And the Lord Make You to Increase and Abound In Love One Toward Another - Part 1589

"But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught to of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you brethren, that ye increase more and more; and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing ...

But I would not have ye to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him, for this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." (I Thessalonians 4:9-15)

Ironically, the world is about putting oneself in the spotlight, and becoming well known by name -- purposefully -- in order to garner a certain measure of success in the marketplace. However, when we take our eyes off the world, and look to the Lord Jesus for our sustenance, our hearts change -- not because of who we are, but rather because we personally know the King of kings and Lord of lords. He teaches us to be of the day, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (I Thessalonians 5:8)

My point is that in the heavenly, our life becomes about Jesus, and not us. Like John the baptist pointed out so often, we are to look to the One that came after him, for He -- Jesus -- the Lamb of God is He which would take away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)

To illustrate this point, consider all the people in the scriptures who are never known to us by name, but their hearts aligned with the purpose(s) of the Lord. For example, the day after Jesus was baptized, John looked upon Jesus as He walked, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Herein, two disciples heard him speak and followed Jesus. (Now we know from later scriptures that one of the two which heard John speak was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother -- John 1:40)

There is the example of the lad who provided the five loaves and two fishes when Jesus fed the five thousand.

"When Jesus then lifted up [His] eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" And this he said to prove Him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little."

One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto Him, "There is  lad here, which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many?" And as we know when Jesus took the loaves, and had given thanks, and the people fed, there were gathered together and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten." (John 6:1-15)

Another example is when Jesus told His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem wherein these would receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me [Jesus] both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) In the upper room where these abode -- Peter and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James (the son of Alphaeus) and Simon Zelotes and Judas the brother of James, these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brethren. But these were not the only people in the room. Indeed, according to Acts 1:15, the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty.

And then there is "a certain man lame from his mother's womb" who was laid daily a the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple. When the man saw Peter and John going into the temple, he asks them for alms, expecting to receive something. Peter then said, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." And he took the man by the right hand, and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. (Acts 3:1-26)

Do you know that because of this lame man (who was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed) there was a series of events that followed wherein multitudes believed, "and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:32-34) It all started with one lame man --"And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it." (Acts 4:14)

And though this man is identified later in the scriptures, the point here is that this man did not receive the miracle because of who he was, but rather because his heart was willing to receive this same Jesus who is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) The man's identity inconsequential, in view of the bigger picture.

There are so many examples of men and women pointing to Jesus as the source of their sustenance, rather than themselves, and this is the point being made. When we take our eyes off of ourselves, and focus on the Lord Jesus, our life changes. Our hearts change, and we are able to abound in love toward one another.

The two greatest commandments confirmed again by Jesus in the new testament -- Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is One Lord. Love the Lord with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength, and love one another. (Mark 12:29-31; Deuteronomy 6:4)

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy ghost, and I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another ... because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God ..." (Romans 15:13-17)

Stand in the offering plate this day, with our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ, for He is our everything, to those who believe.