Meeting the genuine needs of others without expectation of
return, motivated by the love of God.
- For God so loved the world,
that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
- John 3:16
- But God commendeth His love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us.
- Romans 5:8
- And now abideth faith, hope,
love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
- v.t. In a general sense to be pleased with; to regard with
affection, on account of some qualities which excite
pleasing sensations or desire of gratification. We love
a friend, on account of some qualities which give us
pleasure in his society. We love a man who has done
us a favor; in which case, gratitude enters into this
composition of our affection. We love our parents and
our children, on account of their connection with us, and on
account of many qualities which please us. We love to
retire to a cool shade in summer. We love a warm room
in winter. We love to hear an eloquent advocate. The
Christian loves his Bible. In short, we love
whatever gives us pleasure and delight, whether animal or
intellectual; and if our hearts are right, we love
God above all things, as the sum of all excellence and all
the attributes which can communicate happiness to
intelligent beings. In other words, the Christian loves
God with the love of complacency in His attributes, the love
of benevolence towards the interests of His kingdom, and the
love of gratitude for favors received.
- Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matt xxii.
Webster's 1st ed., 1828
Whatever love there is in man, whether it be
toward God or toward his fellowman, has its source in God—"Love
is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and
knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is
love" (1 Jn 4:7 f); "We love, because he first loved
us" (1 Jn 4:19). Love in the heart of man is the offspring
of the love of God. Only the regenerated heart can truly love as
God loves; to this higher form of love the unregenerate can lay
no claim (1 Jn 4:7, 19, 21; 2:7-11; 3:10; 4:11 f). The
regenerate man is able to see his fellow-man as God sees him,
value him as God values him, not so much because of what he is
by reason of his sin and unloveliness, but because of what,
through Christ, he may become; he sees man’s intrinsic worth
and possibility in Christ (2 Cor 5:14-17). This love is also
created in the heart of man by the Holy Ghost (Rom 5:5), and is
a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). It is also stimulated by the
example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, more than anyone else,
manifested to the world the spirit and nature of true love (Jn
13:34; 15:12; Gal 2:20; Eph 5:25-27; 1 Jn 4:9 f)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
God has given me the spirit of Love.
I am long-suffering and kind; I don't envy those who prosper, I
don't pretend to be prospering when I'm not. I don't exaggerate
just to make others look up to me. I am not rude, I don't demand
my own way, and I don't get easily provoked. I don't imagine evil
against my enemies, and don't rejoice when it happens, but I only
rejoice in the truth. God enables me to bear all things, believe
all things, hope all things, and endure all things. God has
created in me a commitment to give to others' basic needs without
having personal reward as my motive
1 Corinthians 13
And we know that all things work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are the called according to His
purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be
conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn
among many brethren.
-- Romans 8:28-29
I have remembered Thy Name, O LORD, in the night, and have
kept Thy Law.
-- Psalm 119:55
This isn't that New Age
"Positive Thinking" stuff, is it??
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