Love?...

My husband Jamin [who will be called Jay C. from here on] is a very insightful man when it comes to God [and other things].  I mean really, he'll make you think.  He has given me the O.K to share some things he's written about as well.  I pray you receive something from it!

As I take note of people and the world, I notice there are a lot of misconceptions on a lot of things.  One misconception that I commonly notice is the lack of understanding as to what love really is. " Love" is a word that people use quite frequently, but do they really understand what it really means?  People tend to get love and lust confused quite often. In order to understand what love is we must first understand God; for God is love. Love is a fruit of the Spirit of God, therefore without his Spirit we will never understand the depth and power of what love is.  When you truly believe in Christ and his Spirit takes control of your life, you can’t help but to love.  What greater example of love do we have than what God has done for the world by sending his only begotten Son to die for our sins and to set those who believe in Christ free from sin and death?  What greater example of love do we have than Christ coming down in the flesh, laying down his life, and being obedient to the will of God unto death?  We can learn the truth of what love is by the greatest example ever set before us in Christ Jesus!  Love comes with sacrifices, for what you love you will give your all to it, even to your own hurt.  1st Corinthians 13 (NIV) gives characteristics of love: Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.  Love never fails…  So as we examine love and its application in our lives, we must mirror it according to the example of Christ and the characteristics that are in the word of God.  After examining, if it doesn’t line up then it’s not true love.  I see daily people that proclaim their love for God, yet they don’t keep all his laws and commandments. For when you truly love him, you’ll devote all of yourself to pleasing him in ALL things. Christ said in his word, “if you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.”  What I observe in the world is clearly lust, for it doesn’t bring forth the righteous fruit that love brings forth.  For example, I see young women in relationships with males that treat them any kind of way and they believe that they really love them. I’ve seen examples of people cussing each other out, beating each other, verbal abuse, yet they believe that these people really love them.  I’ve seen examples of lying and cheating, yet they use the words “I love you.  I see men tell women they love them, yet, they won't  marry them.  I see people that say they love themselves but dress and carry themselves in a manner that displays no respect for themselves; they also settle for any kind of treatment from people.  There are fathers that won’t take care of their children, yet, they say they love their kids.  There are mothers that leave their children to go to the club and party, yet, they say that’s love.  I see people sleeping around on their husbands and wives and then going home still saying “I love you” to their spouse.  I’ve heard of examples of women waiting on married men to leave their spouse because “he loves her enough to leave his wife”… All manners of wickedness people try and use in the name of “love”.  All these things go against the characteristics of true love.  Love is pure, and it worketh no ill works!  Another observation, I see these people indulging in fornication because they proclaim love for one another.  Someone that truly loves you wouldn’t have you jeopardize your eternal soul to satisfy a lustful fleshly desire!  Someone that truly loves you looks out for you in all aspects: spiritually above all, emotionally, and for your overall well being.  I also see parents that allow their children do things that will lead to their destruction and don’t rebuke them or tell them the truth.  Also parents that don’t put the fear and love of God within their children, is that really love?  No.  I also see people congratulate people and comfort people for their sinful works, instead of telling them out of love that their soul is in danger and they need to repent before the Almighty God.  I see people that consider themselves “friends” that allow other “friends” to go down the wrong road in life, all because they don’t want to tell them the truth and offend them.  Saving feelings while watching their soul be destroyed is not love!  The examples before us go on and on...  Let us get an understanding of what love really is, and the only way we can do this is by turning to God and understanding him for who he is.  Let us not be ignorant of what love is, therefore let us not be ignorant of who God is!  Let Christ be the example of love that we follow in all things.  I pray that all mankind come unto the understanding of God and not be lost or destroyed.  I tell the truth of the word out of love, for I desire that we all be saved!  Examine yourselves, and if you are not operating in the love of God, repent this day before it’s everlasting too late.

“In all thy getting, get understanding”…