GOD’S Kind of Love Part Two

GOD’S Kind of Love Part Two
By Don Krow
Level 2: LESSON 13

Jesus Christ was the greatest expression of love that ever came on the face of the earth, yet as far as it is recorded in the Bible, He never said the words “I love you.” Isn’t that amazing? The greatest expression of love never said “I love you.” Do you know why? It’s because love is more than words; it is action. Suppose I said to my wife “I love you” and then went out and committed adultery against her? Would she believe my words, or would she believe my actions? She’d believe me according to my actions, because 95 percent of love is nonverbal. It’s not in the things you say; it’s what you do.

In 1 John 3:18 we read, “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue [let us not love just with the words of our mouths]; but in deed and in truth” (brackets mine). Love is an action word. In Matthew 25:35-36, Jesus describes love by the actions it prompts, saying, “I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink. I was naked, without any clothing, and you clothed Me. I was sick, and you cared for me.” Then in verse 40 He says, “By doing this to the least of these My brethren, you’ve done it unto Me.” You see, love is an action; it’s something you do. Hebrews 6:10 says, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (New International Version). In Matthew 22 when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said it’s to love God and love for our fellow man. These two commandments are really one, if understood correctly. When you show love to the least of these my brethren, Jesus said you are actually showing it to Him. The Bible is teaching that we have a wonderful opportunity to love Jesus Christ in practical ways, by loving others.

In the last lesson, I told about the Romanians I met in a park. Their lives were changed because I sought their welfare and benefit regardless of how I felt. They were a different color and nationality, but I knew that God’s love expresses itself when we reach out and seek the welfare and benefit of others like Jesus did. He didn’t feel like going to the cross. He said, “Father, if there’s any other way, let it be, yet not My will but Yours be done.” Jesus sought our welfare and benefit regardless of how He felt.

One day I got a call from the Romanians. They were in tears. They had been in the United States for seven-and-a-half years. They now lived in Kansas and were working. They said, “We finally got a ruling on our political asylum papers. They’re giving us thirty days to make an appeal, and then we are going to be deported.” There is normally only a 2 to 5 percent chance of ever getting political asylum in this country. The Romanians went to a lawyer, and he basically said they didn’t have a chance. I told them we would pray and try to help them. How, I didn’t know. I thought it would be a great injustice to send them back—especially when their children could now barely speak Romanian.

A friend of mine called our Colorado congressman who said to contact Senator Sam Brownback in Kansas, since the Romanians now lived in Kansas. That was great because I have a friend named Kim who worked for Senator Brownback. I contacted Kim and she got four people in Washington D.C. working on this case. The community in Sublette, Kansas, got behind the Romanians with a petition of signatures stating that they wanted these Romanians here. “They’re good people, they pay taxes, and they work hard. We want them here.” There was a full coverage newspaper article about what had happened. It was a miracle, and because there were high officials in our government who understood what was going on, the Romanians got a letter saying the decision was reversed and they could stay in the United States.

I went to Sublette, Kansas. My friends didn’t know I was coming, and when I got there, they were on the phone thanking Senator Brownback for helping get their political asylum. He couldn’t be there personally because it was the last day of President Clinton’s impeachment hearing, but ABC and NBC News were there with their cameras. As soon as they hung up, they ran over and hugged me, and the cameras went right over to me. They said, “Who are you, and how do you know these people?” I told them the whole story, how I met them and sought their welfare and benefit because of God and what Jesus said in Matthew 7:12.

We then went to the gymnasium where there were red, white, and blue balloons everywhere and patriotic songs were being sung. When my friends came in, everyone started shouting, and they were weeping. The mayor of the city said, “Today, February 12th, is going to be Jucan Family Day, in honor of these Romanians.” They took an American flag that the senator had flown over the capitol in Washington, D.C. in their honor and presented it to them. He also presented them with papers that said they were legally able to stay—basically for the rest of their lives. They all gave a testimony and then asked me to pray. I said, “There’s one person we haven’t thanked enough yet today, and that’s God Almighty. In a park in Colorado Springs, CO, seven-and-a-half years ago, I was seeking God, telling Him that I wanted to reach out with His love to someone that day. I was led to these Romanians.” I then repeated the story and said, “God wants to help you—welcome to the U.S.A.”

