Love, what is it really?

This being a day that many of us associate with relationships and the feelings associated with them and yet many people don’t know what love really is.

Love is not sex or lust, those are associated with erotic love (lust), but that is not the emotion which would bring about a lasting relationship. One which would grow deeper with time regardless of the health of the one that you love or the amount of money that you have.

There is a movie in the theatres today that is making the erotic lust of someone into a “relationship”. It will be like burning a candle with a blow-torch, it is fun for a while but if it doesn’t grow into something far deeper and even more intimate, then it will burn out like that candle.

Many people chase after feelings like those from a sexual relationship or even the feeling that comes with getting high from drugs or adrenaline or even alcohol. These things are temporary and don’t last at all, but the love that doesn’t ask for anything in return, like the love that comes from God, that is mature love. The kind of deep love that lasts through sickness, heartache, poverty and wealth. It doesn’t matter what happens in your life, that kind of love is what we all search for and yet it is the kind that is so hard to find.

It is the kind of love that only God can bring into your life, whether it is through Jesus or by God bringing you and your “soul-mate” together. He is the only One, the only match-maker Who can answer the prayer of someone who is looking for that special someone who will be there for life, regardless of what life may bring. He is the only Person who can show you the very one who will be faithful and true to you just as He is. That is the relationship that we all are looking for, whether it is an intimate relationship with your spouse or with Jesus.

A relationship that is strong and enduring, whether it is between friends or your spouse or children, is what we crave and hunger for in our lives. Yet, even that relationship can’t take the place of the Relationship between you and Jesus. That One is more deep and connected than any that you can have if you will seek Him out when you feel that call on your life. If you haven’t felt that call yet, then I pray that you will seek Him out by going to church and open your heart to Him. Ask Him into your life and read the Bible, pray that God will give you the wisdom to understand its words and the Truth contained in it and He will.

The Love of Christ is the deepest and most enduring Love that is more than you can imagine or comprehend, yet it is available to you any time. Regardless of how your day is going, good or bad, Jesus is there to comfort and to strengthen you. He is there to heal when you feel broken by depression or injury or sickness, just call to Him. Coming to Him is easy if you believe that He will answer you. He doesn’t turn down anyone who genuinely seeks Him with an open heart asking Him to come and heal their lives.

God’s love for us, all of us, has been present since the first day of Creation. He saw down through the ages who would be needing and seeking Him. He knows you and your life, your problems and your pain and He has the answers for those too. No, I can tell you that your disease or other health problems won’t immediately go away, but He will be with you and help you through them. In some cases, He may heal you immediately so praise the Lord for it when it comes.

Time for our world is growing short, so I urge you to seek God and His grace for your life. Believe it and in Jesus’ sacrifice for you and ask Him to come into your life so that God can give you eternal life with Him. If you choose not to believe in Jesus or in anything that you may read here, eternity will come for you but it will not be pleasant.

Building a relationship

It seems that in the culture that we have today, people don’t seem to do this much anymore. Why? Living your life alone is something that is only enjoyable if you really don’t like anyone else except yourself. Yes, there are people who are just made this way and that is fine, but what about the rest of us? A relationship is a wonderful partnership between two people who love each other, in God’s eyes it should be between a man and a woman but today that definition will get you labeled as a “hater” or a Christian! Heaven forbid!

The generation of seventy years ago, ancient history for kids today, learned that you made do with what you had and you worked at the life that you had together. Something which we need to get back to as soon as possible. Life is not something which can be thrown away and a relationship isn’t either, but our culture is such that if it doesn’t work in the first few weeks or months then its time to get someone new. And if there is a child involved then the anger and frustration over the failed relationship is poured into that child’s life. Then the cycle will be repeated over again with somebody else and so on.

Why not decide, while you are young enough to do so, without a child to get in the picture, to ask God to show you who you are to be in a life-long relationship with? It is something that we seem to have forgotten, but God does want to know what our lives are like and He will help you in these important decisions if you will ask Him to.

Relationships begin with a foundation, just like a house, and that foundation should be your relationship with God. First, cultivate a relationship with Him, learn about Him by reading and studying the Bible, pray and ask for wisdom because He will give it to you through His Word. All of these things are the things which our grandparents and great-grandparents did, if they were Christians. Christianity has not caused the problems that we have today, religion has done that.

A relationship with God is not what religion is about. You can be religious about almost anything. You can even be religious about not believing in God or religion at all. But, to build a relationship with someone who you love, you have to know love and God is love. He is the foundation that all lasting relationships are built upon. My grandparents were married for sixty years and my marriage has lasted for over twenty so far. God has blessed us with this and it is all that is needed and He can bless you too.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto you.” In other words, put God first and everything else will fall into place, there may be some potholes and some rough spots along the way, but for the most part…things will be good.

Are we helping or hurting?

In the world today, there seems to be many who are hurting in one way or another. In many places all over the world people don’t have clean water or enough food. Are you able to help those in need? Are you possibly one who is in need of something? I am not writing today to beg or plead for money to be given to different causes, even though it needs to be given. I am writing to cleanse my own soul of the lack of compassion that the church in general has or seems to have for those who are hurting. Jesus told us in the gospels that “if you do these things to the least of these, you have done it unto me”. He was talking of giving to those who are sick or without food or in need of something, whether it is clothing or shelter or water, or even just a kind word and a prayer. Do we do these things today or are we the ones who are hurting and may not even realize it?

God loves us all and wants to help, but He will not push His way into your life or mine unless we humbly ask Him in, repenting of our sinful ways of living, whether we are addicted to something or maybe someone or maybe even in a relationship that is not in line with what He wants for your life! God doesn’t take control unless we surrender and give Him control each and every day. Just because you have given your life to Him and became a member of a church and got baptized, doesn’t mean that you have Him every day. You have to invite Him along with you daily, because it is your cross to bear. You have to get up and continue the relationship with Him, daily, every day! Yes, you are saved if you asked Him into your heart and really meant it by repenting of your sinful ways, but it is a conscious decision on your part to keep the relationship going every day.

It is what Jesus meant when He told the disciples to “abide in Me”, it means to cling to Him every day and make it a habit like prayer so you won’t have to think about doing it, you just will! Your life and mine depend on God’s grace for our lives and even the air that we breathe is provided by Him because it was created by Him. Many people today don’t believe that God did this, they have been deceived by the beliefs of the world and by our education system.

God loves us and has loved each of us since before the world was created. Since He lives outside of time, He can see the end from the beginning and everything in between. God knows each person in their time and how long they have to live. He also knows exactly what each person will do with their life and when, so nothing catches God off guard or by surprise. The same is true of our planet and the processes on it, nothing catches God by surprise and yet He doesn’t control our world like a clock or a toy.

The Bible is God’s advice to us for life as well as His love letters to all of humanity, not just the Jewish people. It is still relevant today because the advice given is timeless. All of the advice and directions found in God’s Word are relevant for today, even if you think that it isn’t, it is. Once you read through just the book of Proverbs, you will see that it is worth a listen and it is worthy of studying for life. Because it gives you Life everlasting.