How to Love Like God

[prisonchaplain]

So often, we hear teachings about how to love, and come away feeling burdened. How can I ever do all of that? Since God is love, we should learn how to love from him.

 

God loves us through speech, through knowledge, and through sacrifice.  First, God loved us by speaking the world into existence. Then, after the devil convinced Adam and Eve to rebel, God told them that the devil’s plan to separate humanity from God would be crushed.  Finally, at the end of time the Revelation tells us God says he will make all things new.

 

So, how can we speak love like God? We tell of his story in our lives. God rescued me as a 10-year old. I grew up near drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, and suicide. Yet, though the shoulders of life’s highway seem narrow, I remained on the straight and narrow way. Now I minister to prisoners. 

 

You may wonder what a guy who never strayed can tell prisoners. I say, “If God can protect a 10-year old kid in that environment, you’ve got no excuses. Go out and serve God!”

 

The Bible also tells us to be slow to speak and quick to listen. We Christians should be the best listeners. After all, God heard us when we cried out to him. If we will listen intentionally some will realize that God hears them too. From those, a few may return the favor, and attend to our good news of Jesus.

 

Besides speaking love, God loves through his knowledge.  The Bible says he numbers every hair on our heads. It says he knows what we will say before we say it. He knows how all will end before it begins. Amazingly, according to Jeremiah the prophet, God knew all our hearts would be deceitful. Yet, he still made us in his image.  Further, despite all he knows, he waits for us to respond to his wooing—ready to commune with us.

 

We know people will betray us. We know we may be hurt, if we are vulnerable. Yet, we love them—even the unlovely ones. We extend patience and forgiveness, just like God did for us.

 

Finally, God sacrificed for us.  His son, Jesus, came and died for us—willingly. Perhaps more amazing is that the Father sent him to do so. We were sinners, with nothing to give God. Yet he gave us his best—his all.

 

So, we sacrifice. We give ourselves over to helping people reconcile with God. We invest our time, money, families—our very lives. We build churches, rehabs, soup kitchens, and shelters. We visit the sick and the imprisoned. We love God and our neighbor.

 

God is love. His love resides as an infinite source in each of his followers. So, how do we love? We rely on his power, so we can speak, listen, and serve—in spite of knowing how people really are. Humanity’s highest meaning is to love God and one another. To know God is to know love.

 

To hear the audio podcast of this message:  http://www.anglelake.org/resources/online-sermons/?preacher=8

Edited December 1, 2015 by prisonchaplain

[letmeoff]

Love is in the tank with Bathsheba.

[Blackmarch]

On 11/30/2015 at 5:38 PM, prisonchaplain said:

So often, we hear teachings about how to love, and come away feeling burdened. How can I ever do all of that? Since God is love, we should learn how to love from him.

 

God loves us through speech, through knowledge, and through sacrifice.  First, God loved us by speaking the world into existence. Then, after the devil convinced Adam and Eve to rebel, God told them that the devil’s plan to separate humanity from God would be crushed.  Finally, at the end of time the Revelation tells us God says he will make all things new.

 

So, how can we speak love like God? We tell of his story in our lives. God rescued me as a 10-year old. I grew up near drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, and suicide. Yet, though the shoulders of life’s highway seem narrow, I remained on the straight and narrow way. Now I minister to prisoners. 

 

You may wonder what a guy who never strayed can tell prisoners. I say, “If God can protect a 10-year old kid in that environment, you’ve got no excuses. Go out and serve God!”

 

The Bible also tells us to be slow to speak and quick to listen. We Christians should be the best listeners. After all, God heard us when we cried out to him. If we will listen intentionally some will realize that God hears them too. From those, a few may return the favor, and attend to our good news of Jesus.

 

Besides speaking love, God loves through his knowledge.  The Bible says he numbers every hair on our heads. It says he knows what we will say before we say it. He knows how all will end before it begins. Amazingly, according to Jeremiah the prophet, God knew all our hearts would be deceitful. Yet, he still made us in his image.  Further, despite all he knows, he waits for us to respond to his wooing—ready to commune with us.

 

We know people will betray us. We know we may be hurt, if we are vulnerable. Yet, we love them—even the unlovely ones. We extend patience and forgiveness, just like God did for us.

 

Finally, God sacrificed for us.  His son, Jesus, came and died for us—willingly. Perhaps more amazing is that the Father sent him to do so. We were sinners, with nothing to give God. Yet he gave us his best—his all.