The way it all came about was a miracle. I knew the right people in the right places at the right time. My friend Kim had made arrangements for Senator Brownback to come and meet me at Andrew Wommack Ministries a year before all this happened. She said, “You just need to meet Don Krow.” I didn’t know why and I was very uncomfortable. Little did I know that God was setting things up to help a family He had revealed Himself and His love to, simply because of the command of Jesus that what you would want someone to do to you, do to them. It’s a miracle they’ll never forget, and they’ll tell you today, “It’s because of God.” Anka, the Romanian lady, said, “My faith wavered, but God is faithful, and He allowed us to stay in the United States of America.”

There are multitudes of people right now who are crying out for love. The only way they can get it is when you and I make the decision to understand the principles of love from God’s Word. Love is kind, love seeks the welfare of others—just like Jesus sought our welfare when He went to the cross. God bless you today as you look more into these principles of what it really means to love with God’s love.

DISCIPLESHIP QUESTIONS SCRIPTURES TO USE WITH QUESTIONS
1. Read Matthew 7:12. In your own words, tell us what the golden rule is.
2. Read Matthew 7:12. In trying to discover love, many people try to find the right person. Should you try to find the right person or become the right person?
3. Read 1 John 5:3. Is love a feeling, or is love something you do?
4. Read 1 John 3:18. If you told your wife or husband “I love you!” but went out and committed adultery, would she/he believe your words or your actions?
5. Read Romans 5:6-8. Do you think Jesus felt like dying?
6. Read Galatians 5:22. Can we really love without God as the center of our lives?
7. Read 1 John 4:8. The reason that we need God to help us truly love others is because He is the only One who is ____________________ .
MATTHEW 7:12 – Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
1 JOHN 5:3 – For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1 JOHN 3:18 – My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
ROMANS 5:6-8 – For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. [8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
GALATIANS 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
1 JOHN 4:8 – He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.181
8. Read 1 Corinthians 13:5 (New Living Translation). Choose from the following words a description of what love is not: Rude, selfish, unforgiving.
9. Read 1 Corinthians 13:8 (New Living Translation). What is the only thing you will take from this life into the next life, or beyond the grave?
10. Read Proverbs 10:12. First Corinthians 13:5 (New Living Translation) says, “Love keeps no record of when it has been wronged.” Love will cover how much sin?
1 CORINTHIANS 13:5 (New Living Translation) – Or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
1 CORINTHIANS 13:8 (New Living Translation) – Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear.
PROVERBS 10:12 – Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
LESSON 13 GOD’S KIND OF LOVE - Part 2

ANSWER KEY
1. Read Matthew 7:12. In your own words, tell us what the golden rule is.
Doing to others what you would want someone to do for you
2. In trying to discover love, many people try to find the right person. Should you try to find the right person or become the right person?
Become the right person
3. Read 1 John 5:3. Is love a feeling, or is love something you do?
It is something we do by walking in God’s principles (commandments)
4. Read 1 John 3:18. If you told your wife or husband “I love you!” but went out and committed adultery, would she/he believe your words or your actions?
Your actions. Actions would speak louder than words
5. Read Romans 5:6-8. Do you think Jesus felt like dying?
No, yet he sought the benefit and welfare of all of us, regardless of how He felt
6. Read Galatians 5:22. Can we really love without God as the center of our lives?
No
7. Read 1 John 4:8. The reason that we need God to help us truly love others, is because He is the only One who is __________________ .
Love
8. Read 1 Corinthians 13:5 (New Living Translation). Choose from the following words a description of what love is not: Rude, selfish, unforgiving.
All of these words (rude, selfish, and unforgiving) describe what love is not
9. Read 1 Corinthians 13:8 (New Living Translation). What is the only thing you will take from this life into the next life, or beyond the grave?
Love. It will last forever
10. Read Proverbs 10:12. First Corinthians 13:5 (New Living Translation) states, “Love keeps no record of when it has been wronged.” Love will cover how much sin?
All sin