LOVE IS…

“What is #LOVE?” is a very popular question. But, I think a better question is “WHO is LOVE?” The #HolyBible says#GOD is LOVE. When a person ‘has’ GOD through #JESUS #CHRIST, he/she has #TRUELOVE.

 

 

 

I think if we have true love, we can truly love in the power of the #HolySpirit and be powerfully loved in return. #Blessings everyone!!! ~EM

DO YOU LOVE GOD?

This message is for me first. 😀 Do you love God? Examine the question, analyse it and answer it honestly. Do you truly and sincerely love God? I imagine ‘YES’, ‘OF COURSE’ and ‘ABSOLUTELY’ will resound in many people’s answers. But how do you know for certain, for a fact, that you absolutely, positively, beyond a shadow of doubt, LOVE GOD wholeheartedly without reservation?

Some may answer with 1 or 2 of the following:

• I pray everyday, sometimes 3 to 5 times.
• I do devotion every morning.
• I tell people about God.
• I go to Church.
• I give to charity.
• I tithe.
• I volunteer in my community.
• I’m involved in outreach ministry.
• I listen to the Holy Spirit when He speaks to me.
• I have a degree in Theology.
• I preach and teach.
• I evangelize and win souls.

Still, the question is, DO YOU LOVE GOD? For greater clarity, please allow me to rephrase the question: Do you understand the Holy Bible’s definition of what it means to LOVE GOD?

It’s no secret, the scripture says ALL THINGS work together for good to those people who love God and are ‘the called’ according to his purpose. This is an irrevocable promise and a divine ordinance; however, there are conditions. You must be one of ‘the called’ and you must LOVE GOD. The scripture says:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (KJV)

“The Called“, translated from the Greek word κλητός (klētos), refers to anyone invited (by God when the Gospel is proclaimed) to obtain salvation in the kingdom through Christ. This is anyone who experiences the Holy Spirit’s tug at their heart prompting them to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Not all “the called” respond to the prompt of the Holy Spirit and not all who respond to the tug truly love God. Many people proclaim and profess a ‘profound’ love for God but this is what the scripture says about a person who truly loves God:

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 (KJV)

Jesus told His disciples in this scripture, IF you love Me OBEY Me and do as I say. Jesus also made it clear that this principle applies to everyone and is a directive from God the Father. Here is what He said:

“…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. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” John 14:23-24 (KJV)

Jesus told us two things here: God the Father says, the person who loves Him obeys Him and the person who does not love Him does not obey Him. OBEDIENCE is the proof that we love God.

It is clear from scripture that obedience is the key to a victorious life. The final analysis is simply this: God speaks to us via the spoken, written and revealed Word. A person who LOVES GOD is a person who is OBEDIENT to the Word of God. When a person is obedient ALL THINGS work together for good for him/her.

Blessings!

There is NO FEAR in LOVE.

Okay, so what are you afraid of? Are you in God? God is LOVE and there is NO FEAR in LOVE!

 

 

Many people think FEAR is normal. Psychologists even say fear is “good”. That does not make sense from a Biblical perspective. The Holy Bible talks about fearing (reverencing) the Lord but it also speaks about another kind of fear that torments people. Here is what the scripture says:

“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.” 1 John 4:18 (KJV)

I can understand when a non-believer entertains fear but what about when believers live in FEAR? Something is wrong with that! Let us examine the scripture.

FEAR has TORMENT.
This word fear is translated from the Greek word  φόβος (phobos) (Strong’s G5401). It is used here to describe fear, dread and terror. The word torment is translated from the Greek word  κόλασις (kolasis) (G2851). It is used in only two (2) scriptures as punishment (Matt.25:46) and torment (above) and refers to correction, punishment and a penalty. It is the same torment that a soul in Hell experiences and this is what fear brings to us if we entertain it.

PERFECT LOVE expels FEAR.
The word perfect is translated from the Greek word  τέλειος (teleios) (Strong’s G5046). It refers to something that is mature, full grown and needs nothing to make it complete. The word love is translated from the Greek word  ἀγάπη (agapē) (Strong’s G26). It refers to affection, good will, love, benevolence and brotherly love. This love is demonstrated perfectly in the Love of Christ toward us (John 15:13). The context in scripture is that FULL GROWN, MATURE AGAPE/love casteth out, or throws fear out through the door and scatters it so that it has no effect.

The scripture says anyone who fears is not FULL GROWN and is not made perfect; they are NOT carrying through completely, to accomplish, to finish or to become MATURE in LOVE/GOD. God gave believers a Spirit of Power, of Love, and of a Sound Mind. He did NOT give us the spirit of fear or timidity, fearfulness and cowardice!!!

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

Please remember my friends, there is NO FEAR in LOVE and God is LOVE. Blessings to YOU!!!

JOHN 3:16

I would not be surprised if John 3:16 was the ‘most quoted‘ verse of the entire Bible.

It says:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)

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Above is an awesome song and video by Jaci Velasquez about this scripture. I hope you are blessed by the song and by John 3:16.

HOLY BIBLE 101 – What is LOVE?

What is Love? Everyone craves LOVE! Some crave their own version of love. Some crave other people’s projection of love. Some misinterpret other emotions and mistake them for love. But, what is TRUE LOVE? What is the source of TRUE LOVE? How can a person find TRUE LOVE? To answer these questions we must analyze the word LOVE.

Think about this: the word ‘LOVE’ is a loosely used term in the English language. I love God, I love my wife, I love my Dad, I love spicy curry, I love writing, I love cooking and I love football. Surely these are not all the same type and degree of love yet we use the same word to describe all.

