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er2024

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Praise the Lord.

 

Welcome to another session of the great program. Program informing us that God cannot hold, hold his resources that are inestimable and that are available. This moment we are going to look into a very, very precious message.

 

A message that nobody can afford to neglect or afford not to acquire. I therefore implore that you pay attention. We are starting by taking our song from song number 127 from where we withdraw the resources for the program.

 

Song number 127, the church is one foundation. It’s Jesus Christ her Lord. She is his new creation by water and the world.

 

From heaven above he came and sought her to be his holy bride. With his own blood he brought her, and for her life he died. Elect from every nation, yet one over all the earth.

 

Her character of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one breath. One holy name she blesses, but takes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued. Through, though with a scornful wonder, men see her so oppressed, by schisms asunder, by heresies distressed, yet since their watch are keeping, their cry goes up how long? And soon the night of weeping shall be the month of song.

 

Mid thought and tribulation and tumult of her world, she waits the consummation of peace forevermore, till with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blessed, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest. Yet she on earth hath union with God the three in one, a mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won. O happy ones and holy, Lord give us grace that we, like them thee make a lowly, on high may dwell with thee.

 

The water and the bird, from where he came and sought her, to be his holy bride. With each drop the year watered, and for a life he died. He lives for every nation, his own, for all the earth.

 

Agents of salvation, one Lord, one King, one Earth. One holy nation blesses, a taste of holy food. And to our Lord she presses, with every grace endued.

 

To be the scornful woman, a sinner so depressed, by stealing strength of sorrow, by laysing distress. His angel words are keeping, the promise of our Lord. That supernight of weeping, shall be the morn of sight.

 

In toil and tribulation, and tumult of the war, she brings the consolation of peace forevermore. Till we the vision blower, of holy eyes are blest, and the great cherubim torrent, shall be the church at rest. Yeshivotatuna, mi godotrimon, et mis teatrenonis.

 

Lord we bless you for this very hour, the very hour of the ministration of the world. We thank you for the grace we have enjoyed. The grace that has carried us so far in our journey with you.

 

We bless you for the grace that has been also released super abundantly in this great exercise that we have with you. Exercise assuring us of your magnanimity, benevolence, doing beyond our expectation that you are not an individual that is given to keeping back what should be given out. After all, you have all things in abundance and removal of anything from you as it were or release of anything from you does not diminish you in any way, does not diminish you are stuck in any way, that is why at times of need, when you are called upon, you make available what is needed to give your people that situation or condition that makes them worship, praise and magnify you.

 

And so Lord, at this time that the church is being battered from all directions and then there is the principle of the evil one of stirring up internal strife. Internal strife that is working because of lack of the grace called love. Oh Lord, I pray as I teach again on love, it will cost your people to appreciate and to apprehend so that everything that the evil one tries to do through any will fall on deaf ears, will fall like water being put on the rock, that nobody will be an instrument of the enemy again in destabilizing the church in any manner.

 

Not the pastor, not the worker, not the new member, all will be manifesting Christ-likeness that makes for progress. Therefore, Holy Ghost take over and minister to your people as I cover the environment, the gatherings of your people with the precious blood of Jesus and I command all creatures to be subject to the word of the creator so that all the people listening will receive that for which they are listening. In the name of Jesus Christ, thank you Lord of heaven for answering my prayers.

 

Holy Ghost take over and do that which you alone can do. In Jesus name we have prayed. Amen.

 

Please be seated. Once again, you are welcome wherever you are connecting from, please pay attention. The topic at hand is love, the footing of the fellowship.

 

Love, the footing of the fellowship. Those who are engineers will tell you what the footing is in engineering. It is that bottom part of the foundation made in such a way that it evenly distributes the load or weights of the building so that the building doesn’t sink.

 

So it is the lower part, the bottom part of the foundation, that is the footing. And that footing also stands figuratively for foundation or basis of a thing. So whichever way you view it, view it as an engineer, that’s all right.

 

Or in the normal figurative expression as a foundation, that’s also all right. We’re now saying that love is the foundation through footing of the fellowship. My texts for that message are John’s Gospel chapter 13 verses 34 and 35, Acts chapter 4 verses 32 through 37, and 1 Corinthians chapter 3 from verse number 10 through 17.

 

First of all, John’s Gospel chapter 13 from verse number 34. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

In Acts chapter 4 from verse number 32, I read through 37. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them that all of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.

 

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them. Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet, and this retribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joseph, who by the apostles was so named Barnabas, which is being interpreted the son of consolation, a Levite and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

 

In 1 Corinthians chapter number 3 from verse number 10 through verse number 17. According to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man’s work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall strike every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

 

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved. Yet, so as by fire, know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

 

In that first reading, Jesus instructed his disciples to manifest love one towards another, and that will be the cardinal mark or characteristic of their discipleship, that through it people will know them to be followers of Jesus. And in Acts chapter 4, after the resurrection and the Pentecost, when the church began to grow, Acts chapter 4 tells us of what happened. That love was a manifestation.

 

We are all identified with all. Everybody was interested in the well-being of everybody. People brought out what they had so that it could be given to those who didn’t have.

 

And that was the beginning of the church. Love was a manifestation. Then in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, Apostle Paul now revealed about the principle of service.

 

Principle of service. That it is like building Jesus Christ being the foundation, and then anything you are doing in the service of God is the house you are building on top. The superstructure.

 

The foundation is Jesus. Superstructure is what you are doing for the Lord. Whatever you are doing in fellowship, as a matter of activities, in going on evangelism, whatever generally is the structure you are building on top.

 

And the work you are doing carries some value. If you are doing that work conscientiously with faith and love and what have you, then you are building with nice material. Material that when tested will be found to be precious.