 

So, we sacrifice. We give ourselves over to helping people reconcile with God. We invest our time, money, families—our very lives. We build churches, rehabs, soup kitchens, and shelters. We visit the sick and the imprisoned. We love God and our neighbor.

 

God is love. His love resides as an infinite source in each of his followers. So, how do we love? We rely on his power, so we can speak, listen, and serve—in spite of knowing how people really are. Humanity’s highest meaning is to love God and one another. To know God is to know love.

 

To hear the audio podcast of this message:  http://www.anglelake.org/resources/online-sermons/?preacher=8

Amen.

Thank you for sharing.

[letmeoff]

How to love like God?

That's too simple, I'll cut your message down to 4 words.

Desire to know people

That's all love is.

Edited May 25, 2016 by letmeoff
is it too or to???

[Guest]

4 hours ago, letmeoff said:

Desire to know people

That's all love is.

Really?

What about service?
What about sacrifice?
What about edification?
What about mourning with those that mourn?  Comforting those who stand in need of comfort?
What about honoring and respecting others?

There is a lot more to love than knowing someone.  Frankly, there are a few in my life that, the more I know them, the less I tend to love them.  Not Christlike, I know.  But there it is.

Knowing people is often a first step -- I'll grant that.  Get to know them until you start seeing the good in them.  But sometimes, through service, we can express love without knowing an individual.  Disaster relief efforts, refugee assistance, etc. do not require knowing anyone in particular.  We recognize a need and we try to fulfill that need.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Guest

[LeSellers]

10 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

there are a few in my life that, the more I know them, the less I tend to love them.  Not Christlike, I know.  But there it is.

Carb, you know of whom I speak, but there is one person who has made, and continues to make, it extremely difficult to love her. I still pray for her, but my prayer is probably hypocritical, and half-hearted at best.

No, not Christ-like, but I'm really working on it.

Lehi

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

Carb, you know of whom I speak, but there is one person who has made, and continues to make, it extremely difficult to love her. I still pray for her, but my prayer is probably hypocritical, and half-hearted at best.

Yes, I do.  I have a more sympathetic attitude because I was only around for the Jekyll and never saw the Hyde up close and personal.  I get it filtered four times before I hear it.

Yes.  Sad.

[letmeoff]

19 hours ago, Carborendum said:

Really?

What about service?
What about sacrifice?
What about edification?
What about mourning with those that mourn?  Comforting those who stand in need of comfort?
What about honoring and respecting others?

There is a lot more to love than knowing someone.  Frankly, there are a few in my life that, the more I know them, the less I tend to love them.  Not Christlike, I know.  But there it is.

Knowing people is often a first step -- I'll grant that.  Get to know them until you start seeing the good in them.  But sometimes, through service, we can express love without knowing an individual.  Disaster relief efforts, refugee assistance, etc. do not require knowing anyone in particular.  We recognize a need and we try to fulfill that need.

Well you can't do any of that until you learn first.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, letmeoff said:

Well you can't do any of that until you learn first.

Let me refer back to your earlier post.

On 5/25/2016 at 2:36 AM, letmeoff said:

How to love like God?

That's too simple, I'll cut your message down to 4 words.

Desire to know people

That's all love is.

[NightSG]

On 5/25/2016 at 7:28 AM, Carborendum said:

Frankly, there are a few in my life that, the more I know them, the less I tend to love them.

IMO, the other part of the key is to not let loving people be conditional on liking them.

[anatess2]

If we're going to distill it down to 4 words... then LOVE is - bringing someone closer to Christ.  Okay, I suck.  It's 5 words.

But really... that's what love is.

You don't have to know him, like him, etc... but, the humility to work through these things so that you can bring someone closer to Christ is what love is.

[NightSG]

18 minutes ago, anatess2 said:

If we're going to distill it down to 4 words... then LOVE is - bringing someone closer to Christ.  Okay, I suck.  It's 5 words.

But really... that's what love is.

You don't have to know him, like him, etc... but, the humility to work through these things so that you can bring someone closer to Christ is what love is.

It is necessary, however, to make the distinction between "bringing them to Christ" and "sending them to meet Christ."

[Guest]

4 hours ago, NightSG said:

IMO, the other part of the key is to not let loving people be conditional on liking them.

Yeah, that's true.  But I'm just not there yet.  I'm working on it.

[letmeoff]

6 hours ago, Carborendum said:

Let me refer back to your earlier post.

Yes.  And how do you know someone or something?

[letmeoff]

6 hours ago, anatess2 said:

If we're going to distill it down to 4 words... then LOVE is - bringing someone closer to Christ.  Okay, I suck.  It's 5 words.

