LOVE

"Though I speak with the tongues of 
men and of angels, and have not 
charity, I am become as sounding 
brass, and a tinkling cymbal."   
(1Cor.13:1) (KJV)
I will like to read this chapter from the children's 
bible because of its modern grammar:
"I may speak in  different languages 
of men or even angels.  But if I do 
not have love, then I am only a 
noisy bell or a ringing cymbal.
I may have the gift of prophecy; I 
may understand all the secret things 
of God and all knowledge; and I may 
have faith so great that I can move 
mountains.  But even with all these 
things, if I do not have love, then 
I am nothing.
And I may give everything I have to 
feed the poor.  And I may even give 
my body as an offering to be burned.  
But I gain nothing by doing these 
things if I do not have love."  
(1Cor.13:1-3) (NCV).

Sometime people talk about love, but what they 
meant is "lust" in the world.  Let's see what true 
love really is.  From the bible let's see a 
manifestation of true love.  The first example 
that come to mind is the story of Jonathan the son 
of king Saul, in his love for David.  (1Sam.18).
    "And it came to pass, when he (David) had 
made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the 
soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of 
David, and Jonathan loved him as his own 
soul." (1Sam.18:1).
   Straight from that verse you must realize that 
true love is not a fleshly manifestation. It must 
be from the soul.  That is not a lust.
   "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, 
because he loved him as his own soul." 
(1Sam.18:3).   You should ask the question: why do 
they have to make a covenant?   There is a bonding 
in true love that move people to make a covenant 
like that.
   "And Jonathan stripped himself of his robe 
that was upon him, and gave it to David, and 
his garments, even to his sword, and to his 
bow, and to his girdle."  (v.4)
   The next thing we should learn is that "love 
gives!"  Jonathan gave his weapons and girdle to 
David.  That was the manifestation of this love of 
Jonathan toward David.  
   However, I must say that love has often times 
been seen to be one-sided.   From this story of 
Jonathan, it seemed Jonathan was the giver of 
love, and David was merely receiving it, or 
accepting it.  This is similar to God's love for 
us.  God gives and gives, and gives again.  We are 
asked to love him back by simply accepting his 
love.  "For God so loved the world that he gave 
his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in 
him should not perish but  have everlasting life."  
(Jn.3:16).
   Love gives of itself to whoever it loves.  This 
is the first thing we must take note of.
    Yet the description in the book of Corinthians 
said, "even if I give my money to feed the poor",  
it shows still that one can give without having 
love.  Somebody can give without having love, 
because love is of the heart, and not just the 
outward appearance.  For instance, a rich man 
recently gave millions or billion dollars to the 
united nations; was it because he so loves the 
united nations? or he so much loves mankind?  
there could be hidden agenda behind such jesture. 
   The bible said "though I give myself to be 
burned":  is it possible for someone to say "kill 
me because of this fellow", and yet still not have 
love for the fellow?  How is that possible?  
perhaps to show off!   What then is love?   
    The bible said God himself is love!  Love 
therefore is a spiritual value.  It has to be God-
given: agape love.
   Let's see the attributes of love first of all:
"Love is patient and kind. Love is 
not jealous, it does not brag, and it 
is not proud.  Love is not rude, is 
not selfish, and does not become 
angry easily.  Love does not remember 
wrongs done against it. Love is not 
happy with evil, but is happy with 
the truth.  Love patiently accepts 
all things." 
 Patiently accepts all things? that shows 
humility.
   "It always  trusts, always hopes, 
and always continues strong.  Love 
never ends."  (1Cor.13:4-8)(NCV).
   If someone says he doesn't love one fellow 
anymore, it means it was not love in the first 
place.  Because love never ends.  
    Let me now read the epistle of love written by 
Apostle John .
Beloved, let us love one another: for 
love is of God ; and every one that 
loveth is born of God, and knoweth 
God. He that loveth not knoweth not 
God; for God is love. 
In this was manifested the love of God 
toward us, because that God sent  his 
only begotten Son into the world, that 
we might live through him."(1Jn.4:7-8.
  Remember we said, love gives.  God gave his Son 
for us.
  "Herein is love, not that we loved 
God, but that he loved us, and sent 
his Son to be the propitiation for our 
sins. 
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought 
also to love one another. No man has 
seen God at anytime. If we love one 
another, God dwelleth in us, and his 
love is perfected in us."  (v10-v12)
"And we have known and believed the 
love that God hath to us.  God is 
love;and he that dwelleth in love 
dwelleth in God, and God in him." 
(v.16).
"There is no fear in love; but perfect 
love casteth out fear: because fear 
hath torment.  He that feareth is not 
made perfect in love." (v.18)
We must remember that love can be one-
sided.  The giver will be heart-broken if 
the other party rejects the love.       
  Similarly those that reject the love of 
God toward them by rejecting Jesus Christ 
are breaking God's heart. If you have 
ever loved a man or a woman, and you 
desired to befriend the person, and the 
person rejected your love, do you 
remember how it broke your heart?  
Multiply that many times in order to 
consider how God feels for those who 
reject the Son of God.

