What’s Love Got To Do With It?

 In my prayer journal I pray twice a month that I would understand and experience the love of God so that I can love God more intimately and also His creation (His people). I believe it is every believer’s goal to learn how to love God and love people (the Greatest Commandment) with a greater understanding and internationalism. It is one of those mysteries that I have not yet mastered and continue to struggle with at times.

I spent last year studying the Torah as part of my quite time. On September 25th I was fascinated about the reading and as a result the pondering I did involving the love of God in my heart. Three times the Torah asks us to love: twice in Leviticus (19:18,34), we are commanded to love human beings; then, in Deuteronomy, our love is directed toward God. “Only after we have learned to love people can we come to love God.” ~ Chasidic

However, it seems to me that a man/woman cannot love God as he/she loves another human being. The love of God involves a holy fear or reverence (Deut. 6:13) which in my mind impossible to achieve toward another human being. Love expresses itself in that devoted and single minded loyalty which issues itself in wholehearted and obedient service to God. “The love of God without obedience is not love.” ~ G.E. Wright

Even more so will the lovers of God experience this constant obsession in their hearts, as we are bidden to love "with all our hearts and with all our souls.  As Solomon expressed allegorically "I am love sick" (Song of Songs 5:8); the entire Song of Songs is, in fact, an allegorical expression of this love.” ~ Mamonides I have to admit that I am not “love sick” with God near as often as I should be.

Of course, love cannot be commanded. No third party can command it or extort it. No third party can, but The One can. The commandment to love can only proceed from the mouth of the Lover. Only the Lover can and does say: love me! And He really does so. In His mouth the commandment to love is not a strange commandment; it is none other than the voice of love itself. “The love of the Lover has, in fact, no word to express itself other than the commandment." ~ F. Rosenzweig

While we were yet sinners Christ died of us. The ultimate expression of “Love” in the New Testament. It is my desire of all of us that we would fall more deeply in love with our Father this year. As we absorb His love into every single pore of our being it will be such a miraculous experience! The result from this experience will be for that love to leave every pore of our body and attach itself to our lost and dying world which will lead to an attraction to the Lover Himself.

How the Church Lost the Election!

You could have cut the silence with a knife on my Facebook account after the November election. That means I probably have too many Right Wing, Christian, Republican friends - I guess. It was amazing to me that there was more than enough blame to go around from everyone. Unfortunately, much of the blame didn't have a whole lot of  Biblical basis. My suggestion was unless we start praying more for our President, the Congress, and the Supreme Court, we won’t be the “United States of America”, but the “Divided States” (red and blue) of American. So why did we lose the election, presuming “we” to be the Christians of this country? And "losing" meaning we didn't elect a candidate who represent more Biblical views. 
  
Many have stated that Mitt Romney wasn't a strong enough presidential candidate. I believe that if God directs and controls the government (Romans 13:1-4) then the only way we can influence this process is through prayer. How much did the “Church” (we) pray about this whole election? How much were we encouraged to pray? Did any of us fast once a week during this election process? Did our churches hold twenty-four hour prayer vigils before the elections? Did we pray without ceasing on this matter? I know I could have prayed a lot more, shame on me! 
  
What contingency elected the president? From all the reports that I reviewed it was the combined Black, Hispanic, Asian, Millennial, and Women vote that turned the tide.
> Asian, Black, Hispanic: http://www.csmonitor.com
> Millennial: http://www.forbes.com 
> Women: http://www.politico.com 
How many Asian, Black and Hispanic people go to your church? In most churches I visit, these groups are either non-existent or in the extreme minority. Why aren't we reaching these people groups with the Gospel? Let’s look briefly at these groups in light of the “Church” making disciples. 

It is no secret that most Hispanic people tend to be largely Roman Catholic. Most of us know the Catholic Church, like most Protestant Churches, holds a position against abortion. So if Hispanics are following their faith this is a decisive issue. Hispanics also tend to stay away from candidates that are too extreme on immigration laws (more on both of these issues later). I recognize that our church planting efforts are woefully behind in the U.S. with all ethnic type church planting. We essentially aren't making many disciples in non-Caucasian people groups.
  

Where are the 19-28 year olds in our churches? (http://en.wikipedia.org) 
Most often they are in the minority, sometimes again the extreme minority. Let’s face it; most churches in American are white and graying out. We usually plant churches to try and reach this people group. However, too many of our church plants often times end up only as holy receptacles for reshuffling the deck of the saints. Here again the Church is not doing a very good job of making disciples in this people group.
  

Let’s turn to the Women vote. It seems most women want the freedom to choose life in the voting booth, even though polls tell us that people for and against abortion in this country are pretty even. Strategist for future elections have already said that the Republican Party is out of touch with the general populace and must not stay a white, suburban, rich represented party if it wants to win future elections. I don’t think this is the real issue.

  

As I have alluded to the “Church” lost the election - plain and simple. You are asking, “How?” The “Church” has failed to make disciples not only in the above mentioned people groups, but we are also seeing “Christians” who are in the “Church” not voting like they are Jesus’ disciples. I don’t believe any disciple of Christ could argue that abortion is right, or same sex marriage is right, or doing something illegal is right! The Biblical evidence in all three of these areas is indisputable. You can’t argue Biblically for abortion, same sex marriage, or doing something that is illegal. We have simply failed to make disciples. If you were a Disciple of Christ how could you vote for any candidate that opposed Biblical Truths? You can’t tell me if there weren't more Disciples of Christ in this country that what is happening in our country currently wouldn't be drastically different. You see, a disciple is suppose to be different than people that are not disciples. We have four years, “Church,” to get busy and make disciples!