“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
God is love.
Love is not always God.
God has the beautiful aroma of love that gently infuses our senses. Some love can have a stinky repelling odour.
We can all hold our hands up sadly to being guilty of pervading the odour of some aspects of love in our lives that have been or are self seeking, self absorbed, self focused, self pleasing. All about getting and receiving instead of giving.
The enemy has dressed us in garments of self obsessed love that wants return with interest. Love that has odour. It needs shaking or burning off. It is love that is not Godly.
Our Christian lives hopefully grow increasingly into the beautiful aroma of the love that can transform the atmosphere.
God’s love is giving regardless of cost or return. It bears the weight of others and carries their burdens. It remains silent without accusations or correction without hurting or condemnation. It is sacrificial it flows unpremeditated from the heart that is United with Jesus. All about giving and laying down.
Jesus has clothed us in His love as we are made one with Him.
Love that is Godly.
We are in agreement with Jesus’ love that is Godly. We break agreement with Satan’s love that is ungodly. Our “ Yes”. Has to also be a “ No”.
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”
Jesus’ love grows family and friendship. Satan’s love kills the art of friendship.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
Love enables us to enter into another’s pain, discomfort and grief. To rejoice in their success, comfort and joy. “Love empowers us to fulfil the law of the Anointed One as we carry each other’s troubles.”
God’s love bears all things. It never takes offence. Satan’s love easily takes offence and jumps to correct.
The Holy Spirit teaches the word and is the only one with authority to correct.
He will use us in love and gentleness to help others. Our silence may be our bigger gift as we bear.
Like a sheep before his shearers is silent .
“Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.”
Love covers a multitude of sins. God is silent frequently not bringing our attention to every sin. He never calls us to be defenders of truth. Never wounds us.
The Holy Spirit gently rebukes us He never hurts us. His weapon is love. When we know that intimacy and love we also know every gentle nudge.
Our “ Yes”. Stands on God’s “ Yes”. Love from heaven invades the earth.
The illustration shows our feet standing upon God’s.Our ‘ yes ‘. Standing upon God’s ‘ yes ‘. The spectrum of the Holy Spirit and the light pushing back the darkness.
Six. Scriptures that come to mind:
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”John 15:9-10 ESV
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”1 John 3:16 ESV
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”John 15:13 ESV
“My beloved friends, if you see a believer who is overtaken with a fault, the one who is in the Spirit should seek to restore him in the Spirit of gentleness. But keep watch over your own heart so that you won’t be tempted to exalt yourself over him. Love empowers us to fulfil the law of the Anointed One as we carry each other’s troubles.”Galatians 6:1-2 TPT
“Now, those who are mature in their faith can easily be recognized, for they don’t live to please themselves but have learned to patiently embrace others in their immaturity. Our goal must be to empower others to do what is right and good for them, and to bring them into spiritual maturity. For not even the most powerful one of all, the Anointed One, lived to please himself. His life fulfilled the Scripture that says: All the insults of those who insulted you fall upon me. Whatever was written beforehand is meant to instruct us in how to live. The Scriptures impart to us encouragement and inspiration so that we can live in hope and endure all things. Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One. Then, with a unanimous rush of passion, you will with one voice glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You will bring God glory when you accept and welcome one another as partners, just as the Anointed One has fully accepted you and received you as his partner.”Romans 15:1-7 TPT
“Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.”1 Corinthians 13:7 TPT
The song. Endless Alleluia. Josie Buchanan
https://youtu.be/xVI46cM51Rc
Lessisgreater 