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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : Without Love We Have Nothing

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 Without Love We Have Nothing

I just wanted to apologize to everyone I have offended on here especially Mike Balog and the moderators. Nobody deserved that. I just wanted to share what the Lord showed me through this than please forgive me for coming back on here and close my account:

Without Love We Have Nothing

1 John 4:20 If a man say , I love God and hate his brother he is a liar: for how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen love God whom he hath not seen?

From the Geneva bible commentary:"As he showed that the love of our neighbor cannot be seperate from the love wherewith God loveth us, because this last engendereth the other:so he denieth that the other kind of love wherewith we love God, can be seperate from the love of our neighbor: Whereof it followeth, that they lie impudently which say they worship God, and yet regard not their neighbor. The first taken of comparison, why we cannot hate our neighbor and love God whom he seeth not."

Just a little history of the Geneva bible:

(These notes, run to approximately 300,000 words, or one third the length of the text of the Bible itself! Written by Reformation leaders John Calvin, John Knox, Miles Coverdale, William Whittingham, Anthony Gilby, William Keithe, Thomas Sampson, Thomas Wood and several others. For nearly half a century these notes helped the people of England, Scotland, and Ireland understand the scriptures. The marginal notes were especially useful to the common people when Queen Elizabeth prohibited priests from addressing the congregations.)

http://www.reformedreader.org/gbn/abh.htm


The Lord has been showing me this is a serious issue in the church.

"..because this last engendereth the other.."

Our love for God should engender our love for one another. The scriptures say "..for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 1 John 4:20 At the same time we are not loving others we are not loving God. Loving God always engenders love towards others. If we are lacking in our love towards others we are lacking in our love towards God.

Why is it that there is no emphasis anymore on loving others? Why is it that loving others is optional? How many christians do you know that practice unconditional love? Not many. Any love that is conditional is not the kind of love that comes from God.

We cannot have personal revival, grow in our walk with the Lord or bless others if we do not have unconditional love.

The Lord is doing an awesome work in my life and it is radically changing my relationship with my family and others. I've seen what a lack of love and conditional love can do to us and that is not God's love.

There will be no revival without unconditional love.

Hate sin and love the sinner.

(You can close my account now)

~Rebecca

 2009/2/23 9:59









 Re: Without Love We Have Nothing

"Charity begins at Home"

I'm aware that sentence is not 'necessarily' in The Word, but if we combine a number of Scriptures about our home lives, we could say this is not far-stretched.
I'm imagining all Christian mothers being like Suzanna Wesley.
Just imagine how this world would have been, if all mothers gave such diligent-dedicated 'time' and interest to their children's souls and lives, for these last however many decades until present, if mothers would have only used S. Wesley as an example.
What are parents doing to spread His love through-out the world, in the short time they have to raise their children, through the 'love' that children learned from that 'time' they've spent under their saved mother's or saved father's rearing, training and example?

Far too many use a dozen excuses for why they cannot be that sort of parent - most especially the "psychological Out" but before GOD, if we can produce children and they are never an accident but are "a gift from GOD" - than all of us are without excuse.

This thought has been breaking my heart with this last generation more than anything.
I see in the churches that the parents do their "fellowship" thing but leave their children to spend most of the hours of a day to themselves or to whomever else will affect how they're "molded".

How many generations of Christian parents have had dozens of excuses for why they are not raising their children as HIS Word ---- as HE has written that children should be nurtured?

If there is anything on earth that we - as possibly the last generation need to repent of and make amends & restitution for and bring before His Throne for Light, it would be this.
GOD help all parents to see their role through HIS Eyes. Amen to His Love.

 2009/2/23 10:52









 Re:

One thing that the Lord has used in my life to peal back the layers and show me what is really there in my heart is this little book by Amy Carmichael. At times it is overwhelming to see so much need in my own life...but I know that as the Lord is faithful to show me my neediness, He is also faithful to do the good work that He has promised to do...He is just waiting for broken and humble hearts who are willing for Him to have His way.


Calvary Love by Amy Carmichael, taken from her book 'If'

If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting “Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou hast not received?” then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I find myself taking lapses for granted, “Oh, that’s what they always do,” “Oh, of course she talks like that, he acts like that,” then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not feel far more for the grieved Savior than for my worried self when troublesome things occur, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can rebuke without a pang, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If my attitude be one of fear, not faith, about one who has disappointed me; if I say, “Just what I expected” if a fall occurs, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, “You do not understand,” or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other’s highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am content to heal a hurt slightly, saying “Peace, peace,” where there is no peace; if I forget the poignant word “Let love be without dissimulation” and blunt the edge of truth, speaking not right things but smooth things, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I hold on to choices of any kind, just because they are my choice, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am soft to myself and slide comfortably into self-pity and self-sympathy; If I do not by the grace of God practice fortitude, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve round myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have “a heart at leisure from itself,” then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If, the moment I am conscious of the shadow of self crossing my threshold, I do not shut the door, and keep that door shut, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I take offense easily, if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel injured when another lays to my charge things that I know not, forgetting that my sinless Savior trod this path to the end, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel bitter toward those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the praise of others elates me and their blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I crave hungrily to be used to show the way of liberty to a soul in bondage, instead of caring only that it be delivered; if I nurse my disappointment when I fail, instead of asking that to another the word of release may be given, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not forget about such a trifle as personal success, so that it never crosses my mind, or if it does, is never given room there; if the cup of flattery tastes sweet to me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous (to myself, for myself), then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I refuse to allow one who is dear to me to suffer for the sake of Christ, if I do not see such suffering as the greatest honor that can be offered to any follower of the Crucified, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If my interest in the work of others is cool; if I think in terms of my own special work; if the burdens of others are not my burdens too, and their joys mine, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I wonder why something trying is allowed, and press for prayer that it may be removed; if I cannot be trusted with any disappointment, and cannot go on in peace under any mystery, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the foot of the Cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.

~~~

May the Lord Jesus bless you, sister Rebecca, with a heart overflowing with His love first towards He who is worthy, and secondly to those He places around you.

Your sister,
Joy

 2009/2/23 13:29









 Re:

Thanks Joy. The Lord is peeling off the layers and I feel like they are more than the hairs on my head. I don;t know how I have become so callous. This really helps. Maybe somebody can give Mike B. and the other moderators a hug for me.

I really feel like I need to take off of work and go on vacation.

 2009/2/23 15:03
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 Re:

Quote:
I just wanted to apologize to everyone I have offended on here especially Mike Balog and the moderators. Nobody deserved that. I just wanted to share what the Lord showed me through this than please forgive me for coming back on here and close my account:


Thank you for the apology, you are definitely forgiven by all here. God bless you.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2009/2/23 22:34Profile





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