Good morning friends
Let us discuss the following
Does Agape love change?
What are the characteristics of Agape love?
Let us first define what Agape love is ....it is unconditional and therefore is not based on another's merit. It just simply flows from the place of first being filled with God's love (which overflows), loving yourself and then pouring out that kind of love to others.
The truth is I am growing in the Agape, I am learning more and more every day to overcome evil with good.
I want to challenge you today though - did you see that God's Agape love includes chastening, his discipline, rebuke and even sometimes experiencing his wrath. All over the word and especially in Proverbs God is addressing his people and he calls them by two types of names "the wicked" and "the righteous".
What is the difference?
Those who are "righteous" pursue God's truth (Proverbs 1:7), and those who are wicked seek their own preferences (Proverbs 5:22). This leads to both earthly and eternal consequences.
What category do you fall in?
Most people would say righteous because that is how man usually measures himself. We need to ask God often to search us to see if there is any wicked way in us and lead us in the way everlasting (Psalm 51)
I have seen many, many, many including leaders who love God, choosing to walk in their own ways (not seeing the truth) and because I also saw them walking in the consequences too, I really learned THE FEAR OF THE LORD. I ask God to make anything in my life not aligned to his perfect will, very uncomfortable for me. We should all do the same and also make ourselves accountable to others at all times.
I went of on another pathway, but followed the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Now this is what I would like to continue with - it takes great grace to love others the way God said and to love the way God loves us.
When you are a giver in life, that never usually changes (unless one has grown bitter and hard hearted from the life experiences) in fact when the love of God truly overtakes one's heart one will automatically become a giver.
Let us ask God for wisdom in which assignments to take on. Let us stay in his perfect will.
I will not forget a valuable lesson God taught me once. There was a girl who had a young baby in our neighbourhood (she was on to her third) and I had my two little ones taking care of. She told me they had no food. We were "limping" at the time as a struggling young married couple, we had great needs, but I never hesitated to give her majority of the income, my husband brought home. Well the following week, she came again expecting more money (unwilling to fend for herself or even to pray). God stopped me saying, she will always look to you and never cry out to me, give her some things but no more money.
Ohh myyy what a valuable lesson?
We need to discern God’s heart in every situation.
Sometimes we can pour out to individuals and they may never respond in kind. If looking for reciprocation - it is our heart that needs fixing and not the other person. Agape love never looks for gain. This is the part that really requires grace. I prayed about this and listened to God carefully.
God's response was "Many of these individuals love me and I love them. I will change their hardened hearts, remove religion and fill them with love. Your responsibility is to pray and continue to pour out love. He who waters others shall himself be watered (Proverbs 11:25)"
Amen
We need grace, we need grace and we need more grace.
This of course is a two part message but I am thinking you have had quite a lot of food today.
Prayer
Lord help us to love with the Agape, perfect us in love Lord in Jesus name. Give us the grace and strength to love the way you do. Love is really faith in action.
Amen
Here is a wonderful poem that summarizes
Agape love by Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough.
Give the best you've got anyway.
You see,
in the final analysis it is between you and God ;
it was never between you and them anyway.
Amen amen
May we continue to grow more in love, as that is the answer to many of the "ills" of this world and that is simply how they know we are true Christians - by our love (Agape).
Amen
Walk good in Christ
Till we meet again
Pastor J
留言