But really... that's what love is.

You don't have to know him, like him, etc... but, the humility to work through these things so that you can bring someone closer to Christ is what love is.

Actually I'd say the Christ was someone who taught how to have a relationship with God, and love is the desire to know God. 

[letmeoff]

6 hours ago, NightSG said:

IMO, the other part of the key is to not let loving people be conditional on liking them.

Well atleast Carborendum is open. 

I like that,  OXOX

[anatess2]

16 hours ago, letmeoff said:

Actually I'd say the Christ was someone who taught how to have a relationship with God, and love is the desire to know God. 

But then, Christ is God.

[letmeoff]

8 hours ago, anatess2 said:

But then, Christ is God.

I can't remember what Mormon theology teaches on that subject.

Ok

Jesus is one of God's spirit children, who is God of this universe, who's spirit brother was satan, who Jehovah the father of all the spirit children decided that his son Jesus should be sent to earth instead of his other son Satan, who after fell with a host of other spirit children to stop Jesus.

[anatess2]

1 hour ago, letmeoff said:

I can't remember what Mormon theology teaches on that subject.

Ok

Jesus is one of God's spirit children, who is God of this universe, who's spirit brother was satan, who Jehovah the father of all the spirit children decided that his son Jesus should be sent to earth instead of his other son Satan, who after fell with a host of other spirit children to stop Jesus.

One God.  That's the Mormon Theology on that subject.

From the Title Page of the Book of Mormon:

Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations

From the Testimony of the three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon:

And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God.

[letmeoff]

4 hours ago, anatess2 said:

One God.  That's the Mormon Theology on that subject.

From the Title Page of the Book of Mormon:

Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations

From the Testimony of the three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon:

And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God.

So kolob is not real? Satan is not Jesus spirit brother?  Jehovah is not the father of Jesus? 

what the...

They lied to me!

Oh well, time to find a new faith.

[Vort]

(e_e)

[LeSellers]

5 hours ago, letmeoff said:

So kolob is not real? Satan is not Jesus spirit brother?  Jehovah is not the father of Jesus? 

Kolob is real. Why is that a problem?

Satan is not "Jesus spirit [sic] brother". They were, at one point, but are no longer: Satan divorced himself from the family of God: he has no status in our family any more. And, again, what's the problem?

As I interpret it, "Jehovah" is the family name of God: The Father is Jehovah, the Son is Jehovah, the Holy Ghost, too, is Jehovah. And, where is the problem?

Against your nefarious implication, I counter that your version of God isn't Jesus' Father at all. I'll take a real Father over a Father-in-title-only every day.

5 hours ago, letmeoff said:

They lied to me!

Depending on who you are talking about, yes, they lied to you. The spirit of anti-Mormonism is falsehood, distortions, fabrications, and outright lies.

In my six decades of researching religion, I have never met an anti-Mormon who didn't resort to one or more of the above, typically, all of them, and more besides.

Further:
A truth that's told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent
William Blake, "Auguries of Innocence"

Lehi

[zil]

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/jehovah?lang=eng&letter=j

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/god?lang=eng&letter=g

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/christ?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/lucifer?lang=eng&letter=l

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/devil?lang=eng

Edited May 28, 2016 by zil
add last two

[letmeoff]

1 hour ago, LeSellers said:

Kolob is real. Why is that a problem?

Satan is not "Jesus spirit [sic] brother". They were, at one point, but are no longer: Satan divorced himself from the family of God: he has no status in our family any more. And, again, what's the problem?

As I interpret it, "Jehovah" is the family name of God: The Father is Jehovah, the Son is Jehovah, the Holy Ghost, too, is Jehovah. And, where is the problem?

Against your nefarious implication, I counter that your version of God isn't Jesus' Father at all. I'll take a real Father over a Father-in-title-only every day.

Depending on who you are talking about, yes, they lied to you. The spirit of anti-Mormonism is falsehood, distortions, fabrications, and outright lies.

In my six decades of researching religion, I have never met an anti-Mormon who didn't resort to one or more of the above, typically, all of them, and more besides.

Further:
A truth that's told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent
William Blake, "Auguries of Innocence"

Lehi

God got swallowed whole once I met life, who needs a God when life appears.

[LeSellers]

4 hours ago, letmeoff said:

God got swallowed whole once I met life, who needs a God when life appears.

What in the world could this possibly mean? I've read your rants before, and find them totally incomprehensible.

Lehi