Love

The Father is busy inspecting the bride! He wants her to be without sin, to be faithful, loving and obedient.
During the past week, He has led me by His grace to repent of sin in my life. He made me realize that the time has come to inspect myself again, and to remove all that does not bear fruit.
I am always surprised to see how much selfishness can be found when you are looking in the mirror! Now I am on a journey to learn again, what love is and how to practice it!
And I want you to join me, to look at yourself, so that we all will be found worthy before our Master Yeh’shua.

In the last days there will be a lot of people without love:
Matt 24:12; “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
Rom 1:29-31; “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of יהוה, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:”

1. Being part of the Bride of Yeh’shua

One thing you need to know, there are definite standards, which the bride of Yeh’shua has to meet. When we enter the big wedding feast of the Lamb, there will be guests and the bride…I desperately want to be part of the Bride…don’t you? Lets look at these standards:

Rev 12:17; “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of יהוה, and have the testimony of Yeh’shua the Messiah.”

Rev 14:12; “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of יהוה, and the faith of Yeh’shua.”

This is both out of the book of Revelation that shows who the bride will be. There are two pillars: Believe in Yeh’shua and Obedience to the commandments. First comes believe by grace, Then obedience.

By love we will be counted among his children:
Let His Word and His Spirit lead you to repentance, so that we can be without sin like our Master Yeh’shua.
John 13:35; “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’

So lets pursue love above all things!

1Cor 13:3; “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.”

Ps 141:5; “Let the righteous one smite me Or reprove me in kindness – It is oil on my head. Let my head not refuse it. ”

2. What love IS NOT: Towards our nearest:

2.1. Love does not bring up matters of the past - Proverbs 17:9: “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.”
If you had a fight with whom ever, and you forgive them…do not bring up matters from the past repeatedly! Do not hold grudges, it is the cancer of the soul, and it will destroy you.

2. 2 Love does not Hate – 1 John 4: 20-21

2.3 The biggy: Selfishness – judge every action and thought and feeling you have – and you will be surprised how quickly we become selfish! Rom 12:10; “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” If everyone can just do this, I cannot see that anyone could be unhappy.

2.4 Love is not: Rom 1:29-31; “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of יהוה, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:”

2.5 Love is not Rude: Do not be rude to one another Prov 27:14; “He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.’ But rather Prov 15:1; “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

2.6 Love is not Irritable – Prov 16:32; “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city”

2.7 Love is not Jealous – Songs of Solomon 8:6; “…for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”

2.8 Love is not Lust – 1John 2:17 – lust will first destroy your relationships, then it WILL DEVOUR YOU. Lust is the beginning of all sin!

3. What love is NOT: Towards Elohim:

3.1 We do not love the matters of this world, and things that will pass…But love Him and His word, let in be on your mind all day long.
1 John2:15; “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

3.2 Love is not Fear – 1 John 4:18

3.3 Read 1 Cor 13. – Yes Again J

3.4 Not keeping His Commandments – 1John 2:4; “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.’

4. What Love IS: Towards others:

There are two kinds of love towards others – the way we REACT and the way we ACT. I believe the two most fundamental in these categories are PATIENCE and KINDNESS.

How we REACT:
4.1 PATIENCE: Ef 4:2; “with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love;”

To be patient is to not over react, to think before you speak and to do it in love. To accept others unconditionally, to understand that others do not think and act like you.
Patience stop arguments from happening, patience stop anger before it arises. "Patience is to respond POSITIVE in a NEGATIVE situation."
Patience stops trouble while ANGER makes a problem bigger! Anger does not and has never solved anything.

4.2 How we act:
Kindness – Ef 4:32; “And be kind towards one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as Elohim also forgave you in Messiah.” (also read verses 29-31)
To be kind to the one you love is to show in actions that you love that person. “Where patience avoid a problem, Kindness creates a blessing!”
Prov 3:3-4

How does one show kindness?
- One is gentle. Even when arguing, try to be tender and not harsh. Speaking and correcting in a loving way.

- One is Helpful and serve others – if you love some one, you are helpful towards them…regarding if you like what you are helping with. Because it is not WHAT you are doing but about WHO you are helping. Help without being asked to help. Gal 5:13; “ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another”

- Willingness – you have to be willing to accommodate, to try and to be flexible.

- Initiative – Being first to act...thinking ahead. Be the first to help, smile, greet, forgive and to get of the couch. If you love, you will want to do this.

