LOVING LOUD!

Our church family just spent 3 days of what we called, "Loving Loud". I really can't tell you how many people were involved, but it was probably several thousand. This past Sunday, we celebrated all that was done. We had people here who served and those who had been served. I personally worked with the Medical Clinic. We served over 600 people during these three days and over 130 of them were seen by a Dentist and the rest were seen by a physician. Teeth were pulled, decays were filed and filled, Medications were prescribed and given and everyone of these people had the gospel presented to them. 160 persons in this group of people prayed to receive Christ as Savior. We had people who repaired homes, built porches, provided computers to a Foster Home and some trained to become Foster Parents. Angle House is a home for young (13-19_) girls and they were treated like royalty, given manicures, had their hair done, bought new clothes for them, took them to the movie and out to dinner. These are just a few of the many, many things that were done. There is a saying that goes like this; "Actions speak louder than words". Even now in this bad economy, our church spent over $200,000.00 just to love our community loud. Now, I only told you the amount, not to brag on our people, but to brag on Jesus. We realize that everything belongs to Him and we realize how blessed we are and how others are lacking. I couldn't begin to tell you all that I've heard that Jesus did during these three days and the one thing that continually rings true and that I hear from so many people is, "Let's not let this end". What an attitude, What a blessing, What a Savior.

Loving Loud is a Biblical Principle. 1 John 3:16-23 and of course we have no better example than Jesus Himself. John 3:16 As I think about this word love, I'm finding that it means so much more than I had allowed it to mean. When I say "I love" many times it was meaningless. Now I don't mean that I didn't love, but I was loving the way I thought it meant to love. You see, when Jesus used the term love, He meant something far different than what you and I have allowed it to mean. I always considered "Phileo" love as good enough love to please God. But God's love was meant to convey His Will to His Children concerning their attitude one toward another and toward all men and in so doing, God was expressing His essential nature.
Vines expository dictionary says, "Love can be known ony from the actions it prompts.
In other words, LIke this; God's love is seen in the gift of His Son. Obviously this is not the love of complacency,or affection, it is an exercise of Divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause which lies in the Nature of God Himself. God's Love which He wants you and I to have for all men is this: Again from Vine Expo.Dictionary: "In respect of agapao as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant love and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects,producing and fostering a reverential love in them towards the Giver, and a practical love towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver.

Question for me: When I say, I don't hate, does that mean that I love and if so, is the same Love that Christ has for me and desires me to have for others.

I'm having a good and bad time with God today as you can see. I'm learning,but it's hard to be wrong and admit it and do something about it. Surely, God can use this with others as He has used it with me today.