Category Archives: Love

Authentic, Bible, Commands, Deception, Disciples, Following, Love, Scripture, Trustworthy, Truth

AUTHENTICITY

GALATIANS 6:11

“See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!”

Call me a little crazy, but the first thing I thought of when I read this verse was the story of “Little Red Riding Hood.” You know, when Little Red Riding Hood remarked at what large ears, eyes, hands and mouth the wolf had. They looked very different than her grandmother’s, so Little Red Riding Hood noticed. Some things are just obvious.

Paul wanted to make sure the Galatians knew he had written this letter and not someone else. Scholars vary on why Paul wrote these words. Some say it was because he had bad eyesight, so he had to write large. Others say it was because he had difficulty writing the Greek letters. Still others say he was referring to the length of the letter. For whatever reason, this marked this letter as being authentic.

APPLICATION

I have a signed poster from Herschel Walker, the great running back of the 80’s at the University of Georgia. Someone told me I should get it authenticated. There are people out there who do that. We have someone in our lives, as believers, who authenticates us. In John 15:8, Jesus tells us if we are producing fruit we will be proven disciples. “‘My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.’” The Greek word translated as “prove to be” means to come into existence. We are authenticated as we come into existence, as we prove to be His disciples.

We are also authenticated by our love. In 1 John 4:8 we are told, “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” How many people do you know who say they love God but hate people. They hold grudges against people. They refuse to forgive people. God’s Word says clearly that our love for others is a sure sign of being His. It authenticates us.

Keeping God’s commandments also shows the world we are authentic believers. Also in 1 John, we find this in chapter 3 and verse 24, “The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” So, the question is “Are you authentic?” Are you who you say you are?

Father, I want all who see me see me as an authentic follower of Christ.

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Bible, Compassion, Encouragement, Family, God's Will, Goodness, Kingdom, Love, Scripture

HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH 

GALATIANS 6:10 

“So then, while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” 

As a man, I am supposed to take care of my household. The Bible tells us that to not do that makes us worse than an unbeliever. But so many men neglect their families in so many ways. Oh, they may provide for them financially and physically, but they neglect the spiritual health of the wife and children.  

I believe Paul includes that in his encouragement to the Galatians in today’s verse. He says to do good to all people, “and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” You see, Paul goes beyond just the man’s household. He includes the household of the faith. We should especially do good to our fellow believers. We are in the same family – God’s family.  

APPLICATION 

Let me speak to the men right now. Men, you have a responsibility to care for your family. You also have a responsibility to aid those in your church or fellowship who have a need. Is there a widow who needs her yard mowed? Is there a single mom who needs some men to do some home repairs? I can’t help but think about James 1:27. “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” 

In Ephesians 2:19, Paul says we believers are all part of God’s household. That word has the idea of an intimate relationship. If that is true, why wouldn’t we watch out for each other? Why wouldn’t we come to the aid of a brother or sister? Why wouldn’t we give to them freely and without expectation of repayment? 

Now, wait a minute, Carl. You’re getting a little carried away. Really. Let me challenge you to look around and do as the Lord leads you. Ask your pastor if there is a family in the church who has a need. Volunteer to help. He will be so excited to put you to work serving those who have needs. We can do this now. Don’t wait! 

Father, show me who You want me to invest in. I know there are many. 

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Bible, Blessing, Goodness, Gospel, Humility, Kindness, Love, Scripture, Service

JUST DO GOOD 

GALATIANS 6:9 

“Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.” 

I enjoy doing good. Don’t you? I mean, I really enjoy watching the reaction of people when I get the chance to do something good. Maybe it’s an unexpected, extra tip to a waitress. It could be secretly paying someone’s utility bill when you know they are struggling. We should never tire of doing those things when we have the opportunity. 

Why does Paul bring this up in today’s verse? He has just finished talking about reaping and sowing, flesh and spirit. He needs to remind the Galatians that doing good is admirable and is definitely Spirit driven, not flesh driven. He also knows that doing good, especially towards the unbelievers in their midst, could open doors for evangelism and the spread of the Gospel. 

