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God's love, knowing, knowledge, love, preaching, psychology, rebuke, sinner, speaking, Teresa of Ávila

GOD IS LOVE
(Source: http://www.anaheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/58860011.jpg)
It is not the loveable person that needs to be loved. It is the unlovable person, the clamoring child, the rebellious adult, the nasty friend, the raging parent, in a nutshell, it is the SINNER that needs to be healed. If we react to misbehavior by speaking mere words only, they might be able to bring across what we mean, but without love they will never touch the heart of someone who has gone wild. Well, “words” alone are based on knowledge… what we think we know or what we feel. But if our words are not tempered with grace, they can wound and kill. For it is written,
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. (Proverbs 15:18 RSVA)
Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20 RSVA)
Just yesterday I (Susanne) read about some pastors’ concern regarding the need to continually preach the gospel to the sinner. That is not wrong, so far. However, if they only preach it and are not yet able to live what they preach, can their message really be trusted? They believe if a message is or was true, it must be preached anytime. Yet preaching a message without listening to the Holy Spirit can be like reading a phonebook to your audience. If the Spirit does not make a message alive, the words are “dead”, they fall to the ground, unheard.
Praying for God’s guidance before we speak is always good, especially when dealing with those who are in rebellion. Teenagers go through rebellion as they try to get free of parental controls over them and find out for themselves who THEY are and what THEY want to do in life. On the one hand they want the security of their parents’ home, but on the other they hate the rules and value system that make it a secure place. Even adults rebel at times, for different reasons, and it is not easier to deal with them, is it? And how often we rebuke someone that is “going off” on us with our own flesh in mind, wanting to get even? But when we REACT to another person’s flesh with our flesh, we only pour more fuel on the fire. Indeed, lavishing a plethora of “wise words” on others is always more of a hindrance than a help as the following Scripture confirms.
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the mind of the wicked is of little worth. (Proverbs 10:19-20 RSVA)
And then we have Paul’s word of “choice silver” from the Lord,
And though I… understand all mysteries, and all knowledge… and have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2 KJ2000)
Words spoken, no matter how wise and filled with knowledge they are, are worth nothing without love. Or in other words,
“It is love alone that gives worth to all things.”
― Teresa of Ávila
❤ Brothers and sisters, LOVE is all we need. ❤
Ahh, sweet post. You can have the tongue of men and angels, but without love you are nothing but a clanging symbol, a resounding gong, like on the Gong Show of long ago. A few times I have wanted that gong so I can strike it and make people be quiet 😉
It’s somewhat funny, I think I have been “saved” by other Christians more times then I can count.Sometimes it can be so incredibly obnoxious and disrespectful, I am just left scratching my head. I try very hard to take those experiences and to learn from them. It is not always easy, sometimes believers are so eager to share the message, we are so busy talking we forget to listen. Sometimes we are so prideful and full of arrogance, we approach others with pity which robs people of their dignity. Sometimes we are so invested in saving people and scoring imaginary points for that, that we forget that only God can truly save someone. All these behaviors may have some good intentions behind them, but good intentions are not truly love. Love requires a bit of humility and some relinquishing of pride.
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beautiful words.
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Thanks, Ken. 🙂
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Your compliment encourages me/us, dear Gabrielle. Thank YOU! 🙂
Oh, I think we all have wanted that gong for similar reasons, big grin…
I am sorry to hear that you have had problems with obnoxious and disrespectful comments from other Christians. 😦 Well, I think that such misbehavior often comes from one’s own insecurity that is hidden behind an arrogant posture. I have had to do with such things as well and I felt hurt when being attacked that way. Although I often found some truth in their words, it was not easy to digest it. Yet when someone of who I know he or she loves me offers another perspective on the things I believe, it does not feel like criticism at all and I can easily take it.
Yes, humility is something that draws my heart automatically to the other person. Pride instead makes us cautious, even suspicious, and we tend to close our hearts in order to not get hurt again.
