"If everyone you meet is a mirror reflecting you back to yourself, make sure to find a way to love what you see."
Zenshine
This is the 237th letter:
Text for the day: John 13:34-35 (King James Version)
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
April is a special month to many around the world. It is our aim at Garden
Our Devotional
Today we are looking at a two part series on love. There are several Greek words for love, as the Greek language distinguishes how the word is used. Ancient Greek has four distinct words for love: agápe, éros, philía, and storgē. However, as with other languages, it has been historically difficult to separate the meanings of these words. To help us understand these forms of love let us use a few earthly illustration. A young man who was dating a young lady one day told her that he loved her. As he listened to her response, he knew that this would be the lady of his life, but it wasn’t. We call this romantic love. Most people if you live long enough experience this type of love. This is the love that when you see that special person, he or she makes your knees go weak or gives you butterflies in your stomach. But after a period of time, almost all of these people don’t love the person they thought they where in love with.
There is another type of love that people look for and it’s called, “the security love”. This kind of love is the love that everybody looks for to survive. It is that feeling of being cared for and nurtured; says the experts. This is the type of love that parents have for their children when they are in their care. This is the same type of love that children should have for their parents who need their care in the sunset age of their life. Maybe you where a faithful worker who looked after your family, but you are out of work and need some form of help for food, housing, medical care etc.
Friendship love is another love between you and someone else that is built on honesty, openness and comfort. These are those persons in your life who are very close to you. They are those who you call the inner circle friends, you can call on them at anytime, and they will be there for you.
Lastly, there is a fourth type of love which is called unconditional love. This is the love that lasts forever, nothing can destroy it or come between it. Unconditional love is when you have an argument or disagree about something, and you realize that it doesn’t bother you because you love that person so much that you are willing to forgive. When your love beyond seeing, and feeling, to knowing that you love because it is right. Then you are standing in true love.
The Bible speaks of four types of love.
1. Agape, which is unconditional love, this is the type of love God has for all mankind.
2. Phileo, this is brotherly love, or love that exists between close friends.
3. Storge, the love that grows between family members.
4. Lastly Eros, which is that special love of intimacy between two married persons of the opposite sex. This love is not to be shared or thrown about as is the trend today, with whomever, but reserved for the husband and wife only in marriage.
In our text today day, (John 13:34-35) Jesus is opening up a new understanding of love to His disciples. To the disciples this was something new, because they believed that they should love the Jews only. But Jesus was helping them to see that the kingdom of God is built on Agape love, a love which is unconditional. Today I walked in an area of my country with,Minister Weeks M.P., and a member of the Clergy, Pastor Leroy Bean who is doing his part to help young men. The main purpose of our walk, was to bring comfort to the residents of the area because a young man was murdered in the area last night. As we prayed with the neighbors, I sensed the fear and pain of the people.
On a larger scale people are filled with fear and pain because life as they see it, has not offered them a silver spoon or a golden plate. Some of these people may have done you wrong, and you feel like writing them off, but the word of the Lord is, “love them unconditionally”. It was at the communion service that Jesus introduced the new commandment. Some have gone as far as to say, “The new commandment to love" has been given as a substitute for God’s commandments as found in (Exodus 20:1-17)”. But this is not so. In closing remember love has no collar, love has no race, and love has no favorites standing in its face. Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not jealous when it has to stand in line. Love is not boastful, proud, nor rude. It does not demand its own way, although it could. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of those who have wronged us, nor whom we have wronged. Love does not rejoice about injustice, but always rejoices about truth. Love never gives up, and never loses faith. Love is always hopeful, and will always endure, through every circumstance of life, love is sure (1 Corinthian 13:1-13).
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This letter was written by Elder Kevin Santucci
Join us next time for another ray of sunshine from Garden Ministry when we shall look at, The Final Steps of Jesus (Part 6)
Song of the day
Click:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XRTUk5vbNY
Ø Today is praying time, pray for someone in your community today.
If possible, share with us your response.
Our Prayer for today:
Even so come Lord Jesus, Amen
Prayer Request
Community / International Prayer
Bermuda:
Ø Pray for Bermuda, it had a 4.2 earthquake today, about 50 miles to the west of the island.
Around the world: 
Mix Prayer Needs:
Ø Please pray for: Mrs. Kelly-Smith to secure a job;The family of last nights murder victim; Malcolm Wells, hospitalized in Ohio, multi-complications;Our Pastors and Government,Raymond Evans,Better health;"Feed My Lambs" Ministry in Haiti;Ms Adeenaray Smith,Atlanta(unspoken).
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Remember that the true meaning of ASAP: "Always Say a Prayer"
A person, who loves the Bible, will also love to pray, and a person who loves to pray will delight themselves in the Bible.
We are into our 96th week since starting Garden
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