But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
There are two ways that God demonstrates His Love toward us. The first way was when He sent His sinless Son to die on a cross for sinful humanity. The second way that God demonstrates His love for us is through people.
And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5)
Why did God put His love in us? Because the Bible calls us ambassadors, or representatives of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).
God told Israel in Leviticus 23:22, "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reap, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God."
God has always demonstrated His love for humanity through humanity. The prosperity that God bestows upon His people requires them to care for the poor. God has not changed. Jesus preached to multitudes of people daily, and when they needed food He fed them.
Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal. And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. (1 Samuel 25:18-20)
When David and his mighty men needed food Abigail provided more than what was needed, after the death of her husband, David sent for her and they were married. Have you demonstrated the love of God that has been shed in your heart by the Holy Ghost? —Dr Bernard Jones
Father help me love people with the love that you gave me, Father continue to love through me. Amen.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV)
The first fruit of the spirit is love (Galatians 5:22). Love is so essential that without it we may mature into unemotional, hard and callous beings. The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). Jesus endured being bruised, beaten, battered and humiliated. On the Cross, full of love and compassion, he cried out “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Joseph’s brothers did not know what they did. Joseph endured the humiliation and anguish in their selling him off to itinerant traders (Genesis 37:28). In Egypt to escape the advances of Potiphar’s wife, he endured a thirteen-year prison sentence (Genesis 39: 14-20). Because God favored Joseph his interpretation of dreams brought him to Pharaoh’s court as Prime Minister. The gift of visions with which God endowed him permitted him to prevent the seven-year famine that would have swept over Egypt (Genesis 41: 14-41).
The famine brought Joseph’s family to Egypt and Joseph wept loudly on recognizing them. The brothers “were dismayed in his presence” (Genesis 45:2), but he calmed their fear of reprisal telling them that God meant their actions for good. God had a better plan for Joseph than his brothers’ wicked scheme. We can trust God because He knows His purpose for us. Whatever storms and stresses you endure, take heart, knowing that God is love and has a better plan for you. —Phyllis M Inniss
Most of us, if we’ll admit it, are seldom at a loss for words. We seem to find, at least a word or two, on just about anything. Comments, become discourse, until conversations gradually cease, leaving us in the spotlight for monologues. Yes, we do ramble. Yet, at times, in critical situations, we find ourselves groping for words from thin air. We find ourselves at the fork in the road and don’t know where to go with the topic next …
Jeremiah reached a pivotal point. He had heard God’s call to serve as a prophet. “Then I said, ‘Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth (Jeremiah 1:6 NAS).” He felt ill equipped and inadequate. God promised His presence, and to provide the message. (Verses 7-8) “Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth (Jeremiah 1:9 NAS).”
God’s word, in our mouths, is personal, passionate, and powerful!
“Lord, fill my mouth for ministry.” —PamFord Davis
But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 ESV)
Love for one another is the mark of a Christian but what does that love really look like? Well we read here that Paul, Silas and Timothy related their care and love for those in Thessalonica as if they were their children and they cared for them as a mother does her children. Now this is a great example if you were a child whose mom was a loving and caring person. Sadly to say that is not always the case and many children throughout history have grown up not being able to understand that because they never knew the love of a mother. Yet I love the way the Bible always address those issues that might come up.
Paul goes on to explain that they desire to see them grow closer to God and as a body of believers that while they were with them they gave of themselves not just sharing the gospel with them but also whatever else they might have need of, not out of empathy or trickery but out of love for them.
You know today in our churches we often are very busy doing all sorts of things we have clubs and organizations we have small groups and Sunday school classes all of these are designed with the idea that we will come together as a group to learn more about Jesus and grow to be more like Him but to be honest don’t know that it is working all that well. Too many of those in charge of these classes and social gatherings are lacking one thing and that is a desire to reach the lost and dying world.
We come together in a particular place at a particular time and often we are afraid to try something different. We can come up with all sorts of excuses why we can’t do something but the real underlying issue we lack a love for those who do not yet know Jesus and in some cases we lack a love for those who do. We would almost rather be hermits living a life worshiping Jesus and God without dealing with all the other people and stuff that comes with the life of a Christian.
I want to challenge you to step outside of yourself today loving others is a scare thing it requires us to put the needs of others before our own. It can and does cost you in the beginning and yet the rewards are unbelievable. You see Jesus actually gave us the best example of what love really looks like; when He accepted the responsibility for my sin on that cross 2000 years ago. Not that I was deserving of any of it but out of the love He had for God and the love He had for us He suffered and died so that you and I could be forgiven.
Today in the world people are suffering and dying for the testimony of Jesus; they do not do it because of money, fame or fortune; they don’t do it for the recognition, they are doing it because they love God and they love people. How about you?
Have a truly blessed day as you walk in the light of God's word. —Rev Brian Mathis
There are two ways that God demonstrates His Love toward us. The first way was when He sent His sinless Son to die on a cross for sinful humanity. The second way that God demonstrates His love for us is through people.
