February 1, 2008

• Our Love Walk by Hilton Wilson

  Pastor Don invited Hilton Wilson to teach part of Friday’s Bible study. He shared some scriptures on our love walk. I know they will bless you for they sure blessed our Friday Bible study.

  John 15: 10, 12 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

  Hilton told us that Jesus gave us one commandment, that we love one another as Jesus loved us. God’s love is everlasting and without ceasing. We have to work at love and choose love.

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

  Even with our sinful nature, God’s love is so everlasting and without measure that he sent His Son (Jesus) to die for us. He gave us love before we knew Him, and he wants our love. Notice in John 15 that there is a condition, John 15:10 (see above) begins with the word IF . We have to take part in this work and love one another, for that is God’s commandment. If we do not love one another we do not abide in His love. It isn’t a question mark, it is a command, and we need to take part in that work.

  Philippians 2:5-9 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

  God’s sent His son to die for us. Christ was obedient to the Father and loved us. God did His part. Christ did His part by being obedient. We need to do our part, to walk our love walk just like Jesus loved us, Jesus wants us to love one another.

  For our love walk to work, Jesus loved us and showed us by His actions how to love one another.

  Galatians 5:16-17 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

  There is a battle between our flesh and the Spirit. We have to choose whether or not we are going to act out of the flesh our the Spirit. The best choice is the Spirit and standing on God’s Word. We have a choice to respond to a tough situation in love or in anger. Choose love.

  1 John 4:20-21 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.

  Hilton pointed out that again we are back to what choice will we choose. Will we hate our brother or choose to respond out of love. Christ responded out of love for us. If you respond because of hate and hurt, you are not obeying Christ and choosing the right thing.

  Hilton shared with us how God put him to the test regarding his love walk. His brother was partner in a construction firm in Bermuda with Hilton. After taking a big job, and receiving payment, his brother did not help to complete the job, walked away with money, and Hilton was left finishing the job, and ended up finishing the job at a great financial loss. Hilton told us that he was angry and wanted to respond in the flesh. He acknowledged the feelings, but chose not to respond in anger. He remembered Pastor Don and his sermons on our love walk, and made the choice. He handed the situation over to God, for God to handle, and he left it in God’s hands.

  There was doubt that crept in as Hilton wondered if he really heard from God or not. Ultimately he came away realizing that God taught him an important lesson, it was only money that was lost, and he has been praying for his brother. That it was far more important to walk in love. He did not act out on his anger.

  It is far better to obey God and walk the love walk than to disobey God. And Hilton is believing in faith that God will replace any loss.

  God will use situations in our life to perfect us.

  1 John 4:7-12   Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 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. 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. 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.

  Hilton hopes that we will keep working until we act habitually out of love. May his love be perfected in us.

  (Heather’s note: It was a wonderful teaching and a good reminder to me to remember to walk in love no matter the circumstances.)

  Praying your day is blessed. We were stuck at home all day from icy rain. My kids were happy for the snow day.

  Heather

  • 9:33 pm
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