| Subject: Devo #42: What’s the Brand Name? |
Author:
Gail
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Date Posted: 18:00:21 09/17/01 Mon
Topic—Light of the World
Power Point—We are destined to reflect the light of God’s love—a deep love that comes from the heart.
This Week’s Memory Verses—Ephesians 5:8–10
Access Database—1 John 1:5–2:11
What’s the Brand Name?
by Dan Williams
Most of us are familiar with love, but we’re only familiar with the most popular notions of love. One songwriter even posed the question, "What’s love got to do with it?…It’s nothing but a secondhand emotion." In our culture "love" is used to describe how we feel about lots of stuff. It is also the criterion that many "moral" people use to decide when it’s time to hand over their sexual innocence and purity to someone else. That kind of love is generic—anyone can afford to give it because it costs very little! Kinda like no-name-brand, or generic, foods.
Want the truth about love? Here it is: Love is deep and complex.
God uses specific character ingredients when mixing up a batch of real love. First, He works some of these character ingredients into your soul—prepared mind, self-control, hope, obedience, holiness, redemption and purity. Then, He slowly mixes the ingredients with a healthy portion of time, slides it into the oven of circumstances and watches the love in your heart rise and take shape!
If you watch your heart carefully as it warms (though it will never actually be finished), you’ll notice the steam leaking out of the center. That’s where God is cultivating deep love. We’re not talking about feel-good, generic love. We’re talking sincere love—the kind He uses to feed our friends, the hurting, lonely, angry, lost, broken, cynical and hopeless.
Deep love is generated from the inner side—the redeemed heart full of the Truth! Deep love doesn’t just flow awkwardly from the mouth or brain and somehow show up in words, emotions or love notes to get what you need. Deep love is the kind of love that attaches no conditions. Deep love is about a commitment to someone else’s needs, not your own. Fulfillment is then found in passionately embracing God’s most critical priority: sincere love—"brand-name" love.
The day you became a Christian, you began walking in the light of true love—God’s love. You also accepted a whole new purpose and meaning and vowed to embrace God’s priorities. Love one another deeply from the heart. It’s your destiny to reflect the light of God’s brand of love, the kind that few are willing to pay the price for!
Now go back and read 1 John 1:5–2:11 one more time.
Identity Matrix—Disciples of Christ...
Know God—In what way did God reveal Himself to you as you read His Word?
Live for God—What one lifestyle change is God calling you to make?
Love Others—In what way is God calling you to minister to someone in need?
Bear Fruit—In what ways will you set the example and the standard for others to follow?
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