Do I love spicy curry in the same way that I love football? Do I love Dad in the same way that I love writing or cooking? Do I love my wife in the same way that I love God?

To begin to better understand LOVE let us consult the Greek and C.S. Lewis‘ book The Four Loves, Harcourt, Brace 1960. 🙂 The Ancient & Modern Greek languages have many different words for love. Here are four (4) that I know of, that describe different aspects of LOVE.

NOTE: There are five (5) words below but we cannot include the first as akin to love for obvious reasons.

1. PATHOS (Strong’s G3806)
This may also be called “lust”. This is a depraved vile passion that includes inordinate sexual appetites. It is described as ‘inordinate affection‘ in Colossians 3 and Christians are urged to mortify or KILL it.

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” (v.5 KJV)

Many people mistake this for love and are held captive by its enticing grasp. PATHOS is an affection but it is NOT love.

2. EROS
This may also be called “romance”. It is a passionate emotion, with a major focus on sensual connection and a minor focus on sexual desire and longing. This Greek word is not found in the Holy Bible but is described by Lewis. He says:

“A man in this state really hasn’t leisure to think of sex. He is too busy thinking of a person. The fact that she is a woman is far less important than the fact that she is herself. He is full of desire, but the desire may not be sexually toned. If you asked him what he wanted, the true reply would often be, “To go on thinking of her.”” [pg. 133]

While EROS may not focus on sex it does not exclude sex. Lewis himself admits that “at a later stage the explicitly sexual awakens” in this type of man. EROS is an emotion but is not true love.

3. STORGE
This may also be called “affection”. According to Lewis, it is the most natural, sensitive, and wide spread type of ‘love’. He says:

“The Greeks called this love storge (two syllables and the g is “hard”). I shall here call it simply Affection. My Greek Lexicon defines storge as “affection, especially of parents to offspring”; but also of offspring to parents. And that, I have no doubt, is the original form of the thing as well as the central meaning of the word. The image we must start with is that of a mother nursing a baby…” [pg. 53]

Lewis explains:

“The importance of this image is that it presents us at the very outset with a certain paradox. The Need and Need-love of the young is obvious; so is the Gift-love of the mother. She gives birth, gives suck, gives protection. On the other hand, she must give birth or die. She must give suck or suffer. That way, her Affection too is a Need-love. There is the paradox. It is a Need-love but what it needs is to give. It is a Gift-love but it needs to be needed.” [pg. 54]

Even though STORGE exists without coercion it exhibits a GIFT-NEED / NEED-NEED relationship. For it to become true love NEED must be eliminated and another element added. STORGE is affection but it is not true love in and of itself.

4. PHILOS (Strong’s G5384)
This may also be called “friendship”. According to Lewis this expression of love, or true friendship, is the same as the love that David and Jonathan shared and is almost non-existent now.

“…the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (1 Samuel 18:1 KJV)

“I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.” (2 Samuel 1:26 KJV)

Lewis says very few modern people equate this type of friendship with love. Is it that mankind has grown so cold that the ability to love in this way has diminished? Has PATHOS become prevalent and in its prevalence corrupted PHILOS?

PHILOS is used throughout the New testament. One such example is the conversation Jesus had with Peter in John 21:15-17.

Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. The first two times, in verses 15 and 16 Jesus used the word AGAPAO, which refers to that LOVE which Christ himself has for mankind. Peter used the word PHILEO in his response to Jesus. PHILEO derives from PHILOS and refers simply to friendship. The third time Jesus asked the question, verse 17, Jesus used the word PHILEO and Peter felt sorrowful.

“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.”

Twice Jesus asked: Peter, do you love me the way that I love you? Peter’s answer was: I love you as a friend. Then the third time Jesus asked: Peter, do you love me as a friend? Peter was hurt and sorrowful because it was the truth, he only loved Jesus as a friend and not unconditionally. This may explain why he eventually went on to deny Jesus three times.

How many of us love in this way and need to examine ourselves? PHILOS is a lovely affection but it is not without conditions.

5. AGAPE (Strong’s G26)
This may also be called “charity” or “unconditional love“. It is described in the Holy Bible as the greatest virtue.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 KJV)

The word charity is translated from the Greek word AGAPE, pronounced ä-gä’-pā. It is very different from our modern word charity, which refers merely to kindness.

Biblical CHARITY (true love) denotes affection, good will, love, benevolence and brotherly love. Most importantly, 1 Corinthians 13 says, TRUE LOVE suffers long, is kind, does not envy, is not boastful, and is not prideful (v.4). TRUE LOVE does not behave disgracefully, is not self-seeking, is not provoked easily and does not calculate evil (v.5). TRUE LOVE does not rejoice in acts of injustice or unrighteousness but rejoices in truth (v.6). TRUE LOVE protects from imminent danger, has confidence in truth, hopefully trusts, and endures until rewarded (v.7). TRUE LOVE is never without power or effect (v.8).

We see here that AGAPE is the epitome of LOVE and that GOD is love’s ultimate personification. The scripture tells us that anyone who does not AGAPEO (verb love) does not know God since He IS AGAPE (noun love).

“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8 KJV)

It stands to reason that once we FIND GOD, we find true love and become vessels of LOVE (God). We can expect that vessels of this true LOVE will automatically demonstrate LOVE and will gravitate towards others who also demonstrate this love. The search for anything other than AGAPE is futile.

What is Love? Be LOVE (agape) and be LOVED! 😀