Category: love

If you have received My mercy; if you have experienced My compassion and goodness; if you realize that I suffered for you and gave My life so you could be forgiven and restored to the Father… listen carefully to what I want you to do: Pass it on. Take what you have been given and share it with others. As I have loved you freely, love others freely. As I received My Father’s love and poured it out, receive My love and pour it out to all who come your way.

Don’t you see how brilliant our Father is? He gave His Son — Me — as a ransom for those who deserved penalty so the world could see true love. What greater love is there than for one to lay down his life for another? This is what I have done for you! Will you follow Me? Know God’s will… and your mission: LOVE.

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, just at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:5-8

“My command is this: Love each other the way I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command… This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:12-17

These are the invitations of Jesus we have examined so far: come to Me, listen to Me, believe in Me, follow Me, fish with Me, and abide in Me. Now we hear: obey Me.

This sounds more like a commandment than an invitation. Of course it is a command, but when we grasp Jesus’ understanding of obedience, we see that everything centers in relationship… and relationship always involves choice.

Jesus explains that the way to abide in relationship is to love… and loving God requires obedience. “As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you. Now remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love.” John 15:9-10

We can’t picture Jesus disobeying his Father… because the Son loved the Father and the Father loved the Son. We know that Jesus did pour out His heart in difficult times. He asked that the cup of death pass from Him in the Garden, but His humble conclusion to the prayer was: “Not My will, but Yours be done.”

In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan wrote:

I have so many people ask me questions like, Can I divorce my wife and still go to heaven? Do I have to be baptized to be saved? Am I a Christian even though I’m having sex with my girlfiend? If I commit suicide, can I still go to heaven? If I’m ashamed to talk about Christ, is He really going to deny knowing me?

To me, these questions are tragic because they reveal much about the state of our hearts. They demonstrate that our concern is more about going to heaven than loving the King. Jesus said, ‘If you love me, you will obey what I command.’ (John 14:15)

And look at the promise that follows!

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see Me anymore, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him.” John 14:16-21

Quote from Crazy Love by Francis Chan, ©2008 by D C Jacobson & Associates LLC, p. 86

The most moving part at the funeral of Ashley’s father was a song.

On November 1, 2002, a youth minister named Stephen Coffey prayed boldly at a prayer meeting: “Lord, I will give my life today if it would shake the youth of the nation.” Later that day Stephen died in a car accident.

John Mark McMillan is a singer and song writer, and was one of Stephen’s best friends. He was devastated when he heard of the death of his friend. Out of pain and anguish he wrote the song, How He Loves, popularized by many different Christian artists. Many agree that over the past decade this song with a simple message has indeed shaken the youth of the nation.

David Crowder’s version of the song played on the radio contains two verses and the chorus, but there is a third verse. John Mark McMillan, while honestly sharing his pain, proposed what his friend would sing if we could hear him now.

I thought about You
The day Stephen died
And You met me between my breaking
I know that I still love You God
Despite the agony
See, people, they want to tell me You’re cruel
But if Stephen could sing
He’d say it’s not true
‘Cause You are good

He loves us
O how He loves us
O how He loves us
O how He loves

(©2005 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music)

In the middle of the funeral, a courageous Ashley walked to the piano and shared the background of this song then played and sang all the verses, directing the last verse toward her dad. Though there were many tears, we all were reminded of the truth of the One who loves.

“The Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” John 16:27

“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me.” Psalm 86:15-16

An important principle of Kingdom living is communicated through Jesus’ simple words: “Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 8:10)

What we receive, we are to share. We know that the best encouragers are those who have walked through fiery trials because they have experienced God’s comfort and strength firsthand. “(God) comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (II Corinthians 1:4)

Paul constantly emphasized that his ministry was a result of the grace he received. “For by the grace given me I say to everyone of you…” (Romans 12:3) The way he lived was “not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.” (II Corinthians 1:12) Paul depended on what he received in Christ.

How critical it is that we humbly receive! Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet until he learned what was at stake. “Peter, if you don’t allow me to wash you with my own hands, you can have no part with me.” We really have nothing to offer if we do not allow Jesus to clean us, serve us, and fill us with himself.

We are saved by grace, therefore, we share Jesus as the Author and Giver of salvation. We have been blessed with gifts and talents, therefore, we use our gifts and talents to bless others. The Father has lavished his love upon us, therefore, we love others the way Jesus loves us. Freely we have received; freely give.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere.” Romans 12:6-9

As Jesus lived in his Father, He knew two things were always true: 1) God is love. 2) With God, all things are possible. With these truths planted deep in his heart, Jesus lived the abundant life. His motivation and passion was the love of the Father, and no obstacle or resistance ever shook his faith.

Most failures in our life can probably be traced to a lack of love on our part. Paul tells us that all God’s commandments “are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Romans 13:9) And how many times do we fail because of a lack of faith? If we simply remembered that nothing good is impossible for God, would we pray bolder prayers and live more courageous lives?

The Holy Spirit helps us think on earth like Jesus thought on earth. He wants us to remember, when the lonely, addicted, or marginalized person crosses our path, that “God is love.” And while we know we do not control every outcome, we are called to have great faith… so we can pray without shrinking, and serve without growing weary, and persevere without giving up.

Paul prayed that his brothers and sisters in Ephesus would know the power God offers his children and the incredible love He has for everyone. May these prayers fill our hearts with hope and joy.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of the glorious inheritance of the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:17-19

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19