...Love Wins...

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

The story of Calvary is all about love that wins. The Roman and Jewish leaders put Jesus on the cross and thought they could do away with him. It may have looked like love had lost but love will always win. You cannot put down love. Love has a way of resurrecting. Love bounces back. Jesus died on the cross but He rose again! Love wins in any and all circumstances.

Love is a mystery that cannot be fully explained! For example, there are husbands who wonder how their beautiful wives could possibly love them and marry them and vice versa. Our lives are shaped by people who love us our parents, our spouses. Children can often trace their success in life to the love shown to them by their parents. Therefore it is important whom you marry.

Love begins with the act of the will and is not just an emotion or a feeling. Emotions can change like the weather. God does not love you because you loved Him. He loves you by an act of His will. The Bible in Romans 5:8 tells us, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Love does not need a reason. Love is a choice. You exercise your will to love. Lust is not love. Love is not sex. And sex is not wrong

Love is not a duty. To provide is a duty. Husbands have a duty to provide for their wives but some consider their duty to provide as love. Even animals know hoe to provide for their young. Duty only goes the first mile but love goes beyond with joy.

Love is of God. The Bible in 1 John 4:16 says, 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. If you abide in Gods love and love, as God loves, you will win and not lose.

How does God love? What is Gods definition of love? Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives the definition in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8: Love suffers long and is kind; love doe not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Every one of these acts of love will help you to relate well with fellow believers and even with unbelievers. Let this portion of Scripture inspire you and give you a new mindset because the way you think is how you act. For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

1 Love suffers long. This means having patience with the imperfections of people as well as with circumstances.

2 Love is kind. Love acts in goodness and acts well. Love never says, Your wrong doing gives me permission to also do wrong. Instead, love says, Your wrongdoing only helps me to keep doing what is right. Such love will bring conviction of sins and repentance in the heart of recipient. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you Romans 4:4

3 Love does not envy. It does not have bad feelings against others because of what they have position, property, possessions, friends, talents etc. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:26

4 Love does not parade itself. It does not boast or brag or seek recognition or honor. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one anther. Romans 12:10

5 Love does not puffed up. It is not proud, arrogant or conceited. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, Friend go up higher. Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. Luke 14:10

7 Love does not seek its own. Love is not selfish and does not insist on its right. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others. Philippians 2:4

8 Love is not easily provoked. It is not quick tempered and touchy and easily aroused to anger. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:18

9 Love thinks no evil. It does not think worst about others. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 1 Thessalonians 5:15

10 Love does not rejoice in iniquity. It does not feed on sin and wrongdoing and pass on stories of sin and wrongdoing. And above all things, have fervent love for one another, or love will cover multitude of sins 1 Peter 4:8

11 Love rejoices in truth. It rejoices when truth is made known and when it prevails.

12 Love bears all things. It covers up and faults and weaknesses of others and takes no pleasure in exposing them. with all lowliness and gentleness, ...with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephesians 4:2-3

13 Love believes all things. Love is completely trusting and believes the best about someone.

14 Love hopes all things. It always hopes for the best and ultimate triumph of good no matter how impossible it may seem.

15 Love endures all things. The word endure is a military word meaning to stand against the attack of the enemy. Love hangs on in spite of discipline and struggles of life. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord 1 Corinthians 15:58

Gods will is for you to win and to succeed in life all the time. When you win, make sure that the benefit is not only physical and material but also spiritual. Any success that does not involve the spiritual soul is a crucial loss. The Bible in Mark 8:36 says, For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his won soul? If your winning does not prosper your soul, you are not really winning. John says, Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prosper in all things. [John 3:2] God wants you to prosper in everything. Sadly, many churches and believers think that they are winning and being blessed by God just because they are prospering physically and materially even though they are not advancing spiritually. True, real and genuine prosperity is prospering spiritually as well as materially.

If it seems that you are going the wrong way and are not seeing the changes and results you need in your life, try loving. Allow Gods love to help you to win in your marriage, family, office and personal life. God has given you the love that wins because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us [Roman 5:5]