 

Will stand the time. If you are building with haphazardness, no interest, no love and whatever, you are building also but with a material that will not stand the test that is coming at the end. It will be burnt.

 

Though you may still make it, but you will have no reward. And so Paul showed that Jesus is the foundation of our building. Now, I want to begin by informing all that Christianity is not a mere religious profession.

 

It is not just verbal profession of a religion, but rather a way of life. Christianity is a way of life. And so it has to do with relationship.

 

It is not just professing something, but living something and interacting. In Acts of the Apostles chapter 18, I’m reading verses 25 and 26. Acts chapter 18, it was called a way or the way.

 

Acts 18 from verse number 25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

 

And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Here it is called the way of God. What did Priscilla and her husband Aquila do to Apollos? They explained the way of God.

 

So Christianity is the way of God. In chapter 19, verse number 9. Chapter 19 of Acts and verse 9. But when divers were hardened and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. Here it talks about Paul when the people in the area where he was spoke evil against that way.

 

That way is Christianity. Christianity was seen as a way. When they spoke evil, they found that they were not ready for the gospel.

 

He left them. In the same chapter, number 19, from verse number 23. And the same time, there arose no small stare about that way.

 

This time around when persecution arose, the way, Christianity was seen as that way. It is a way of life. It is a way.

 

It is not just a profession. It’s not just some religious doctrines being carried around. It is a way of life.

 

The same thing is there in chapter 22 and verse number 4. So in the Acts of the Apostles, it was seen as a way. In verse 4 of chapter 22. And I persecuted this way unto the dead, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

 

Paul talking and testifying. He said to the people, I persecuted this way. So Christianity is a way.

 

If you read chapter 24, verses 14 and 22, the same thing applied. Verse 2. This is the way. It is a way.

 

So when somebody becomes a Christian, he has entered a way of life. He disconnects, she disconnects from former life unto a new way. And I said, it is a way of relationship.

 

That word way came from the Greek word hodos. And hodos means a road. By implication, a progress, a progress in act.

 

So that road is an act. It’s like it is something practical and then you progress in it. Figuratively, that word stands for a mode.

 

Mode means a way or manner by which things are done. By which things occur. By which experiences are got.

 

So Christianity is a mode whereby experiences are acquired. The person moves. The person advances.

 

So it is not a thing that is static. Whereby somebody has some mental knowledge and that is all. Where there is no practical manifestation.

 

It is a course of conduct. C-O-U-R-S-E. So Christianity is a course of conduct.

 

It covers a way of thinking. A course of conduct activity whereby you behave. The way of thinking all are enclosed in Christianity.

 

It made necessary for us to see where Christianity was first mentioned. In Acts of the Apostle chapter 11. From verse number 19 through verse number 26.

 

Acts chapter 11. I’m reading verses 19 and then I will jump because of my time to verse 25 and verse 26. Now there which we are scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phénix and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to none but unto Jews only.

 

Verse 25. Then departed Barnabas to Tiresos for to seek Saul. And where he had found him he brought him unto Antioch.

 

And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught more people. And the disciples we are called Christians first in Antioch. The disciples we are called Christians.

 

Greek word christianos. First in Antioch was it that Jesus was once in Antioch and then by the time these people came and began to preach him then they said these are Christians. No definitely the Bible does not record Jesus going to Syria because this is Antioch in Syria.

 

There was no record of Jesus going to Syria. So there’s no record of Jesus having been around for them to call the people Jesus based on having encountered Jesus. It was simply because of their message and their lifestyle.

 

They were preaching about one Jesus. Called Christ. As they were preaching about Christ and then their lives looked alike.

 

Different from others. Unique because it is a way different from others. They now gave them the name Christians.

 

So Christianity is not just oral profession or verbal confession. It is a way that when you get into it it is different from others. It has to do with fellowship with God and with man.

 

Christianity has to do with fellowship with God and with men. In first John chapter one if there is no fellowship with God and men you are not practicing Christianity. In first John chapter one verses three, six and seven.

 

First John chapter one verse three. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. Verse three and then verse number six.

 

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth. Fellowship with us number one and then with him God. Verse number seven.

 

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus his son cleanseth us from all sin. So Christianity is all about fellowship. Fellowship with the father and then fellowship with one another.

 

In Galatians chapter two verse nine Paul recorded that Peter and John and James gave him a right hand of fellowship. So Christianity is all about fellowship. And in Acts chapter two verse number 42 the early church kept on the fire in fellowship.

 

They continued in fellowship. So if there is no fellowship one cannot claim or consider himself to be a Christian. Now what is fellowship? The Greek word translated fellowship is koinonia koinonia and it has to do with partnership.

 

Koinonia has to do with partnership. It was translated communion and as well as fellowship. So communion and fellowship are the same and that means partnership.

 

Literally it means participation. Coming back to our original word the way. It has to do with participation.

 

If anybody is not in partnership the person cannot participate. So Christianity is about partnership with God and with God’s people the ecclesia the called out ones. Partnering with the called out ones.

 

People that have the same mind who are in that way and partnering with God. Participating in transaction with God and with them called out for the same purpose as you were. Without this participation one shouldn’t call himself a Christian.

 

That is why we have what you can call nominal Christians and then true Christians. That word koinonia was in Greek in their language it has to do with intercourse. So that’s a picture intercourse between a man and a woman.

 

So that is the word koinonia. So that is what fellowship really is. So it has to do with somebody interacting with the almighty God through his spirit as well as interacting with human beings who belong to the family of the almighty God.

 

If anybody is not involved in that interaction that person is not practicing Christianity. Now the scriptures show that Jesus is the foundation of that way. For you to come into that way you must have received Jesus.

 

The price he paid at the cross of Calvary is the basis for that interaction, communion with God, for that participation in God’s program. So Jesus is the foundation of the way. Acts of the apostle chapter 4 verse 12 tells us that it is by his name that we are saved.

