2 Words in 1

 

Love one another as I have loved you!

We were taught by God, to love one another. I must say, I am often truly amazed, at things that were right there before us; we passed it over. The apostle here, was writing to the church at Thessalonica. I’m still shaken by what it actually says here. “For ye are taught by God to love one another.”

I looked this up in another translation; it only added that we are ‘personally’ taught by Him. Paul wrote to these saints and ministers, that no one needed to tell them about brotherly love; they were already expressing it.

I am open enough to say that some of us, may not have known how to love other people; we may have had no example to follow; no role models. I do love the Spirit. Some have missed a lot, not recognizing what a wonderful teacher He is. Did the scriptures not say, that He would lead us and guide us? And yes, into all truth (John 16:13).

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” John 16:13.

Notice the words “all truth.” Not part of the truth, not just what someone else wants us to know; not just what some other human teaches us. What some of us have missed, is that if you truly seek to follow the Spirit, He’s going to show you the truth; for almost everything.

One of the first things the Spirit is likely to show someone, is that, not all people who claim it, truly love one another, as this teaches. You’ll learn, perhaps to your dismay, that many, only love their own kind, their own sort of group; or worse of all, only love themselves. You see, that’s the truth also; a truth many would rather not talk about. And you may find, that not every person on the platform, or stage as it appears so often today, is genuine and truly loves God’s people. Not only that, they don’t even love God, as they proclaim. And they don’t want to see His people free either.

Some ministers do not love their families; true love is not expressed in their homes. But all and all, there is no excuse for any of this. God teaches His people, how to love one another. See, I’m aging somewhat. I so very well remember that old song, “Give me that old time religion.” Because, there is a verse that says, “it makes me love everybody.” We’ve often accepted that there are those who lived in terrible sin, were misused by those they had trusted, been burned, one too many times. God, could take that very person, erase their slate clean, and teach them how to love others, in the right way. He could heal so much, and teach them to love, one more time.

All of this self stuff; this my way or the highway falsehood; this idea that we should always be following man to the letter; or love only those we are told we can love; it’s not the truth. It never was. God first put it into men’s very hearts, to love others. If we are truly made in His image, loving others should come natural; for God is love. And once we receive the Holy Ghost, we are taught even more about how to love each other. The first fruit we manifest when we truly receive that experience, is love.

That’s why, no matter how hurt, battered or disappointed we may have been, we can truly forgive, and go right on loving people anyway. God, taught us how to do it.

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When they shall say, Peace and Safety

Perhaps it never set well with us, or we never truly understood, that the Lord would return, like a thief in the night. I think it is likely the word “thief” that made us uncomfortable. It’s like, He would be coming at a time, that would deliberately catch some folk, unaware. We know that our Lord, is not a thief, and that He may not come during the night. We do know, that when He does, every knee shall bow.

I heard my Mother talk about this scripture, years ago, when I was just a boy. The teaching of the day, was that He was coming back soon. Perhaps if we had studied more for ourselves, we would understand more of the Word.

I don’t know how this doctrine of the church not going through any real tribulation, ever took hold in our ranks. I hate to say it this way, but I think this was some of those “false teachers” Paul said would creep into the church. One thing is true, it lulled many into slumber; until He comes.

We were instructed numerous times, to stay alert and always be watching for the Lord’s return. For, no matter when that was, we would not be caught unprepared. The story of the ten virgins and the coming of the bridegroom, made this very clear. I must admit, that we certainly don’t see much peace and safety today; it’s like there has never been more turmoil than we have now. Something tells me, that this might be speaking of those like the rich man, who tore down his barns, and built bigger ones. And said, “Soul, take thine ease.” They think their money, their wealth and power, protects them.

One writer said, “then in a moment, unforeseen destruction, ruin and death, will come upon them suddenly.” They will not escape. It is really incredible to me, that many are not truly choosing to follow the leading of the Spirit today. Rather than going deeper into the ways of the Spirit, they seem to be specializing more in man’s teaching and man’s words. One thing is certain, the more we do this, the more unprepared we are going to be, when the Lord does come back. Then we, are the ones with no oil.

For truth, the only safe place, is in the Rock of Ages. It would never occur to many, that the sudden destruction we see written here, may very well come before the Lord chooses to return. Our smug, self-centered kind of confidence, allows the enemy to slip up and slip in, without true detection. It was a tragic mistake, not to want but one or two of the ministries Paul said God had put into the church. No warning, no correction, no reproof or any other admonition God’s people might need to hear. Men’s way of rule here, is going to crumble. And quite likely, it is going to happen suddenly.

 

~ Robert Blackburn

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Robert Blackburn