Jul 12 2009
And They Shall Know Us By Our Love…
This morning I was reading in 1 Thessalonians 2: where Paul talks about being kindly affectioned one to another, as a nursing mother is gentle toward her child.
Now Scripture expressly says that the world shall know us by our love. But how will that happen when we can’t even love those in the church let alone those who are tough to love outside the church?
We see it everyday, where we who call ourselves believers criticize, malign and have disputes with our brothers and sisters. So where does that leave those who are on the outside looking in?
In fact, we as humans have no capacity to love supernaturally. We must let the love of God flow through us richly and put on the spirit of love, which is a choice, whether we feel like it or not. Humans, unfortunately, are selfish by nature, and whether we want to believe it or not, we as believers are no different. But if we are living in the spirit, we will have put off childish things and taken on the supernatural quality of loving others. This only happens as we lay aside our selfishness and ask God to let us love others by the power of His Holy Spirit.
This is our one chance, people. The world is looking to see if Christians are what Hollywood says we are. They see us as bigoted, which may be because we call a spade a spade regarding sin. But they also see us as critical toward each other, backbiting, being hypocrites, saying one thing and doing another, and fighting among ourselves. Is that the way we want them to see Christians? And more importantly, what does God think of this?
He abhors it, because it gives the devil opportunity to step in and mess with His body, the church. And even worse, it hinders and even ruins the reputation of Christ, making the cross of no effect. And while we’re playing games, acting like children, people are dying and going to hell. Now that thought should stop us in our tracks, because their souls will be required at our hands.
I recently heard from my friend and Christian brother, Gideon Mudenyo, from Kenya, and he said something amazing. He’s trying to preach the Word and bring the gospel of salvation to those in his country, which is war-torn, its people suffering famine and starvation, death, drought, and hopelessness, and in the middle of all that, he and his team are enduring persecution. The other day several local pastors where he had gone to preach made accusations to the local officials there, trying to prevent him from preaching there. He said they have to get permits to preach, and these men had prevented their permits from being issued. I was intrigued that, in the middle of hardship, he said he spoke quietly, respectfully and gently to those in charge, and by the grace of God, they were given their permits. And hundreds of souls were won to Christ because of the move of God’s spirit.
We in America have, as yet, no drought, no famine and no persecution, yet we can’t get along in love. Well, I believe we will be judged for these things, and what’s worse we will have wasted our opportunity to step out of our old man, and win souls.
It’s time to wake up, America. It’s time to see that Jesus is coming soon. Every prophetic preacher is saying we are the last generation before Christ’s return, but what are we doing with our one chance to be light and salt? We are fighting among ourselves and making merry when we should be getting down to our Father’s business.
Let him who has an ear hear the word of the Lord.
Because of His great love,
Nancy
