not prejudice or judging, not allowing strife or offense to enter but only Love .
How shall God supply your needs?
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Are we not the riches in glory by Jesus, did He not die for us, so wouldn't that make us the riches. If so, are we not then supposed to be taking care of each other? How does God supply our needs?
The power of Love is in you as is the Lord.
My prayer for you is that you find a way to express your love for someone else in all ways, including helping someone who is in need. Amen