 

No other name given among men whereby we can be saved. In first Timothy chapter 2 verses 5 and 6 also spoke in the same line that he is the mediator between God and man. So Jesus is the foundation of this our way called the Christian way.

 

When one has come into this new way the person is required to be active. There is no place for being passive. You are required to be active.

 

Interaction has to do with activity. So if somebody is passive then that person is called and not a partaker of the grace of the way. It is a thing that has to do with activity, participating in partnership.

 

The product of his participation is likened to the building of a structure. As we saw in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, as you are participating in fellowship, as you are participating in communion with God, as you are participating in interaction with God, in partnering with God, what you are producing whether it is as essential on an errand like go to preach, go to disciple or in prayer so that you can stay him up to act whatever way you are participating. The product you are releasing or you are gathering can be likened to a building.

 

And we are very right that Jesus is the foundation of that building. In 1 Corinthians chapter number 3 verses 10 and 12, according to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth their own. But let every man take heed how he buildeth their own.

 

Verse 12, now if any man buildeth upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, would he stumble, he continued. In this case, Paul was referring to the ministry or ministration he was involved in, ministration of converting people. That is part of the fellowship you are having.

 

As you are doing that work, you are participating in kingdom business. That is part of the fellowship and he described it here as a building. And he mentioned that Jesus is the foundation and there’s no other foundation than Jesus.

 

Now, as Jesus, who is the express image of God, is the foundation, so also is what makes him the foundation of what you are building. Jesus, the express image of God. God is love.

 

1 John chapter 4 verses 8 and 16, God is love. So, Jesus is the express image of God which is the express image of love. In other words, Jesus is love because he is the express image of God.

 

So, Jesus is love as God is love. If Jesus is the foundation of our way, that nature of his, called love, must be the foundation of the works we do, the building we are putting up. If the foundation of the building we are putting up through the exercises we are doing is not that nature of Jesus, if it is not that love, then whatever you are putting up can be likened to building a castle in the air.

 

If love is not the basis of anything you are doing in church, anything you are doing in your work with God, if love is not the basis, then that thing you are doing is futile, is a futile exercise. That is the first thing you must know, that love is the foundation of every work that a Christian does. If a Christian is rebuking somebody, that rebuke would be from love, a heart of love, not a heart of hatred, not a heart of jealousy, not a heart of offense.

 

If you are giving anything, it will be based on love, not on ulterior motive. So whatever a Christian is doing, if the foundation of that thing is not love, that work the person is doing does not have value. It will be combusted, it will be burned when the fire of God comes to test it.

 

This is very important. When this is understood in the church, when it is understood, that church where it is understood will enjoy peace, stability, and growth. In our text, the church grew.

 

Abundance of grace was there. Abundance of the power of God was there. That was why when somebody wanted to bring pollution, God had to kill the person.

 

Husband and wife, they were killed by the God of holiness, because they came to pollute God’s environment. The power of God was mighty, and then there was fear everywhere. So, beloved, Jesus is the express image of the Father.

 

Hebrew chapter 1 verse 3, and the Father has the nature of love. 1 John chapter 4 verse 8 and verse 16. So Jesus is love.

 

Being the foundation of our faiths, any work we are doing, building on, must be on love. If it is not on love, that work is useless. We are going to bring our message on that two points.

 

Number one, love, the footing of the fellowship with God. The footing of the fellowship with God. Number two, love, the footing of the fellowship with brethren.

 

Love, the footing, the foundation of fellowship with God. To enjoy fellowship with God, there must be love. And then, love, the footing of fellowship with brethren.

 

Before we look at those points, what is love after all? Because if you don’t know what love is, then the message will not go through. Love is that attitude of God that he expressed toward men by giving his only begotten to die for sinful mankind. Roman chapter 5 verse 8, God commanded his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

While we are still producing things offensive to him, things offensive, God hates sin. While we are still bringing up things he hated, he gave us his son to die. That is the nature of God called the nature of love.

 

Among the Greeks, there are four categories of love. The first three categories are natural. This category called divine love is the supernatural.

 

All the natural category have to do with the credit of the object of love. The credit may be the qualities the person possesses, the good the person has done, their family relationship, biological or familial relationship. All those are credits that generates the affection that leads to those love or some good that person has done and you are happy with that good he has done, then you begin to show affection.

 

All those are natural. In this case, this is supernatural affection. So for God, because of what program he has with mankind, man wasn’t qualified for this affection, he showed it.

 

For us who are human beings, who are Christians, it is this love that he commanded us also to demonstrate and it is that God’s kind. The kind of affection that is drawn not only by the credit of the object of affection but by the very essence of God, nature of God, whereby the individual is given to obeying God’s word. It is affection drawn out on the basis of the principle of obedience.

 

Drawn out on the basis of the principle of obedience which that subject of love has. That originator of the affection. So the individual Christian based on what God has said begins to release his affection towards those that God commands affection to be released towards or unto.

 

This is Christian love. Not because they are qualified in any way but because God said it. And that is the love that is demanded.

 

That is the love that you show towards God. That is the love that you show towards members of the household of faith. It is different from the natural one.

 

When present, it goes with implicit obedience to the injunctions of God. In second John, verse number six, his divine love, which we call Christian love when it is being demonstrated in a Christian, goes with implicit obedience to God’s injunction. Second John, verse number six.

 

And this is love that you walk after his commandments. This is the commandment that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. This is love that you walk in his commandment.

 

So walking in his commandment is a demonstration of that love. That love goes with obedience to God. In John’s gospel, chapter number 14, reading verse 21.

 

He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father. And I will love him and will manifest myself to him.

 

He that keepeth my commandments is he that loveth me. In other words, he that loves me keeps my commandments. Nobody that doesn’t keep God’s commandments can claim that he loves the Lord.

