Oddly enough, my good friend Stephanie D. Moore pointed this out earlier this week. The need for love, it's essential requirement in the Body. Now, many of you may not know that Ms. Moore submitted that piece while I was on a retreat last weekend. A retreat that highlights His love for us, and the love we ought to have for each other. My beloved, this was probably the most awesome experience I've ever had within the body of Christ. Never have I seen a more diverse collection of His children assembled with no schisms. I'm not saying this because it's what I perceived. I'm saying this because it's the truth!
Where else could a convict, who's been home all of five months, be received with open arms? Never once did I see a judging eye, never once did I hear anyone make a statement that wasn't based in love. Never once did I hear a remark to destroy another's character. Agape love and transparency were in such an abundance. Truly I tell you, it was a taste of the life that awaits us on the other side of the Jordan. There is no way I can mention the names of all my new brothers. Please know that I love you all with every fiber of my being, and I call you brother in the dearest since. I do want to highlight my new "big homie" Ed B. Ready, "Big Zo", Trax, Big Brother Chris, Elliott, Tone, and my little brother Trav. Prior to last Thursday I didn't know any of these men, yet today I can tell you I will never live a day outside of fellowship with them.
Beloved, we are supposed to be a reflection of God. We are supposed to be ambassadors of our heavenly home. Do you know what the Kingdom of Heaven's greatest exports are? Grace, Mercy, and LOVE. Guess who has the task of carrying these resources? C'mon, I know this isn't that tough. That's right......US. Love is essential in being identified as a disciple of Jesus The Christ for this reason. That's what He came to teach us, not just love but how to apply it. Jesus was love manifested in the flesh. AMEN? Disciple means student, correct? Well, if He came to teach love....that makes you a student of love. AMEN? If you go to school for engineering, I assume you know something about engineering. Go to school for mathematics, safe to assume you're a "monster" with them numbers. Well, if you're truly a disciple of Jesus The Christ....shouldn't you be an expert in loving?
I'm not going to harp on this, because I'm sure all of you know this. Family, knowing it is not enough, we have to live it out. In every word, in every action, to the saved and unsaved. When we're feeling good, and when we're feeling down. When we're rich, and when that "paper" is low. I invite you all to get involved in this retreat community I've just been introduced to. There are chapters everywhere, here's the link for the Northern Virginia chapter http://novagb.org/ .
I'm going to leave you with a verse to meditate on, and a little entertainment. 1John 4:19-21; "We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." AMEN. Meditate on that, and take a look at this, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irBc7K4hHFU . DE COLORES!!!!! I love you all.
BE BLESSED BE FAITHFUL