Bible

We must Love Because Liking is not Enough – Frank Work

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Today the Lord really spoke to me, well let’s be honest, the Holy Spirit really convicted my spirit about how I view my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Not only how I view but what I say to them because of the judgement I may or may not hold against them. This morning I was reading in the word and this scripture jumped out like an anvil. The scripture is out of 1 John 4:21

21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Now before you say, “Ok I love God and I love my brother, what more do you want Frank?” Exactly.

The question, I need to be asking myself on a constant basis, “God what more do you want?” In my opinion I am really good at superficial love, I can smile, laugh, shake your hand, or even give you a hug. I can have a long conversation with you about whatever topic may be on our hearts at that time. Sure, no problem let’s go grab a coffee at the local coffee cafe and enjoy the music of a young man playing a guitar, singing a song called Cherry Grove. It’s amazing what I can do when I really set my mind to it. All in the name of superficial relationship.

That of course until you decide to rub me the wrong way, or say something I don’t agree with. Oh and let’s not even discuss about the disagreement we have in scripture, because you know in your heart that I am absolutely correct, you just haven’t realized it yet. You will hear my battle cry come forth, “Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!” Oh, my, then and only then will you know what it means when I make the statement, “I love you brother, but I don’t like you very much.” That’s right….you got my point…right? I mean you know I still love you, don’t you? You still love me to, right?

Honestly, that has been the style of my relationships that I have had with my fellow christian brothers and sisters through most of my life in knowing Jesus. I thought through the action of love, I could somehow obtain the reality of love, which is the love Jesus spoke about in John 13:35,

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus was not just talking about the emotion of love, but the actual commitment of love. I am not much of a Greek scholar, but it has always intrigued me how complex the Greek can be. One word can have many meanings, which are all in depth depending on the mood and tense. Below are 4 types of love the bible consistently speaks of;

  • Storge is an affectionate love, the type of love one might have for family or a spouse.
  • Eros is passionate or sexual love eros is important within a marriage relationship and is created by God (see Song of Solomon)
  • Agape speaks of the most powerful, noblest type of love: sacrificial love. Agape love is more than a feeling—it is an act of the will. This is the love that God has for His people and that prompted the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus, for our sins.
  • Phileo refers to brotherly love and is most often exhibited in a close friendship. Best friends will display this generous and affectionate love for each other as each seeks to make the other happy. The Scriptural account of David and Jonathan is an excellent illustration of phileo love.

So there I have 4 rules which by all rights, should be easy, comprehensible, and fulfilled in my everyday walk with Jesus, and my brothers and sisters. Problem is my carnal flesh has no idea what real, spirit lead love is. My flesh desire is to fulfill its’ own need, which is lustful and carnal in nature. To understand what true love is in the spirit, I must allow Jesus to show me through the scriptures and through the leading of the Holy Spirit, what true, blood bought love is. I must walk, depending on the type of relationship I have with someone, in all 4 of those examples of love. This is only done by following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and the will of the Father. Any other motivation of love is born of the flesh, and leading to a path of disillusionment, disappointment, and ultimately destruction.

Lastly, I have to understand that I can’t sustain relationship through my own will and intent. Desire of the Fathers love, and understanding what it means to be a son in the Lord, is the only way I will be able to sustain my relationships in the Lord, which envelops my wife, my children, grandchildren, family members and so on. Be rich in the Lord, and walk in His ways, and we will have a true concept of love.

Should Women Keep Silent in the Church? (Part 2) – Gary Florence

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Let’s go ahead a pick up where we lift off shall we. I was sharing about the word is the same yesterday, today and forever, actually that is not even in the bible. In Heb. 13:8 it says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”. I realize that according to John 1:1 it talks about Jesus being the word. There were many situations when I would argue about the word being the same, I actually was talking about the bible and the 66 books that is in it. I would say that the 66 books of the bible are the same yesterday, today and forever. Then one day I was reading something and was challenged on it. Moses was told by God if a son was disobedient to his parents and they couldn’t get it resolved they were to go to the elders and stone him. I don’t’ know about you, but I don’t read those types of headlines in the newspapers anymore.

He was also told that they were to circumcise their male children on the eighth day. Can you image in this day to tell the people working at the hospitals “We will be back in 8 days to have a child circumcised.” Here is a little tidbit concerning why God had them wait till the eighth day. That was when the vitamin K was at its highest level in their body to help with the clotting of the blood. Now a days they can just give them a shot.

Here is one from the New Testament. If somebody would come up to us and say that they sold 2 dozen Easter eggs for the building project but they only sold 1 1/2 dozen. Should we then like Peter with Ananias and Sapphira call down the judgment of God and strike them dead? So I need to ask myself a question, “Is the Bible the same yesterday, today and forever. I have discovered when just grabbing scripture out of context and applying them into the culture of our days that there is somethings we need to do. When need to ask “Who wrote it”

“Who was it written to” and “What the historical context of that day was.” The next time we get together we are going to apply them to Paul’s saying of should women keep silent in the church. Some of you might being thinking to yourself “I just want to know your answer so I can either hit my hot button or not.”

This is one reason why we have to dig a little deeper so we are not taking scripture out of context and throwing it into someone’s face. Trust me it will be worth the wait. In the meantime start your own bible study and read Acts 19: 22-28, this will give you a jump start for the next time we meet.