 

This nature of love goes with implicit obedience to God’s commandments. And when it is functional, it has clear-cut characteristics. When it is functional, it has clear-cut characteristics.

 

In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, let’s see briefly the characteristics of love. And then we now begin to apply it in fellowship with God. 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verses four through seven.

 

Charity, that is love or agape, suffereth long and is kind. Charity envieth not. Charity vanteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh not evil, rejoiceth not iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth of things, believeth of things, hopeth of things, endureth all things.

 

Those are the manifestations or futures of this divine love. The characteristics of divine love. We’re going to come and look at it more when we look at it as per in our fellowship with brethren.

 

So here we are saying that this love of God, this natural, this divine love is needed for fellowship with God. The advent of Jesus and his excruciating death is a clear mark of God’s love for mankind. Leaving the glory of heaven as the logos and coming to be like a creature and then going to the cross to die such a miserable death.

 

Is a clear expression of God’s love. In 1st John chapter 4 verse number 19. 1st John chapter 4 verse number 19.

 

We love him because he first loved us. We love him because he first loved us. So Romans chapter 5 verse 8 says, God commended his love towards us in that what we are yet sinners cried out for us.

 

So God first loved us. The believer is expected to reciprocate this love in the believer’s own measure of total submission. Reciprocate this divine love that you don’t merit in your own measure by submitting to the Lord totally.

 

Submitting to his word. Being a person giving over to living for him. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse number 15.

 

2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 15. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. They are not to live for themselves, but to live for him who died for them who also is risen.

 

When this love is active in the person’s relationship with God, the person will always seek to please God. So love will make a believer always seek to please him. John chapter 8 verse 29.

 

Jesus, who we can call the embodiment of love, having been the express image of the Father and the Father is love, has this to say in John chapter 8 verse number 29. John chapter 8 verse number 29. And he that sent me is with me.

 

The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. I do always those things that please him. When the love of God is functional in any believer, that believer will do always those things that please God.

 

God in the Old Testament commanded the Israelites to love him. Deuteronomy chapter 6, Deuteronomy chapter number 6, verses 17 and 18. So when this love is functioning in somebody, you will find the person doing this thing that God stipulated for Israel of old.

 

Deuteronomy chapter 6, verses 17 and 18. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his status, which he hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord.

 

Right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with thee, and that thou may go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers. So when love is functioning in the person’s relationship with God, the person will always be doing what is right and good. So in fellowship with God, the person will always want to please God.

 

And anybody that wants to please God will always estrange himself to the world. You see, the system of the world is offensive to God. The order of the world, the arrangement of the world is offensive to God.

 

Anybody that loves God, wants to please God, and such a person will not be a friend of the world. For whoever is a friend of the world is described as one in hostility with God. In James chapter 4, verse number 4, He adoreth us and adoreth us, knowing that the friendship of the world is enmity with God.

 

Friendship of the world, becoming a friend of the world. Somebody who is a friend, or who is in friendship, is simply fond of. So friendship here, philia, is fondness.

 

Anybody that is fond of the world, fond of the things in the world. It can be possession, it can be adornment, it can be principles, it can be opportunities, and then that is what is getting you crazy. You are fond of it.

 

It can be the appearance, how the world does her things. If you are fond of it, in the entertainment industry, all of them are all under that world, cosmos, the world. If you are fond of it, you are hostile to God.

 

So he that loves God will not be fond of the world. Whatever he or she is doing in the world, he does it as one who knows that those things are temporal. He doesn’t do it as, hey, this is the ultimate.

 

He has a good car, that good car is all right, but that good car is simply a piece of metal having plastics everywhere. Today it looks so beautiful, tomorrow it becomes outdated. That is the fashion of the world.

 

He that loves the Lord does not put his heart on that car, on that house, on those mundane things of this world. The things of this world are seen in the right perspective. So he that loves the Lord will not fight on the road because somebody scratched his car.

 

He will think about how will God see me if I get into this conflict with this person? What about the people that know me as a Christian? If they come and see me doing this, how will they? Because of that, the person will forgo. That is he that loves the Lord. We don’t want to blaspheme the name of the Lord or give room for somebody to blaspheme God through his or her activities.

 

The person is a stranger to the world. The thing that people in the world get thrilled about, don’t thrill him. Those things may be good, but they don’t get thrilled.

 

They don’t get thrilling. He or she is interested in the things of eternal consequence. Those are the things that thrill.

 

Not the academic qualification, not the certification, not the connection, not the family background, but the connection to heaven. The fact that at the end of this earthly pilgrimage, when we step into glory, never, never, never to sorrow again. His thrill is on being a child of God, having his or her name in the book of life.

 

That is what excites him or her. Not in the things he has acquired or what he has adopted. So he that loves the Lord estranges himself to the world.

 

In 1 John chapter 2, verse number 15 and then verse number 16. 1 John chapter 2, let’s take it from verse 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

 

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father. But of the world.

 

Here you are told love not. Love here is agape. The verb here is agapo.

 

It is weaker than fondness. In James, we read chapter 4, verse 4, spoke about fondness. Friendship is a weaker, is weaker in strength than love.

 

So if friendship with the world will amount to hostility with God, then when a higher degree of affection called love is exhibited towards the world, you know that that is altogether commotion against God. So God’s word says don’t have interest, don’t have affection for things of this world. All those people that have God’s love, surrender to the demand of God.

 

Whatever God wants from them, they readily give, readily release their profession to do what God will have them do. Release what they have, what is making them stand. If God said that what I want, release it in order to please God.

 

So Paul said in Philippians chapter 3, that those things that look wonderful, that people will commend and compliment, which will be called credits, that he counted them but lost and dung, that he may win Christ. Let’s read from verse number 12 of the third chapter of Philippians. Philippians chapter 3 from verse 12.

