As we enter into the month of October, I want to encourage you to stay focused on the real priorities of life. Our priorities are determined not by accident but choice. We must invest in those things that produce fruit in our lives, fruit that will change the world around us. As we base our priorities on God’s Word, our daily lives will be rich and fulfilling. Our greatest focus should always be God’s greatest focus: love. We need to practice it, grow in it, and find our home in the love of God. The world is filled with broken and hurting people everyday around us, we must choose to love them as God has loved us.
In John 13:34-35, Jesus declared, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this all men shall know that ye are my disciples, if you have love one to another.” The Knox Translation of verse 35 declares, “The mark by which all men will know you are my disciples will be the love you bear one another.” According to Jesus, the first and foremost mark by which the world will recognize us as His own will be the love of God in us. Robert Browning once said, “Take away love and the earth is a tomb.” Augustine of Hippo declared, “Love must be the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that is why we run; we run forward toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall find fulfillment and rest.” When we focus on loving others, with the God-kind of love, the world around us becomes a better place.
Romans 5:5 declares, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” The New English Bible declares, “Such a hope is no mockery, because God’s love has flooded our inmost heart through the Holy Spirit He has given us.” The Living Bible declares, “And we feel this warm love everywhere within us, because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” When we receive Christ into our hearts, we become flooded with the very love nature of God Himself. We are immersed in the very substance of God, who is love. We now have the ability to love with the unconditional, agape, God-kind of love.
Love only grows when it is put into action. We must not be ruled by our flesh, feelings or emotions, but the law of love. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 declares, “And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.” Our love should be developing and increasing toward one another and all men! The Beck’s Translation declares, “The Lord make you grow in love and overflow with it for one another and everybody.” The Knox Translation declares, “…May the Lord give you a rich and even richer love for one another and for all men.” It is evident from the Scriptures, that our love for God and others can grow and overflow from our hearts toward all mankind. This overflowing love of God is what unlocks the hardest hearts and heals the broken.
Colossians 3:14 declares, “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” The William’s Translation declares, “And over all these qualities put on love, which is the tie of perfection that binds us together.” The Johnson Translation is amazing, “As the most important piece of clothing, be sure to wear love, because love is the evidence of maturity.” According to Scripture, the love of God is the greatest quality to promote unity and the evidence of maturity in our lives. The true test of our progress, as a Christian, is our growth in the love walk. Immaturity is self-centered, maturity is others-centered. Thomas Aquinas once said, “To love is to will the good of another.” George Appleton declared, “Lord increase my capacity to love and decrease my impulses to throw stones, actual or mental.”
I want to encourage you to reach out beyond yourself and tap over into the compassion of Christ to those around you. Give of yourself to meet the needs of others. Overlook the unimportant imperfections of others to see the good in every situation. 1 Peter 4:8 declares, “And above all things have fervent love among yourselves; for love shall cover the multitude of sins.” The Amplified Bible declares, “Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins- forgives and disregards the offenses of others.”
Thank you for your love and support to this ministry. We are believing God with you for supernatural abundant overflow of His grace toward you and your family. The best is yet to come!