APPLICATION 

Paul says over in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” In other words, don’t quit. Don’t give in. God’s work is never done. There is plenty to do. 

Paul even tells us there is a promise if we don’t give up. We will “reap, if we don’t grow weary.” Over in Colossians 3:23-24, Paul says, “23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” 

What work are you doing right now? What good? Don’t stop. You may never hear a thank you from the person you are helping. It’s not about them. It’s all about being obedient to the Lord when He tells you to do something. That’s where you will receive the reward from one day. Don’t grow weary. 

Father God, give me the strength to serve others as You direct. 

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Bearing, Bible, Burdens, Caregiver, Compassion, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Love, Modeling, Scripture

BEAR OTHER’S BURDENS

GALATIANS 6:2

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

I don’t know about you, but I have enough burdens of my own without bearing someone else’s burdens. Am I right? Well unfortunately, we don’t get off that easy. The Bible tells us to step up and help others when we see a need. Now, wait a minute, Carl. I don’t have the time or the energy to do that. I understand, but let’s look at what Paul says about this.

“Bear one another’s burdens.” That’s what the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say to the Galatians (and to us). But what does that mean? The Greek word translated as “bear” is bastazo which means literally to lift up or to carry. This verb is a command in the Present Tense, which means it is not a one time thing. You should do this constantly. Why? Because by doing this, you will be doing exactly what Jesus would have done. That’s what the rest of the verse means, “fulfill the law of Christ.”

APPLICATION

Do you have a particular weakness which you need help with? I remember when I went through my last stem cell transplant how I needed my wife’s help. I was so physically weak at times that I required a walker or cane to walk without falling. She watched me so closely every time I stood to walk. She was right there by my side to lend a hand if needed. I could not have gotten through that time without her.

In the same way, we see our brothers and sisters in Christ who need help. It is our responsibility to come to their aid. Maybe it’s a husband who is struggling in their marriage. Step up! Perhaps it’s the single mom who needs help picking up a child from daycare. Step up! It could be a believer who is fighting the temptation of porn. Step up! We are called to help carry these loads for our fellow believers.

Just as Jesus carried you in His arms when you were weary, we can do the same for others. Obviously, there were those in Galatia who needed help. Paul wanted them to help each other, to lift and carry each other when necessary. The blessing we receive far outweighs any effort we put in. Be there for someone.

O Lord, You have done so much for me. Help me be there for others.

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Bible, God's Will, Love, Mercy, Restoration, Scripture, Sin, Stains

RESTORE

GALATIANS 6:1

“Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.”

My dad taught me how to restore furniture. It wasn’t a quick, easy or clean process. It required elbow grease, hard work and usually lots of sandpaper, cleaners and rags. And after time and energy is spent over days, weeks or even months, you would have a beautifully restored piece, something worthy of displaying.

Let me use that analogy today to describe the word translated as “restore” in today’s verse. Paul is describing how the mature believers should respond to a fellow believer who has been caught in sin. The Greek word used here is katartizo, which means to be “exactly fit to be in good working order.” Paul is saying that the Galatians need to help those individuals become useful servants again. The body needs all its parts to function correctly. The church cannot afford to lose these precious saints because of their slip into temptation.

APPLICATION

Okay, I want you to list all your slipups right now. Just kidding. I would not want to list mine anywhere. I would probably need two legal size notepads to list all mine. But as Albert Barnes says, “Christians do not commit sin deliberately, and as a part of the plan of life; but they may be surprised by sudden temptation, or urged on by impetuous or headstrong passion, as David and Peter were.” Those are the ones Paul is saying we should restore.

Like in my analogy of furniture restoration, restoring a brother or sister from their slipups can be messy. Sin stains. James says in James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” We know the effects of the world on us. If we allow it, it will pull us down and leave its mark.

Instead of burying our wounded in the church, let’s bandage them up and help them gain their spiritual strength. Let’s help them wash away the filth that sin has left on them. When we do that, we not only strengthen them, but we strengthen the body of Christ as well. One warning – as you do this, be careful to guard yourself of being stained by their sins. Be guarded against the devil’s schemes to pull you into the cesspool with them.

Father, help me be that person to lift up the fallen among us and restore them to serving You.

