"The Love Of God Is Not Optional"

John 13:34-35: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another." 

I believe as we draw closer to the return of Jesus Christ and before we are raptured into the future for eternity, God is bringing us into a deeper relationship not only with Himself, but also with other people in the body of Christ. In many churches, we come together for a service and then we leave, with no contact with each other until we come again for another service. This isn’t what the Lord is talking about in the above scripture. The Lord is interested in us developing relationships of loving, caring, intimacy. We must learn to pull together, work together and love one another deeply. You can't keep going through people like a commodity. We give honor and respect by the way we care for each other. Not to mention the fact, this is how we will convince the world that we are valid. 

The said scripture reveals to us that we are to love others as Jesus Himself loves us. For many in the body, I think you will agree this is not an easy commandment. As the Lord has been dealing with me, He has said that it is time to humble myself and to become vulnerable in all areas of my life. Believe me, this was without a doubt the hardest area of my life that I had to face. I want to, but how? I need to, but how? I know I will, but when? 

I tried and I tried, yet I always came across as if I really didn't care for people. This wasn't the truth but that is what came out of me. I really needed a deep overhaul in this area and I couldn't do it, I needed help, and for me to ask for help was something I didn't like to admit. There was only one place for me to go and that was to the Lord. He has placed me in a situation where I either allow God to have His way in my life or I can resist and dry up. Soooooo, with a lot of prayer on my part and with the help from my wife, and with the help of God, I came to an understanding. Love will last and outlast everything and everyone else, also it was a commandment from the Lord to love people as He loves them. This means all people, everywhere, all the time. 

My friend, Love isn't just a feeling, for that kind is only "Phileo", meaning to be a friend to. The love that Jesus is talking about is "Agapao", which means the very nature of the love of God. This kind of love is a choice, now I choose to love all people, because of the love that Jesus Christ has for me. I also choose to let be expressed from my life this love. It will become a part of my new nature. 

God is looking for this kind of love to be in His body when He returns for us. His last commandment was, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself". But who is our neighbor? This is the question that so many Christians don't know how to answer. 

Everyone that we come in contact with outside the church building as well as in the church building are our neighbors and everyone deserves to know the truth about Jesus. Those of us who know the Lord need also to radiate that love until it's given away. I'm determined to give it all out, I'm coming your way and excited to see the Lord do a great work in us all. Jesus is coming soon, so let's go for everything He has for us.