A beautiful day to everyone, I hope we have plans in place to make this new year a fruitful one...
Today's message is on love.
The word is mostly used according to the first definition given in the dictionary: “an intense feeling of deep affection.”
Text: Genesis 29:20
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they
seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to
her.
Jacob met Rachel; he helped her and then introduced himself to her as her father's brother. The connection was established and he stayed with the family for a whole month. Laban, Rachel's father sought to reward Jacob and so asked him what his wages would be. Jacob loved Rachel; so he asked to serve him seven years for Rachel his younger daughter. So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days (vs.20). Jacob endured hard service because of his love for Rachel. Love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it (Songs of Solomon 8:6-7).
God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love (Roman 5:5). He has given us a spirit of power, lover and self-control (2Timothy1:7). The spirit of love to God will carry us through every opposition we may meet in life. Nothing is worth separating us from the love of God (Roman 8:35,39). The spirit of love to God will set us above the fear of man and all the hurt he can do to us (Hebrew 13:6). David a man alter God's heart said: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).
Our love for God will breed confidence and it will attract good things toward us (1 Corinthians 2:9). Love to God and man will urge us to serve effectively. True Christian love energized by the Holy Spirit will enable us to sacrifice for others and not be afraid.