 

Not as though I had already attained, either we are already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do for getting those things which are behind and reaching forth onto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

So Paul was a lover of God. He relinquished his position as somebody that had access to the high priests and was popular among them. He relinquished it, relinquished whatever he had achieved in life in order to pursue the course of Christ.

 

If there is love, one is ready and willing to relinquish whatever he or she has as a credit in order to please God. He surrenders unto the Lord. His word is, I have come to do thy will, O God.

 

Hebrew chapter 10, I have come to do thy will. That is the expression of somebody that has love. Hebrew chapter 10, verse number 9, then said he, look, I am come to do thy will, O God.

 

So that is a testimony of one that loves God. Here it pertains to Jesus who also is the embodiment of love, who loves the Father. Don’t forget that this divine love expresses itself first towards God, then towards the creation.

 

First of all, implicit obedience towards God, having a burning affection towards God, then affection towards men. So Jesus had that affection towards God and was willing to do whatever God demanded. So people that have love in their fellowship with God, we always show the attitude of gratitude.

 

They are always grateful to God. Considering whatever God has brought their way to be right and to be good unto them. Whatever God has brought their way is right because God is good and is good to them.

 

The thing may not be very favorable, may not be very palatable, but they know that the good God that allowed it has something good to work out of it. So they don’t get into offenses, carrying offenses against God or speaking foolishly. They rather carry a heart of thanksgiving.

 

If the pain or pressure on them is high, as little babies, they will tell their father, Father, this pressure is high. Just as Jesus had that pressure and he had to say, Father, if it be your will, let this cross pass over me. But not as I will, if you want.

 

Let it cross pass over me. But not as I will, but as thou will. He didn’t want it by nature.

 

The pain, the challenge is so terrifying. So if it is possible, let it pass. But not as I will, but as thou will.

 

That is a mind of somebody that loves the Lord. So he that loves God, who is interacting with God, who is a child of God, the person will always be grateful to God. Church people do their best to keep the church healthy.

 

They do their best to keep the church healthy. The church is the body of Christ. They consider them Christ.

 

Jesus paid to establish the church. The pain he passed through, the excruciating death, the pain that lingered from the preceding day, from the garden of Gethsemane, terrible horror that Jesus passed through, through the crucifixion. Then he was now given some three hours of no communication.

 

Stay alone and feel the impact of sin. Feel the weight, the load of sin. Feel it.

 

Feel the pain of infirmities. The pain of diseases. Feel the torture of sorrow because you are paying the price for peace of man.

 

So you need to have torture of sorrow. Feel it. Feel the torture and torment of demonic oppression that people are supposed to escape from.

 

You are paying for it. So for three good hours, everything was there until the cloud of darkness was so terrible that he couldn’t bear again. He had to cry out.

 

The father had forsaken him because he was carrying the sin of mankind. He needed to feel death while alive. And then he cried out before ultimately he passed on.

 

So he that loves the Lord will not allow that purpose of Jesus to be defeated through his activities in church. He won’t be an instrument of offenses in church. In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse number 7, his principle will be, I allow myself to be cheated that there may be peace in the church.

 

1 Corinthians chapter number 6. I’m reading verse number 7. Now, therefore, there is only a fault among you. There is only a deterioration among you because ye go to law one with another. Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do you not rather suffer yourself to be defrauded? People that have the love of God in church instead of being some form of instruments of division, instrument of uproar in church, they will allow themselves rather to be cheated that there may be peace.

 

Because of their love for God, there will be instruments of offenses in the assembly because of the price that Jesus paid. So this is the fellowship with God, what the person will be doing, how the person will be acting, reacting, how the person will submit to whatever God demands of him or her, keeping back nothing from God. Anything God says, release, the person releases.

 

Once he confirms it is God, he releases it. There will be no problem with the person bringing out his financial resources in the house of God because of that interest in God, he is interested in the household of faith, people that belong to God, business of God and people of God. The person is not pushed to do what he should do in the house of God.

 

He doesn’t do those things in order to please the pastor. If the pastor is not watching, then he doesn’t do. But if the pastor is watching, then he does.

 

All that is because of lack of love. When there’s love, he is aware that God is the one he is doing the things for and he does it because he knows that God is seeing. So he considers the price Jesus paid and will not be an instrument of defilement to the church, even the body of Christ.

 

In 1 Corinthians 3, verses 16 and 17, the Holy Ghost through Apostle Paul wrote, knowing not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. We have said some time ago and we say again, the word defile and destroy, we are the same. And it is phtero, that’s the Greek word.

 

It has to do with ruin. Whosoever ruins the temple of God, in this case, the temple is plural, talking about the gathering of the people. Whosoever ruins it, that person will be ruined.

 

You can destroy the temple by corrupting it and making it to look worse through your activities, through causing trouble, through causing uproar, through criticisms, through going around and informing people things against another. That is a way of ruining. God’s word said, he that ruins, I also will ruin.

 

He that loves the Lord will not ruin the house of God. So the individual that has divine love, expresses that love towards God first by implicit obedience to his injunction and then being submissive and doing as he wills. And by so doing, he is getting a nod from the Lord.

 

The Lord is nodding and giving him pass mark, giving him some credits. Second point, love the footing of fellowship with the brethren. Love the foundation of fellowship with brethren.

 

If there is no love, whatever anybody is doing in this church and is calling it fellowship is just fake. Love is the foundation. If there is no love, that fellowship does not carry weight.

 

Those activities don’t carry weight. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, 1 Corinthians chapter 13, all those who are servants of God should please take note. In 1 Corinthians chapter 13 from verse 1, do I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, have not love.

 

I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. These are inanimate instruments of music. So I am like an instrument of music that is worthless as far as spirituality is concerned.

