January 5, 2012
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God’s Trust in Our Love
This past Sunday the pastor at my church gave a great message on phileo love (www.newphilly.cc). Phileo is a greek word for love that is usually used for brothers/sisters/friends (Philadelphia = City of Brotherly Love). A basis for phileo love is a liking of the other person, an affection for them. God never tells us to phileo or enemies (“to like our enemies”), although he does tell us to agape them (“show unconditional love”). In other words, while we are commanded to show the love of God to our enemies, we aren’t commanded to actually like them. And my pastor brought it home with the beautiful message of John 16:27 where, in the initial Greek language, Jesus tells us that God has phileo love for us, in other words that God likes us. This is powerful to think about, because so often people feel God loves us just because He loves us, which is sweet as well, but can cause people to feel like they are just one of a billion people God loves. But when God says He likes us, that means He likes us as individuals, all our traits both beautiful and not so beautiful. He has made us unique, and He loves us for that.
I was dwelling on those thoughts this week and while in prayer I felt God tell me that when His people are able to walk in His phileo love He is able to entrust to us great ministries. Most Christians will admit that they love most people out of obligation… they might like their friends (phileo love), but for the rest of the people in their church its more tolerance/obligation rather than joy and genuine affection. But if we truly love as God loves us, then we will not just show the unconditional love, but we will also like one another like God likes us! And when this happens, the church truly becomes the family of God… and not a dysfunctional, worldly family, but a joyful, heavenly family where there is full trust and full safety/security.
When God sees such churches/ministries operating in such love and honor, how can He not be so proud of us? Any father or mother has joy and pride when they see their children showing genuine love and affection to one another. When children act in such ways, the parents are able to trust them more and more because they know their intentions are good. And when the church acts in such ways, God is able to entrust us with far more anointing and influence because we won’t selfishly take advantage them. We will use them to further grow in love for each other and for those who are added to us. And thus the family of God can continue to increase.
I feel that in 2012 the churches that are walking in such honor/unity/phileo love will receive rapid increase in anointing and influence in the community and area around them.
God likes you! Be blessed! =)
