1 Peter 4:8 KJV
Fervent Charity (or as other translations say) Fervent Love is what sets us apart from the world. The world does not know love or how to love. They know lust, not love.
fer·vent: ˈfərvənt/
adjective: having or displaying a passionate intensity."a fervent disciple of tax reform"
synonyms: impassioned, passionate, intense, vehement, ardent, sincere, fervid, heartfelt;
What are you passionate about? What has your heart? What are you enthusiastic over? Who or what are you committed to; devout in; zealous for; to what are you impassioned?
Is it love? Is it love for your wife? Is it love for your children? Is it love for your team? Is it love for your country? Does love for God even come to mind?
Everyday we say we "love" many things. Just like the Gospel, the world has watered down the meaning of love. We "love" everything: food, shoes, books, lunches with friends, gardening, sports figures, movies, and especially our pets! In fact, if you want to see someone's passion look at their Facebook posts!
Yes, we as a people love everything that is bad for us. And what we should love, we seem incapable of loving. We misplace our love and give place to - what we shouldn't - in our hearts!
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4 KJV
We are supposed to be in a relationship with God! And He, as The Lover of our soul, is jealous of where we share our love. Like a forsaken spouse, He is grieved over our loss of love for Him! We have, like in Revelation 2:4, lost our "first love" and our hearts have grown cold, and our passions have given way to "things"! If we love the world and the things of the world then we are not focused on the Spirit!
If our love of God was as it should be, then we would love like He does.
If we were seeking Him with our whole heart, we would be a reflection of Him in our world!
We would love the unlovable!
The things of this world would have no appeal to us.
We would long for eternity with Him, not for mansions and streets of gold!
We would love Him, not for what we can get from Him; what He can do for us, but because He deserves our love! He deserves our adoration! He deserves all honor and glory! He is worthy of our devotion! He is mighty; to be feared!
He is God, and we are not!
Father, my prayer today is that You show us where our love is placed; show us the error of our ways! Open our eyes to see our sin, and change our hearts to repentance! Let us love You and give us Your Love so that we may love like You do; let us be Your love here, where You have put us! May we fulfill Your work here that You would have us do! Keep us in Your love! Make us and mold us into Your image so that we can have "fervent charity” for one another! In Jesus precious name I pray!
Even so - MARANATHA!
From 10/19/14
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