Love Is Blind

By Jarrad Miller

What is the definition of LOVE? Our society confuses love & lust. Unlike lust, God's kind of love is directed outward towards others, not inward towards ourselves. Love has become a mixed-up term with little meaning.

Today, people are still confused about love. It is the greatest of all human qualities, and it is an attribute of God himself! 

Whoever does not love does not know God,
because God is love.  - 1 John 4:8

God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness" (Jer. 31:3). He is eager to do the best for us if we will let Him. Before we were formed in the womb the Lord knew us. For years we swam around in a sea of meaningless searching for love. Mary J. Blige had a joint called "Real Love,' where she belted out that she was in search of a real love. However, I will never forget the song by Eve called "Love Is

Blind."  

"Love is blind and it will take over your mind. What you think is love, is truly not. 
You need to elevate and find." - Eve

There is definitely some truth to the above statement, but love is NOT blind; it's the people who know the Word, but do NOT know the meaning of it! In high school, I dated a girl I thought I was in love with. But I tried to control her. God gently leads, Satan tugs hard. I didn't want her to wear revealing clothes, nor have male friends, because I thought they would probably be flirtatious with each other. I would get upset if I even thought she looked at another guy. No longer did I look at her as human. I looked at her as my property, and ultimately I felt that I could put my hands on her. . .all in the name of LOVE!

LOVE IS NOT BLIND! It is that the truth of love has been veiled to those who do not know or have fellowship with the Son. Rihanna sings to us, "we found love in a hopeless place," but when you spend your meaningless life searching for love and searching for hope, eventually you will realize that hope & love are found in Jesus Christ who will never disappoint.

So back to Eve's song, "what you think is love, is truly not. You need to elevate and find." Isn’t that the truth! The Word of God says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

In conclusion, we need to elevate and find out what love is truly about. Apostle Paul said that love is the greatest gift. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

CHOOSE GOD. . .CHOOSE LOVE!

He Calls You Friend

By Jarrad Miller

God is the greatest friend we can ever have! I know to some that may sound crazy, but let’s just take a moment and evaluate the qualities of a friend. 

A friend is defined as: an intimate associate; association of familiarity and companionship. The number one quality in any friendship is TRUST! You can trust that person with all of your secrets, without having to worry about whether if they will expose you or not. A friend is someone that you can depend on. That person will be there for you through thick and thin. A friend will love you, value you, and cherish you for who you are, not for what you can do for them.

I can honestly say, I haven’t met too many people like that. But there is One Faithful Gentleman I know and His name is Jesus! He desires to have an intimate relationship with the people He created. He does not want or desire rituals, but intimacy! He tells us in Revelations: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.” Jesus wants to have fellowship with us, and He wants us to open up to Him. He is patient and persistent in trying to get through to us—not breaking and entering, but “knocking” (3:20). You have the option to invite Him into your “home” or leave Him outside to stand in the cold.

Unfortunately, many people choose to ignore Him. I ignored Jesus the majority of my life. I grew up in a home where God was revered, but it just wasn’t real to me. I was living life seeking the approval of man, all the while Christ was just left outside, wanting to fill me with His love; the love I desired so much. The pleasures of the world—money, security, material possessions—can be dangerous, because their temporary satisfaction makes us indifferent to God’s offer of lasting satisfaction.

Today, I live my life dedicated to God, for “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). One day I was walking on my way to work and the Lord spoke to and said, “I desire to be friends with my people.”

Pretense displeases God, especially when it comes to His “service.” Jesus said, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:8-9). 

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. - John 15:13-15

Because Jesus Christ is Lord and Master, He should call us servants, instead He calls us friends. How comforting and pleasing to be chosen as Christ’s friends. Because He is Lord and Master, we owe Him our unqualified obedience, but most of all, Jesus calls us to obey Him because we love Him.

God wants our time.

God wants our commitment.

God wants our hearts, for He is the lover of our souls.

Make a decision to today to put God first, and He will give you the desires of your heart.