“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”
I John 4:17-19 NKJV
The power of love
When we think of love these days, we tend to focus on the warm, fuzzy, cotton candy variety , with lots of surface feelings and very little depth. It is a love that is conditional, fragile, and overly dynamic, as it can vary from day to day. The word love, these days, can mean an emotional attachment, or a sexual attraction, better known as lust. Very few people really grasp what the true scope and depth of love.
When one considers the love of God, it is much deeper. It is a love that would move the heart of God to consider the fall of His creation with great sadness and a desire to remedy the situation, whatever it took.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16 NKJV
Jesus, God in human flesh, came to earth to bear the sins of the world. He was propelled by His love for us, as it was by His hands that were created. His hands formed Adam from the dust of the earth, and He built Eve from the rib of Adam, creating for Himself loved ones, knowing before hand that they would sin, and even before that, determining that He, Himself, would one day be nailed to a cross for their descendants.
That was love. That is love.
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
I John 4:10-11 NKJV
Because of that love, we who have descended from Adam have salvation afforded us. And those of us who have said yes, have the love of God transforming our hearts, instilling His divine love into us, that we be able to lead others into a saving relationship with Jesus.
As He first loved us, we show our love for Him through our devotion, living lives of godliness, representing Jesus. When we are representing Him accurately, we are going into the worldwide love as our guide, directing our engagements with others.
In love, doing what Jesus has commanded us, we have safety from the judgement to come. By His love displayed on the cross, we have been spared the wrath of the Father. Because we know that we have been saved, we have no fear of things to come.
Brothers and sister, let us walk in love today. In the seasons to come, we will encounter many who hate us because they do not know Jesus. But we must be bold nonetheless, sharing the Good News to every hearing ear and open heart.
We are witnesses to the love of God, as He abides in us and is maturing us to be lovers of souls.
“No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.”
I John 4:12-14 NKJV
Let our testimony be loud and clear, unhindered by our unconfessed sin, political leanings, and any biases that serve to cause us to be conditional or hypocritical in our love.
“If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”
I John 4:20-21 NKJV
May our love be apparent to the world as we love each other and those outside he household of faith, that the power of love draw many to the cross of Christ and salvation.
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Musings from an idle mind 
I am picking up what you’re putting down Bernie. Would you please pray that I would have the zeal, boldness, and confidence to grow as a sole winner? I am praying for you my friend.
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