Fruit Bearing Love

Fruit Bearing Love

Philemon 1: ⁴ Brother Philemon, every time I pray, I mention you and give thanks to my God. ⁵ For I hear of your love for all of God's people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. ⁶ My prayer is that our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding of every blessing which we have in our life in union with Christ. ⁷ Your love, dear brother, has brought me great joy and much encouragement! You have cheered the hearts of all of God's people.

 

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Waking up with a horrified feeling, I remembered it was Valentines Day. The teacher told us to bring Valentines cards to pass out to the class. I did not have money or a means to get to the store if I did have any. I had a great idea that I would make the Valentines, but I forgot.

 

• I felt I did not live up to the standard.
• I felt I embarrassed.
• I did not know this was not the definition of love GOD desired, so I felt rotten.

 

Paul spoke highly of Philemon. He pointed out Philemon’s love and faith as being a great example. The basis of Philemon’s love was his faith in JESUS. His heart must have been overflowing, because he “cheered the hearts of all GOD’s people.”

 

My Observations

• The world may have a definition of what love looks like, BUT GOD has a different criteria.
• I should have room in my heart for people who love me and for those who are against me.
• GOD’s love bears fruit for HIM that cannot be denied, even by those who have fallen into a trap of defining a different love.

 

Redefining love has gotten me into trouble. I mean, when I thought love was catering to every worldly desire a person could dream up, I found myself never quite measuring up. BUT GOD had a remedy.

 

JESUS showed me the ultimate example of love for mankind. HE never fell for Satan’s tactics to draw HIM away from showing love to HIS creation. HE was gentle when other people slandered HIS name and surrounded HIM with lies, ultimately crucifying HIM because of their insecurities. I am so glad JESUS quietly took all of my punishment and gave me an example of true love to strive for.

 

Challenge

• What “love” is the writer speaking about?
• Have you ever felt bad because you did not give or receive love the way the world has defined it?
• Will you renew your mind on what love looks like and ask GOD for HIS type of love that bears fruit for HIM today?

Untwisted Love

Untwisted Love

1 Corinthians 13: I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. ² I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing. ³ I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned—but if I have no love, this does me no good.

 

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Reviewing another human’s actions and comparing them to this list, I can only come to the conclusion that all humans hate each other. Not one can do what is said in this list. But rereading the list, replacing the word “love” with “JESUS” and now, the list makes sense.

 

• My “love” will be misinterpreted.
• Someone else’s “love” can be misunderstood.
• Our “love” can be selfish, filled with sin, and, in reality, twisted and false.

 

Paul wrote an entire letter, trying to get this church to focus on spreading the good news about JESUS. Unfortunately, the selfish look at this list as a “what about me?” list.  Paul was trying to unify “the body” and provided the only solution. Rereading the list shows the need for JESUS and it stops there.

 

My Observation

• I may be able to do many things, but if I have no JESUS, the things I do are worthless.
• I may be able to acquire large sums of money but if I have no JESUS, the material possessions will hold me.
• I may be able to give up everything and be homeless, serving worthy causes, but if I have no JESUS, all my actions will be in vain.

 

JESUS is pure love because HE is GOD. Measuring someone else’s “love” would be problematic because there would always be a smidge of sin in it. Love cannot contain a smidge of sin, hurt or hate, so JESUS had to provide pure love to the world.

 

My “love” is tainted, but GOD has given me pure love that is not. I am glad I can point people to this pure love so anyone who accepts HIM will feel true love.

 

Challenge

• When you replace the word “love” in the passage above, what do you notice?
• What do you observe about the list of comparison items such as languages, preaching, understanding scripture, faith and sacrifice?
• Who did the Pharisees overlook and what actions did they pride themselves on?
• Will you rethink love and focus on JESUS versus the tainted love humans give?

Fake Friends

Mark 14: ⁴³ And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ⁴⁴ Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”

⁴⁵ As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

⁴⁶ Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. ⁴⁷ And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸ Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? ⁴⁹ I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

⁵⁰ Then they all forsook Him and fled.

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“He called me the wrong name again!” I said to myself. He would greet me with the warmest greeting, but when someone important walked in the room, he would leave our conversation. This, however, was the guy to know. “How can I get noticed by him?” was my thought.

• Sometimes I have sought out fake friends.
• Sometimes I wanted to be in the “in” crowd so much that I would settle for fake friends.
• Sometimes I was popular enough that I was a fake friend to people.

Hundreds of people are pictured here in this passage, yet JESUS had no friend. The army of hundreds had no feeling towards HIM and Judas put on the act of love when his heart was filled with deceit. Not even the disciples acted like a friend as they forsook HIM and fled. BUT JESUS does something different.

