{"id":11634,"date":"2013-05-04T00:01:58","date_gmt":"2013-05-04T04:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=11634"},"modified":"2013-05-03T23:23:16","modified_gmt":"2013-05-04T03:23:16","slug":"love-one-another","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/05\/04\/love-one-another\/","title":{"rendered":"LOVE One Another"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week, I brought up a simple fact: loving God<\/i> = obedience<\/em> to Him.\u00a0 After delving into the Scriptures, we were convinced that there is no way around it: if we want to love God we must obey His commands.<\/p>\n

For this is what\u00a0LOVE for God is: to keep His commands.
\n1 John 5:3<\/strong><\/p>\n

This week, we will look at one very specific area in which our obedience (or dis<\/i>obedience) clearly shows our\u00a0LOVE for Him\u2014our\u00a0LOVE for one another.<\/p>\n

1 John 4:21<\/strong>
\nAnd we have this command from Him:
\nThe one who\u00a0LOVES God must also LOVE<\/i><\/b><\/i> his brother.<\/p>\n

God specifically communicates, just as distinctly as in 1 John 5:3, that\u00a0LOVE for Him requires obedience.\u00a0 If we LOVE God, we keep His commands\u2014we obey Him.\u00a0 His command in this area is that we must also LOVE our brother (and sister).\u00a0 And we are encouraged that \u2018yes! I CAN do this!\u2019 because we know that His commands are not too hard for us “…His commands are not a burden…” (1 John 5:3b).<\/p>\n

Jesus was preparing His disciples for His soon-coming death, resurrection and departure.\u00a0 One of the very important things that He spoke to them about was this very thing\u2014LOVE\u2014when He told them,<\/p>\n

This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples,
\nif you have\u00a0LOVE for one another.
\nJohn 13:35<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think about that for a moment, please.\u00a0 Was there ever anyone who loved more, or better, or more completely, or selflessly than our Lord?\u00a0 No…not ever.\u00a0 But, we understand from His communication with His disciples that they would be recognized as His by their LOVE for one another.\u00a0 Just amazing, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 Truly, I believe, we also are recognized as His by our LOVE\u00a0for one another.\u00a0 How blessed are we!!!<\/p>\n

We all know the \u2018LOVE\u2019 chapter of the Bible…that\u2019s right, 1 Corinthians 13.\u00a0 Contained in that\u00a0portion of the Scriptures is God\u2019s definition<\/em> of what LOVE is.<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 13:4-8<\/strong><\/p>\n

Love is patient,
\nLove is kind and<\/i> is not jealous;
\nLove does not brag and<\/i> is not arrogant,
\ndoes not act unbecomingly;
\nIt does not seek its own, is not provoked,
\ndoes not take into account a wrong suffered<\/i>,
\ndoes not rejoice in unrighteousness,
\nbut rejoices with the truth;
\nbears all things, believes all things,
\nhopes all things, endures all things.
\nLove never fails;<\/p>\n

Dear children, let us not LOVE with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
\n1 John 3:18<\/strong><\/p>\n

The actions\u00a0 <\/i>are clearly defined for us in 1 Corinthians chapter 13:<\/p>\n