Recognizing God’s Love

“And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath” (Lk. 4:24-28). “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (Jn. 2:13-16). “And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them WITH ANGER, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him” (Mk. 3:1-6). “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (Jn. 6:65-70). “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Mat. 16:21-23).

“Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Mat. 15:12-14). “And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:25,26). “Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?” (Mat. 22:17,18). “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? … Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel… Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity… Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Mat. 23:14-19,24,27,28,33). Well, there is more that we could quote from Jesus on this topic, but I believe that should be enough to suffice the point. So then what IS the point? Oh, just that a whole lot of folks wouldn’t know the love of God if it slapped them in the face. I have to tell you my friend, that is not good, because sometimes it does EXACTLY THAT! Go ahead, read it all again.

Most of God’s people today have been taught a one sided, sweet talking, so called love of God; and surely would have condemned Jesus for NOT HAVING LOVE, had they been standing by, seeing and hearing the things that he said and did. But you know what? In each and every one of these cases, Jesus was in total control of his Spirit, and he was doing and speaking only what his Father led him to do and say. Or at least that’s what HE said he was doing: “I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (Jn. 8:26-28). You can rest assured that he was walking in his Father’s love every step of the way. So is it GOD that just doesn’t know how to love? I think God is doing just fine, and I also just so happen to believe the scripture that says, “With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward” (Psm. 18:26). Maybe it’s like I said, most of God’s people are the ones who do not understand the love of God. Those whom Jesus did and spoke the things to that we’ve read above, decided he was possessed of the devil and had him put to death. You think something has changed? Wait around a little longer and you will see that absolutely nothing has changed - nothing at all. The strange thing about the mindset of people today is that everyone who crusades for the candy apple love of the modern Christian Gospel will condemn a hapless sinner for being a sinner in a heartbeat. Then they will turn around and condemn the righteous for calling out their judgmental spirit; and say that “they just don’t have love.” But those who truly know the real love of God and walk therein, are not intimidated by such tactics of confusion. The devil LOVES to accuse people of what he is guilty of, but he doesn’t get away with it with those who “are not ignorant of his devices” (II Cor. 2:11). The apostle Paul hit the nail on the head when he stated the following: “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man” (II Cor. 2:15). Those who are led and taught by God’s Spirit, and thereby walk in ALL aspects of his love, know full well that they are doing so; and they know they will be misunderstood and misaligned for it. But they know that in so doing is the only pathway to salvation, and they also know this: “and few there be that find it” (Mat. 7:14). Amen.