No Love

[Pisteuo]

I'd been at work all day listening to a co-worker gripe and complain about how people act and how no one seems to want to live right. I watched as customers came in and poured out their stories of how life was falling apart for them. It was a long day. I was glad to be headed home and just clear my mind. As I was driving and praying I asked God "where are the testimonies and blessings?". I was sick and tired of hearing all the doom and gloom the world kept pushing on me. And then it hit me. Laying on my heart like it had been there all along.....if you can't see a blessing, be a blessing. So simple. How had I went this long without seeing this? That's been a few years ago and I have to be reminded of this from time to time. Not to let the doom and gloom of this world outshine the Christ in me or I'm part of the problem.

So all this reminds me of a very conservative Pentecostal church my family attended for a time. How people would go for a while and get fed up with the standards and lack of compassion they were feeling from the pulpit. I can still hear how people would describe that church after being away from it for awhile, "there just isn't any love there". Over and over through the years countless members would come and go with the same story. I felt that way myself after leaving. But I now know that as long as I was there, love should've been too. I was waiting on everyone else to do what God had called me to do myself. Maybe there wasn't a lot of love being distributed, but I could've went to share the love I had rather than going to receive and condemn others for what they didn't. I was more of the problem in a way than they were. I could change me. Are we called to give, or receive? I believe that giving is receiving. Please don't ask me to align that last bit with scripture, lol.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Are we called to give, or receive? I believe that giving is receiving. Please don't ask me to align that last bit with scripture, lol.

I agree.

We are called to give, but that is my opinion. Something small happened to me the other day in Walgreens. An impatient woman stood in front of me; she was irritated because the teenage boy ringing her items up questioned one of her coupons. He politely told the coupon didn't apply to her purchase. The woman treated him like the worst kind of servant; beneath her. At one point she snapped her fingers in front of his face and told him she had groceries in the car so he better get a move on to go get the manager. After the boy walked off, she turned to me, rolled her eyes, and in a superior tone said: I am so sorry.

God spoke to my heart in that exact moment and I simply replied to the woman: yeah, I am sorry too...I bet that boy has had a really hard day. She turned back around and didn't say another word. She expected me to side with her behavior. God calls us to be different. I learned from that moment; to not treat others bad because of my impatience. It is my problem. Not theirs.

 

[bbyrd009]

Please don't ask me to align that last bit with scripture, lol.

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured to you


google knows all lol

 

[bbyrd009]

I'd been at work all day listening to a co-worker gripe and complain about how people act and how no one seems to want to live right. I watched as customers came in and poured out their stories of how life was falling apart for them. It was a long day. I was glad to be headed home and just clear my mind. As I was driving and praying I asked God "where are the testimonies and blessings?". I was sick and tired of hearing all the doom and gloom the world kept pushing on me. And then it hit me. Laying on my heart like it had been there all along.....if you can't see a blessing, be a blessing. So simple. How had I went this long without seeing this? That's been a few years ago and I have to be reminded of this from time to time. Not to let the doom and gloom of this world outshine the Christ in me or I'm part of the problem.

So all this reminds me of a very conservative Pentecostal church my family attended for a time. How people would go for a while and get fed up with the standards and lack of compassion they were feeling from the pulpit. I can still hear how people would describe that church after being away from it for awhile, "there just isn't any love there". Over and over through the years countless members would come and go with the same story. I felt that way myself after leaving. But I now know that as long as I was there, love should've been too. I was waiting on everyone else to do what God had called me to do myself. Maybe there wasn't a lot of love being distributed, but I could've went to share the love I had rather than going to receive and condemn others for what they didn't. I was more of the problem in a way than they were. I could change me. Are we called to give, or receive? I believe that giving is receiving. Please don't ask me to align that last bit with scripture, lol.

it seems where we fall there is that we become discouraged when we see no immediate reciprocation or even worse, when we are castigated for spreading love--even though the castigation is prolly usually a sign that we are having max effect. Hard to see with the right eyes then

 

[Helen]

@Pisteuo Thank you! What a needful reminder...I am sure ( hopefully in times past)
We have all said that. I even said the other day about not attending church services because of the lack of Holy Spirit leadership.
I have indeed said :- " There is no life here, no anointing here, no vision there...no spirit lead leadership here.. " and I move on... I totally agree with your OP, well said.
But more and more I see that the people are dying spiritually for lack of vision in their local church. ( we already have a thread going about 'church programs' taking the place of genuine anointed leadership. )

I do like your reminder that if they are not friendly ( and many churches aren't) We first show ourselves friendly ...if after a few month they are still unfriendly...move on. It shows right there, a lack of leadership and teaching.
But, YOU do have the answer , BE love, BE light, BE friendly, BE the answer.
Bless you. ...H

 

[Pisteuo]

amen.
Mat 5:14　 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.　
Mat 5:15　 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.　
Mat 5:16　 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.　

