LOVE, defined.

We serve a generous GOD, one who loves us regardless of our foibles, iniquities and sins.  The love of God is awesome because it is an active love that never fails.

I read once that pity without responsibility is useless.  In other words, pitying a homeless man without attempting to meet his needs by offering him a kind word, food or money is useless.

We are admonished by God to love one another.  

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”  Mark 12:30-31

This love we are asked to extend to others is an active love.  We don’t get any points by uttering the words,”I love you” with no action.  If we love God, we are asked to do something:  to feed his sheep.  If we love others, we are likewise called to action.

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.  John 21:17

Over time, I have refined my definition of love.  Love is so much more than the sentimental platitudes interwoven into the average Hollywood script.  Instead, love can be defined as acts of kindness deserved and undeserved.  

Exercising this type of “active” love requires supernatural help.  It is impossible to be loving in the face of prolonged cruelty, hatred, mean spiritedness and betrayal without God’s help. Likewise, without God, It is impossible to be loving when we don’t feel particularly lovable.

Because GOD loves us, He takes a special interest in each of his children.  God delights in giving us presents.  At creation, we were each given a series of perfect gifts: perfect love, perfect understanding perfect peace, perfect health.  In order to actually access these gifts, to be able to unwrap the gift boxes and actualize them, we have to first access the Holy Spirit.

Recall the words of Jesus found in John 14:6.

And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John 14:6

The Comforter that Jesus speaks of is the Holy Spirit sent to dwell inside of us and to provide us with all we need to be our most perfect / healthy / happy / beautiful selves.

The Holy Spirit is really the light of God...it is GOD ENERGY that resides inside each of us. This GOD ENERGY is Supernatural Power.

What do I mean by GOD ENERGY??

Remember back in science class, we learned that all matter, even human cells are made of spinning atoms of energy.  This energy is really light energy.  When a person's light is at it's peak or at it's best, the person’s atoms spin harmoniously: radiating perfect health, perfect joy, perfect LOVE!

The world is beginning to develop its own ways to jump start and revive the Spirit energy in all of use.  Consider the newest acne remedies by Illumask that actually treats and prevents blackheads with daily 20 minute doses of red and blue light.

Or the latest acupuncture techniques that involve shining light into hollow tubes to activate cells and heal organs from the inside out.

Isn't it terrific that as Christians, we can recharge our energy levels through contact with the Holy Spirit?  We don't need light acupuncture or a mask.  Instead, we need only draw down on the Power of the Holy Spirit that God freely gave to us at birth.

The Holy Spirit enables us to access all the gifts that God has given us.  When we are living in the Sprit, our internal light shines very bright and our aura is a magnificent BLUE color.  

According to Charles Fillmore, author of Teach Us to Pray, when we are in the Spirit, we, like Jesus, have supernatural powers, e.g.,

• LOVE: An ability to be extend kindness even when it is not deserved

• DISCERNMENT: A perfect vision for our lives

• CAPACITY: Perfect courage and fearlessness in the face of difficulties

• RECEPTION: Perfect heart to heart communication with God

• JUDGEMENT: Craving only those things that are sanctioned by God

• INTUITION: Knowing right from wrong and conceding to the "right'

• TELEPATHY: An ability to transmit our thoughts, desires, prayers, and praise directly to God

Basically, when we live in the Spirit we can access the Upper Room, we become more like Jesus and we can do all things including, LOVING our enemies, LOVING ourselves, LOVING our neighbors.
So how do we build up our Spirit energy?  How do we access the Holy Spirit?

Simply and Consistently by:

• studying the word

• reflecting on God's goodness

• praying constantly

• carving out quiet time to commune with God

• extending random acts of kindness to others

We must cultivate a practice of BEING STILL to revive, renew and recharge our GOD ENERGY.

When we are calm and living in the SPIRIT, we are operating in the image of GOD.  We radiate light from within.  Over time, we become like Jesus, able to actively LOVE others whether it is deserved or not.