Renewal isn't "just" loving God, having an insatiable hunger for His word, possessing an utter desperation for the manifest Presence of His Holy Spirit, living to see our fellow man saved, set free, healed and walking passionately after our Divine Bridegroom - though it is certainly all of that and more!!!
One of my mottos is "We love God by loving His Bride!" In other words, if we "really" love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength (Matt 22:37-40; Mark 12:30-31), we will demonstrate that love by loving our fellow man, neighbor, Christian brother and friend as we love ourselves.
I have little confidence in any supposed move of God that doesn't eventually translate into a practical, day-to-day loving of those around us. It is not love God "or" love or brother. It's not serve God "or" serve our brother. It's not choose God "or" choose our brother. It's not either/or, it's both/and.
Yes, I belive that we will all have seasons where we pull aside from life and responsibilities to pray and seek God, to be refreshed, renewed and empowered anew for the callings and tasks that our Beautiful Bridegroom calls us to. But...they are only seasons. And eventually will always lead us back to serving our brothers. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. (John 15:13 ESV). To paraphrase James, "You say you can show me your love for God without corresponding works, but I say that I will show you my love for God "by" my corresponding actions!"
Faith without corresponding actions is useless. And so is love!
So on this page I want to take the time to look at the "highest" model of demonstrating our love and passion for God; not the only model, but the highest. And any model that doesn't include this in it, is incomplete at best. So let's look together at one of God's greatest gifts in this life - the gift of a friend.