It is good that there is only ONE SAVIOR, not many small saviors, isn’t it? 😉
Much love ❤
Susanne
PS
Sorry for emoticon overload, once again… 😀
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Susanne, This was very well put. You nailed it completely — what is wrong with the way people present “the truth” as they see it and how damaging to the true gospel it judgmental-ism and a lack of God’s love in those preaching it. There is so much truth in these words of David…
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield its increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.” (Psalms 85:10-13 KJ2000)
Gabrielle, I am so sorry that you have been treated this way. Religious people tend to not look past the outward to see the hearts of those to whom they speak. One of the most important lessons I have learned in my 45 year walk with Christ is to pray, “Father, show me how YOU see them, show me your heart.”
God bless you two sisters! ❤
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Dear Michael,
Thanks a bunch for your very edifying words! 🙂
I do love these verses, too, my brother, because they are sooo true.
May God help us to proclaim the true gospel as He sees fit!
Every divine blessing to you ❤
Susanne
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Reblogged this on Dr. Lloyd Stebbins and commented:
This message complements my recent blog, “It’s Shocking that Sin No Longer Shocks.” Among other things, it deals with a decades-long trend toward wimpy messages from the pulpit.
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This message complements my recent blog, “It’s Shocking that Sin No Longer Shocks.” Among other things, my blog deals with a decades-long trend toward wimpy messages from the pulpit.
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Thank you very much for the reblog, Lloyd. I am glad to hear that you see our common article as complementary of your recent blog post “It’s Shocking that Sin No Longer Shocks” which can be read here: http://lloydstebbins.com/2015/07/27/its-shocking-that-sin-no-longer-shocks/
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Sheesh! You must be on the computer around the clock.
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Hahaha! 😀 You’re funny, Lloyd.
No, I am rarely on the net. But consider the time difference: It is now almost 1 pm here and when commenters from the States post on EPL I usually sleep. 😉
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“It is not the loveable person that needs to be loved. It is the unlovable person” No truer words have ever been written! This! This is the key to Jesus’ message: love your enemies, bless those who persecute you. Every unloving thought, word or deed is a CALL for Love in disguise! May we all wake up and become conscious, or realize that underneath every distorted or negative reaction is the pure, healing Love of our Father! When we experience anything unloving, we stop, drop and receive his healing Presence into the circumstance or situation; remember, refill with his Love and then respond! We can Love only because God loves us first, then we can give what we did not sow; reap the Love we did not sow, to a thirsty, hungry world!! God bless you Michael and Susanne!!
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Oh wowee!!! 😀 Thank you very much for your kindness and encouragement, dear Yvonne!
Ha! You nailed it since love your enemies, actually, is the short form of loving those groups of persons listed above. In fact, I had not thought about it until I read it in your comment. Funny! 🙂
This was so very well said, too:
“We can Love only because God loves us first, then we can give what we did not sow; reap the Love we did not sow, to a thirsty, hungry world!! “
Without His help I would be lost because I do know that I cannot love – as God loves – at all. But as soon as He begins to act through us, miracles happen.
May God bless you immensely in the days ahead, my sweet sister! ❤
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I love “wowee!!!” It sums up awe and wonder, childlike joy in the Love of our Father so well! Be blessed my awesome sister!!!!
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Thanks again, dear Yvonne. ❤
Every blessing and comfort from God for you! 🙂
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Good word! Everyone needs love; the unlovable, and frigid self-righteous!
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Thanks for the encouragement. 🙂
I saw lately that it is impossible to love the unlovable on one’s own. We truly need to be filled with His Spirit so that we share in God’s unconditional love for everyone. That does not mean we become doormats for others. Rather, we serve all of them in a way we actually hear God telling us to do. That could mean to spread His love while being treated wrongly and remain silent if we are accused falsely, yet it can also mean to refuse the wrong (evil) spirits in others and to rebuke them in love. Without God, truly, an impossible task to discern what is required in various cases.
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Im a chauffeur, and my clients keep me praying. Some confuse good service with a peon mentality. There’s a time to overlook offense, and a time to confront. Thanks for your blog!
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You’re very welcome! 🙂
I like what you said above since it is both true and catchy. You wrote,
Amen to that.
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