No Fear in Love

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - 1 John 4:18...NIV


1 John is probably one of my favorite books in the Bible on love...it has spoken to me most of my Christian walk, as an example of how God's agape (love), or His emptying out and self-sacrifice (definition of agape) has driven out fear and emboldened me to continue to seek to be made perfect in love.


While I have extrapolated this verse, it really is much bolder in context of the entire book of 1 John.


Today the Spirit is speaking to me about speaking truth and love and that they are one in the same = JESUS. I think I have often, out of fear to appear offensive, or because i felt that I had a "plank" in my eye, that I was unable to speak truth...I continue to realize that I must speak truth and that the Word is truth. Doesn't matter how I feel about it, if I like it or not; doesn't make it NOT truth. I have spent a lot of time justifying why that shouldn’t be truth, and many years side-stepping around the fact that it IS true and suddenly I am finally submitted to the fact that not only IS it true, but one of the main problems in many lives is simply that we don’t want to say the truth, and we definitely don’t want to hear (or like hearing) the truth. OK, so I am guilty, Father and I beg forgiveness!


Selah……

 If I withhold truth or do not tell you the truth, especially out of fear, then how is love perfected in me? Am I so concerned about how you will "feel" about it, that I am silent? Do I speak truth, out of my love for you, my concern and for your welfare, or do I sit on it and remain silent (tolerance) so that I do not offend? (Insert healthy fear of God on my part here because of what I will have to give account for when I stand before Him).


In all of Scripture I don't see that Jesus....I mean I see the Jesus who speaks absolute truth in love which is His motivation but He is speaking, He is not silent....


My prayer and confession for today is:


May I have the courage Lord, to be the truth, follow Your truth, and speak Your Truth, despite the planks in my eye, to my Christian family out of reverence to You lest I appear on Judgment day and give an account for my sin of not speaking.


Love is the only thing that remains...it remains more than my faith or my hope according to 1 Cor 13. It is the greatest of these three things.


I may be a broken vessel, Lord. I may have a huge plank in my eye, but grant me courage to not let that deter me from speaking Your truth. You tell us that if anyone professes that Jesus Christ is Lord that he is from God.


Then, Father, let me acknowledge that in everything that is spoken to me....that I will search for what You would have for me, and ignore the vessel in which you bring it to me through. Let it not be about how they speak it, but only that I hear YOU in it.


Likewise, let the Truth you give to me, by speaking Your Word, be edifying and bring about fruit and I thank you that your Word never returns void, in Jesus’ name, Amen!


My heart hurts…


When, oh when, church, will we begin to speak the truth, regardless of the offense? When will we stop running around with itching ears seeking what feels good and sounds good and calling THAT truth when that is just stroking our egos and our flesh?


I pray personally that I am no longer afraid to hear the truth and to be perfected in love as this verse says!


Thank you, Lord!

Am I THAT Transparent?

This week someone said to me in passing conversation that I was “transparent.”  So, of course, being the analytical woman I am, I had to drag this with me into the throne room and have a conversation with my God about it and ask His opinion.  One of the best things about my relationship with my love (Jesus) is the fact that anything I bring into the throne room and talk about in communion with Him; He will take me seriously and answer my questions and communicate with me via His Spirit.  Just that intimate sharing and trust with Him and knowing that He will always answer me is so comforting!


So, I asked Him, am I THAT transparent, Lord?  His answer?  I HOPE SO!  My response was, “huh?”


[trans-pair-uh nt, -par-] –adjective
1. having the property of transmitting rays of light through its substance so that bodies situated beyond or behind can be distinctly seen.
2. admitting the passage of light through interstices.
3. so sheer as to permit light to pass through; diaphanous.
4. easily seen through, recognized, or detected: transparent excuses.
5. manifest; obvious: a story with a transparent plot.
6. open; frank; candid: the man's transparent earnestness.
7. Computers . (of a process or software) operating in such a way as to not be perceived by users.
8. Obsolete . shining through, as light.


After reading this definition of the word transparent I got to thinking about being transparent so that rays of light can be distinctly seen, recognized, and detected.  Am I, as a believer, transparent in my daily life?  Not in what I say but in WHO I AM?  Am I open, frank and candid about Jesus?  Am I obvious?  Can everyone see the light of the Holy Spirit shining in me?  Do I keep his commandment and love, without expectation or agenda but just because He asked me to?  Even when it is taken for granted or stomped upon or not returned….do I honor Him?  Oh boy, some tough questions for me.


Today, in my quiet time this morning, I had a few verses come to me.  Here they are:


Proverbs 10:12:  “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.”
Proverbs 17:9:  “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”
1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
John 13:35:  “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."


Philippians 2:13:  “so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe”. (in the context of don’t grumble or argue)




The antonym of transparent is SECRETIVE.  Do I have ulterior motives other than to love and hold those in my life with the utmost respect?  Is that obvious?  Am I genuine?




I had to laugh and thank Him for my time in the throne room today because now I know the answer to the question: “Am I that transparent, Lord?:  My answer?  “Man, I HOPE SO!”