- Delight – Ecc 9:9; “Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.”
Delight in you partner!!!! Do not let work or other things steal precious time from each other. Make a list of your priorities, and see how much time you spend with each. Be honest with yourself. We believe a terrible lie – The Scriptures tells us to work for our bread – not work 10 hours a day to be a millionaire…Mankind chases success and money – THIS WAS NOT the Fathers intention. This is how it should be:

1. Nr. one priority that must consume most of your thoughts and time is: Your relationship with your Creator!!! If this goes well, He promises the rest will fall in place – even your finances!
2. Nr. Two – Your spouse – You are responsible for a very fragile relationship. Men – just as you have to supply physical food to your family, by the Word of Yeh’shua, it is your RESPONSIBILITY to supply spiritual food to your wife and to your children. It is not the responsibility of your Pastor – You have to inquire from Yeh’shua. He forbids a man to have another authority between them.
Wives – You must subject yourselves to your husband. This is what the master wants. Sarah even called Abraham her master. It is not because we are less, but because our Messiah gave an order in which things must work – other wise there comes chaos.
3. Nr. Three – Children – you are shaping a persons life. It is your responsibility to spend time with them and to teach them the ways of your Father.
4. Nr. 4 – Work. Heb 13:5. Work for your bread. There is NOTHING wrong with having success and wealth – BUT DO NOT SEEK IT – it is a blessing from Elohim. If you chase it, you will either spend little time with Elohim, and or with your family. If you walk with Him and obey Him, HE WILL PROVIDE.
Prov 30:8-9; “…Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me my portion of bread; Lest I become satisfied and deny You, And say; “Who is YHWH?” And lest I be poor and steal.”
5. Your Ministry – No this is not a job – EVERY believer has a ministry – you have to reach out and spread the Truth! Even if it is in you workplace.
6. Hobbies, sport and everything else.

- Love is Thoughtful - Ps 139; 17-18. Phone your loved one every now and then, just because you thought of them. Always keep their needs in your thoughts.
Honour – 1 Pet 3:7 – Honour each other. Specially in front of other people.

- Love is Understanding – Prov 3:13. Seek to understand one another. Know each others fears, struggles and preferences.

- Love Protects - Act in such a way that your partner/friend feels protected when they are with you. When they speak to you about a problem, they must feel better, not worse when leaving.

- Love Forgives – 2 Cor 2:10

- Love Responsible – Rom 2:1

- Love Sacrifice – 1 John 3:16

- Love Encourages and Motivate

- Love is United - John 17:11 and Gen 2:24. The Hebrew word is Echad – United/one.

- Love is Passion - 1 Cor 7:3. When you go outside the marriage, even in thought, it turns into lust.

- Love is Truth – 1 Cor 13:6

- Love is Prayer – pray for each other.

- Love Endures – 1 Cor 13:8

Love toward our marriage partner and toward our Elohim is a covenant, not a contract. Love will cover many sins. Prov 10:12. Love is good to be around. Prov 15:17. Love keeps you on the right track. Prov 16:6. Do EVERYTHING WITH LOVE. 1 Cor 16:14.
Yah’weh is LOVE – 1 John 4:7-8; “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of יהוה; and every one that loveth is born of יהוה, and knoweth יהוה. He that loveth not knoweth not יהוה; for יהוה is love.”

Lets look at ourselves so that we will start producing the fruit of Love:
Gal 5:22-26; “יהוה. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

We must walk like the Messiah, so that our lives and prayers be like a sweet fragrance unto Elohim.
Eph 5:2; “And walk in love, as the Messiah also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to יהוה for a sweet smelling savour.”

5. What is love towards the Creator:

- If we Love Him we must flee from our sin: 1 Tim 6:11; “But thou, O man of יהוה, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, reverence, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

- When we are saved by His grace, we enter into marriage – The Commandments are the Marriage contract.
Thus if you Love Him, you Will keep the Commandments:

1 John 5:2-3; “By this we know that we love the children of יהוה, when we love יהוה, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of יהוה, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
2 John 1:6; “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”
John 15:10; “If you guard My commands, you shall stay in My love…”

We should keep His commandments so that we can go and ask of him with confidence and a clean conscious. 1 John3:20-24

John 2:4; “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Rev 12:17 and Rev 14:12

The heart of the Commandments – which was instituted at the creation – is the keeping of the Sabbath. Nowhere in the Scriptures was this changed. Sunday is not ‘The day of the Lord’ – this refers to, In Scripture, as Judgment day.

The Sabbath is an everlasting sign between the Creator and us.
Ex 31:13 “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am יהוה that doth sanctify you” and verse 16.

The Sabbath is a shadow still to come! It is the prophesy of the 1000 year reign. It is the ‘ring’ of our engagement to the Messiah.

Hope you enjoyed reading this!
Shavua Tov