What Love Is
Love – from human understanding, is a natural force.
We have no control when, where, and how love expresses itself.
Loves makes us vulnerable because it is seldom – if ever, returned.
Love is purely a gift.
Love cannot be bought, sold, or traded.
Love has no territory, no borders, and no limits.
Love knows only growth, and love is incapable of death – because Love, when challenged, has proven its truth because
Love Never Fails...
God is Holy
1 Samuel 2:2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
God is Love
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
If you feel as though you are not loved, may I say, you are not alone! Love has been taken out of it's holy content. We are living in the last days where self-love abounds, and genuine love has faded. 2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.
Man identifies the meaning of love with passion, pleasure, attachment, ambition, affection and more... The use of love is designed to fill his selfish needs. Think of all the things you love...see what I mean? It's based on what you favor and enjoy - which leads us to believe that "love" is something we "get" rather than something we "give". This is self-love. Proverbs 15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
When you go to Google self-love, you get 5,630,000,000 results; when you Google how to forgive, the results are only a small fraction of that (please don't go to the world to learn about the simplicity of forgiveness; stay in the WORD!).
When we fulfill our own desires, our need for God is no longer recognizable. Deuteronomy 32:28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. When we fail to take our needs to the LORD, we fare more or less saying "Lord, I no longer need you".
Think about this: What is the result of feeding your desires? A temporary satisfaction - instant gratification? When you continue to feed your desires, they become an endless apatite that seeks to be continually fed!
Let's identify what self-love really is - Selfishness, and the Bible calls it Debauchery!
The pit-falls of selfishness is:
- We distance ourselves from healthy relationships - seeing them as boring or mundane, and we gravitate towards the ones that seem more satisfying or exciting...;
- We identify others by what we can get out of them;
- We view Jesus as someone who serves us - not as someone we need to serve;
- We fall into traps like addiction, debt and divorce;
- We experience mental breakdowns (fear, anxiety, depression);
- We are ruthless towards our family members and damage precious relationships as we strive to satisfy our own desires;
- We lose our good name because wise people can see right through us, and when they see something, they generally say something.
It's time to stop and think that if God doesn't supply it, then you don't need it. Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We are not put here on earth to live a life that is geared to only please ourselves. The Bible warns us against this method of self-exaltation. Self-love begins and ends with us; it has no eternal benefit...It's honestly nothing more than a dead-end relationship. Ezekiel 31:14 to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.
Love, without works, is dead. Love is the giving of yourself for a cause that has an eternal effect. When you put love into action, you come to understand the depth of God's Love. Let's see some of the causes and effects when we put Love into action:
⦁ When you put love into action, God will establish you in His Love. Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
⦁ When you put love into action, you are patient with others. 1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
⦁ When you put love into action, God will supply you with strength. Psalm 29:11 The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.
⦁ When you put love into action, God will position you in His power. Psalm 68:35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
⦁ When you put love into action, your desires change. Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
⦁ When you put love into action, you will not be weary or grow faint. Isaiah 40:31 but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
⦁ When you put love into action, you make up for the failings of others. 1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
⦁ When you put love into action, you recognize the needs of others. Proverbs 31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
⦁ When you put love into action, your mind is renewed. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
⦁ When you put love into action, you are able to spot the difference between truth and lie. 1 Corinthians 13:5-6 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
⦁ When you put love into action, you position yourself in truth. Harsh words spoken may have left you feeling poorly about yourself. Love re-positions your mind and removes all those impure thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
⦁ When you put love into action, you hold every thought and emotion to truth. If truth does not support either thought or emotion, you're able to take control over them and cast them out. 1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
⦁ When you put love into action, you distance yourself from fear. 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
⦁ When you put love into action, you soften those around you who carry anger. Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
⦁ When you put love into action, you are genuinely concerned about the Salvation of others. Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it.
⦁ When you put love into action, you meet the needs of others. Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
⦁ When you put love into action, you are able to forgive and comfort others. 2 Corinthians 2:7-8 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
⦁ When you put love into action, forgiveness comes natural. 1 Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
⦁ When you put love into action, you alter the outcome. 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;
⦁ When you put love into action, other virtues immediately follow. Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
⦁ When you put love into action, you put yourself in a position of authority. Deuteronomy 28:13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
⦁ When you put love into action, others will be drawn to you. 1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
⦁ When you put love into action, people will favour you. Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
⦁ When you put love into action, others will change how they are towards you. Psalm 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⦁ When you put love into action, God takes pleasure in you. Psalm 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
⦁ When you put love into action, you treat people right! Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
⦁ When you put love into action, it has an eternal effect of others. Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
⦁ When you put love into action, you are qualified by GOD! Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
⦁ When you put love into action, you are in the Will of GOD! John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, 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.
⦁ When you put love into action, you imitate the very character of GOD! 1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
⦁ When you put love into action, you can stand before GOD! Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
God Bless!
Maria
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