LOVE
As 2020 draws to a close, I would like to share a little bit about the word God gave me at the beginning of this year.
LOVE
Now in years past, as I have made it my tradition to reflect and pray on NYE and ask God for direction, He has given me some pretty amazing words that have ended up being spot-on.
Power, surrender, obedience...these are just some of the words that have become my theme for the coming year. I have always been able to look back and see how God grew me so much in those areas throughout the months.
To be honest, I was pretty surprised that He gave me the word love, and not super excited about it. I see now that it was because there was a blockage inside of me that prevented me from giving and receiving love the way God designed me to do. Something God needed to heal within me, an area of weakness for His strength to shine through.
I wouldn't consider myself overly lovey. I am spiritually gifted with teacher qualities by nature, and if you know anything about that spiritual gift, you know that we are more facts-based than emotionally-driven. It is sometimes difficult for spiritual teachers to see other's points of view and we can come off as overly critical. Even though it comes from a good motive, our delivery may not always seem as loving.
But boy, did God ever teach me how to love this year. Not only did He fill me to the utmost with love for others, He revealed to me on an even deeper level how much He loves me. How much He loves ALL His children. It has truly been life-changing. I'd like to share some revelation I was recently given by the Holy Spirit about love.
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The entire point of everything Jesus did was LOVE. He loved us so He made a way for us to be saved and forgiven. He loved so He healed all who came to Him. He delivered those who were afflicted and opressed by the devil. He also loved and so He spoke out against sin.
Why was speaking out against sin part of the way Jesus loved?
Because sin kills. It destroys. It tarnishes. It separates us from the Father. We are God's creation, made in His image and wired for a relationship with Him. We are destined to reflect His glory, and sin gets in the way of that. It entraps us and holds us bondage.
This is why Jesus came to destroy it's power. God hates sin because it ruins His people. Because He loves us that much. Enough to sacrifice His only Son so that we could be free.
This is where many go wrong...why Christianity has been so badly represented at times.
Because people have a knowledge of Scripture with no real relationship or intimacy with the Father. Truth without grace. Knowledge without love. Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. Our faith in Jesus should always cause our love to increase because the entire point is loving God and loving others.
This is why 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) comes after 1 Corinthians 12 (the gifts) The whole point of the gifts is to adequately express the Father's love to a hurting world.
Without love we have nothing.
God is love and those who follow Him must walk in love.
So if you are reading this and you don't know the Father's love, please reach out to me. Don't go into this next year without knowing your Creator and experiencing the intimacy with Him that you were designed for. Nothing will ever compare to that relationship, and nothing will ever fill you like the love of Jesus.
Love you guys and Happy New Year to all. ❤