Echoes From the Campfire

Seems like I always calm down and forget the grief of a weary world when you’re around.”
                    –Ernest Haycox  (Whispering Range)

 
       “[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
                    –1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (NASB)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NLT)

       Hiding the truth–that is not love.  Compromising the truth–that is not love.  Hatred, worry, and despair–that is not love.  It seems almost contradictory that a way in which we survive in this evil world is to love.  
       Many years ago, I was walking down the hallway in the school where I was teaching.  There was a parent coming my direction and he blurted out in passing, “Love you brother.”  After he went on by I stopped and turned to look at him shaking my head.  It was a cliche coming from him, for I had never been shown any love from him in the past.  It was something that was supposed to be said.  A similar situation is when a guest speaker gets up in front of an audience and cries out, “I love you all.”  Nonsense!  Yet, we are to love, especially those of the faith.  How can you love if you do not know a person?

                    “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
                                   –1 John 4:7-8 (NASB)

       To know about love it is vital to look at 1 Corinthians 13.  Love is not puffed up; not easily provoked, does not think evil; not to rejoice in evil about others.  Love gives us hope.  We are to have patience, be in sympathy, and understand the feelings, situations, and problems of others.  Love is not easy.  In fact, we cannot have true “agape” love without the Holy Spirit living in us.
       God’s nature is love–you cannot think of God without love.  Love is of God, love is from God, love flows from God.  This love is not natural love.  Only when this love is flowing through you can you say to a believer you have never met–love you brother.  It has to come from the Holy Spirit.  Know this, that loving one another is evidence of our new birth.  We cannot love as God loves without being born again.
       A key to love/loving is knowing God.  To love we must know God and if we do not love do we really know God?

                    “God is love, and therefore, the more I know God, the more will I know that God is love, and the more I will know about love.”
                                   –D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

As we grow in grace; as the Holy Spirit works on and in our lives we come to know God better.  We are not as much concerned about the things we know about Him, but our interest is to know God Himself.  Matthew writes, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (5:48, NASB)  Perfection??!!  How can we become perfect?  Do not be afraid of that word.  I have told many students over the years who sought perfection that they can’t be perfect, but they can be excellent.  This perfection Matthew writes about is to reach a goal; to be complete, mature.  The more the Holy Spirit works within us the more we become like Christ, therefore, the more complete we become.  The more we can walk through this pagan and foolish world with the love of Christ in us.
       When we realize that the Holy Spirit lives within us.  When we recognize the value of true Christian friends and believers then we can surely forget the weariness that this old sinful world tries to place upon us.