 

And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. So no matter how I am manifesting the gift of the Holy Ghost, if I don’t have this love, all that manifestation is vain. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profited me nothing.

 

Though I suffer to help people, I suffer to help people, to better people’s life, but there is no love behind that my suffering. That love that is absent makes all I’m suffering to be worthless. This is it.

 

Somebody can suffer for the sake of people glorifying him. Somebody can go on some assignment for others so that they can clap for him. All that doesn’t don’t have any weight, any value.

 

That is what the scripture is saying. Somebody ministering without love, that ministration is useless. Manifesting faith, manifesting any kind of attribute of the Holy Ghost and then blessing people through that.

 

But there is no love behind it. That work is vain. That is what this scripture says.

 

And this scripture is God’s word. When the Lord Jesus instructed his disciples to love one another, he meant that the characteristics of love should be expressed towards each other. When Jesus commanded in John chapter 13 verses 34 and 35, you love one another, by this shall all men know you are my disciples.

 

What he was simply saying was, towards one another manifests the characteristics of love, which we have read in verse, from verse four of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. It says love or charity suffer long. In other words, with fellow believers be ready to suffer long.

 

Let there be patient endurance. That’s what it means. Charity is kind.

 

With fellow believers show kindness. A kind person is a person that is useful to another. Show yourself useful.

 

Useful in people’s situations, people’s conditions. A person that puts joy into people’s lives is kind. When there is kindness, it is expressed in word and in action.

 

So love one another. Show kindness one to another. Charity envyeth not.

 

Don’t envy one another. Envy is the grudging that follows somebody who is angry that some blessing has come upon another. That grudging is envy.

 

The Bible calls it rottenness of the bone. Let there be no envy between you. Charity vanteth not itself.

 

Does not exalt itself. Does not boast about itself. In other words, as you interact, you disciples, let nobody boast to another.

 

Let nobody show himself to be bigger than the other. Let everybody stay the opposite of vanting is to stay humble. Is not puffed up.

 

Charity is not puffed up. When you are with each other, let there be no puffing up. Let the gifts of the Holy Ghost that you have not make you to feel you are higher.

 

You are puffed up towards other disciples. When he said love one another, he was simply saying, let these characteristics of the love be expressed one towards another. But five, does not behave itself unseemly.

 

Does not behave rashly. When you are with each other, let there be no rash behavior. Let there be no rash behavior from the pulpit.

 

Let there be no rash behavior from the pew. Let the brethren not show rashness towards each other. That what he was saying.

 

She kept not her own. Is not selfish. Let there be no selfishness among you.

 

Is not easily provoked irritability. Let there be no irritability. Let nobody get easily provoked.

 

There are people that derive pleasure in the threat of irritability. They are getting on my nerves. I am very sensitive.

 

And then they are saying it because they are ignorant of what God expects of them. When love is functional in somebody, irritability will not be there. Is not easily provoked.

 

Thinketh no evil. Jesus was saying, let nobody think evil one of another. Rejoice not in iniquity.

 

Does not rejoice when something wrong has come upon somebody. If a believer is counseled, you gave him a counsel, gave her a counsel. You rejoice it and there’s something wrong happened to him or her.

 

As a result of that counsel, he or she refused. You don’t rejoice about it if there’s love in you. You will not be saying that serves him right.

 

That serves her right. I begin to talk about it. No, you don’t rejoice over moral wrongfulness.

 

But rejoice it in the truth. When anything that is true happens in consonance with God’s word, that thing causes joy. So you rejoice with one another when God’s word is a manifestation.

 

Verse 7. Charity beareth all things. The word bearer is stego, s-t-e-g-o. It has to do with to roof over.

 

To roof over has to do with covering. When you roof over, you cover something. That thing will not be seen again.

 

That is the attitude of charity. When somebody has caused you hurt, harm, you roof over it. You don’t go to take it to display to other people to see.

 

In church, there are people that are, their business is to go around telling other people in church what somebody has done to them. When there’s charity, you won’t go around telling people what that brother, that sister has done to you. He roofs over.

 

He covers it. Somebody wants to ask you about it. You say, no problem.

 

Let’s forget it. No problem. That is love.

 

He beareth all things. Roofs over all things. Love covers multitude of sins.

 

In the family, it’s applicable. Husband and wife. When there’s love functional, they roof over whatever injury the other person has caused them.

 

Believe in all things. There is no suspicion. Being a person suspicious.

 

Looking around and considering this person pursuing you and that person pursuing you. When love is there, such things are not. Forbeareth all things.

 

There is faith, expectation. They endureth all things. Endure here is the Greek word, upomenu.

 

And upomenu has to do with staying under, under pressure. So if somebody is putting pressure on you, you’re able to stay under that pressure without blowing up. Minister will stay under pressure based on the trouble of member of the church, flock.

 

The flock is in need. And then it’s calling. You don’t explode in anger and then shout him down or shout her down.

 

That is, yeah, that is endureth all things. People also endure one another. You are under the pressure caused by some other person’s need.

 

This is love in manifestation. So this is gospel. These are the characteristics of love.

 

So when Jesus says love one another, he says let this characteristics of love be exhibited or expressed toward one another. So the minister, you are required to show kindness, to show empathy and understanding, show to the flock. When love is functional, the person shows kindness is useful and shows empathy, puts himself mentally into people’s shoes to feel what they feel.

 

And then based on that, acts or reacts. Just understanding. He understands and feels what the person is feeling and then responds to the person based on the awareness that has been created.

 

That is understanding. A person telling you, pastor, please, please. And he’s just saying and saying it.

 

It’s because of the pressure in him or her. You don’t lose your compartment and composition and do what will negate your office. Love keeps you calm, keeps your nerve controlled.

