Real Love

Real Love 

by David Brenneman 

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us." 1 John 4:7-19.

The world has tried, through the spoken word, the written word, through songs, through all forms of media, through every means imaginable, to portray what mankind says that love is. Yet in everything tried, everything imaginable, it's not close to being accurate. 

Jesus said: "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15:12-13.

And: "And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" Matthew 22:37-39.

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." John 14:15.

Love is more than just some emotional thing that we try to wrap our minds around. It isn't solely tied to sexual matters either.  

We cannot know what real love is until we learn it after coming to Christ for salvation. It's because He first loved us. His example to us is what we are to share with the world.  

It's nothing that we turn on or off as a situation presents itself to us. 

When we are walking with Jesus we are to be as God directs us through His Spirit. Doesn't matter what anyone pressures us to say or to be, it's the Word of God that stands forever.  

Satan has been trying to hijack the Word of God since it was written. Trying to sway the human race to turn from God to him. He's after the very Throne of God. As it is written "It is Finished!" Jesus defeated Satan on the cross. All that's left is the rest of the Word of God to play out. It all must be fulfilled. Besides the resurrection, people yet unborn would be coming to Christ for salvation. Over the centuries regardless of how much mankind has tried to change or how much Satan's tried to interfere, the true love of God has prevailed. 

We are to become disciples as we are to teach others to become disciples of Christ Jesus. It's not just for the men of God, the Pastors who lead churches, nor just the Elders or Deacons and Deaconnesses. Yes, Biblically speaking there are only those leaders in the Church. There are no women preachers. The Bible says that women may teach women and young children. Anything else isn't from God. 

In our learning what it means to be a disciple we learn the love of God and in turn learn to show it and share it. 

It's been twisted so much by Satan that most don't see the war between what's right and what is wrong. Much harm has been done to give the world a very much misguided experience in what living life for Jesus is supposed to be about. 

We aren't to sit in judgment on others to decide who is or isn't worthy of the gospel message. We love as we are loved by God.  

We are learning how to love the right way when we stay in intimate fellowship with Jesus. Jesus said that the Spirit would teach us all things that Jesus commanded. 

There's no such thing as individual interpretation of the love of God in Christ Jesus. It is what the Spirit teaches us that it is. We are to love as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. We are to take that out into the world.  

When we stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives before Him...it will include how we loved others as He loved us. It will include how we forgave others as He first forgave us. Plainly put Jesus said that if we don't forgive from our hearts, that is to do so beyond lip service, then we won't be forgiven.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life. 

We who are in Christ will have eternity to try to wrap our minds around how truly deep the love of God in Christ Jesus is for us. 

"so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19.

Our sin nature twists what our minds try to comprehend about the things of God. We have much to learn in Christ.  

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word what a glory He sheds on His way. While we do His good will He abides with us still. Never fear only trust and obey. Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. 

Returning the love of Jesus to Jesus we learn how to love Him more and how to truly love others. 

Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Loving your neighbor as yourself.  

The first points us to Jesus.

The second points us to the world. 

Real love isn't defined by the world.

Jesus defined it by His obedience to His Father by going to the cross to save us all from our sins.  

Love God, love others. As He first loved us. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

What has Your Attention?

What has Your Attention?

by David Brenneman 

"I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Psalms 16:8.

What you focus on has your attention. If what you're mind is set on is before you then that's all you will consider. 

If it's a game, then odds are good that the proof of what has your undivided attention will manifest itself when anyone or anything interrupts you.  

If your mind isn't set then it's going to go anywhere it wants to wander to.

If your determination isn't set then anything goes. Moreover you will do this often enough and it won't bother you.

Does it bother you at all when you're not giving Jesus the attention due Him?

Does it bother you at all that your mind wanders among the worldly thoughts and desires you have, yet you don't seem to miss fellowship with your Savior?

These things should bother those who look to Jesus to be the forgiver of their sins and the leader of their lives. 

When someone drives down the road...the road should have their undivided attention. In our world today we have so many people who can't put their phones down to drive safely. They even promote roundabouts as a solution to those who can't stay focused long enough to navigate a stop sign. 

Our world is increasingly distracted from the things of God that lead to a more intimate relationship with Jesus.  

We just don't realize it or recognize it. I am as guilty as the next person. It's easy to justify wasting time calling it all manner of things such as decompressing from the day. Convincing ourselves of what we earned or deserved.  

We do not store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy when we aren't focused on the teachings of the Spirit of God.  

Daydreaming is frowned upon in schools everywhere. Not focusing on the subjects in class is frowned upon. Children are disciplined to focus and then lose that after they graduate to a world that says it's not important. 

To set your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world wasn't something that was a good suggestion a few thousand years ago and isn't applicable to today. It's part of the unchanging Word of God that is as relevant then as it is today.

If all the workouts you get Spiritually happen on a Sunday Morning then you will never learn to run with Jesus. You won't ever learn the discipline necessary to keep pace with Jesus.  

Those who train for the Olympics have to have an inordinate amount of focus to pursue their dreams. 

What we train for in Christ is much more than the Olympics.  

What have you allowed to take your focus off of your walk with Jesus?

We can use all the right words to fool people and ourselves to sound all Christiany. But we cannot fool Jesus.  

Remember that...Jesus will return to give to each man and woman according to his or her deeds.  

EVERYTHING will be looked through. Every thought and intention. Everything seen and unseen. Everything that took our lives left instead of right, right instead of left.  

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:34.

What you truly value is your treasure. If it's not Jesus then it most assuredly is something else. 

To be truthful, for a long time now I struggled with not having a dream to shoot for. It's taken a lot of work on this often stubborn soul to get me to realize that there's nothing in this world worth shooting for. It's been a waste of my time, energy and effort to pursue worldly desires for success and notoriety. I instead listened to the Spirit and turned to taking that time to get my head and heart deeper into the Word of God. 

You cannot learn to focus on your walk with Jesus if you aren't putting in the effort to achieve it.

You cannot blame God for your life not going the way you want when you are the real problem...not whether or not you were obeying God. The Scriptures say that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He didn't change...we did. 

We choose what gets our attention. We choose what gets us. 

We choose to fully follow Jesus or we choose the couch.  

We choose to accept His will for us or we pursue our own will.

Either what He did to save us means everything to us or it doesn't. 

It meant everything to the Disciples turned Apostles and it revolutionized the world. They taught new disciples to do as they were taught.  

What of you? What gets your undivided attention? What have you willingly put in place of Jesus in your life? You wonder why your prayers aren't being answered...it has everything to do with obeying God before its a considered prayer. You wonder why your stress level is so high...why this peace of God is missing from your life. It's rooted in obedience to God's Word.  

We know not how long we have on this Earth. We do know that we should always give of our best to Jesus. Not our seconds or thirds. The Bible says our first fruits.  

So what if a game is on...if Jesus says that He wants to talk to you would you do it with an undivided attention?

So what if the world around you is in chaos...Jesus still wants your attention.  

When Peter stepped out onto the chaotic water to be with Jesus he was fine because his focus was on Jesus. When he turned his focus and attention to the churning waters he began to sink.

There you go. 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus...look full in His wonderful face...and the things of earth will grow strangely dim...in the light of His glory and grace. 

You can change your direction today. Refocus on what's important to Jesus for you today. Start working out with Jesus so that you can run with Him. Keep pace with Him. 

It's going to cost you. But it's worth it. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.