Love is Holy

Carletta D. Jemison

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21

Love is Holy

The Bible tells us a few remarkable things about God:

1 John 4:8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 Peter 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

From these three scriptures, we can begin to see that:

God is love. God is holy. We can say that the love of God is holy, since God is holy. We can also say that God's word is holy, since He Who is holy is the Word.

What does it mean to be holy? A person who is holy is available for the Master's use. God said:

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,…” (2 Corinthians 6:17)

Why does God want His people to be separated unto Him? He wants to use you and me! He uses us to:

Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

When God’s holy love has free course in your life, He can use the way you live, the way you respond to life’s ups and downs to provoke the hard, unbelieving hearts around you to love. He can use the way you give, so humbly and sweetly, to provoke the self-indulgent people around you to do good works. When the light of God shines in your life, your good works cause others to give God the glory.

What is a good work?

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

A good work is the will of God. As a result of God’s work in us, we do His will and what pleases Him. A good work, then, has its root in God. A good work is not something we do to look good or because of pressure someone else puts on you.

God wants to use you to bring forth good works. If ever we needed good works in the earth, it is now!

I can’t do my will and God’s will at the same time unless I submit my will to Him and learn to delight to do His will. Then we can say with the psalmist, Prophet David:

Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Job 22:26
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

Job 27:10
Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 40:8
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

When Job began to be discouraged, he said:

Job 34:9
…It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

But David shows us that training the spirit to focus on God brings peace.

Psalm 94:19
In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

God’s love helps us to follow His will rather than our own. The more we pursue our own interests and pleasures, the less satisfaction we find in those things. This same tendency spills out into our relationships. We spend so much time seeking our own will, we expect others to seek our will too! Man was not made to be worshipped. Father, teach us to love one another and worship You.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

1 Corinthians 13:5-7
[Charity d]oth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Love’s reward comes from the Father. Our attempts to find fulfillment apart from Him are empty.

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

True faith originates in our love of God rather than the intensity of our pursuit of what we want or see.

Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

We love because God first loved us. (Romans 5:8) We love because He, Who is in us, is love. The love He has planted in our hearts can never be depleted. The love we muster up to "tolerate" others is soon depleted. (Thank God!)

Love is not manipulation. Managing and handling every situation apart from the Holy Spirit is a work of the flesh and is the result of fear.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

1 John 4:18
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.

Love is not obligation. Obligation is another poor substitute for love…another work of the flesh. Love is not a compulsion (knee-jerk response). Obligation makes everything a responsibility, a duty, or a requirement. Love comes from God’s nature of giving.

John 3:16
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.

Love does not spring forth from frustration. Frustration can mean irritation or annoyance. Love is not easily provoked to irritability. (1 Corinthians 13:5) On the other hand, frustration can mean prevention, hindrance, blocking or obstruction.

1 Corinthians 13:7-8(a)
[Love b]eareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth.

Manipulation, obligation and frustration are imposters! We must know the difference. All imposters bring their victims into captivity to sin.

Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

All imposters use three means of bringing us to ruin:

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

The Unholy Trio

The lust of the flesh
The lust of the eyes
The pride of life

James 1:13-14
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

You see, love does not act inappropriately or unseemly. (1 Corinthians 13:5)

Let’s look at love again.

Love is holy.

God is love.

God is the Word.

How does love measure up in your life?

Did someone offer you lust, calling it love?

Did you “love” that outfit so much that you were willing to do anything to get it?

Is being the boss so important that you have joined forces with those who are opposed to everything you really believe?

Jesus says:

Matthew 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The love of God will flow through a meek heart. Jesus will teach us how to be available to Him moment by moment, now just when we feel like it. When we are available to Him, we will avoid the pitfalls that every imposter digs for those who refuse His love. If you are tired of the imposters' love, pray this prayer:

Yes, you can ask God to save you, and He will!

Lord Jesus, come into my life and save my soul from the power of sin. Forgive me of the sins I have committed. Wash me of every stain sin has left. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right and steadfast spirit in me. Teach me Your ways. Lead me and guide me into all truth. Thank you for saving me.

Romans 10:6-9
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

He will free you from every imposter and reveal the True Love of the Father in and through you.

Father in the Name of Jesus, I am weary with the world's kind of love. Many imposters have hurt me, and now, they taunt my memories with things You never intended for me. I call You Lord over every situation, circumstance and relationship in my life and I believe that the same way You raised Jesus Christ from the dead You will raise me up victorious over the things that have terrorized me. Thank You for the power to turn from every imposter to the True and Living God, through Jesus Christ.

Read the Book of Proverbs each day!

There are 31 chapters in the Book of Proverbs. If you read the chapter that corresponds with each day of the month, you will continually read through Proverbs. Keep a journal of the questions you have. Ask God to answer them. Note the things you learn, too.

Do you have questions or comments? Contact us at:

CarJem@gmail.com

We love hearing from you!

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25