Integrity- People of God

When we become intimate with someone we get to know them as they are and that intimacy tends to breed similarities in traits and conduct. This is why we are told not to stay in the company of angry people because they can corrupt good character. The same is true with staying in the presence of God; we learn to love others and become more like Him, because God is the true essence of love. His essence of love flows from our spirit as living water.

God loves us in spite of all we have done or have not done. God’s love is everlasting, eternal and it is selfless. God’s love is so great that He has given us free will to choose our destiny and He will let us go even though it may grieve Him. God saw us before the foundation of the world and knew we would reject Him and all the wrong that we would do and yet He did not lose sight of our created purpose. We were created to be God’s expression of love to a lost world, in this present time and place. God’s Sovereign purpose and destiny for us is to be like Jesus in our homes and communities.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. NKJV

When we come to know His great love we cannot help but to express our love for Him in this life in the way we live and to show His love to those who are lost. This is the measure of our knowing God, to have His love shown abroad to others through our hearts, hands, feet and our very substance. We cannot say we love God and not show His expression of love to those around us, be it friend or foe. Whether people are the same nationality, culture or religion or not, God’s love is toward all mankind.

1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. NKJV

So many have been schooled in the teachings of this world to be self-centered, self-motivated and self-consumed, forsaking all others clinging only to oneself. They have been home schooled on how to get over, get ahead, climb the corporate ladder, crushing all others if need be, so they can be on top. To ensure they have all they could ever need and even more to stockpile in their storehouses but it will all come to no good end. The flesh is never satisfied, it is insatiable and no matter how big, how much better, or how much wealth a person may have, without Christ, they will always want more.

The desire and drive to get more to some people is relentless. They may lose sight of family, friends and even God in their pursuits to acquire more. Being self-center and self-focus can become a greed that can become all-consuming and with it lays self-destruction. The lies that life experiences have taught us is that every person will look out for their own self and the good guy never wins. But God has demonstrated His love by sending Jesus Christ His Son into the world to save the lost so that they might live through Him. Jesus came into the world as a man to be the ultimate expression of God’s love to His children. As His children we are sent into this world as an expression of God’s love to this lost generation so they too may live.

1 John 4:9  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. NKJV

If we know God in the essence of His love, then we know a love that surpasses all hindrances and barriers. God showed His love to us while we were at our worst; our lowest moment and still Jesus came and saved us. We should show this same compassion for those who are lost and at their worst. Jesus came and pulled us out of a pit of depravity, of despair and hopelessness and now we have the opportunity to do the same for others. God did not require us to clean ourselves up or to get right first before He sent Jesus. While we were sinners God loved us and showed compassion and sent Jesus as a ransom for our lives. He forgave us and then told us to come and follow Him.

1 John 4:10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to. be the propitiation for our sins. NKJV

God loved us enough to send His Son to save us from our hopeless situation. We should love others the same way. God is transforming us into the image of His dear Son so that we may truly love others and this is pleasing to God. We are told to love and this love is being perfected in us by God.

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. NKJV

1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this; that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as He is, so are we in this world.

To know Him is to love Him and those He loves. Love is a gift from God. We all have the ability to love in the natural since, by loving others who love us. But it is the supernatural power of God that gives us the ability to love the unlovable. Seeing Christ in us may be the only hope that a lost may have. It is the Christ in us that is the hope of the glory of God

Colossians 1:27 To whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. KJV