GREATER LOVE
Tuesday – April 7, 2020, Nisan 13, 5780
Greetings to our wonderful and beautiful friends who follow this Ministry and those who partner with us financially. Also, welcome back to this engaging and in-depth Bible Study of the Book of John. As Jesus says often in Scripture, choose to have ears to hear. Let’s not just hear this study as noise in our ears. Ask the Lord to help us hear and do the Spiritual Truths contained herein. Dear ones understanding of the Word of God will not just happen automatically, it must be done purposefully and prayerfully. The same is true for us to think like God thinks, talk like God talks, and do as God does. Yes, yes, yes, that is possible but it must be purposeful and practiced. And yes, we will stand out like a sore thumb, we will be persecuted due to envy and jealousy, but we will be like Him and make real differences in people’s lives just like Him (Jesus). If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to give us feedback and to expand the reach of this powerful Ministry. Remember that we are always receiving financial partners and have exciting projects in the works to build the Kingdom of God. I for one dear reader want to accomplish eternal things in the lives of people for the Kingdom of God. The featured picture today is of cattle, black Brangus, on our ranch in Texas. Now let’s start shifting our focus to the lesson at hand and start by reading our primary Bible text aloud.
John 15:12-15 (KJV)
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Jesus gave those disciples that day and us this day the commandment to love one another in just the same way that He loved them. Please do not conclude that it is the will of God for us to physically die for another person or be martyred (killed because of our beliefs). Just because people are killed for their beliefs don’t conclude that is the will of God. There are people in our lives we would die for like our spouse and we hear of this heroism in war and in civilian life from time to time. Jesus came expressly to die on the Cross for us and to go into Hell in our place. As a result of this, those led of the Holy Spirit have divine protection just like Jesus until He surrendered to the Cross. He is telling us that to love (agape) one another we must walk out a selfless lifestyle. We must relate to one another according to the full counsel of Scripture and observe Blood Covenant between us and God (not us and other men) every step of the way. All of this is done in faith, in love (agape – selflessly – pure motivations), and as led of the Holy Spirit. Jesus laid down His life for us spirit and body. We are to surrender our agenda, our spirit and body for the purposes of the Kingdom. Our God will in the midst of our obedience supernaturally provide for us in a superabundant way. When we treat the Father’s other children right, He will pour out His love on us. Why? Because we are doing this very commandment to love others as He loved us.
As we examine verse thirteen of our text, we find the word “life” which is the transliterated Greek word psychē according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. This is the same as our mind (will and emotions), not our physical body, or our spirit man (born again part of our spirit). We must be willing to lay our worldly plans, our natural worldly agenda aside for the agenda of Heaven as the Lord leads. By the way, the gender of this word “life” is feminine. The significance of this is that with the right, correct, seed the bearing of fruit will occur. The right seed is commonly the Word of God but also included would be obedience to the Word of God or the leadership of the Holy Spirit. So, the laying down of our life for another child of God by faith, in love, led of the Holy Spirit will bear fruit for the Kingdom.
The other aspect of this verse is the use of the word “friends”. A friend is someone of whom we are fond and it may include selfish reasons. By selfish I am not talking about deception or taking advantage of a person. I am talking about how they make us feel or the kind things they do for us or say about us. Of course, in a genuine friendship that is a two-way street. Many times, we are not only friends with the individual but we also love (agape) them. For example, a Bible marriage will have agape (love) at the top administrating or regulating the other “loves” those being our friendship (phileo), and our physical attraction (erotica from Greek erōtika). Loves and friendships other than with our spouse (or soon to be spouse) should not, must not, include sexual attraction. Recognizing that someone is handsome or beautiful is one thing, it is another to lust (desire and long for) and have sexual imaginations concerning them. As we will see when we move forward in our study that our God, our Savior, not only loves (agape) us but calls us His friend. He loves us without us loving Him but we are only friends when we are obedient to His commandments. From casual observation it may be that God has very few friends.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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