THE single most imperative relationship one can hope to obtain, to enjoy, and to honour, indeed...
JOHN 15: 14-5...
14+++“You are My friends if you do what I command you.
15+++“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
They are to show their love to him by keeping his commandments. If the same power that first shed abroad the love of Christ's in our hearts, did not keep us in that love, we should not long abide in it. Christ's love to us should direct us to love each other. He speaks as about to give many things in charge, yet names this only; it includes many duties.
The character of "friends", is applied to the disciples of Christ; and belongs, not only to his apostles, but to all that love him, believe in him, and obey him; to whom he has showed himself friendly, by laying down his life for them: for this clearly shows, that Christ had respect in the former words, to his own laying down his life for his people, in consequence of his great love to them; whereby he has made them friends, and who appear to be so by their cheerful obedience to him: if ye do whatsoever I command you; not that their doing of the commandments of Christ interested them in his favour; or made them his friends; or was the reason and motive of his laying down his life for them, and showing himself in such a friendly manner to them: but the sense is, that by observing his commands from a principle of love, they would make it appear that they were his friends, being influenced by his grace, and constrained by a sense of his love in dying for them, to act such a part.
Throughout THE BIBLE there have been those who had a peculiarly intimate relationship with *GOD*, which was born of their SELFLESSNESS, and LOVE FOR HIM, which led to their UPRIGHT existence, and TOTAL reliance on HIM, as in FAITH, they TRUSTED HIS Friendship! These people did NOT question HIM, doubt HIM, or test HIM; instead they ALLOWED HIS Friendship to spill over for them AS they also, contributed TO the relationship in ways pleasing unto HIM! While we are not able to give THE LORD *GOD* much, we ARE able to give HIM what most pleases HIM, which comes by way of upfront allegiance TO HIM, to HIS WILL, which is SHOWN in what we think, say, or do, VOID of hesitation, pause, or interruption! Just as HE gives perpetually, so do HIS Friends, in the best of their abilities, and capacities...
The entirety of CREATION was brought into existence via LOVE, and LOVE CONTINUES ETERNALLY, for *GOD* IS LOVE! LOVE IS THE ORIGIN, THE FOUNDATION, THE BUILDING UP, FULL OF THE POSITIVE PRODUCTIVITY of ALL, and EVERYTHING within it! Thus, Friendship with THE LORD begins with LOVE, and is PROACTIVELY developed in that LOVE! LOVE SEES it's own BEING, and DOING what PROMOTES it, and what ENSURES it, VOID of waning; instead it increases, and becomes one with all who receive it, and step into it!!!
People have always claimed to LOVE THE LORD, and yet, they existed/exist in infidelity TO HIM, and HIS LOVE through self-inclination, affection for the world, and worldly things OVER HIM, through ignoring HIS WILL, and on it goes! TRUE LOVE IS NOT UNFAITHFUL, for LOVE IS COMPASSIONATELY CONSCIOUS, and exists in WHOLESOME CONSCIENTIOUSNESS FOR the GOOD of all involved! Genuine Friends make mistakes, yes, but not intentionally, and work to correct what is amiss, and to improve their relationship all the while!!!
And so, we LEARN FROM HIM, and HIS PERFECT EXAMPLE, or model, TO LOVE as IS inbred within us, which IS NOT EASY, for the kind of LOVE(S) we have been taught in this world ARE fickle, selfish, fleeting, and thus, prove to be unworthy of HIM WHOSE LOVE IS TRUER, and KINDER than we deserve!!!
We KNOW, and SHOULD acknowledge that we DO have relationship problems in our human condition; it IS OBVIOUS all across the board! We have dysfunction IN relationships, from Familial, to Marriage, all the way through to associations with others! ONLY FROM THE LORD CAN we HOPE to LEARN the TRUTH, BEAUTY, and EMPOWERMENT OF A LOVING, and HONESTLY SINCERE relationship!!!
HE NEVER relents in HIS efforts to bring us closer to HIM, UNLESS we refuse HIM, refute HIS WILL, and otherwise ignore HIM! We TOO, OUGHT to GIVE TO HIM, what most pleases HIM, which is NOT too much to ask for, though it IS far different than what we are accustomed to, as it requires that we, LIKE HIM, stand in LOVE, GRACE, and MERCY, which DOESN'T come easy to us, as we struggle in shedding the ways of the world which see us acting in ways against HIM, and HIS WILL!!!
IF we TRULY LOVE HIM, we will CONTRIBUTE TO our Friendship/relationship with HIM in a multitude of aligned ways, AS we PRAY TO HIM FOR the help we NEED to make it OVER the obstacles, hindrances, and lack of understanding we face through this time! We WILL TURN TO HIM for ALL we NEED, and we WILL TRUST HIM to LEAD us through, and past what aspires to cause us to trip, stumble, and fall, AND we WILL PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIM, and REJOICE ALL the while, as we HONOUR HIS Friendship WITH the best we have within!!!
CHRIST JESUS lay down HIS life for us, dying a horrible, and humiliating death nailed to a cross for us, and so, we are taught to take up our cross IN LOVE, as we BELIEVE that we are NOT of this world, but OF HIM, AND to LAY DOWN our fleshy being FOR the spirit, which MEANS we are DEAD to the world, but ALIVE IN HIM: BY this, we KNOW we ARE HIS Friends! You see? We LAY DOWN our carnal self FOR HIM, OUT OF LOVE, and IN TRUE RELATIONSHIP TO HIS WILL, which IS that we HAVE LIFE ETERNAL, abundant and everlasting! PRAISE HIM, and WORSHIP HIS HOLINESS, REJOICING in THANKS, and appreciation! AMEN, HALLELUJAH!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2016
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
Never forget, FAITH IS ALSO FAITHFULNESS...
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