“THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE” 

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of god, NEITHER he that loveth NOT his brother.  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.   And wherefore slew he him?  Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.   Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.  He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.  Whosoever hateth his brother is a MURDERER: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:  and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, HOW DWELLETH THE LOVE OF GOD IN HIM?  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.  And hereby we know that we are OF the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.”  (1^st John 3:10-19)

“A new commandment I give unto you, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YE ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, IF ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

From Our Lord’s mouth He has given “The Commandment to Love” one another.  Not a “pleading suggestion”, or a “bright idea” of some sort, but an actual COMMAND.  When one makes a “suggestion” it is done so for the purpose that those who hear, may take it into consideration and possibly act upon it.  However, when one gives a command it is an ORDER and usually given by one in an AUTHORITIVE position and to reject the command would lead to serious consequences.   Just as an official gives command to his troops when strategizing in a war, if the troops disobeyed the commands and chose to do it “their” way, they may lose the battle and many may suffer loss of life.  For they cannot go forward in a disorderly manner, guessing along the way but MUST surrender to the commands of leadership in order to be victorious in the battle.  In like manner, there are serious consequences and loss when one REFUSES to surrender to the Leadership of the Lord and adhere to HIS commandments. 

The Word of God clearly tells us that everyone who loves is born of God and KNOWS God, and in like manner, those who do not love, do NOT know God for God IS love.  (1^st John 4:7-8)  The scriptures also tell us: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his  brother, HE IS A LIAR: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, HOW can he love God whom he hath not seen?  And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”  (1^st John 4:20-21)  Now this is a very bold and thought provoking statement if one choose to truly hear it, for the word is CLEAR.  There is no hidden message or need of misinterpretation in this passage of scripture it is CLEAR that if you hate your brother, and “claim” to love God, according to scripture you are a liar.  The reason why it is IMPOSSIBLE to love God and hate your brother is that your brother is created in the IMAGE of God, thus to despise your brother is to despise the image of God in which he was created, that being “Spiritual”.  And yet, there are countless “professing” believers who “proclaim” to have a great love for God our Father, and from the same heart that supposedly carries this love, OUT OF IT comes hate for his brother or sister.  This is foolishness, for love and hate cannot reside within one heart but must be one or the other.   Neither can one who has bitterness and unforgiveness in his heart TRULY and SINCERELY love his brother, for these emotions bring upon hate.  Thus, if one would say “I love you” but cannot forgive, such a one has NOT the Love of God in his heart.  For the Love God expects us to have towards one another, is the SAME love that he has towards US and this love is unconditional.  For the Lord would not say: “I love you, but cannot forgive you”, as he freely forgives those who would confess their sins before him and REPENT.  Are we above The Lord that we cannot forgive?  Neither would the Lord forgive one moment, and bring the matter up to you again the next moment, UNLIKE MAN!  Once the sins are forgiven and the sinner repents, the sins are then blotted out, never to be addressed again.   But man makes habit of reminding one of the hurt caused to him, even after saying he forgives.  Is this love?  PRAISE THE LORD his Love is unlike man’s for if HE were to remind ME constantly of all the pain I’VE ever caused HIM, the reminders would NEVER END and the guilt and shame would remain!  Therefore, if anyone has anger, bitterness, resentment and such in his heart towards another, REPENT and seek forgiveness of The Lord.  For YOUR bitterness and anger does nothing to the one you are bitter and angry with, it only condemns YOU and hinders YOUR blessing, and YOUR  walk with The Lord.  Your prayers will not be answered as long as there remain ONE OUNCE of hate in your heart towards your brother, neither will your own sins be forgiven by God for He declares in his word that if you forgive not, neither will he forgive you.  But if we have the Love of God abiding in us, we would freely love one another as HE loves and freely forgive one another as HE forgives.

The kind of love our Lord delights in is not that of speech ONLY.  For anyone can mouth the words “I love you”, but have no sense of love in his heart .  True love is demonstrated through our actions.  If your brother is hungry and you have the means, for God’s sake FEED HIM.  You have nothing to lose and SO MUCH to gain by doing so!  If your sister is hurting and in need of a friend, GIVE of yourself and your time and go and minister to her need.  How much effort does this take?  Daily, the children of God are being tested BY GOD, in their level of compassion and so many fail miserably because too much of self remains, and not enough of The Love of God.  We are a family, thus we ought to care for one another as Christ cares for we, The Church.  Let us lift one another up, befriending one another being reminded always that we are parts and members of ONE body, thus no part shall be rejected and mistreated by another part.  This has NO place in the Body of Christ.  Refrain from speaking unkindly about and towards one another, and steer CLEAR of those who have taken the position of stirring up discord among the brethren.  Do not join in groups of those who are idle utilizing their time in gossip and speaking all manner of evil towards other members.  Shut your spiritual ears and DO NOT participate in such behavior, for there is more gossip and foolishness within the church than there is in the world, and such who stirs it up will have to give account to The Lord.  We should not be as the world, but should through our Spiritual Walk demonstrate to the world the pure LOVE of God our Father, whose Spirit resides in the heart of the True believer.

Imitate the Lord’s ways and you will do well.  Heed to “The Commandment to Love”, and DAILY walk in this Love making it visible for ALL to see that by this, ALL will know we are HIS!  LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS CHRIST HAS LOVED AND CONTINUES TO LOVE US!  The most simple thing to do (in my opinion) is to LOVE.  It takes less effort to love, but SO MUCH ENERGY TO HATE! 

Beloved….PLEASE….LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, NOT JUST IN WORD BUT IN DEED,!  I cannot begin to tell you just how much this pleases our Lord, when we FOLLOW His commandment to LOVE!

 I Love you all so very much.  Have a blessed week in the Lord and remember:  Whatever we do, do ALL for the GLORY of GOD, who ALONE is worthy of the GLORY and the PRAISE!

The Lord be with you this day and always!  Shalom Uvracha (Peace and Blessings)……..

Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh,
Adonai Elohim Tzeva-ot
Asher Hayah Va-ho-veh VaY’vo

Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come!

May the peace of the Lord be with you today and always……

Khandielese
Daughter & Servant
   of the Lord God