Continue ...
   "And this  commandment have we from 
him, That he who loveth God love his 
brother also."  (1Jn.4:21).
"For this is the message that ye heard 
from the beginning, that we should 
love one another.
  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked 
one, and slew his brother.  And 
wherefore slew he him? Because his own 
works were evil, and his brother's 
righteous." (1Jn.3:11-12).
"Whosoever hateth his brother is a 
murderer: and ye know that no murderer 
hath eternal life abiding in him. 
Hereby perceive we the love of God, 
because he laid down his life for us: and 
we ought to lay down our lives for the 
brethren." (1Jn.3:15-16).
   There is obedience also in love.  If 
we really love God, we've got to obey 
him.  The Lord Jesus expressed this in 
his statement:  
"But that the world may know that I 
love the Father; and as the Father gave 
me commandment, even so I do." 
(Jn.14:31).
  The Lord Jesus was showing to us in this 
statement that he laid down his life in 
obedience to the commandment of the 
Father, because he loved the Father. 
Apostle Paul wrote also about Christ that 
he "became obedient unto death, even 
the death of the cross". (Phil.2:8b). 
This is why I said there is obedience in 
love. In similar manner the Lord said to 
us: "if ye love me, keep my 
commandments".  (Jn.14:15).
   
  We should apply this to ourselves.  If I 
love God I must obey him.  If you love 
your family, be obedient to the rules of 
your family.  Work toward the good of the 
family.  

"Let nothing be done through strife 
or vain glory; but in lowliness of 
mind let each esteem other better 
than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things, 
but every man also on the things of 
others.
Let this mind be in you, which was 
also in Christ Jesus: who, being in 
the form of God, thought it not 
robbery to be equal with God: But 
made himself of no reputation, and 
took upon him the form of a servant, 
and was made in the likeness of men: 
And being found in fashion as a man, 
he humbled himself, and became 
obedient unto death, even the death 
of the cross." (Phil.2:3-8).
  Love your family.  Serve your family 
with humility.

Get divine love:

How can we get this divine love into our 
hearts?

The first thing to do is to pray for 
those whom you want to love.  Praying 
for such people will soften your heart 
toward them. If you always want to yell 
and scream at the fellow, just keep 
praying and blessing the fellow, and you 
will see that your heart will become 
kind and gentle toward the fellow.  Pray 
for the salvation of the person.  Even 
if your kids, pray for them constantly.

Secondly, the word of God gives love.  
Sharing the word of God brings love 
between the parties involved. The word 
of God brings spiritual love between 
brethren.  When Jesus came to raise up 
Lazarus, Martha met him but he asked  
for Mary.  Mary was the lady who always 
sat at the feet of Jesus listening and 
learning the word.  The word bringeth 
faith and love. And Christ is the word 
of God, and God is love.
 This divine love is very essential in 
the body of Christ.  When every 
congregation has its own doctrine and 
will not share the word of God, it is 
hard for divine love to be between 
believers.  One way or the other, God 
will have to force divine love by 
bringing persecution upon the church.  
When believers are suffering together, 
they will be forced to forget their 
differences and love one another.
If they believe that Jesus is "the only 
way", this may be the one unity that 
they have, and which may identify them 
for the persecution.  (Rev.13:7). 
   But we can still have divine love 
without waiting for persecution to force 
it upon us.  We only need to surrender 
to the precepts of the word of God.  
     I pray that the Lord will impart 
divine love into our hearts and make us 
be humble enough to surrender to the 
precepts of the word of God and obey the 
commandment of the Lord,in the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.


Bro. Julius Adewumi
Gospel Distribution Ministry
 USA.