The Distinguishing Characteristic
Dearly beloved, God has poured out His love in our hearts by means of the holy spirit, which was given unto us. Since we are born of God’s spirit we can walk in love even as Christ loved us and gave himself for us.
None of us can be loved too much, can we? We should learn from our own heart’s longing how we should treat others. We should love others as we love ourselves.
Our Father is the God of love and He teaches us to imitate Him as His beloved children. He gave us His Word to instruct us, and the gift of holy spirit which enables us to love as He does. He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure by His spirit so that we can love with His love.
The love of God is spiritual ability manifested as we renew our minds to do our Father's will. Love energizes the power of God in our lives.
The Lord Jesus said that we are to love one another as he loved them. By this all men will know that we are his disciples. Living in the love of God as we renew our minds to His Word and manifest it to others is the characteristic that distinguishes us as the children of God.
In the body of Christ, the members have many differences. Some are mature, and some are not. Some are aged, and some are young. Some are new born babes and others may have ministries of service. Some are men, some women. Some are married, some single, some grandparents. Some are rich, some not. Some are healthy, some need to be healed. Regardless of the differences, we can all love one another to the best of our ability.
Love puts us in the other person’s shoes; it enables us to identify with them. Love does not judge; it empathizes, and is tenderly compassionate.
Love edifies, it comforts, it heals, it exhorts, it ministers to the heart and restores the soul; love is a burden bearer and it lifts people up. Love ministers to the hidden man of the heart.
Love gives; it does not use others. Love would not see a brother in need and not give to help him. Love lives as the good Samaritan. We should owe no man anything but to love one another.
Love forgives others as God forgave us in Christ. We should be kind to each other, tenderhearted. We should not hold grudges against those for whom Christ died.
Love does not accuse, it covers over a multitude of sins quietly. It does not throw them in someone’s face; love covers over sins.
Love forgives, so that Satan does not gain an advantage over us: for we are not ignorant of how he thinks. The accuser of the brethren, our adversary the devil, is the one that throws stones and holds past sins over our heads.
God does not bring up past sins, they are lost in His forgetfulness and He remembers them no more.
Love will never fail, beloved; not today, not ever. You cannot go wrong by walking in the love of God. It is the mark of maturity; the measure of the spiritual person.
Love enables you to reach anyone right where they are, whether a woman caught in the very act of adultery, or a Pharisee like Nicodemus so that they might be saved.
Dearly beloved of God, we will each stand before the judgement seat of Christ and be compensated for what we have built on Christ and done in the love of God; then we will each have praise from God.
Until then dear ones, listen to the God of love. Walk in love as Christ walked, speak in love, give in love, serve in love, minister in love, lead in love; live love.
Dearly beloved, the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation is always profitable.
Reach out to people with the love of God; those in the world have never seen anything like it.