"...we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love" (Romans 5:5).
For years I had often spoken on the subject of love - the greatest privilege and power known to man. But, as in the case of most sermons on love, something was missing.
Then many years ago, in an early hour of the morning, I was awakened from a deep sleep. I knew that God had something to say to me. I felt impressed to get up, open my Bible and kneel to read and pray.
What I discovered during the next two hours has since enriched my life and the lives of tens of thousands of others. I learned how to love. With this discovery, God gave me the command to share this wonderful truth with Christians around the world.
There are five things every person needs to know about love.
First, God loves us with an unconditional love. The love that God has for us is without measure and will continue forever.
Second, we are commanded to love. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment," (Matthew 22:37,38). We are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves and we are even to love our enemies.
Third, we cannot love in our own strength.
Fourth, we can love with God's love. It was God's love that brought us to Christ.
Fifth, we love by faith. Everything about the Christian life is based on faith. We love by faith just as we received Christ by faith, just as we are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith and just as we walk by faith.
In 1 John 5:14, 15, we read: "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (KJV).
Today's Action Point
I will make a list of everyone I do not like. Then, on the basis of God's command to love all men, I will claim the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15 and begin to love others by faith as a way of life.
