What’s love got to do with it?

Posted on February 12, 2010 by valerie

In the news lately, they have shown horrible scenes of teens, especially young women,
fighting and bullying one another, posted on You-Tube and other social networking sites.

Yesterday they told about a young man that was only 11 years old; who killed his father’s
pregnant girlfriend, because he didn’t like her.

I’m also troubled by the rude and insensitive way people treat and speak about one another,
especially those who are in politics.

People are filled with rage and no longer feel the need to walk in self-control.

The Bible warns that in the last days, people would be lovers of money, rude, cruel,
and insensitive.

The Apostle Paul wrote…Evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15:33

Beloved, Manners matter to God.

When a person becomes a Christian, God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit.

He alone can help us to walk in love, peace, and self-control.

We are in the world, but are not to act like the world, spouting off, blogging, or twittering the first thing that
pops into our head, or beat up people, just because they say or do something that we don’t like.

The news also reported a disturbing fact that social networking sites are causing marriages to end in
divorce. People are becoming consumed and obsessed with technology and not spending time with
their family and friends.

A friend called me frantically the other day asking me why I had not gotten back to her? She said, I
texted you what was happening in my life, but you didn’t respond.

I was not ignoring my friend, but simply do not have the time or money to have texting added to my
phone accessories.

God, my husband, family, house and ministry work are important to me. I also need to have time
for meditation, quiet, exercise, and other gifts like art and gardening, which help me relax.

Many of you are on technology overload, and stressed to the max. Beloved, people don’t
have to be able to get in touch with you 24/7.

You can turn off the phone when you’re spending time with God, in the car or grocery shopping
and the world will not fall apart without you.

I’m often amazed when people call me on the phone to ask advise or for prayer, and then have
to put me on hold to take another call.

I don’t have call waiting, call forwarding, or voice mail…and don’t want it.

How can we expect to hear God speaking, when we never sit down long enough to listen
or be quiet?

The Bible says…

And not abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;

but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13… is a spiritual

test, for a Christian to examine their hearts, to see if they

are walking in love.

Paul says, if I speak in tongues of men and angels and

do not have charity, my words are harsh, like the

sounding of cymbals.

In the dictionary, the word charity means…love and goodwill to men,

liberally giving to the poor, not judging others, and acts of kindness.

Paul said, if I have been given the gift of prophesy, understanding

of the mysteries of scripture, and have great faith to move mountains,

giving all my goods to feed the poor, or burn my body…but have not charity,

these gifts profit me nothing. They profit nothing, if our hearts aren’t right

and our motives pure.

Often times we wear masks. On the outside… to the world we look

kind and loving…but God sees the heart, and I know sometimes

mine is pretty pathetic.

Jesus is our model for charity. He suffered insults, rejection and persecution.

He taught us to love one another, as he loved us.

A person walking in love does not envy others, boast about their accomplishments, puff themselves up,

seek their own self gratification. They don’t provoke others to anger, say unkind things…

or even think evil or angry thoughts about another one of God’s children.

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,

this man’s religion is vain. James 1:26

They don’t laugh or make fun at another’s looks… or when someone fails or falls. They speak the truth, don’t gossip,

bear all things, believe the best about people, and endure all things, just because they love the LORD

Jesus and he asks us to model his example.

Prophesies may fail, knowledge may vanish away…but love will never fail. It is the key ingredient

to overcoming evil and witnessing to others about Jesus.

Paul says…When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I though as a child:

but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11

Charity is the most desirable gift a Christian can walk in, for

it covers a multitude of sins.

In the last few years we’ve seen an increase in school shootings and suicide. Many of them

were provoked by people mocking, teasing, bullying, and saying unkind things toward other people.

There are many web sites where people can post blogs and evil things about other students,

and this must break the heart of our heavenly Father.

He created all people and the differences in us all are divinely because of his design and

creation.

God is not a respecter of persons, and hates racial prejudice and unkind thoughts and words

about his children.

The other day I was deeply saddened to see that someone had used the forum on our web site

to post ads for drugs and other disturbing things.

There were dozens of them, and I pray God will lead whoever did this to repentance.

I ask you all to pray for the protection of our sites and this ministry. I also ask you to

report to us immediately anything that is offensive or not appropriate.

The Bible says…

Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be

any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned,

and received and heard, and seen in me, do, and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

Jesus walked in love and knew we as humans would sometimes

fail to…so he came to earth to live and die for our sins.

He laid down his life…so we could have eternal life.

Because of our gratitude for this precious gift, we should desire to follow

his commandments and love one another, as he loved us.

Love is not something we will always feel like doing…but

in life…we do many things, we don’t feel like.

We don’t feel like paying our bills, working, going to school

or paying taxes… but we do…

because we like eat, have shelter, clothes, and protection.

We don’t always feel like cleaning our homes… but if we don’t,

we soon live in a big mess.

The Bible tells us we reap what we sow.

Imagine what would happen if every day you went to the bank and withdrew some money, but never put in a deposit.

In a very short period of time, your account would be bankrupt and closed.

Many of you continually expect God and people to build you up and do things for you, but you

never deposit any compassion, kind words, or works of service to help others.

You wonder why you are filled with anger and a spirit of depression.

If you want others to be kind and show love to you, sow seeds of love and compassion to others.

Pass on the love of Jesus all day long and pretty soon you will see an outpouring of love and kindness

in your spiritual bank account.

Joy comes from putting Jesus and others needs above your own.

Paul said, we must die daily to our fleshly and worldly desires.

Often we “die” to the desires… and place those things in a coffin…

but forget to bury it. Satan will tempt us during the day, to feel sorry for

ourselves and encourage us to open the coffin of emotional wounds.

Soon the old scars reappear and begin to torment us, all over again.

I urge you to bury those old scars and wounds…cleansing them

in the blood of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Ask him to heal you from

the inside out.

He’s standing at the door of your heart, precious one…

Will you let him come in and help you to change those scars to stars?

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,

meekness, long-suffering; Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any:

even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:12-15

O most merciful Father,

Holy is Your name…

Thank you for leaving for us, the perfect test of love in the scriptures.

I have failed in loving my neighbor and often could not give love,

because I had not received your love myself. Instead I carried around

a coffin of guilt, shame, and unforgiveness in my body and lived

with a spirit of self pity and pain. I ask you to take those evil spirits

from my heart. Fill me with wisdom, kindness, and charity towards

all people. I need you to forgive me and thank you for your mercy

and grace each and every day. Help me to forget what happened

in the past and live my life in the present…looking forward to

the beautiful future you have waiting for me here on earth and

one day in heaven. Keep my eyes and heart focused on the example

of my loving Saviour Jesus, so my behavior and thoughts will be

holy, for He is holy. Ignite in me a spark, that will light a spark

into the hearts of others, so we may overcome evil with good,

in all nations of the earth.

We lift up prayers to you for Martha, Tammy, Bill, Tom, and all those

with wounded spirits, health concerns, and broken hearts. Father,

reach out your hands of love and touch them. Make them feel safe

and whole.

Father, we pray for the people who posted inappropriate things on

our web site. Turn their hearts to repentance. Cover this ministry,

our homes, computers, families, health, finances, government,

and nations with the blood of Jesus, and keep us safe from

evil and temptation.

We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.

We are strong, the word of God is in us, and we have overcome

the evil one, through our faith in Jesus as our Saviour.

In Jesus’ name we pray…

Amen

Have a Blessed and Wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Your sister and servant of the LORD,

Valerie Rousseau