LOVE Is The Unconditional Longing Of God

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – LOVE #5

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

Our Lord Jesus Christ Reveals Himself at Sinai

In Exodus 19:1-6 NLT says, “1 Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai. 2 After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp there at the base of Mount Sinai. 3 Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. 6 And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

In Verse 3 describes the words – Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob – The people of Israel were to prepare themselves for this divine encounter. Three days were set aside to purify themselves and wash their garments (Exodus 19:10-14), just as a bride would go to great lengths to prepare herself for her husband (Ezekiel 16:10-14). These purification rites were necessary since God was holy and His presence cannot tolerate impurity, physical or spiritual. Furthermore, the mountain where God would appear for the ceremony was to be cordoned off, segregated from the people because sinful man is unable to tolerate too close an encounter with the “Holy One of Israel” (Exodus 19:12, 13, 23).

In Verse 5 describes the words – if ye will obey my voice indeed – Israel was warned that this covenant would be conditional, linked to their obedience to God’s commands which He was about to reveal.

In Verse 6 describes the words – a kingdom of priests . . . an holy nation – Israel’s role as a “kingdom of priests” is related to Abraham’s promise, “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). God intends to use Israel in a priestly capacity to bring the Gentiles to God (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6). The word “nation” (Hebrew g“y) is a general term that applies to all people (BDB, 156); however, in later Hebrew literature it refers to non-Israelites or Gentiles. The implication of this is interesting. Israel is a nation just like any other nation. She is made “holy” because of her relationship with God, not because of any inherent good in her. As a “holy nation,” Israel’s priestly role is further underscored.

So we learned that because of our relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and because of His righteousness, we as Born-Again Christian believers were made “holy“.

Young Women of Jerusalem

In Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) 8:5-7 NLT says, “5  Who is this sweeping in from the desert, leaning on her lover? I aroused you under the apple tree, where your mother gave you birth, where in great pain she delivered you. 6  Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. 7  Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.”

In Verse 5 describes the words – THE SHULAMMITE’S FRIENDS: Who is this? – The same question is asked in Song of Songs 3:6, but now it refers to the bride. THE SHULAMMITE BRIDE: Apples are repeatedly associated with the sensual enjoyment of the husband (Song of Songs 2:5). The location of where her mother bore her may refer to her return home with her bridegroom. Having been taught well, she reenacts her mother’s actions which led to her birth.

In Verse 6 describes the bride desires to become a signet ring on the heart of her lover. love is strong as death – compared in terms of their permanence and one’s inability to escape their grasp. jealousy is cruel as the grave – better, “its jealousy unyielding as the grave” (NIV) in its insatiableness. a most vehement flame – or “mighty flame” (NIV). Many take this as “the flame of Yahweh,” i.e., totally consuming.

In Verse 7 describes the words – Many waters – in contrast to the fire. Even if the vast and chaotic primeval sea flowed over the flame of love, it would never be able to extinguish it. No matter how difficult the calamity, love will triumph. substance . . . love – In the comparison between wealth and love, the one offering wealth would be scorned by the one having love. Love is beyond value; yet how many unthinkingly trade it in pursuit of career, fame, or fortune!

There is great passion in God’s saving love. It not only saves us, but it also daily reveals God’s purpose in our lives. His love is the fuel and energy of our calling. When we capture that great passion in God’s saving love, we can have compassion for the lost souls and share the Good News to them.

Paul celebrated this purpose-revealing, energy-driving love in what some have called the believer’s victory hymn:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither Angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(Romans 8:35-39)

Faith Brings Joy

In Romans 5:1-8 NLT says, “1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. 6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

In Verse 1 describes with the word therefore, Paul indicates a conclusion based on his previous argument. In chapter 4, Paul showed how sinners, both Jews and Gentiles, are justified by faith. Here he begins to describe how having been made right in God’s sight by faith affects our relationship with God. First, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Having peace with God means there is no more hostility between us and God, no sin blocking our relationship with Him. More than that, a new relationship has been established, so we no longer dread or fear the outcome of judgment but live under the protection established by God.

In Verse 2 describes that not only has our Lord Jesus Christ made us right with God, but He also has given us personal access to God, bringing us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand. We have been brought into a place of favor with God. Instead of being His enemies, we are His friends – in fact, His own children (only those who accepted Him as their Savior and Lord of their lives – being Born-Again Christian believers) (John 15:15; Galatians 4:5). Humankind was created for glory, but because of sin, had fallen “short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). It is God’s purpose to recreate His image, His glory, fully in us so that we can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. Anticipating our future with God ought to bring great joy. We stand in God’s grace, and the outcome of our lives is secure in His hands. We no longer need to be haunted by thoughts of judgment; now we can reflect upon and respond to His grace.

In Verses 3 & 4 describe problems and trials were a normal experience for first-century Christians. On their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas preached in several cities, and many people became believers. But, as was always the case, there was an immediate backlash of persecution against believers. For Christians, suffering does not negate the reality of God’s love, but provides the occasion to affirm and apply it. This character quality of learning to endure is not an end in itself (see 1 Peter 1:6-7). It is one step in a process. Endurance develops strength of character. The word character (dokime) includes the idea of “approved as a result of testing.” A person with this kind of character is known for his or her inward qualities rather than any outward appearances. The end result of this chain reaction is confident expectation of salvation – confidence that God is in control and will see us through. The difficulties of life are not random, meaningless, or wasted when we are trusting God.

