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THE BASICS

Welcome to the Hebraic head of the new year! At the new year, it is always a good time to reorient ourselves as need be to the basics of what will make our lives the most blessed, and the biggest blessing. Enjoy!

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matt 22:37 NKJV

The Lord’s primary concern is just for YOU, not for what you can do, but just because of who you are. Recently I took three days to seek the Lord to hear all that He wanted to talk about concerning me, my family and the greater family and ministry of Lightbearers. I had three pages of headings, and where I could take notes, prepared to ask Him about, including our family, our ministry family, the different ministries of Lightbearers, our goals, purposes and objectives. But right at the top of the first page I put myself, because I knew that the first person He would want to talk to me about…would be me.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal 2:20 NKJV

Seven personal pronouns! The staggering truth is that Jesus would have done it all, a plan that was launched from before the foundation of the world, and consummated with His passion, resurrection and the day of Pentecost, just for you…just for me! “What kind of love is this? Like no love I have ever known…” the songwriter stated. Am I that important? Are you? Yes. The simple purity and clarity of the love of God, and who we are in Christ, washes away so much unbelief, fear and self-hatred.

The love of God is the most powerful reality in the universe. The love of God gives you the confidence to go anywhere and challenge anyone because you know the purity of your own soul.

…faith working through ( is energized by ) love. Gal 5:6 NKJV

First things first. We love God with all of our heart, soul and mind. That love has to be at the root of everything else: our personal lives, business, ministry, friends and social outlets, everything has to be built upon the foundation of loving God with all we are, and have. The effectiveness of the operation of the gifts of the Spirit is rooted in that passionate, focused love of God. The love of God is the root and foundation of all true success. That’s basic!

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  Matt 22:39-40 NKJV

I’m a runner! I like to run, and to work out. The Lord told me years ago that I was to wave and smile at every passing car, and greet everyone on the street as I ran. He wanted me, very practically, to learn and demonstrate my love for my neighbors. Today almost everyone waves back, even from their cars, and some even wave before I do! The second great basic reality in our lives is that we take our love for the Lord and extend it to all of His creation, most particularly to His sons, daughters and the unsaved.

Love God and love everyone else. That’s basic!

When, at a chance encounter, a ‘white christian’ failed to love a young, black Christian who was his neighbor, it had catastrophic results for the young man, and eventually for the world. When a young, born again Cassius Clay was thrown out of a restaurant because of vicious segregation laws, the broken hearted young man resolved to leave Christianity and follow the twisted path of Islam, eventually becoming Muhammad Ali. Now you know the rest of the story!

Love everyone, all the time, at every ‘chance’ encounter. Prefer them before yourself, regardless of circumstances or ‘laws.’ Sacrifice yourself, as necessary, to love them. That’s basic Christianity!

‘As yourself!’ Do I love myself? In the fallen worlds value system of beauty and intellect we are taught to hate ourselves. But we are not to be conformed to this world or deformed by the world. We are to have Christ built in us.  Jesus so loved Himself in that godly manner that He always knew that His prayers were answered and that nothing could separate Him from the love of the Father. He and the Father were one. How about you and the Father? Are you one with Him? Am I one with Him? We are in the Spirit and we can be in our walks…

Now, how do you grow or increase in the love of God in your life?

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” Matt 4:4 NKJV

Your walk is your unique walk with God. No one, other than the Holy Spirit, can dictate the specifics of your walk with God. But, since we are talking about ‘the basics,’ there are several great, general resources, if you will, that enable you to grow in love. The most basic is the Word of God.

Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; Jer 15:16 NKJV

I love the Word of God. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he, Proverbs says. God’s Word in your heart cleanses your way from evil, and makes you more than a conqueror. At the head of the year, it is a basic time to reorient my relationship with the word of the Lord, if need be. If you are full of the Word, if your lips flow with the loving graciousness of Christ who is in you, then carry on! But if you struggle to speak the right word at the right time, then it is time to get refilled. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. When one is full of the Word, their words will be sweet words. The love of God grows in the soul of one filled with God’s Word.

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…1 Cor 14:4 NKJV

Speaking in tongues much will build your spirit man, enabling you to receive more revelation, more power, more authority, more blessing. Here is a basic reality – you can’t give something you don’t have! You must receive much more than you ever are able to give. So, if you want to be a big giver, and love is always expressed in giving, then you must be an even bigger receiver. If you give more than you receive, than you are the loser, and eventually you will run out of everything. You always must receive more than you give. The art of giving is the ability to receive. Speaking in tongues much builds you up so that you can receive an abundance and share generously.

You can’t out love God! The more you walk in the love of God, the greater the love of God will flow to you and through you. You just can’t beat it…that’s the basics, dear ones. Love you!

Remember, dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…