Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
Today’s post is from my dad, Dean Sheets. He is in heaven, but I dug out a devotional he wrote several years ago (that is now out of print). Dad was quite the orator. I think you’ll like, not only what he had to say, but how he said it. The message is consistent with the theme I have spoken on for the past two days:
“Proverbs 18:24: ‘A man that has friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’
“What a friend is Jesus! Believers love this friend so much because He first loved them - He instigated the friendship. Jesus said, concerning His friendship with you, I will take from My brow the crown of jewels and exchange it for one of thorns; I will cast away My mantle of glory for the state of poverty, that I may go and find My friends.
“That’s what was required to establish the beauty of this friendship. We are friends with God, because He became a man! And as a man, Christ was ‘in all points tempted like as we are’ (Hebrews 4:15). It was C.S. Lewis who said, ‘Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.’”(1)
“Calvary echoes the love of Christ, our Friend. ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for his friends,’ (John 15:13). When Jesus came knocking at your heart’s door it was with a nail-pierced hand. Yes, He’s the friend of sinners (see Matthew 11:19).
“I heard of a Native American tribe that had no word for ‘friend.’ They used, instead, the phrase, ‘the one who carries my sorrows on his back.’ That sounds like Jesus!
“If you want to know who your friends are, just make a mistake. But Jesus is no fair-weather friend. He didn’t begin loving us yesterday. He desired our friendship way back when the world was wrapped in the swaddling clothes of mist, and He’ll be a friend when that world has vanished with the same haze.
“A friend is a person who comes in when the rest of the world goes out. Jesus said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,’ (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus is a certain friend in uncertain circumstances. We must follow His example of love and friendship.
“Years ago the Salvation Army was holding an international convention and its founder, William Booth, could not attend because of physical weakness. Instead, he cabled his convention message to those in attendance. It was simply one word: Others.
“The Master has sent you into His vineyard to love and serve others. Perhaps it is the ministry of intercession for Christian workers here in America or elsewhere. Or maybe it’s the ministry of comfort to sad hearts within your own circle: ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens’ (Galatians 6:2). ‘Lift up the hands which hang down,’ (Hebrews 12:12). There are many ways to serve others - begin today! Too many are waiting for the ‘big ministry’ to come along, yet someone needs you right now!
“Dr. Leonard Cammer, who specialized in treating depressed people, once said, ‘The human being is the only species that cannot survive alone. Humans need another human being - otherwise, they’re dead! A telephone call to a depressed person can save a life. An occasional word, a ten-minute visit, can be more effective than 24 hours of nursing care. You can buy nursing care. You cannot buy love.’(2)
“Paul told us to ‘Bear [not bare] ye one another’s burdens,’ (Galatians 6:2). Never put a finger on someone’s faults unless it’s part of a helping hand.
“We need one another so much! The words ‘one accord’ are mentioned 11 times in the book of Acts. Remember, that’s when Christians together ‘turned the world upside down’ for Jesus (Acts 17:6).
“Together we can do so much. “A threefold cord is not quickly broken,” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). One cord made up of three strands is 100 times stronger than just one strand.”
Pray with me:
Father, thank You for sending Christ to redeem the human race. Jesus, thank You for becoming human to save us. We cannot grasp this level of love. You will forever be the God-man. And thank You both for wanting our friendship this much.
We press into Your nature in our hearts. We want to love the way You love. We want to serve the way You serve, experience the level of commitment to one another You modeled for us. The gospel is, in reality, a person. You are the good news!
And we anchor our faith in this love. This is why the great awakening is coming - because You will not be denied Your inheritance. So we boldly ask for this revival now, a revival that will usher in 1 billion more hungry people into Your family. It will not be stopped! Demons will not stop it. Godless people will not stop it. Political parties won’t stop it. False religions won’t stop it. You are coming to save! America shall be saved. Other nations shall be saved. You are the Savior and You will win. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that love will win. Hands-down, no doubts, guaranteed, love will win.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
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