Tag: christianity

Love Is…

a warm fuzzy feeling?

a strong emotion?

What is Love?

Here are some definition or meaning of “love” according to Merriam Webster Dictionary:

Love as a noun; a person or something ;

  1. strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; such as mother to her child (Greek storge)
  2. affection and tenderness felt by lovers –  (Gk. eros)
  3. affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests; John loves his football team. (Gk.phileo)

4. a  warm, attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion;

 the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration

love of music

5. unselfish loyal and benevolent ; concern for the good of another person (Gk. Agape)

  • the fatherly concern of God for humankind (Agape)

 From Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/love-emotion

love, an emotion characterized by strong feelings of affection  for another arising out of kinship, companionship, admiration, or benevolence. … a benevolent  concern for the good or welfare of others. The term is also used to refer to sexual attraction or erotic desire toward another. 

The word love is derived from the hypothetical  term leubh, a root in Proto-Indo-European (the reconstructed parent of Indo-European languages) meaning care or desire. Leubh eventually developed into Latin libet and Old English lufu, which was both a noun and a verb describing deep affection or being very fond of something.

What is the True meaning of Love?

The Word ‘Love” from the Bible

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, because it did not know Him. I John 3:1 NKJV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 

10 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. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. …

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (v.16)

I John 4: 7-11, 16

9 We love [c]Him because He first loved us. I John 4:19

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us Romans 5:8 NKJV

What is True Love?

Love is…

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. 

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

How to love? How to show love?

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

We love God by our devotion to Him. Obeying Him, To please Him,

We love others by how we love our selves.

xoxoxo

My Morning Star

My Morning Star

Jesus You are my bright and morning star

Who always leads and guides.

Whether through turbulent seas

Or through quiet and calm streams.

When the night is dark and gloomy

When dawn seems so far away

I know You are still with me

With Your steady hand

Guiding, leading, prodding

Showing me the way.

Jesus You are my bright and morning star

You are the way, the truth, and the life.

When dark clouds and storms come my way

I know the next day

You are with me to calm my day.

Jesus you are my bright and morning star.

To eternal bliss you are the only way.

I will be forever grateful to you,

From eternity past to eternity future

Jesus You are forever my bright and morning star.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”  Revelation 22:16 NKJV

Christmas is Emmanuel

“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.” Matthew 1:23 (NKJV)

Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

How can we celebrate Christmas this year with all the unsettling and negative news reports from around the world such as violence, wars, sickness, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding, and other natural disasters? Sometimes doesn’t it feel like the world is coming to an end?

What about those who lost loved ones and are not looking forward to spending Christmas alone? Maybe some are struggling to make ends meet. How can they celebrate Christmas with all these challenges and difficulties?  

When Jesus came and was born as a baby, the situation in Israel was no better; it was the worst of times. The tyranny of Roman rule was felt all over the world. People in Israel were oppressed by violence and over taxation. People were hopeless and desperate, and the religious leaders were certainly not helpful.

In the most desperate time of world history, baby Jesus was born. His parents Joseph and Mary did not have much so Baby Jesus was born in a humble feeding trough in a barn.

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7 (NKJV)

However, God fulfilled His Word spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “Behold the virgin shall be with child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.” (See Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23.)

During this Christmas season, no matter what is going on in the world, even if our personal situation or the economy is not looking good, let us remember the true message of Christmas.

Be of good cheer, for Jesus is “Emmanuel, God with us.” Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), Jesus is still Emmanuel. He is still with us in good times and in hard times. He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and someday Jesus will come again, not as a baby in the manger, but as King of Kings.

In that day, the words of the Apostle Paul will be fulfilled when he said, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 2: 10-11 (NKJV)

Then, the fulfillment of the words written by the Prophet Isaiah also came to pass,

“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Someday we will all see, the reality of the second part of this Word;

“And the government will be upon His shoulder.

Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end.  (Isaiah 9: 6-7)

That is why we sing, “ Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” (by Isaac Watts)