In Verse 5 describes our expectation that God will keep His promises will never disappoint us. When our trust is in God, we are absolutely assured that He will fulfill all that He has promised – we will be resurrected to eternal life and will be with Him in glory. Hallelujah! Amen! Why? Because He has already given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. The Holy Spirit continues to encourage us, reminding us how dearly God loves us. He loves us and will do as He has promised. (See also John 7:38; Romans 8:35; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Titus 3:5-6.) We can have hope in God because of the nature of His love.

In Verse 6 describes God’s plan, from the beginning, was to send His Son to die for us, at just the right time, referring to both the timing in history and the timing in God’s plan (see Galatians 4:4). In the face of our helplessness, God was fully in control. The events in human history did not determine the plan of salvation; the plan of salvation was designed by God to happen at just the right time. We are saved only because God took the initiative and demonstrated His incredible grace and love by sending His own Son to take the punishment we deserved.

In Verses 7 & 8 describe the highest expression of human love is when someone gives his or her life so that another person can continue to live. People are able to understand sacrificial love, even though it is rarely practiced. This kind of sacrificial gesture is almost always dependent on a relationship that already exists between the one sacrificing (parent, sibling, spouse, fellow soldier/marine) and the one benefited. Even so, people do not readily die for others. But God’s love stands in stark contrast to even the deepest expression of human love because God showed His great love for us by sending our Lord Jesus Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s death is the highest manifestation of God’s love for us. While we were rebellious and despicable, our Lord Jesus Christ died for us so that we could come to God, find peace with Him, and become heirs of His promises. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not die so that we could be made lovable; our Lord Jesus Christ died because God already loved us and wanted to bring us close to Himself.

The Justice of A Righteous God

In Ezekiel 18:30-32 NLT says, “30 “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! 31 Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? 32 I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!.”

In Verse 30 describes the words – Repent, and turn yourselves – The eternal fate of the people was not determined by what their parents had done. Only by repenting does one acknowledge responsibility, thus making a return to fellowship with God possible (Martens).

In Verse 31 describes the words – Cast away from you – This statement is parallel to the previous invitation to repent. The only way of escape is through reconciliation to God (Ephesians 4:22, 23). make you a new heart and a new spirit – one heart – i.e., “an undivided heart” (NIV) in devotion to Yahweh. (Jeremiah 32:39; Zephaniah 3:9). new spirit – While this anticipates the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Taylor), it also applies to those who for over five centuries would await that day. They would have a new, divinely motivated desire to obey God. the stony heart – The stubborn intransigence of the past will be gone (Wevers) ( Zechariah 7:12).

In Verse 32 describes the question was asked in Ezekiel 18:23, “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” The answer, though implied in Ezekiel 18:24-31, is emphatically answered here: No!

A Call To Repentance

In Joel 2:12-13 NLT says, “12  That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. 13  Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.”

In Verse 12 describes the words – God knows the punishment that awaits the people of Israel, He urges them to repent. also now – i.e., now, while there is time. The judgment has not yet come, so God pleads with the people to repent. turn ye even to me – This command “to turn” is reminiscent of Deuteronomy 4:29, 30; 30:2. It is a clear call to repent from sin. fasting . . . weeping . . . mourning – These outward symbols were to show the depth of their inward repentance.

In Verse 13 describes the words – rend your heart, and not your garments – The tearing of clothes was one way to show repentance (Joshua 7:6). Along with the outward signs of repentance, there needs to be a genuine sorrow for sin. repenteth him of the evil – better, “relents from sending calamity” (NIV). The God of Israel, Yahweh, acts compassionately to those who repent of their sins (e.g., Jonah 4:2).

Prayer is the key that unlocks and reveals faith. Effective prayer needs both an attitude of complete dependence and the action of asking. Prayer demonstrates complete reliance on God. Thus, there is no substitute for prayer, especially in situations that seem impossible.

So, let our hearts and minds in tune with God, in the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. We as Born-Again Christians have been tried and cleansed, we have moved freely into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that is more powerful than it was before our trials. We are at home in the presence and fellowship of God, for we are heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, more like Him that we could ever have dreamed possible. So, let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. Amen!

The principle is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Let’s never get over the effect of God’s saving transformation on people’s lives. People who were lost in sin, filled with anger and bitterness, give up their hatred and become approachable as we have studied and learned last time. That is, of course, why we minister to others. Those of us who minister are not people to whom gentleness and self-control comes naturally. We are people who have been remodeled by grace. We thankfully leave our old natures far behind as we embrace gentleness and self-control and in our treatment of others.

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, let me encourage our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others, we constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these LOVE Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

1. The True Forgiveness – Podcast Love #1
2. Giving Is The Evidence of Love – Podcast Love #2
3. The Definition of Love – Podcast Love #3
4. God’s Passion for His World – Podcast Love #4
5. The Unconditional Longing of God – Podcast Love #5
6. Permeating All We Do – Podcast Love #6

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

Three (3) Questions we can answer from these Sources: The Bible and Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Observation: What do these passages say to you?

Interpretation: What do these passages mean to you?

Application: How do the meaning of these passages apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer, please take a look of one of our ministries, “An Invitation To Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

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Suggested Prayer: Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness you have done on the Cross of Calvary, and continue to intercede for us in prayer. Thank you Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words, obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in our Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!

God bless you all and our families!

In Malachi 3:10-12 AMPC says, “10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.