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Abundance, Bible, Blessing, Faithfulness, Fruit, Goodness, Holy Spirit, Joy, Love, Patience, Peace, Scripture

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, PART 1

GALATIANS 5:22

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

When I was a Children’s Pastor, one of the favorite music videos of the kids was one of Uncle Charlie’s entitled “Fruit of the Spirit.” It was fun and interactive for the kids. But it also taught them about the fruit of the Spirit which we will see in today’s and tomorrow’s blogs. Those fruit that are listed are not of us. They come from the Spirit. Let’s take a look at some.

Paul lists seven of the nine fruit of the Spirit in today’s verse. Many scholars argue about Paul’s lists throughout his letters. Many of them say that the first thing he lists kind of characterizes the rest of the things in the list. That may be true here, because none of these are possible without “love,” which is the first thing listed. MacLauren says this, “‘The fruit of the Spirit,’ says Paul, not the fruits, as we might more naturally have expected, and as the phrase is most often quoted; all this rich variety of graces, of conduct and character, is thought of as one. The individual members are not isolated graces, but all connected, springing from one root and constituting an organic whole.”

APPLICATION

How do you show joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness if you do not have love, specifically the love of Christ? Paul says over in Romans 8:9, “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” It is because of that indwelling Spirit that you have love for Him and others. As a result, the fruit is produced.

You may have heard people say, “Well, we can’t judge but we can sure be fruit inspectors.” That’s a dangerous view and one I have been guilty of. Of course, we expect a believer to be a fruit producer if they are walking with Christ. But sometimes life gets hard, and we experience a crop failure. There isn’t any fruit.

Then what do you do? You return to the One who gave you that love to begin with. Remember the words of Paul over in Ephesians 1:13-14, “13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” You’ve been sealed. That love is sealed in. Therefore, let that Spirit of Christ produce in you what He wants to produce.

Father, I want to yield a bumper crop of fruit for You.

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Bible, Blessing, Love, Neighbors, Obedience, Scripture

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

GALATIANS 5:14

“For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”

We are told throughout Scripture to love our neighbors. I have been fortunate to have neighbors who were easy to love. There have been a couple who were harder to love than others, but I still loved them. I have heard horror stories about neighbors, though. Some neighbors don’t want to be loved and resent the fact that you would even say that. Let’s take a look at this commandment and see what the Lord meant by this.

In today’s verse, Paul quotes from Leviticus 19:18, “You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.” The ten commandments are divided into two parts – commands regarding our relationship to God (#’s 1-4) and commands regarding our relationship to others (#’s 5-10). Being a former Pharisee, Paul was well acquainted with the law. But now he sees the merits of the law in a whole new light. Before, without Christ, he saw the impossibility of this command to love your neighbor. But in Christ, all things are possible.

APPLICATION

Paul expanded his thoughts on this subject in Romans 13:8-10. “8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law. 9 For this, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.”

And we can’t forget the words of our Savior in Matthew 19:19. “‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’” And over in Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus explains to the Pharisee, “37 And He said to him, ‘“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.” 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.’”

So, between Paul’s words and the words of Christ, we should have no questions about if we should love our neighbors. Love them because Jesus loves them. Love them because they need the love of Christ in their lives. Love them because through loving them, you will be blessed. Love someone today.

O Lord, loving isn’t easy, but through You it is possible.

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Bible, Commands, Love, Relationships, Scripture, Testimony

THROUGH LOVE

GALATIANS 5:6

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.”

I’ve been married now for over 38 years. I have to admit that I haven’t always been the best husband. I could have done things better. I could have spoken kindlier. But through Christ’s power, I have improved. I do things for my wife because I love her, not to gain her love. I want to serve her because of my deep love for her. I think that is the biggest lesson I have learned these past 38 years.

Paul makes this statement in today’s verse – “faith working through love.” Albert Barnes described this in this way, “The true faith is that which is seen in benevolence, in love to God, in love to all who bear the Christian name; in a readiness to do good to all mankind. This shows that the heart is affected by the faith that is held; and this is the nature and design of all genuine religion.” I like that. And then we have this observation – “Faith makes a man seek to do the will of Christ; love tells him what that will is.” (Elliott’s Commentary for English Readers)

I believe this is exactly what Paul was telling the Galatians.

