February 16, 2010 Chapter 20
Dear Friends,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galations 5:22
What is love? While we only have one word for it, the bible talks about 4 different kinds of love. Eros, Phileo, Storge and Agape are the greek words.
Eros is a conditional love. Loving someone for what they can do for you.
Phileo is the love of a close friendship
Storge is the love of a family relationship
Agape is that love which seeks only the highest good of others. It is the love that Paul defines in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and Jesus uses the same word in Matthew 5:43-48
Agape has to do with the mind. It is not simply an emotion which rise unbidden in our hearts; it is a principle by which we deliberately live. Agape has supremely to do with the will- William Barclay
Agape love does not rely on whether or not you feel like it today. It is not an uncontrolled reaction of the heart but a concentrated exercise of will. It is unconditional and does not require anything in return. It is not exclusive but an all embracing love shown towards everyone.
John 13:34-35
” A new Commandment i give to you, that you love one another; as i have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In this passage Jesus tells us to love one another as He has loved us but in all honesty how much do we actively show love to those around us even when they are not very kind to us? Jesus lived by the spirit, he was the spirit and he showed the fruits of the spirit every single day and i would like to be more like Jesus. Having a love like Jesus means growing a love for everyone. This is not an easy thing to do. People say mean things. They hurt us, and sometimes it is hard to keep our focus on love. Sometimes we are so hurt that we find it difficult to love anyone, not just those who have hurt us. Other times messages get in the way of us loving ourselves, so it is hard to love others.
When we live by the spirit, live a life that is lead by the spirit, love will naturally flow into our lives.
” I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because if the word which i have spoken to you. Abide in me, and i in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me and my words in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is Glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:1-8
The Branch does not have to be constantly thinking “I must produce fruit!”, Constantly striving to produce fruit, all it does is simply do as is was designed to, abide in the vine and by doing that the branch produces fruit.
We too are designed to abide in the vine, our father. And when we do what we are designed to do we do not have to struggle or strive to produce fruit. Verse 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much Fruit”
Abide in him and you will bear the fruit of the spirit.
S.
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