• JESUS says to me “Greater love hath no man than this, that a MAN lay down HIS life for HIS friends.”
• JESUS says to me ”I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from MY FATHER I have made known to you.
• JESUS says to me “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

At times JESUS has been my only friend. When the winds of life are blowing hard against me and those around me are questioning me, JESUS has been right there comforting me and lifting me up. HIS love endures forever and HE shows me that friendship is not about leaving it is about loving.

• Has everyone left you?
• Do you feel alone?
• Can you take some time to be a friend to someone today?”

Garments of the Soul

Zechariah 3: ³ Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. ⁴ The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

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Greeted with smiling faces I proceeded into the church. Songs played, people clapped but I felt rotten inside. The preacher preached on a bunch of stuff I was doing wrong then we all got up sang again and walked out the door with the same smiling faces. 

• There have been times when my outside did not match my inside.
• There have been times when smiling faces was not enough to crack open my tough exterior.
• There have been times when my sin was hidden and I wore filthy clothes on my soul.

After reading this passage I could easily think that I would have to clean myself up in order to be loved by GOD. The problem with that kind of thinking is I can never “clean” myself up. The more I try the filthier my soul garments get. I drop off an obvious sin to society and trade it in for a larger sin to GOD, namely piety. What am I to do?

• GOD says to me “In the middle of your sin, I saved you.”
• GOD says to me “I saw you before the foundations of the world.”
• GOD says to me “I have taken away your sin.”

I had to reread the passage a few times in order to see the timing. GOD says “Take off his filthy clothes”. Then I noticed HE says “See, I have taken away your sin” meaning HE died in my place and the act of cleansing was complete. All I have to do is believe in the ONE who cleansed me and then my filthy garments will be taken off for me.

Cleansing is not my job. I cannot clean myself up by trading sin. I need GOD in my life through JESUS who died and was raised from the dead. Now I can cry in church and smile. I can bring in my anger and leave with joy. My filthy garments of the soul can be replaced with GOD’s garments!

• Are you hiding something?
• Does the thing you are hiding eat away at you?
• Are you lying to yourself in order to feel more comfortable?
• Can you stop hiding your sins and allow GOD to take off your filthy soul garments by confessing to HIM?

Anyone is Welcome

Isaiah 56: ⁴ For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant—
⁵ to them I will give within my temple and its walls
    a memorial and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
    that will endure forever.

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Holes in my pants kept me from being best dressed, although I confidently wore them in college and fit in. When I arrived at a church with holey pants I did not fit in again. What was going on?

• There were times that I did not feel like I fit into “church.”
• There were some protocols of “church” I disagreed with.
• There were behaviors of “church” I did not feel comfortable with.

My suit was too small because I had not bought one nor had one bought for me since high school. I was appalled at the sneers at my clothing. Someone offered to buy me some clothes and that set me on a path that I stand on to this day. Anyone should be welcome, regardless of appearance.

• GOD says to me “Welcome everyone, no matter how different they appear to me.”
• GOD says to me “Love everyone I send to you.”
• GOD says to me “Go where I send you and give them MY word so I may bless them.”

Since then, I noticed people as being people. What clothes or skin they wear does not matter. GOD wants “all” humans to come back to HIM. HE wants me to be open to serving everyone, not just those who I feel comfortable with.

• Look around, are you serving people who are different than you?
• Have you been sent to a different group of people than yourself?
• Have you welcomed a person who dresses different into your circle?
• Can you allow GOD to send people to you who have differences but love HIM?

Being a friend

1 Samuel 20: ⁴² Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.

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Having friends id something very dear to me. Some of my friends have known me for most of my life.  Seeing the relationship between Jonathan and David reminds me to pray a special prayer for friendships all around.

• LORD thank YOU for my friends.
• LORD thank YOU for blessing those who read about YOU and follow YOUR ways.
• LORD thank YOU for all friendships for YOUR SON acted like the ultimate friend.

• Do you have friends you should pray for?
• Do you have friends who need you to reach out to them?
• Can you pray for your friends today?

Don’t mistake prosperity for GOD’s blessing

Judges 18: ³⁰ There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land.³¹ They continued to use the idol Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh.

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Dressed in my new suit, I ventured into a huge church.  This place seemed to have everything!  When I sat on one of the lavish pews I noticed several women sitting near me. I noticed this the next week and the next. Finally a couple of them introduced themselves but similar to that of being in a club.

