One thing that I have noticed in the body of Christ, is that most Christians don't understand what the love of God is. For the most part they understand God's love for them, but they don't understand the impact of God's love in their hearts. You can tell this by the way that they treat each other and by the way they act with unbelievers.
God is love. It is His nature.The Bible tells us that God poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. So when we were born again, God placed His love into our hearts so that we would be like Him. People will know that we are Chrisitans by the way that we treat others; we are to love one another.
This God kind of love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-10. I like the way the Amplified Bible puts it:
4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
If believers would meditate on these scriptures and let them soak in through their minds into their heart, many of the problems that we have would be taken care of; problems at home, problems in our marriages, problems at church, problems at work , etc. would all be solved. That is why the Bible tells us to make the love of God our goal. The Amplified Bible says it this way in 1 Corinthians 14:1:
1EAGERLY PURSUE and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest];
If God's love is so powerful, why is it that more people don't do what the Bible says and make it their goal in life?
God's love working through us can change anyone, no matter what they have done. The love of God can soften even the hardest heart. When I was street witnessing a few years ago, I met a man who was said that he sold his soul to the devil. Every week I would talk to him about Jesus. He always responded with abusive language. One week I was standing outside a store talking with a friend. This man came walking out of the store, so I greeted him and asked how he was doing. We talked for a while and he said: "You don't understand. I sold my soul to the devil and I have to live for him. Jesus couldn't possibly love me." I responded by telling him the the devil had lied to him and that Jesus still loved him even now. That man broke down crying in front of this busy store because he realized that God loved him. Now if God's love could transform that man, His love can transform anyone in any situation.
We need to learn to let the love of God dominate us. Love always wins and it never fails.
God is love. It is His nature.The Bible tells us that God poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. So when we were born again, God placed His love into our hearts so that we would be like Him. People will know that we are Chrisitans by the way that we treat others; we are to love one another.
This God kind of love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-10. I like the way the Amplified Bible puts it:
4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
If believers would meditate on these scriptures and let them soak in through their minds into their heart, many of the problems that we have would be taken care of; problems at home, problems in our marriages, problems at church, problems at work , etc. would all be solved. That is why the Bible tells us to make the love of God our goal. The Amplified Bible says it this way in 1 Corinthians 14:1:
1EAGERLY PURSUE and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest];
If God's love is so powerful, why is it that more people don't do what the Bible says and make it their goal in life?
God's love working through us can change anyone, no matter what they have done. The love of God can soften even the hardest heart. When I was street witnessing a few years ago, I met a man who was said that he sold his soul to the devil. Every week I would talk to him about Jesus. He always responded with abusive language. One week I was standing outside a store talking with a friend. This man came walking out of the store, so I greeted him and asked how he was doing. We talked for a while and he said: "You don't understand. I sold my soul to the devil and I have to live for him. Jesus couldn't possibly love me." I responded by telling him the the devil had lied to him and that Jesus still loved him even now. That man broke down crying in front of this busy store because he realized that God loved him. Now if God's love could transform that man, His love can transform anyone in any situation.
We need to learn to let the love of God dominate us. Love always wins and it never fails.