 

The minister is mindful of his word. When love is functioning, he is mindful of his word. His tone and the content of the word when speaking to members of the church.

 

Speaking to those who are old, who are elders. Speaking to those who are of the same age and speaking to those who are younger. He is mindful.

 

He is mindful. He is polite. He is courteous.

 

His words are kind. That is love. His words are kind.

 

He has kind words. He is polite. He is not rude.

 

He is not saucy. Love does not permit rudeness. Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 16 and verse 7 recognized Andronicus and Junia whom he said we are older in the faith.

 

Apostle Paul, that man that was taken to third heaven, when writing to the Romans, recognized some brethren in the church of Rome who were Christian before him. Yet that great apostle, so if one is a minister and there are people older than him in the church, he should recognize them. He shouldn’t talk to them as if he was talking to people that are junior.

 

Poirier is to be honored. The office of the pastor does not empower you to insult people. You don’t even insult colleagues of your age, people of your age, not to talk about people older than you, including people who are younger.

 

The pastor must have control of his word. If a pastor does not have good words, he shouldn’t claim to be sanctified. Sanctification will affect your tongue, will affect your speech.

 

If your speech is still raw, not refined, don’t claim to be sanctified. Don’t claim at all. You have preached it, but don’t claim it.

 

You need to break through. When it happens, it will be seen in your tongue. The expression of your mouth will be gracious.

 

There will be no more rudeness coming from your mouth. So for those who are ministers, God’s word is saying you need to be respectful. God’s love will make you respectful and make you to overlook frailties.

 

It doesn’t mean accommodate sin, but there are things you look and just overlook. Not every time you are digging and digging and digging and causing uproar in the parish. Now, there’s a tendency for some elders to say, yes, tell this my pastor, tell him, know that he can respect me.

 

But that elder in question is in the family of diatrophies. Who is diatrophies? Let’s see 3 John verse 9. Such elder that is in the family of diatrophies is in trouble as far as God is concerned. Look at what John said in 3 John verse number 9. I wrote unto the church, but diatrophies, who love to have the preeminence among them, receive us not.

 

Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds, which he doeth, preying against us with malicious words, and not content therewith. Neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Behold, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.

 

He that doeth good is of God, but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. That is diatrophies. People that don’t have respect for their pastor, who behind the calling by the first name.

 

When they are talking to somebody, they will give an impression that that person is a small boy. All such people are in the family of diatrophies. They need to repent in dust and ashes.

 

If you despise God’s anointed, you have put yourself into trouble. He is younger than you, maybe even your child’s age mate, but he is God’s anointed. And if you tamper with God’s anointed, you have invoked God’s wrath.

 

And you have evoked his anger. So don’t continue in the principle of diatrophies. Give honor to whom honor is due.

 

So flock, when love is functional, the flock respect and appreciate and cooperate with their pastor, overlooking his woman frailties. Maybe his grammar is not very sound. Maybe he has some woman frailties.

 

All that because of love you overlook. Frailties are not sin. Sin is moral.

 

Frailties are natural shortfalls. You overlook them. Maybe he is not as educated as you, and you can readily see shortfalls in his life.

 

All those are overlooked by love. Love covered a multitude of sin. Now for members, it will take members.

 

It, love will make members to identify with each other’s cause. Forbearing one another. Forgiving one another.

 

Following after the welfare of one another. That is what we saw in the characteristics of love. It is interested in doing good.

 

Welfare of one another. Welfare of one another. Each person is interested in the well-being of the other.

 

So, such people show themselves useful to others. Bearing all things. If people cause them sorrow, they don’t go around distributing that information to everybody who cares to hear.

 

They keep it, or they take it to somebody that can help. Somebody above who can come to assist us. Somebody who can counsel, but not colleague that will get involved in tailbearing.

 

They roof over the pains caused them. The offenses caused them by others with silence. They roof over it with silence.

 

And then they stay under the pressure of other people’s shortfalls. They stay under it without making noise. That is love.

 

They value each other. Making no room for pride. No room for envy.

 

No room for selfishness. No room for irritability. No room for rashness.

 

Love will make members visit each other. You know, there are places people come and nobody visits them. After one week.

 

After two weeks. After three weeks. Or somebody had been coming to church.

 

Then suddenly he’s not being seen again. And people will not visit because love is dead in such congregation. When love is active, people will be interested in visiting.

 

If somebody misses fellowship, somebody go to the next moment to check what has happened. That is love. So as it was in the early church, the people had fellowship.

 

Visited each other. Seeking to assist each other. Helping the weak and strengthening them.

 

Going to the newcomer as well as old timer. Old timer can be old timer but weak. He is not as knowledgeable as you.

 

You visit. She is not as knowledgeable as you. You visit.

 

A person might have been long in church but does not know what you know. You still have to attend to him or her. Not giving room for the evil one to take him or her away.

 

Love will make you strengthen your brethren. Seek to strengthen your brethren. So these are characteristics of love that Jesus commanded to be exhibited towards one another.

 

Love one another. By this shall all men know you are my students. Demonstrate, exhibit these characteristics of love.

 

If you have assessed yourself and found yourself wanting. No cause for alarm because God is the embodiment of love. His metrics as it were is just love.

 

And God is not as big. He is not. His size is not comparable with the ocean.

 

You go to any shore and look at the ocean. Till your eyes can’t go. You are flying across the ocean.

 

You will continue to see water. But as massive as the ocean, it is minuscule to God’s size. The whole earth as it is, is minuscule to God’s size.

 

So if going to the ocean and taking a bucket of water does not change the level of the ocean. No matter what you draw from God, it will not change the stature of God. His nature is love.

 

I am going to go to God on the basis of the following questions. Since God is love as recorded in 1 John chapter 4 verses 8 and 16, I read. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love.

