If Ye Love one Another

Affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love. This is the definition Blue Letter Bible gives the highest form of love in the Bible. It has also been called selfless or sacrificial love and John 15:13 proves this to be correct. Love is an action and Jesus made His statement then backed it up by dying for the world.

I was struck by how often the the phrase 'If ye love one other' is mentioned while going through the Gospel of John


John 13:34 (KJV) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love oneanother
John 15:12 (KJV) This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
John 15:17 (KJV) These things I command you, that ye love one another.
John 13:35 (KJV) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
There are more but I focused on this last verse for a moment. If evidence for being disciples or Christians is that I love people and I fail to do that, then I can be judged as potentially not being a Christian. Scripture interprets Scripture and I know I can indeed be judged because 1 John 4:7 (KJV) says Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Many times in my life, I have given people just cause and the right to judge me. 
 There are two commandments that were violated. 

• The greatest commandment. Failure to love God
• Failure to love my neighbor

Also committed were two abominations. Literally a disgusting thing.

• Pride
• Sowing discord among the bretheren

How did I do that? I thought I was something special. In the name of being a leader (which I had no right to be since I did not know how to follow) I took and demanded control. Everywhere. I told myself I was not in the world to be liked and that God was a God of order, therefore peoples opinions didnt matter. When I arrived at the Antanta City Baptist Rescue Mission, I advertised myself as a cross between two TV show characters. House and Gordon Ramsey. Despite the fact I was penniless in a homeless shelter and one of the staff at the Mission was a 70 year old no-nonsense Vietnam war vet who had two theological degrees and was the strictest member of staff. I should have gotten put out several times. He turned out to be the most influential person there. One of his quotes was 'Who are we to  deny God the relationship He desires to have with us by sinning'. Now that's tough. That's a stomp and a half 

1 Corinthians 13:2 (KJV)

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

It's true. I am just a sinner saved by grace. I've left a trail of destruction in my life and hurt people. For that I am sorry. And one day I hope to not only tell people individually but show them I mean it. Love is not some cute cuddly thing. It's action. Action i'm sometimes not sure of but one thing I do know. The Holy Spirit will show me through His word.






  

My testimony - the video

Taken at Kings Way Baptist Church in Douglasville Georgia.

My return and my confession

Well as a few have seen, I'm back online. Some of you may think highly of me. You shouldn't. I'm nothing but a pharisee and a hypocrite and fraud. Or was. I debated theology like I knew something and I did. In my head. There was no heart in it and it was not lead by the Holy Spirit.
  I was in fact a cussing, smoking, bad tempered rebel who had only the thinnest veil of godliness. For a long time I was a terrible flirt, carrying on highly inappropriate conversations with females and was a hater. I hated on and bashed people daily. If not a liberal but someone I disagreed with or even somebody who did something I considered stupid.
  The only way I realized I was saved was God chastised me and turned my human greatness into nothing. From 2014 till now, I've lived in homeless shelters. One of them in Seattle was frequented by felons, sex offenders and drug addicts.
  Even loving God is a daily battle as my pride keeps rearing it's ugly head. That's being real. I thank God He loves me or I'd be in hell right now.