Today's pop culture confuses the meaning of love just as much as in times of old. Love does not seek the best of the one giving the love; it seeks the best of the one receiving the love.
True love for another is realized when our thoughts, speech, and actions are performed in such a way as not to place the one we love in harm, or to bring shame upon them.
There is a question I have asked many times at our jail ministry; and that is "do you love your children?". Then I ask if they would give their life for that of their child. Most all would answer yes to those questions. Then I will ask the question "who is raising your children now?".
I do not ask those questions to be mean, but to bring awareness. If their love was as strong as they proclaim, then they would no longer make selfish decisions that ultimately place their family in danger.
Their situations are not so different than ours. Many of us live our lives based on personal desires instead of the best interest of the ones we say we love. Many times what seemed the right thing to do, was really just the right thing for me and not for my family. This is why the Lord spends so much time in the bible explaining real love; the kind that has pure motives-the kind that is wrapped in truth.
The Apostle John wrote many times concerning love; from his gospel account to his epistles, he was focused on love. In 2 John he talks about real love being the kind that is submissive to the ways of God. The command was to walk in love; and it had nothing to do with our personal preferences, but with God's standard of holiness.
We when say that we would give our life for another, we often think of it in terms of exchanging our life for theirs at the moment of death or tragedy; but true love is where we give "up" our life for another. No longer concerned with our own well-being, but with the welfare of the other. Achieving that goal completely and perfectly may be impossible in this world, but it still should be our goal. Putting on the mind of Christ requires us to develop a God style of love for others.
Tina Turner once sang "What's love got to do with it". In there she stated that love was only a second hand emotion. I submit that love in its purest form, is above all things - it is patient, it is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, it does not delight in evil, it always protects, it always trust, it always hopes, it always perseveres, and it never fails.
God's plan for love and our perception of love often differ; but know this, God's love for you is still as strong as the day you were born. If it's been a while since you spent some time in the arms of God, how about you make today the day you rest in His love.
Remember, God loves you greatly!
Liberty Church
Greg, I understand what your saying. Take these words as i'm typing in a friendly way and before I say anything, trust me when I say we as a people and I included are at fault of many things that offend people. Sometimes knowingly and some not. At the same time, turning the channel, is only a way to ignore an issue and ignoring it will not make it go away. If you see someone abusing a child you don't just turn away, I hope, you step in and help.
Quitting church doesn't affect anyone but you. When you go to church your there for your soul, not anyone else. Only when you are saved and lead an example in your own life can you say anything about God to someone else with a foundation that you won't slip from. I'm not saying don't tell people about God at all, just don't condemn...encourage them and pray for them. I personally struggle with bad habits and want to give up sometimes, but its not what I choose to do cause I believe in God and gossip will not stop me. Only one person can make up your mind, and thats you. Thats not just pointed towards you, it's just in general to everyone. I ask you to give God another chance in church, try a different one it might help.
greg,
I am sorry for your bad experience with church. Just as I would not judge all people based on one person, nor would I judge all churches based on a few.
Whether or not you go to church should be based on your relationship with Christ, and not on those who attend. People are not perfect, therefore there is no perfect church. People who attend church have to grow and mature as well. One of the most messed up churches of all time was that of the Corinthians; yet Paul still considered them Christians.
It seems that your view of others has caused great frustration and anger in your life; if you ever would like to talk, please feel free to contact me; and maybe God wants to use you to help straighten out what is wrong with His house.
mike
pastormike@libertyfwb.org
If you don't like it, turn the channel. Chances are you pay for these channels, thus feeding the frenzy. Cancel your cable/ satellite and get a converter box and watch broadcast channels if you don't like it. On another front, I quit going to church years ago because I got tired of the intolerance and vanity of the members, and political stumping. People used to brag about how much their boats, clothes and various toys cost. Then they would tell an ethnic joke or two in the parking lot. I get it, ha ha, right? Whatever, I would rather sleep until 10am every Sunday.
Well Jones, unfortunately some people thrive on this kind of stuff. As far as I am concerned, you can toss soap operas into the mix as well, and they have been on tv forever!! Our society has become a lot like these *reality* shows, so some folks are drawn to it because they can *relate* ie pregnant and single. Personally, I have enough reality in my own life, I dont need to see someone else's on tv. :)
OK. I am going to admit that I am very conservative and probably should have been born in the 1950s because many of my thoughts are from that era.
But I was just watching TV and I thought of something. I am guilty of watching this stuff on television just like anyone else. But have you really looked at it?
There is a show about three famous sisters, with a lot of money. And the show is centered, right now, around the fact one of the sisters is goingto have a baby and she's not married.
There is another show about a couple with eight kids and they're separated and the father is dating another woman.
Maybe I am old fashioned, but what kind of message is that to be celebrated with a television show. Those actions are not what I would hope my son or daughter would want to do.
What is going on in our society? Whatever happened to our moral thermometer?