Gleanings for November 2

CHRISTIAN LOVE

2^nd Peter 1: 7 NKJV: “(Add) to brotherly kindness LOVE”. Love is the “Capstone” for all the virtues we have been sharing about recently. It is a subject (I feel) can never become outdated! Without love (as 1^st Corinthians 13: 2b—Amplified Bible) says: “I am nothing---a useless nobody.” Strong Words!!!

Gleanings yesterday ended with Hebrews 13:1---Here is how the verse reads in the New Living Translation: “Continue to love each other with true Christian love.” We must look to the SOURCE of love in order to know what true Christian love is.

God IS Love! AGAPE Love is the kind we are thinking of. Agape is primarily a love that comes from the WILL, rather than of the emotions. GOD loves us by HIS WILL---not because we are loveable----but because Love is God (in action) and God is Love—it is His very NATURE.

According to the Bible Dictionary, Agape Love conveys God’s will to His children about their ATTITUDE toward one another. Our love for others is proof of true discipleship. This is getting to the heart of our lesson today.

Ephesians 3: 17 - 19 NKJV: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the LOVE OF CHRIST which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

It is only as we allow Jesus Christ (the Anointed One and His Anointing in us) to be the Lord of our lives that we will be able to have the right attitude as we work and live with other people. I can TELL you to love, but unless you have God’s help, it will be very hard for a good attitude to show itself in every day living.

Galatians 2: 20 NKJV: “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Notice the prayer of Jesus from John’s gospel: John 17—selected verses:

“Father, glorify Your Son, as You have given Him authority that He should give eternal life to those You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may KNOW YOU….Sanctify your truth; Your Word is TRUTH. I pray for all those who will believe in Me through the Word. May they all be ONE, as You Father are in Me, and I in You that they also may be one IN US, that the world may know that You sent me.”

Jesus helps us LOVE with AGAPE LOVE—it will help us to know:

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH!!