A Letter on Love

Recently my family has undergone much judgment and scrutiny for absolutely no justifiable Biblical reason. Fellow christians were upset that I wasn't meeting their expectations and so they chose judgment, gossip and punishment over mercy, acceptance, and grace.  
I talked to my dad, who has always been someone I go to for spiritual wisdom and I asked him, "Why are fellow believers acting like this? They claim to know God, so how are they acting like this? Are they not truly saved?"  And he said simply, "They may be saved, but they are not walking by the Spirit."
And a lightbulb turned on in my head. It all became clear. You can be saved because you chose to believe in Jesus at some point in your life, but if you don't walk by the Spirit then you will never love as Christ intended you to. 

We were created to LOVE.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34 (ESV) 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 (ESV)

The man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (NLT)

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (ESV)

In order to walk in the Spirit, we have to LOVE like Christ loves. In order to love like Christ loves we have to crucify our flesh, not each other! By "crucify our flesh" I mean kill our selfish desires, nail them to the cross where they belong. Galatians 5:13-26 tells us everything we need to know about living by the Spirit:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy,^ddrunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:13-26 (ESV)

We cannot walk in the Spirit if we are satisfying the flesh. Christians that are hurting others have allowed their flesh to guide them in their reactions to disappointment and hurt. 

Have you asked yourself yet if you are walking by the Spirit or by the flesh? Well this is your cue. It's time for a little self-reflection. When someone hurts you or acts in a way that is opposite to how you would, do you judge them? Do you gossip or slander their name? Do you treat them differently?

Is it time to nail your flesh to the cross and start walking by the Spirit?

Pray with me today, "Lord God I come to you today to ask for forgiveness for my behavior. God I am sorry for walking by the flesh. Please forgive me and help me to learn to walk by the Spirit, Your Spirit God. I give you my fleshly desires Lord, my fleshly reactions and I ask that you cast them as far as the east is from the west. Fill me up with Your love for others. Help me to see others, especially those who have hurt me, the same way that You see them: with love and compassion. Please grow the fruits of the Spirit in my life so that I can give them to others, and glorify Your name. I love you Lord, thank you for Your grace in my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

Let's walk in the Spirit everyday by staying in the Word and abiding in Christ. When His love is in our hearts and minds daily it will overflow to those around us. Walk in the Spirit believers!

A Pattern for Healing

Sometimes the Lord allows friendships or close relationships to fall away for reasons only He knows. If friends or family have hurt you recently then you might find comfort in these verses as I have. There is a pattern to David's torment and healing. It begins with mourning and comes out with praise and a reminder of God's promises. There is a time for everything, and as long as we come out praising God then His purposes for us will be fulfilled.

Psalm 87:8-9 (Mourning)

You have caused my companions to shun me;
    you have made me a horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
9     my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
    I spread out my hands to you.

vs 13:

But I, O Lord, cry to you;

    in the morning my prayer comes before you.

vs 18 

You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
    my companions have become darkness.

Psalm 89:1-2 (Praise)

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”

Psalm 89:3-7 (Reminder of God's promises and His faithfulness)

3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
    I have sworn to David my servant:4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
    your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
    Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
    and awesome above all who are around him?

I hope David's example can help bring healing to your heart, as it has done to mine. 

Whatever you do, don't get stuck in the mourning phase. As I like to say, "Joy comes in the mourning." First you must allow sadness, then spread out your hands and cry out to the Lord! He hears you. After the sorrow, as you begin praising His great name, remind yourself of His promises to you. Some promises are Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 11:28-29, Isaiah 40:29-31, Philippians 4:19, and the list goes on.

Mourning, Praise, Promises. This can be applied to ANY let downs or losses in life. Remember this!