The more I study God’s Word, the more I begin to realize what the whole objective of Christianity is about: love. In fact, the love of God is synonymous with His power. A man or woman who is developing and practicing love on a consistent basis cannot be contained. It is the love of God which enables us to do great exploits and to be walking representations of Jesus Christ. The more we practice walking in the character of God, the more progress we will see in our lives.
What most people define as love isn’t really love at all, but is usually selfish and emotionally-motivated. The carnal type of love involves conditions and stipulations. It says, “I love as long as it’s convenient or beneficial to me, but if the object of my affection acts ‘unlovely,’ I will withdraw my love.” Real love, on the other hand, is unconditional. It is what is defined as agapé or the God-kind of love. Godly love is self-less love that is more concerned with giving the advantage to others than it is with taking advantage. It is always looking for ways to be a blessing, and doesn’t stop loving when things get hard. It is essentially 1 Corinthians 13 in action!
Many times, we get into relationships because of what we think we can get out of the deal; however, God wants us to operate on a higher level in the way we interact with others. True love is defined by the measure of selflessness we demonstrate, and allows the fruit of the Spirit to become fully developed in our lives.
God created us in His image, and He is love (1 John 4:16). Since we have the same spiritual makeup as our heavenly Father, we have the character of love on the inside of us. Unfortunately, we also possess a mind that must be renewed on a daily basis. The key is to retrain our thinking and responses to line up with the Word of God. Believe me when I tell you this is not easy! Our flesh does not want to submit to God’s way of doing things. However, it is imperative that we do so in order to please God and manifest His power in our lives. Growing in this love has to be our number-one goal in life as Believers. When we do, everything else will fall in line.
People often wonder why it seems as if their faith isn’t producing results, or they are stagnating in life. As Christians, we should always be growing and increasing, so if progression is not taking place, there is a problem. The issue may very well be love. Faith works by love, and when we locate and correct the areas where selfishness is ruling, we will begin to see positive results, growth, and increase in our lives.
This issue of CHANGE is all about love, which is why the articles deal with such important topics as how to handle conflict, the difference between love and selfishness, and the true meaning of thanksgiving. We want you to grow in this area because it is so vital to your progress and success in the Kingdom of God.
Taffi and I are excited about what is happening in the Body of Christ as a result of God’s people developing in the love of God. We love you, and pray that His blessing continues to take you to new levels of success and promotion.
Your feedback and comments are valuable to us, and we would love to hear from you. Please e-mail us at CHANGE@worldchangers.org or send your thoughts to:
CHANGE MagazineCreflo Dollar Ministries2500 Burdett RoadCollege Park, GA 30349
Taffi and I love you and pray for you daily. Remember, Jesus is Lord, and "in all your getting, get understanding."
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