Building Community of Love & Trust in Prayer. Part 3.

Last Wednesday night we prayed for the Fruit of the Spirit - Love.  Clara Batiste led the members praying thanking God for His unconditional love (1^st John 4:19), and directed to pray for Love to be perfected in our church, in us, the people of the church, that our individual lives would demonstrate that the Love of God, which is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) would be evident as we do everything in love (1^st Corinthians 16:14)

AS we pray for loving relationships in our church (1^st John 4:7) I could not help but think of different conversations I had over the year with people who see themselves as loving, yet also complain about lack of happiness, joy, peace; loving but afraid; loving but full of anxiety; loving some and hating others.  At a risk of being rude I comment that such do not understand what love is.  Our human love is not what God’s love is, it is not what the Bile presents as the ideal, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

The love we are praying for is the fruit of the Holy Spirit being present in our lives.  It is not something we manufacture, it is not something we do.  Earlier in the week treasurer Onyango led devotional at the Board meeting with a question “What are the benefits of being in God’s Presence, and what are the consequences of withdrawing from His Presence?” The absence of God’s was immediately associated with fear, strife, and other defects, opposite from what the Fruit of the Spirit, love is (Galatians 5:22-23).  The true love gives joy, peace, patience, kindness, and more.  When we are truly loving we are not dependent on circumstances and conditions, but because of our relationship with God, because we are safe and saved in His Presence, we are at peace, we are glad, we are blessed.

Last week I shared with you that Biblical concept of salvation is always associated with Joy, which is the first manifestation of true love.  Perfect love cast our all fear (1^st John 4:18).  Pray for love that is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth., love which always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres; love which never fails. (1^st Corinthians 13:4-8).

Pray that this true love of God would be our way of life.  That our families will be depositories of God’s love, that our church would radiate true love into our community.