APPLICATION

Love – they say it’s what makes the world go round. But what kind of love. It’s definitely not worldly love. The only true love is the love of Christ. Look at 1 John 3:23. “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.” Loving each other is not a suggestion. It is a commandment. We have to love one another.

Jesus told us this in John 13:34-35, “34 ‘I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.’” How can you argue against that?

What is sad is so many believers don’t love each other. It’s no wonder the world looks at us and writes us off. If we, as believers, cannot love each other, how in the world can we love the lost in this world and lead them to Jesus? Today, seek out someone who needs your love and show them. You will be blessed.

Father, help me love those around me today with Your love.

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Bible, Compassion, Family, Giving, God's Will, Love, Sacrifice, Scripture

WHATEVER THE COST

GALATIANS 4:15

“Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.”

There are some people you would do anything for, right? I would literally lay down my life for my family. I would not hesitate. My family is that important to me. The question arises then – What would I be willing to do for a total stranger or even a friend? To be honest, I would probably think long and hard about my sacrifice for them. But what would Christ do? We know what He did – He died for them.

Paul, in today’s verse, is thanking the Galatians for their willingness to sacrifice for him. The expression “torn out your eyes” has been interpreted literally and figuratively. Some think this refers to an eye malady Paul suffered with since his conversion on the Damascus road (remember the scales that fell from his eyes after being struck blind). Others think Paul was just saying they would have given anything for him. Whatever is true, we know they were willing to give anything for Paul.

APPLICATION

We are told by Jesus Himself in John 15:13, “‘Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.’” Do you think Jesus meant for us to literally lay down our lives or to sacrifice for others? Personally, I believe the latter. We have to count our lives as nothing and be willing to give no matter the cost. That’s what He did and expects us to do.

Paul discusses this topic briefly in Romans 5:7-8. “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He admits that is hard for us to sacrifice for others, but God held nothing back.

During this Holy Week, reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus. His sacrifice for us was planned from the creation of the world – whatever the cost. God knew what it would take, and He gave it. We all probably know John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” He gave! Therefore, we should give. We should be willing to sacrifice. Be like the Galatians in this regard. Sacrifice today for someone in the name of Jesus.

O Lord, I lay down my life today for my fellow believers.

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Battles, Belief, Bible, Caregiver, Compassion, Eternity, Fear, God's Will, Love, Relationships, Scripture

FEAR FOR OTHERS

GALATIANS 4:11

“I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”

Oh, how I can relate to this verse today. I know people who do not know Christ. They have not placed their faith in Him as Savior. I know without Christ that their eternal destiny is doomed. I fear for them. I know some believers who are not living for Jesus. There is no fruit in their lives. I fear for them that they are missing out on such blessings. I pray they all will surrender fully to the Lord Jesus.

Paul’s words here state the same fear for the Galatians. He had just scolded them for returning to the former things in their lives. Now, he says he fears for them. He is fearful that there are no basic principles in their lives. Has he wasted all his time with them? The word “labored” means he really worked hard. He gave his all to teach them.

APPLICATION

I have felt that way in my ministry from time to time. There have been days when I felt like all I was doing had no eternal impact on people’s lives. They didn’t seem to “get it.” When I see men, in whom I have invested months and months of time, turn back to their former manner of living, it grieves me deeply. We are warned against that. Proverbs 26:11 reads, “Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so is a fool who repeats his foolishness.”

How do we, as believers, deal with this fear for others? Simply put, we trust in Christ. We trust in the almighty hand of God. We pray. We continue to reach out and try to influence both our lost friends and family and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:16, “‘Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’” We can all do that.

Today, let your walk with Christ be so bright that others ask you how you do it. Point them to the Word that is their guide. Point them to prayer which is your communication piece with God. Show them how, when you fail (and we all do) how you get back up in the strength of the Lord. Make an impact today. Don’t give up.

There are those in my circle for whom I fear, Lord. Help me direct them to You and Your love.

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