Love at Christmas - Emmanuel

My friend (well, I've never really met him, but I still consider him a friend and brother in Christ) Frank Turk has wrapped up his posts on Christmas. I found these posts to be very informative. If you haven't read them and would like to, see the
links below and give them a read:

1st Post
2nd Post
3rd Post
4th Post
5th Post
Final Post

I started to make a comment on his final post. Well, actually I did write one out. Here's what it said:

"Can you really end this series on this post? See, here's what I'm thinking. You've made us consider this pretty deeply. But all through this series I've been beating up on myself for NOT doing the things I ought to be doing. I struggle with this continually, actually. I know I should love God with all my heart, soul and mind. I know I ought to love my neighbor even as I love my self. It's commanded of me. But I don't do those things reliably. I struggled for a long time with even the concept of "expressing" love for this great God who seemed so abstract to me. So, when you say things like "the stupid little punk with a blog who cannot even love his family as he ought to" it gives me hope. I don't feel alone in struggling with these inadequate feelings of my own love for God and my fellow man. You also say "The kind of joy we can receive and we *ought* to receive in this season is the joy of God being with us". Here's the clincher for me. I fight this fight...and I fight it hard. I stir myself, I press forward, I train and run this race with the intention of taking the crown. But with all of that I find myself utterly lacking in exemplifying a love for God and a love for my fellow man that is acceptable. The gamut of my senses have been severely exercised over this topic and I still find myself endeavoring to "nail down" a cogent support for my success. Most of the time I feel the force of TEKEL; like I have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.

Nonetheless, I've found the series encouraging. I just wish there was one more post. One completely dedicated to an explanation of "What it means to Love God: The means and instrumentation of accomplishment".

But see, here's my problem if I post that comment. Frank will say something like "Dude, did you miss the part where I said 'God is with us'? Does the name Emmanuel mean something -anything - to you?" And, of course, he would be right in asking. Has God indeed poured his love into us? Scripture says he has:
5 This hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Holman Christian standard version. 2003 (Ro 5:5).

Now, how did He accomplish that? (Hint: "Emmanuel")
9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2003 (1 Jn 4:9)

How do I show my love for God?
3 For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden, 4 because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.
The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2003 (1 Jn 5:3-4)

Can you do this without His assistance?
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2003 (1 Jn 4:7)

5 May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.
The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2003 (2 Th 3:5)

BUT, How can I be sure?
3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, captives of various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.
4 But when the goodness and love for man
appeared from God our Savior,
5 He saved us [Eternally by the way....not temporally] - not by works of righteousness that we had done,
but according to His mercy,
through the washing of regeneration
and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
6 This ⌊Spirit⌋ He poured out on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that having been justified by His grace,
we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.
The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2003 (Tit 3:3-7)

So here's what I recommend to you the next time you begin to doubt your love "For" God. Go to his word and see how the things written there resemble what it is you are trying to achieve. Are you trying to do those things? Can you see maturity in your life concerning the things of God? Don't let doubt creep back into your life! Feed on His word. Memorize particular verses concerning things which you have developed a doubt over. God's word will never fail you.

See, here's the thing. You will never be able to accomplish a perfect love for God on this side of glory. You will face doubts. But Jesus Christ has accomplished everything we need. The Holy Spirit is applying those things we need to develop into a more mature Christian. You are being made holy. God himself has set you apart when he called you in eternity past. The Lord Jesus Christ did not fail to do His part of trinitarian redemption. The Holy Spirit will not fail in doing His part in trinitarian redemption. That should put a smile on your face and put the thought "I love you, God" in your mind....with true feeling!

Rick