 

And verse 16, and we have known and believed the love that God had to us. God is love. So God is love.

 

If God is love, you are to ask him. Will giving you a bit of that his nature of love. Will that diminish him? But the answer is no.

 

If it would diminish him, then he may say, oh, I don’t want to reduce in size. So I won’t give you. If it would diminish him, and the essence of the program we are in is that God is not a hoarder.

 

I will not withdraw. What resources that are superlative, that are infinite, he cannot withdraw giving them at the time of need. So if you are in need of his love.

 

You will say, Lord, giving me your love will not diminish your nature a bit. Number two, next question. Does he have anything to gain by you lacking love? He has something to gain.

 

He can say, okay, if I give you love now, I won’t get, I will lose this or I won’t gain this. But if he had nothing to gain by you lacking love, then he should do something. Because he has the ability to do.

 

Then third thing is Philippians chapter two, verse three, verse 13. This is the scripture that it is God that worketh in us. But the will and to do of his good pleasure.

 

They are God’s word revealed that it is God that works love in you. Love is one of the product of the Holy Spirit. And love grows.

 

God works love. He can work love by bringing circumstances around that will stimulate love in you. He can work love by depositing his nature, transmitting his nature for by releasing the spirit of love to come and envelop you.

 

So since he is the one that works in you, you want to tell him and he is not stingy. He is magnanimous. You want to tell him, Lord, I want divine love.

 

I want to be filled with love. If anybody that gets sanctified, one of the things that will happen is there will be an escalation of God’s love. The product of love escalates.

 

So sanctification is a process of getting love. There is also God depositing love on his child. And that is one you are going to tell the Lord.

 

The song ministers, music ministers will come forward and we are going to sing song number 171. I give my life for thee. If God could give his son’s life, what else can he not do? But he wants us to show that we value that life.

 

Song number 171. I give my life for thee. My precious blood I share.

 

That thou my grandson be, and quicken from the dead. I gave, I gave my life for thee. What hast thou given for me? My father’s house of light, my glory sacred throne.

 

I left for e’erly night, for wandering sad and lone. I left, I left it all for thee. Hast thou left all for me? I suffered much for thee, more than thy tongue can tell.

 

Of bitterest agony, to rescue thee from hell. I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee. What hast thou borne for me? And I have brought to thee, down from my home above.

 

Salvation full and free. My product and my love. I bring, I bring rich gift to thee.

 

What hast thou brought to me? My precious blood I share. That thou my grandson be, and quicken from the dead. I gave, I gave my life for thee.

 

What hast thou given for me? My father’s house of light, my glory sacred throne. I left for e’erly night, for wandering sad and lone. I left, I left it all for thee.

 

Hast thou left all for me? I suffered much for thee. I left, I left it all for thee. Hast thou left all for me? I suffered much for thee.

 

More than thy tongue can tell. Of bitterest agony, to rescue thee from hell. What have I borne for thee? What hast thou given for me? Salvation full and free.

 

My product and my love. I bring, I bring rich gift to thee. What hast thou brought for me? My precious blood I share.

 

That thou my grandson be, and quicken from the dead. What hast thou given for me? My father’s house of light, my glory sacred throne. I left, I left it all for thee.

 

I left, I left it all for thee. I left, I left it all for thee. I left, I left it all for thee.

 

I left, I left it all for thee. I left, I left it all for thee. I leave the ministers in charge.

 

We leave the people in a session of prayers. As I close. Heavenly father, I bless you.

 

Embodiment of love. I give you thank and praise. Because nobody pleaded with you.

 

To come to the planet earth. And save mankind. It was a program you drew by yourself.

 

It was a program that you had. Before human beings. We are going to be saved.

 

Before we are conceived. You had already programmed Jesus dying at the cross. So we are appearing at the end of the church age.

 

Thus the terminus of the church age. Cannot be people who will be begging you to give them love when the love of God is superfluous. Father in glory I am requesting.

 

As your child and servant that you release this your nature upon your people. So that the house of the Lord may be healthy. So that brethren in church may see eye to eye.

 

Look at each other with this divine affection that does not carry any wrong motive. Do work for each other with divine affection. That has a benefit in glory.

 

And then interact with this affection that makes for pleasantness. In the house of God Lord there should be no envy. There should be no jealousy.

 

There should be no work of the flesh. There should be no animosity. There should be no sin of any kind.

 

Your house is precious. And your house is a place of holiness. Holiness goes together with love.

 

Your nature is love. Your nature is holiness. When there is love of God functioning holiness is noble.

 

Holiness is natural. You have called us to be holy. Father you need to inject this love.

 

This love that we need so that we can lead a holy life with ease. Let it be according to your will. In the name of Jesus Christ our master Jesus the express image of your person called us and said as my father sent me so sent are you.

 

He sent us to walk with love. My father and my God if there is no available love then how can we fulfill our calling. I am therefore requesting that you assist your people as they are calling upon you to release your nature as you give your spirit to all.

 

Release this nature of love into all so that there will be no more calamity spiritual calamity mental calamity in the house of God. No more clashes. No more strife.

 

No more sedition. No more all those things that make for spiritual spiritual healthiness. Instead there will now be arena of divine love that makes for progress that make for abundance of divine power that make for manifestation of the blessing of God.

 

Let it be Lord as we have prayed in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you blessed father. You will walk and nobody can hinder you that people have submitted to go in your way do that which you alone can do and let the church have a new breath a new aroma of divine presence at all places where they are located people connecting from their homes having the breath of love in their homes husband and wife parents and children people in household all enjoying this divine influence called love.

 

Lord let it be the Lord of your people as many of us are having some challenges as a result of absence of love. Father I pray that as you are releasing love take away those challenges in the name of Jesus Christ blessed be your holy name now and forever and ever and ever in the wonderful name of Jesus