In continuing on with a look at love, God's primary fruit of the Spirit,
it occurred to me today that you and I wake up every morning to God's
love staring us right in the face! The trouble is, we get out of bed and
usually start our day without even stopping to give God's wonderful love
much thought. Most likely it is lightly esteemed because we are so used
to His love surrounding us. I wonder though, does the Lord ever find us
waking up loving Him? Or is it, "Can't talk now, Lord, got lots to do
today; see ya later!"
Psalm 103:2 (KJV)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Ladies, the very breath we have been granted each new day is seldom used
to praise or thank God, or even call upon His name faithfully in prayer.
Our bodies, which usually awaken to function fairly well, are employed
for selfish reasons throughout the day as we neglect the Lord to dive
into the activities we have planned for ourselves. Can you imagine what
it would be like to wake up and worry what terrible thing God might do
to us each day if He were NOT a God of love?! It is because we KNOW God
loves us that we don't have to fear what He will do. We have been told
in the Bible that the Lord always has our best interest at heart. This
being true, I hope that we don't fail to appreciate God's love in our
lives. I hope that because of His great love, we will be willing to first
show and express our love to Him by faithfully spending time with Him
in Bible reading and prayer. Then it is we will find it possible to love
others as He does…
1John 4:11 (KJV)
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Love is pictured here as a wonderful motivator! Many prominent people
and leaders down through the ages have tried to use fear as a motivator,
even hate. But scripture shows us that God's love should be the motivation
behind our love for others. It should prompt us to action. How have you
received God's love and in turn been motivated by it to give love to others?
If you haven't, I must inform you that you are guilty of misappropriating
God's love for you…
1 John 4:12 & 13 (KJV)
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth
in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in
him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Have you ever wondered why the fruits of the Spirit are so important,
why they have been given us? Well, these verses above clearly explain
the reason... It is because people need to SEE these fruits of the Spirit
in our lives! God's love is different from man's love. God's love is everlasting;
it never leaves; nothing can drive it away! Since we cannot see God with
our eyes, this is how people perceive His presence within us, how they
perceive God through your life. Ladies, we must also realize that as believers,
it is important that WE see this fruit in ourselves as well, for it is
evidence also to us that God lives within us! "Hereby know we…." Have
you recognized the effects of God's love at work within you? Perhaps you're
struggling with loving others because you aren't really saved. My question
to you is this - Would those that know you say that they have seen God
in you by the quality of your love? Is it being perfected day by day?
Have you yourself noticed it dwells within you, have you noticed love
growing?? Tell me dear lady, is it God's supernatural love people are
seeing - the kind that makes sacrifices, that goes all the way to the
Cross, the enduring kind, or is it just your natural human love, the conditional
kind, the kind that has to be earned and is easily discarded?
1 John 4:16 (KJV)
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love;
and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Yes, it is clear to others by your love that God dwells within you. You
see ladies, the way you love others helps them to believe that God loves
them! Many people whose lives are filled with sin have given up hope that
God could ever forgive them, let alone love them or use them in His service,
and so they continue on in their life of self-destruction. Yet along comes
a Christian to make a difference, the same difference Christ first made
in them; someone who genuinely loves them in spite of their sin-sick condition
and communicates the love of God. Someone to bring about hope and belief
in them that God has not turned His love away from them, that acceptance
is made available through Christ. Ladies, I hope that you are making a
reality this important verse found in Romans 5:8 which says:
But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
What a beautiful picture of God's love this is to lost people! Are you
painting it?! True soul winning is spreading God's love out before sinners
who don't deserve it, but need it! It's not in cramming the truth down
folk's throats. Prior to salvation, someone shared God's love at Calvary
with you, amen? As Christians, we know it was God's love that took us
off the wrong path and put us on the right path, yet shame on us if we
don't share the blessing of that love in our lives with others who know
it not! Ladies, the world is searching for true love and the Bible has
the answer to their search. To not share God's love through soul winning
is another way you and I take God's love for granted. We grieve His Spirit
that lives within us and smother the greatest fruit of all. It's a fruit
given for the purpose of touching people's lives and changing them forever!
1 John 4:17 & 18 (KJV)
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day
of judgment: because as he is, so are we in the world. There is no fear
in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.
He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
The fruit of this Spirit of love in our lives brings about a confidence
that will cast away the fears and torments we have when it comes to loving
those that are most difficult for us. The lost who need the gospel, the
co-workers who you find irritating, the husband who lacks understanding,
the children who frustrate you, the church member who has offended you,
the pastor who has upset you, the friend who let you down, the family
member who forsook you, the neighbor who turned on you etc. Yes, perfect
love casts out all the fears we have when it comes to continuing on in
our love toward those whose actions are unlovable. Ladies, it's possible
to love with confidence and boldness because God's love is perfect; it
drives away our fears. It's a love that keeps reaching out in spite of
apprehension...
2 Tim. 1:7 (KJV)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.
Who today might you be afraid to love, dear lady? Though fear is a hindrance
to this leading fruit of the Spirit, we can overcome it! Don't let the
devil mess up your fruitfulness by throwing you out on first base. By
exercising love toward this unlovable group listed in the paragraph above,
you are indicating God's presence in your life and it will perfect you!
Love is sometimes a test of our spiritual maturity - are you passing or
failing?? These fruits of the Spirit are given that you and I might grow
to be more like Christ through exhibiting them, in spite of the folks
on the receiving end…
Luke 6:32-35 (KJV)
For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also
love those that love them. [33] And if ye do good to them which do good
to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. [34] And
if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for
sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. [35] But love
ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and
your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest:
for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
The more of God's fruit you make way for, the more spiritually fruitful
you'll become... However, if you first refuse to display the love that
God has exhibited toward you, then how can you expect to grow any further??
Proverbs 10:12 (KJV)
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
God is so good to us, ladies! The very situations we might be facing today
where love is needed and most difficult to bestow are the best situations
in which we could be! It means we are going to have to draw upon God's
love within us to see the task through. I hope that because of our sincere
love for God we will be found faithful in loving those He has given us
to love, the easy ones and the hard ones! Love covers ALL sins. Ask God
to help you overcome your reservations and take the steps you need to
show His love today and manifest this fruit in your life by His grace.
In so doing, God sees the depth of your love for Him…
But The Fruit... Is there any in your life?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003
