Musings from Graceland

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LIVE IN MY LOVE
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Yesterday, I introduced you to Larry Bergeron, one of my fellow Swaziland trippers. Today, I'd like to feature the writings of another fellow tripper. I've introduced Christi Bowman on my blog before, but I'll give a quick reintroduction for new readers. Christi and her husband Kevin are incredibly alive and authentic people. Kevin and Christi have been involved in youth ministry through their church for many years. Their trip to Swaziland turned their lives completely upside down...in fact, it had SUCH a huge impact on them, that they are making plans to move to Swaziland and minister to orphans at Nsoko with Adventures in Missions.
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Another result of the trip is that Christi has entered into a passionate, personal relationship with God such as she has never experienced before in her life. She is learning about freedom, joy, and love in ways that she could never, ever have imagined. What God has been showing her is pretty amazing. She's been sharing her spiritual journey on her blog, Addicted Mindset. Recently, she posted about love. I just had to share it here at Graceland:
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A few verses in John 15 have grabbed my attention lately. As I grow in my relationship with the Lord, I get to know Him better...I get to know the tactics He uses on me when there is a concept He needs me to grasp. He shows it to me in the Bible, and He blows my mind with it. By that I mean I read it, and KNOW that it is saying something HUGE, but I can't quite wrap my head around it. After that moment, He keeps bringing me back to that concept, and I mull it over, and pray for a better understanding of it. I usually go back and read it several times, and it is during one of those times that I get it...so here it goes...I am going to try and get it out.

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In John 15 He says the same phrase 3 different times.

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Verse 4 says :

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Remain in me and I will remain in you...
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Verse 5 says:

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If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

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Verse 9 says:

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As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.It sounds so nice to remain in Jesus' love doesn't it, but how?

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Verse 10 answers how:

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If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done, kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.What are His commands?

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Verse 12:
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

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I was immediately pulled towards I Corinthians 13, since that chapter in the Bible is the very definition of love, and John 4:8 says:

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"God is love." Here is what I found in I Corinthians 13:

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Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.
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This is how Jesus loves us...we are familiar with this kind of love...or are we? I have been listening to a lot of sermons delivered by Pastor Andrew Wommack, and one of my favorite points is "you can't give away what you don't have." We have first got to recognize and accept that this is exactly how Jesus loves us, before we can love others. If you do not feel this loved by God, than you do not have a right view of God...and you will do damage to your spiritual life, and waste precious time...like I did. Go back up, and read I Corinthians 13 again. Write down an example, next to each definition, of how God has made that type of love available to you. If that doesn't work for you...if you don't have examples, than pray and ask Him to reveal Himself to you, and how much He loves you. He wants to reveal Himself to you more than you want Him to reveal Himself, but God won't force Himself on you. The good news is God knows you better than you know yourself, and He knows when you are ready. If He has not revealed Himself to you yet, pray for your own readiness. Tell Him you want to be ready. Trust Him.

The most powerful verses of the evening, to me, were verses 16 & 17:

"You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you."

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But remember the root command:
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Love one another.

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There is NO way, that we can love other people in this super natural way on our own. To try would be futile, and works based...it would frustrate you on the first attempt. You would burn out...and say "see God this isn't for me." I know because I have been there. I think this concept is cyclical. He takes up residence in us, so that we might live in Him...and He in us. We are a team...our body His Spirit...and He loves through us. Through this partnership we become so like Christ that we can approach the Father, and with Christ's Spirit, ask for anything in love, and God will give it to you.

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WOW...we have the potential to have the power of Almighty God at our finger tips...and as I have just recently heard Andrew Shearman say..."the first requirement is to show up, and the second requirement is to give up." God will show you what real love is, and then He will love others through you. All you have to do is show up, and continue to give up. It is through our weakness that His power is made obvious.

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http://www.christibowman.com/

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