So, we are called to be the light. Yet I was always searching and longing to find light. We are called to love and I was always searching for love. It's about being, not seeing. It's great to see Christ manifest in others. Even greater to have Him manifest in our own selves.

 

[Helen]

So, we are called to be the light. Yet I was always searching and longing to find light. We are called to love and I was always searching for love. It's about being, not seeing. It's great to see Christ manifest in others. Even greater to have Him manifest in our own selves.

Amen! That is powerful...and it is a revelation if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. It is as old as the creation!!

The very thing that the serpent tricked Eve with was the thought that "she had not "
She fell for it and believed that she lacked something ( the knowledge of good and evil)...how often , like you said here...we fall for the same trick, and can only see what 'is not'..including what we 'are not'...
We are , as you say, light, love, etc etc..

The Serpent also tried it on Jesus.. " IF THOU BE..the Son of God...." But Jesus did not fall for it! Yay!!

 

[pia]

amen.
Mat 5:14　 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.　
Mat 5:15　 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.　
Mat 5:16　 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.　

So, we are called to be the light. Yet I was always searching and longing to find light. We are called to love and I was always searching for love. It's about being, not seeing. It's great to see Christ manifest in others. Even greater to have Him manifest in our own selves.

Once manifested in ourselves, it becomes moments of the purest joy, seeing others receive Him !!! You are so right, it's not about TRYING, it's about believing what He says about us, RECEIVING what He says we HAVE already, and BE thankful and full of praises to Him, because we KNOW that we could have NEVER got there on our own.
Praise His Holy Name forever more and ALL He has done..................Great post, thank you ! Pia

 

[amadeus]

amen.
Mat 5:14　 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.　
Mat 5:15　 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.　
Mat 5:16　 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.　

So, we are called to be the light. Yet I was always searching and longing to find light. We are called to love and I was always searching for love. It's about being, not seeing. It's great to see Christ manifest in others. Even greater to have Him manifest in our own selves.

We are to be the Light that Jesus was, but Jesus went away. He sent to us the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, so we could the Light in His place:

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:5

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." John 17:11

[Notice that it was prior to His crucifixion that Jesus said that he was no longer in the world. This is because he had already overcome the world of his own temptations. He still had to go to the cross for our sakes, but he was already an overcomer when he was praying to his Father in John chapter 17.]

And then comes the verse you posted:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." Matt 5:14

 

[pia]

We are to be the Light that Jesus was, but Jesus went away. He sent to us the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, so we could the Light in His place:

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:5

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." John 17:11

[Notice that it was prior to His crucifixion that Jesus said that he was no longer in the world. This is because he had already overcome the world of his own temptations. He still had to go to the cross for our sakes, but he was already an overcomer when he was praying to his Father in John chapter 17.]

And then comes the verse you posted:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." Matt 5:14

Hi...Yes He had overcome the temptation in the garden of Gethsemeny ( not sure how it is spelled ) But He was yet to overcome sin and the darkness , which He did in the realm of the dead........FOR US !

 

[amadeus]

Hi...Yes He had overcome the temptation in the garden of Gethsemeny ( not sure how it is spelled ) But He was yet to overcome sin and the darkness , which He did in the realm of the dead........FOR US !

Amen! Just so! Give God the glory!

 

[FizzWizz]

I'd been at work all day listening to a co-worker gripe and complain about how people act and how no one seems to want to live right. I watched as customers came in and poured out their stories of how life was falling apart for them. It was a long day. I was glad to be headed home and just clear my mind. As I was driving and praying I asked God "where are the testimonies and blessings?". I was sick and tired of hearing all the doom and gloom the world kept pushing on me. And then it hit me. Laying on my heart like it had been there all along.....if you can't see a blessing, be a blessing. So simple. How had I went this long without seeing this? That's been a few years ago and I have to be reminded of this from time to time. Not to let the doom and gloom of this world outshine the Christ in me or I'm part of the problem.

So all this reminds me of a very conservative Pentecostal church my family attended for a time. How people would go for a while and get fed up with the standards and lack of compassion they were feeling from the pulpit. I can still hear how people would describe that church after being away from it for awhile, "there just isn't any love there". Over and over through the years countless members would come and go with the same story. I felt that way myself after leaving. But I now know that as long as I was there, love should've been too. I was waiting on everyone else to do what God had called me to do myself. Maybe there wasn't a lot of love being distributed, but I could've went to share the love I had rather than going to receive and condemn others for what they didn't. I was more of the problem in a way than they were. I could change me. Are we called to give, or receive? I believe that giving is receiving. Please don't ask me to align that last bit with scripture, lol.

You've given me much to think about.

 

[mjrhealth]

Seems to me Love is teh only tool we really Have to show people who God is.

Nice post