What is Love?

We are told in the Bible that God IS Love. How many understand what real Love is?  In the World today we hear the words “Love Affair”. Let’s take a look at that, I think most people would agree it involves sex which the Bible calls Eros. It is a physical love. * A sexual desire where each one involved receives something for themselves from the other. Outside of Marriage it is condemned by the Bible as fornication. It also can be one of the reasons why some Marriages fail through adultery, also a sin in the Word of God.

How Many Types of Love are there?

There are three types of Love the Bible speaks of: Agape’, Philo and Eros.

Agape’ is God’s Love, it is a giving Love.  For God so Loved the Creation, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”(John 3: 16). There is nothing selfish with God’s Love. This is why Jesus said in order to follow Him we must deny ourselves, our own desires for the sake of others. This imitates the Lord Himself who became a Servant to others. He who would be great among you, let him be the Servant of all. ( Mark 10: 44)  The dictionary’s description of the word Agape’ is an unselfish Love for another without sexual implications.

Philo, from the Greek is a friend’s Love. Peter said to Jesus when the Lord asked him, Peter, do you Love (Agape’) Me? Peter said, “I Love (Philo) you Lord”. Peter was saying,  you’re my best friend Lord. From the Greek translation of the word we can understand why Peter was grieved when the Lord asked him the third time. Jesus changed His use of the word “Love” from Agape’ (God’s Love) to Philo a (Friendly) Love. The Lord was saying to Peter, do you really Love me  even as a friend? ? Peter was crushed,  saying,  Lord you know everything!  All he had was a friendly Love for the Lord. (Without God’s Power, Friendly Love for the Lord is all we have). It was at Pentecost that Peter along with the other Apostles would receive Power. When they received  the Holy Spirit, Gifts, and the “Fruit” of the Spirit,  the best being “Agape” (God’s Love). When we are Born Again we receive the Holy Spirit and the Agape’ Love; which is shed abroad in our hearts through Christ Jesus. (Romans 5: 5) Jesus said, “the Greatest” Commandment is to Love God with all your Heart. (Luke 10: 27 )   In our own strength we cannot do it, but our wonderful God gives us the Power to Love Him. We receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit when we have Faith in the Lord Jesus. Without Him we can do nothing! (John 15: 5.)

I thought I would share a Poem I wrote for the Lord;  it is my appreciation of His Love to me. He  is my Faithful Friend, wish I had always been the same towards Him, please read it below.

* And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. Luke 9:23 NASB.

Note the words; “Deny himself”, self- gratification is the way of the world, giving is the way of God!

To be like Christ the Christian is to be “selfless” not selfish. Our flesh is our cross. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to fight the battle between our “Inner Man” and the corruptible flesh.  (The New Man, the saved believer’s spirit is a New Creation in Christ) Through devotion to Christ with obedience, the Holy Spirit will put to death the deeds of the body.  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,  Romans 7:22 NASB. but I see in my body a different principle waging war with the law in my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin that exists in my body. Romans 7:23 ISV.

Note: To his surprise, the Apostle Paul found that he still sinned but unlike before he was saved by the Lord it appaled him. He even called himself a rotten man! Please read all of Romans 7.  The key to understanding this chapter is the fact that Paul did NOT willfully sin, therefore God gave him “Grace upon Grace” and not judgment. I hope this gives my brothers and sisters in the Lord comfort in their struggle with sin, you are not alone in your battle as Paul was not alone. When you sin, confess it, when you do it’s gone and forgotten by God. Be devoted to Jesus your first love. Be Christ conscious not sin conscious. (Always avoid sinning willfully as this will bring the Lord’s correction which can be grievous. Whom the Lord loves He corrects) Hanging on to forgiven sin can take you on a “Guilt Trip” causing you to lose the joy of the Lord which is your strength!

A Poem Dedicated to Jesus

Prone to wander, Prone to go, far from my Lord, reaping what I sow,

but ah the wondrous Sheppard, my Faithful Friend,

His Rod and Staff remind me of his care and Love, of no end.

The still waters, green pastures, my Soul at rest,

knowing that through many trials I have come, not failing the test.

He has called me before my birth,

redeemed me at the Cross that Day on the Earth.

Now I sing a new song, a sinner saved by Grace,

when He returns I will see Him Face to Face.

AUTHOR KEN

November 2011

Be Angry but Sin Not!

We overcome by the Blood of The Lamb and our Testimony (Rev.12:11). The Lord tells us to be Angry but sin not (Ephesians 4: 26 NASB). Our anger does not fulfill the Righteousness of God (James 1:20). There is a “Righteous” anger controlled by the Holy Spirit. Human anger can spin out of control, actions with words we will always regret. Jesus did get angry, His was righteous anger.

One night, many years ago, my wife and I were going to bed when the phone rang. She answered, quickly gave me the phone. The person on the other end said something vulgar to her. I was not in the best mood.  I had to get up at 4:30 AM to go to work the next day, so my anger was high. I was ready to yell at this person, but when I took the phone, instead of yelling in a rage (the Love of God constrains us), I said to this guy, “Without the Lord,  you are going straight to Hell”. To my complete surprise he asked, “Why is that?”. My anger was gone as I realized the Lord had sent this man.

As the Word says, “be prepared to answer anyone who asks about the Hope that is within you”. I told him all about Jesus, how He came to save sinners and how He saved me. He listened quietly,  then asked if he could call back tomorrow. He wanted me to share the Gospel with his girlfriend and I agreed. Lil and I were in awe, knowing  it was the leading of the Holy Spirit.  He took away my anger and put His Words in my mouth. I believe this man and his girlfriend were saved through the hearing of the Word! They asked about a Church, I told him to ask the Lord to lead them to a  Bible believing Church.

I marvel at the Power of God through the Holy Spirit. Did you  ever try to convince someone in regards to Politics or Religion? It usually ends in an argument that separates friends, which is Satan’s work. When the Holy Spirit does his Work in the human heart, barriers come down, a brokenness comes.  Jesus said, “whoever falls on this Rock (Jesus Himself) will be broken. The person becomes as a little child, the Holy Spirit grants them Godly Repentance which leads to salvation, through the Gift of Faith. The man who called became a child of the King, the Word (Jesus) became Flesh in his heart. Out of my anger and his evil the Lord brought good and Glory to His Name. God works in all things in the believer’s life for good.

The Lord always defeats Satan. Satan comes at us like a “Roaring Lion”, but the Lord Jesus came to destroy his works. My Testimony  is only one example of God bringing good out of evil. I love Samson’s riddle. It reveals how God turns Satan’s evil into good in the believer’s life. Out of the Eater, the roaring Lion, came something to eat (Spiritual Food), out of the strong (Bitterness of Satan’s work), came something sweet! (Judges 14: 14)

Ken

November 2011