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live loud as Jesus' LOVE DOES


John 3:16  NASB
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

That verse, for the Christian, has been the epitome of love since the beginning.  What that verse says about love says it all.  Love is more than that as well.  Furthermore, love is a concept or word that few people in today’s world understand fully.  We may say we got it, but we don’t.  We may even think we have it down pat, but we have missed the proverbial boat.

Love has been twisted, perverted and all together thrown out so that we can get our needs met, find pleasure or achieve what is our definition of success.  Love seems to be something like the wind that is strong and then gone totally.  Love seems to be something that is extremely passionate, whether turned toward a person or thing, and the passion dies down and runs out.

That is not the love that God demonstrated for us.  Beginning in the Garden of Eden God demonstrated His love to Adam and Eve by desiring a relationship with them that was cut off by sin, and in turn God covered their sin and continued the relationship.  His love is seen from the beginning of the Bible in Genesis and all the way through the end of Revelation, but love finds it’s axis point, it’s finest example, in the person of Jesus.

It is Jesus that has shown us by action and word what love does.  He said this about love, quoting the Old Testament:

Luke 10:27  NASB
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

We are to love God with more than words.  We are to love others like God loves us.  Again, love doesn’t find it’s root or definition in ourselves.  It is from God.

1 John 4:19  NASB
We love, because He first loved us.

What is evident is the fact that love is not only a word but an action.  Paul tells us something of love that helps me a lot.

Romans 13:8  NASB
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Debt is a big deal.  How much do you have?  We have lots, and debt ties us down.  First we are indebted to God.  Sin puts us in debt.  Then to others and on…

Take time to make the life you live demonstrate the love that God gave you, promises to you and me.  LOVE DOES.  Love is not just a place or situation or concept.  Love takes the next step and does for others before it does for itself.


NOTE: this past Sunday I began a series at The Community titled LOVE DOES which is launched from Bob Goff's book by the same name.
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