What sets believers in Jesus apart from unbelievers? Agape Love.
Remember this is defined as:
choosing to set aside my self-interests to serve the best interests of another no matter what it costs me and no matter how they treat me in return.
Throughout the gospels we hear this love resound.
They shall know you are Christians by your love.
All the other Greek words for love: storge, phileo and eros have to be built on the foundation of agape for them to be what God designed them to be.
Beloved, in our own strength (our flesh) we cannot love like this for the simple reason that this agape originates from the life of Jesus in us.
If we are seeking life from the horizontal: relationships, achievements, possessions, power, we will not experience or pass on this love.
We first have to set aside self and choose to submit to Jesus as our Life and Love Source.
Surrendering to His love for us is vital to functioning in the fullness of His life in us.
Ask the Lord, “Lord Jesus, what am I treasuring? Why am I treasuring this? What else do I need to know?”
As He answers those questions through His Spirit in communion with your spirit, He will show you how to tear down any idols that have been established in your life and replace them with the One who alone is worthy of your worship.
Beloved, we love because He first loves us.
Real love, the love that we are made for and crave, first comes from Him.
His expression of love is truly all that we need.
Knowing this, believing this and feeling this love is what enables us to choose to love no matter how we are treated in return.
We don’t need love from others or this world simply because we know, believe and feel the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God being poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
My prayer for us all is that we come to rest and receive His love everyday regardless of other relationships and circumstances.
Beloved, He loves you.
He really, really loves you.
Rest and receive His love.
It is more than enough for all that you need each moment of every day.
Blessings!
Robyn Henning