The preacher drove a lavish car and the sermons were about how to live in prosperity. Meanwhile, I noticed the deacons sneaking peeks at the women and winking at me as if to say, “You didn’t see that.” The crowd was huge and since this was one of my first efforts to go back to church I said to myself, “This place is better than the clubs!”

• Sometimes I can be fooled by fake prosperity.
• Sometimes I can be fooled into thinking immense wealth will bring me closer to GOD.
• Sometimes I can be fooled into seeking a place where I won’t be corrected so I can do what I want and blame it on GOD.

The Danites stole an idol and attacked peaceful people out of ignorance of what GOD desired for them. They worshipped the idol and broke one of the major commandments of GOD. I can relate to this because I was ignorant to what GOD wanted for me and when I got to the church where the preaching tickled my ears, I felt great!

• GOD told me HIS word is like a two edge sword, it cuts the preacher and the receiver.
• GOD told me HIS word applies to every human so I should look at my flaws before I make statements.
• GOD told me HIS word is above any thought I could dream up so it’s best that I follow HIS ways.

Prosperity comes and goes, BUT GOD is here forever.  When HE said “I will never leave you nor forsake you” HE also meant HE would hang around and correct those who believe in HIM. The country I live in emphasizes two things way too much, money and sex.

It blinds us to our many other flaws like prejudice, hatred, slander, corruption and divisiveness to name a few. GOD made it easy, “love one another as I have loved you.” This simple command is easy to remember and breaks down any pitiful cause focused on one single sin.

• Are you in a building calling itself a church that is not following GOD?
• Do you feel GOD wanting you to grow?
• Are you studying and learning about HIM?
• Can you add “loving others” to your plan today?

Three ways to live today

1 Peter: 4: ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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“Why do I have to be the one who does all the work” I said to myself. Look at everyone, just sitting there while I work my fingers to the bone. Some of these people are mean and nasty anyway so they probably can’t serve I surmised. From now on, I will hold back and watch everything fall apart.

• When I serve without love and compassion I get burnt out quickly.
• When I am trying to put on a goody, goody front I may begin to grumble when I have to serve.
• When I think higher of myself than I should I “hold back” my gifts as to punish those people.

It’s ashamed that GOD has to actually tell me to love people instead of it just naturally being that way. I actually have to get rid of my grumbling and complaining about others in order to serve them the way GOD wants me to serve them. HE doesn’t want my phony smile or fake behavior.

• GOD wants me to truly care about those who are difficult to love.
• GOD desires that I show hospitality with excitement rather than saying “why me again?”
• GOD prepares me with gifts and talents that HE expects me to use to serve others.

It’s simple… I should love, serve and grow people the way GOD wants me to because grace has covered mu multitude of sins.

• Are you complaining?
• Do you see yourself grumbling about serving?
• Can you stop thinking more highly about yourself and serve “that” person?
• Won’t you examine your heart to see if it is too stony to have “love” in it?

Fake love

1 Peter 1: ²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

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Embarrassment was the feeling as I stepped into the meeting wearing a suit and all of the senior managers were dressed “business casual.” From that moment I observed my boss’s every move. I took off my tie when he took off his tie. I bought the same pen and notepad.

Once we even showed up wearing very similar jackets. Yes, I had finally mimicked my boss so much that I began parroting his words. This should show my allegiance, I thought. Actually I didn’t like him, but I wanted to get ahead.

• Acting like I am helpful doesn’t mean I am helpful.
• Dressing like I am special, doesn’t make me special.
• Getting involved because I am pressured to be involved leaves me bitter when I get overwhelmed.

“Fake it until I make it” was the thought I had in that environment. I couldn’t “be myself” because they didn’t want “me” they wanted “that guy” over there. I faked my alliance with him in hopes that some of his success would rub off on me. One problem with faking it was I really didn’t want to serve him. I mean if a bus hit him I would have worried for a second but possibly thrown a party after my remorse.

• GOD says to me “do not take salvation lightly.”
• GOD says to me “treat EVERYONE with the same love I have shown you.”
• GOD says to me “show grace and mercy on them and I will show grace and mercy on you.”

Loving people without true compassion for them is actually impossible in my mind. I mean I won’t seek their needs and I will develop programs that make “me” look or feel good about myself. I wind up doing the right things but quickly see more and more people fall away from me. GOD wants me to love “from the heart.” This includes SPIRITUAL love that only comes from GOD.

• Are you showing “fake love?”
• Are you struggling because your love is only filled with obedience?
• Do you find yourself becoming burnt out?
• Won’t you stop volunteering because you feel it’s the right thing to do and volunteer because you actually want to show love?