Expensive Pius

GOD REWARDS LOVE.

When we pay close attention to Luke 6:35, we will discover that God rewards love, not giving. This is very true because everybody gives but not all give out of love. Some give for selfish reasons and do not get rewarded.

The reason some people give and God rewards them while others give but not rewarded is because the reward is for the love that caused the giving, not for the act of giving or kind of gift itself.

So, when we see people give and suddenly begin to receive, it is not because God is transactional or partial but because love compelled them to give, and God rewarded their obedience to the love, not the gift.

Why have you been giving: so as to receive from others and prosper because Luke 6:36 seems like a money doubling scripture? If yes, then you are doing transactional giving, not love giving. It is the wrong way to give because it lacks what God looks for in every act of giving in order for Him to reward the giver.

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE!

HOW TO MEASURE LOVE

Genuine love, which is God's kind of love, is measured by how much it can save irrespective of the wrongs we do.

This kind of love is, in reality, deeper than our failures. So, it does not matter how far we go from God, He still loves us and wants us to rather come back to Him instead of running away from Him. Isaiah 1:18.

There is no weight of sin that is greater than the love that God has for us. So, we should never think that any sin we committed is too big to stop us from experiencing God's saving grace. His love reaches out to save, restore, and transform. It does not condemn.

On no account should we believe anybody who tells us that God has already condemned us for any reason. The only people who will be condemned are those who deliberately refuse to believe in the finished work of Redemption. John 3:16-18.

Does that mean God's love condones a sinful lifestyle? Absolutely not. His love has the grace that does not condemn but TEACHES us to stay away from ungodliness. Titus 2:11-12.

Love saves, not destroy.

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE!

THE MYSTERY OF DIVINE LOVE.

Human wisdom can not completely explain God's love. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal divine love. That is why it is only when we are born again that we can express genuine love because it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22.

People who are not born again can only attempt to mimick God's kind of love but can not fully manifest it.

Being able to love people, which is simply to be genuinely patient, kind, and generous to people, is the most rewarding life we can live in this world, but the route to it is to be born again.

To be born again simply means to believe that Jesus died for our sins, resurrected with our freedom from sin and all of satanic evil, and He wants us to live the way He lived on earth. With the help of Romans 10:8-11, we can get born again right now!

Once that is achieved, the Holy Spirit becomes part of us both as the seal of our new birth (salvation) and the producer of genuine love. Ephesians 1:13, Romans 5:5, Galatians 5:22.

Would you want to have that wonderful experience now? Just read Romans 10:8-10 and say this simple prayer: "Lord Jesus, thank you for dying to save me. Today, i believe in my heart your finished work of Redemption, confess with my mouth that you are my Lord."

That's it, you are now born again and the love of God will start manifesting in your life.

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD!

HOW LOVE CAN RESHAPES US.

Our previous experience determines whether we would approach our relationship with God and people with avoidance, security, or anxiety.

When our relational life is healthy, experiencing a successful living is more likely achievable. Genuine love is the determining factor of a healthy relational life.

From creation, man was not wired for isolation or fear. That is why God said, "It is not good for man to be alone." Genesis 2:28. 1st John 4:18 indicates that in the presence of genuine love, fear has no strong hold.

No matter what negative experience we had in precious relationships, we must intentionally accept the reality that genuine love does not abandon. Therefore, we must genuinely give and receive love without fear. Psalms 27:10.

Consistently seeking reassurance from people produces unhealthy relational life. Therefore, we must learn to rest on God's covenant love, which is unconditional instead of people's validation. Hebrews 13:5.

With our mindset being rooted in God's unconditional love, we can learn to love and relate with people unconditionally and know when people are also loving us unconditionally.

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE!

THE ANATOMY OF GENUINE LOVE VS INFATUATION.

Not knowing the difference between love and infatuation can wreck a person's health, finance, career, and relationships, thereby making the victim lose self-confidence and trust in people. So, let's check out the difference.

THE ANATOMY OF INFATUATION:

1. Intense but shallow.

It pumps like adrenaline in the face of danger, but when reality sets in, its fakeness is exposed. This means that infatuation is motivated by chemistry and appearance (mere feelings).

2. Self-focused.

It's infatuation that says, what do I stand to gain in this relationship without considering what do I offer to the other party?

And it is never willing to offer anything but always on the receiving side. If not given, it is offended.

3. Fantasy.

Infatuation pushes for a-movie-like experience instead of reality. The moment it is not achievable, infatuation says, "I am done," "You are stingy, or your hands are too tight."

Infatuation does not build relationships.

THE ANATOMY OF GENUINE LOVE:

It is patient, kind, generous, content, not self-seeking, not envious, and everything that 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 highlights.

It is willing to be committed, just like Christ loves us. Ephesians 5:25.

Are you practicing infatuation or genuine love?

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE!

HOW TO IDENTIFY GENUINE LOVE IN RELATIONSHIPS.

"THIS IS IT" is usually our remark when we start a new relationship that seems like we have finally gotten it right.

The question is, what are the yardsticks with which we arrived at such a conclusion?

Is it because of how we feel about the person?

Feelings could be genuine love or infatuation because both do cause feelings but in different ways, and only trained intelligent hearts can easily differentiate both. That is why we can not rely solitarily on feelings in identifying genuine love in any relationship.

HOW DO WE IDENTIFY GENUINELOVEINRELATIONSHIPS?

1. Self-examination.

Our intentions must first of all be genuine before we examine that of the other party. It is only on that condition that we can easily identify red flags.

2. Consistent godly character.

Genuine love is PATIENT, KIND, and NOT SELFISH. 1st Corinthians 13:4-8. The moment these three characters in any sense of it are absent, how we feeling is most likely infatuation, not genuine love.

That means, away from feelings, time is required to identify genuine love. It is only when our intentions are pure and genuine that we can patiently allow time to reveal character and intentions.

Genuine love in any relationship is DECISION and COMMITMENT, not feelings.

For better understanding, intentionally learn what decision and commitment is in relationship.

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE!

WHAT IS THE LEDGER OF LOVE?

With human and justice viewpoint, love is usually unfair because its ledger is grace.

A ledger is simply an accounting book. It keeps a record of what is owed, paid, credited, or forgiven. But love does not keep a record of wrong. 1st Corinthians 13:5.

As far as human nature and justice system are concerned, it is right and fair for people to pay for their mistakes and wrongdoing, but once love is involved, grace overrides.

So, when Paul said, "Let your words minister grace - Ephesians4:29," it means our response to people's wrong against us should be the favour, forgiveness, and help that they do not deserve.

Some times ago, an unknown truck driver mistakenly fell the fence of someone I know very well. His neighbours held the truck driver so that he would pay to reconstruct the fallen fence. Alas, when the man arrived, he freed the truck driver and gave him money to repair his damaged truck. That is how unfair love is. Love can never be wrong!

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE!

THE BOUNDARIES OF LOVE.

Several questions we ask about love are usually not birthed by ignorance but an attempt to set boundaries about whom to or not love. That was why an expert in the law asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbour?" Luke 10:29.

Jesus knew the intent of his heart and answered him with an illustration that dismantled his intention of setting boundaries on whom to or not love. Luke 10:30-37.

Genuine love has no boundaries: we can not choose whom to or not love. We must love (be patient, kind, and generous) to everybody within our reach. If we practice anything contrary to that, it is not genuine (God's kind of) love.

Therefore, there's no point for us to always ask the kind of questions that seek to set boundaries about whom to or not love.

GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE!