John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE ONE ANOTHER; as I have loved you, that YE ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.
John 15:12,17 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another WITH BROTHERLY LOVE; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, BUT BY LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE;
1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and ABOUND IN LOVE ONE TOWARD ANOTHER, AND TOWARD ALL MEN, even as we do toward you:
1 Thessalonians 4:9 But AS TOUCHING BROTHERLY LOVE ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves ARE TAUGHT OF GOD TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto UNFEIGNED LOVE OF THE BRETHREN, see that ye LOVE ONE ANOTHER with a PURE HEART fervently:
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, LOVE AS BRETHREN, be pitiful, be courteous:
1 John 3:11,23 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and LOVE ONE ANOTHER, as he gave us commandment.
1 John 4:7,11-12 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we LOVE ONE ANOTHER, God dwelleth in us, and HIS LOVE IS PERFECTED IN US.
2 John 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
My apologies for length but I am full as I write this. My eyes have seen examples of these verses. My ears have heard testimonies of love. My soul has felt the love of others this day and has imparted to others the love I have for them.
As we started with Sunday School this morning the song leader called on a gentleman to pray with the words: "Brother John, if you feel like it would you lead us in prayer". The reason for the words is that Brother John has cancer in advanced stages. It is in his brain, lungs, bones and various other places. John is very weak and could well have stayed at home. Brother John struggled out of his pew and fell on his knees and poured out his heart to God. What did John pray for? Through much tears he prayed for a lady (Diane) in the Church who also has cancer and has a swelling coming up in her side. He prayed that the Lord would touch and heal her and he prayed for faith to stand whatever was before him. His main petition was for someone else. Love unfeigned for a sister in Christ unselfishly shown before the Church.
All through the teaching of God's word the power of that prayer, prayed through the Spirit, was with us. As the time of preaching approached and we entered into the song service our hearts were touched by the power of the songs of praise and worship. As some in the Church were singing a special, there came the two with cancer down toward the front of the Church. Down on their knees before the altar they prayed one for another as their husband and wife joined them in prayer. Soon the Church gathered around them and we all fell to praying for them. Tears stain the altar and floor around the front of the Church. Tears of love and sadness. Tears of caring one for another, of sharing pain and burdens. Ah, dear people to experience such love. Love that flows from God and then to each other. Pure love and not put on or puffed up in any way.
One young man in the quartet that sang said he had another song on his heart. As he started singing his voice broke and he struggled to sing with such overwhelming emotion that the rest joined in on his part to help. From the corner of my eye I noticed a couple headed for the altar, then another and then some more. Here was a young man with another young man going with him, arm around his shoulder in support. All came with one desire and that was to pour out their hearts to a loving wonderful Saviour who cares for their burdens and has promised to take them.
Among that group was the sheriff of our county. Another was a 6 or 7 year old girl with her mother. Folks, seldom have I seen such an example of love for God and God's love for us expressed in such love one for another.
At the end of the service our sheriff told of his love for Jesus. He told of the persecution he was suffering because he arrested some prominent men in the community for illegal gambling. He asked for our prayers to help sustain him through these difficult times. He told of a hope when he would be out of a job because there would be no crime, no drugs, no need for guns with which to subdue the bad guy and protect others. He proceeded to tell of the great burden he had for the youth. As he started relating stories of drugs and alcohol and the destroyed lives of young and old he scarcely could contain himself. Through that flood of tears he showed us his love for even those on the wrong side of the law.
The little girl told of Jesus saving her this week. She had come home from school and had asked her mom for a "big Bible" as she thought she was old enough to do away with her children's Bible. Later in the evening as she was taking a shower she called to her mother. Her mother went to see what she wanted and she said; "Mom, Jesus just talked to me". She wanted to know how she knew it was Jesus and that He was talking to her? She said ""He told me it was time to get saved and I was the only one here so He had to be talking to me." The mother told her: "Let me go get your Dad and we will all pray together". When her mother came back with her Dad she was on the floor on her knees already praying. She did not wait for mom or dad. When she got up from praying her mother said she had the most beautiful smile on her face. She said "Jesus saved me".
Folks, I have had a time today and I am still full. Listen: I love the Lord and He has placed within me a love for others. I have seen things today that I wish the world could see. I have felt things that I wish the world could feel. It was not bells and trumpets. It was not the lame walking nor the blind made to see. It was not all the things that so many think has to be manifested for proof of God.
Folks it was simply God manifest through love one for another.
I know this has been lengthy but I had to share it.
Love you all,
Hillbilly
Author's Note :
(I originally posted this probably 3 years ago and since that time the two mentioned with cancer, John and Diane, have gone on to be with the Lord. The account however is timeless. I hope it moves you as it did me then and continues to move me as I reflect on what I witnessed in one Church Service)
Poetry Corner
Heaven On Earth
Sin broke the human heart
So God sent His Son to do His part
To pick up all the broken pieces
And bind us with His Love
But not before He, too, was broken
Beaten down and then brought low
Where hell and death delivered
Its mighty, mighty blow
With the Name of Heaven ~ a banner across His brow
Our warrior King slew our enemy below
With this deed done and victory won
Father called from hell His Son
From thorny crown to one bejeweled
Befitting of His Deity
He sits again at Father's Right Hand
In righteous, holy dignity
From His mouth, the River of Life, His Word in Spirit flows
He enters the dark and desperate heart
To wash away the dirt and grit
That which sin has wrought
With health and healing in its wake
And light upon His Wing
Our Savior mends the human heart
With His great Love ~ the perfect bond of unity
Each heart now healed from above
Shall join the rushing River's flow
To sacrifice for one another
There is no greater Love
By Jody Goode 3/26/07
Click here to read more of Jody's writings at Faithwriters.com
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