Tag: love

My Morning Do . . . “Love”

~~ by tkbrown

21 September 2020 — Do you know the meaning of the word ‘love’?

I have decided to look at the meaning of the word ‘love’ this week. I already knew the Greek language embraces several different words in the expression of ‘love.’ I had thought I would first give the definition of ‘love’ from the Meriam-Webster dictionary and then cover the Greek definitions. However, when I opened Merriam-Webster to the word ‘love,’ I found more definitions for the word than are found in the Ancient Greek language. Ergo, since the New Testament of the Holy Bible was originally written in Aramaic Greek, I decided to cover those definitions first. Then, I will cover the English language definitions of ‘love’ later.

The Ancient Greeks identified six words which defined various definitional approaches of the word ‘love.’ Those words are:

  • Eros, or sexual passion . . .
  • Philia, or deep friendship . . .
  • Ludus, or playful love . . .
  • Agape, or love for everyone . . .
  • Pragma, or longstanding love . . .
  • Philautia, or love of self . . .
    • (Krznaric, 2013).

Throughout my lifetime, I have frequently listened as ministers of God’s Word and various speakers referenced the definitions of ‘love’ as applied by the Ancient Greek civilization. Those definitions have aided me many times over the years, not only in studying the New Testament, but also regarding life issues in general.

The reason I decided to look at the word ‘love’ is the same as the topic of today’s “My Morning Do . . . “Love”. More specifically, love as it describes God. I want to focus on four verses which just barely scrape the tip of the iceberg when describing ‘love’ as it relates to God. The first of these is Ephesians 5:1, which I present below.

Ephesians 5:1 — “Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children, (NKJV).

Ephesians was written to the Christians at Ephesus by the apostle Paul around 62 A.D. while imprisoned at Rome, (Wikipedia, Eds., 2020). The verse says we are to be imitators of God ‘as dear children.’ How often do we see young children imitating ‘Daddy’? As children of God, we are to do the same. Thus, it is necessary to know God pretty well. Searching the scriptures on ‘God’, we find multitudes of descriptors. So, I decided to narrow it down and start with three verses in 1 John 4:7-9:

  • 7 — “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
  • 8 — “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
  • 9 — “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

The authorship of First, Second, and Third John is disputed among Bible Scholars. Therefore, I will not discuss this today. We can look at that later. Suffice it to say, the author saw a need to pen letters admonishing Christians regarding their love for each other. In this light, the verses presented above testify to the love of God. He states, “God is love.” Thus, to be the kind of Christian God wants us to be, it is necessary to understand the various definitions of ‘love’ and how they applied–or did not apply–to Christians to whom the letters were written.

When combined with all the other topics I am addressing in “My Morning Do . . . ” it will take a few weeks to cover all aspects to which I wish to relate my discussion, because I do not want to take away from my other topics. So, I look forward to meeting with you (in blogosphere) regularly to discuss these various topics related to ‘love’ in “My Morning Do. . . . ” With that, I bid you Adieu until the morrow!

Blessings to all!

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Sources:

Scripture References are from the Holy Bible — New King James Version (NKJV).

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Photo Above: from pexels.com.

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Enjoy 'This Christmas' Now

Image by: daylightletters.org on Unsplash

by tkbrown

With ‘Christmases Past’
all wrapped up at last,
let us rejoice in this day
and remember to pray!

‘This Christmas’ is now;
so, why all the row
about all that was wrong
with ‘last Christmas’s song?’

The loved ones you know
love for you to show
the love in your heart;
so, give it a start!

Call someone today
just to say “Hey!”
Let them share in your ‘cheer’
throughout the New Year!

We all know ’twas sad,
those gifts that were bad,
but the past is all gone now,
bring glad tidings in tow.

What was done is all done;
I want to hear of it none!
So, when I open my door,
please, don’t be a boar!

Let’s enjoy the time we have
and ne’er need apply the salve;
create Happy Memories that will tear
when we recall again next year!

The ‘time’ that we now share
should be our only care;
’cause it is all we know,
and it may ‘ever be’ so!

Don’t waste the time we have,
or taint the current rave.
Just share your heart with me,
we’ll place New Memory on the tree!

Merry Christmas!!!!

    Calendar Quindecims –November

    ~~ by tkbrown

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    November
Thanksgiving vibes flow through our veins,
fill the atmosphere with celebratory strains.
Our hearts overflow with holiday cheer
as carols ring out in the blustery air.
Tinsels, lights and bows are strung
along the streets, in our homes are hung
as shoppers search for gifts far flung.
Christmas carols begin to be sung
by old and young and those in between,
and one can almost see a glistening sheen
as everywhere people cast doubt aside
and swear by His will they do abide.
Thanksgiving Day we'll offer up a prayer
for all the love, food and wealth we share --
the Spirit overcomes all we cannot hold dear.

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    Photo above:
The First Thanksgiving -- by Bettman/Corbis @ Smithsonian.org,

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    The Two Greatest Commandments

    Photo by: aleteia.org
    Source: Holy Bible (NKJV)

    John 13:34-37 — “Love one another . . .”
    John 13:34 — “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
    John 13:35 — “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
    John 13:36 — “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,”
    John 13:37 — “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”

    John 13:38-40 — “Love the Lord they God . . .”
    John 13:38 — “Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heaert, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.'”
    John 13:39 — “‘This is the first and great commandment.'”
    John 13:40 — “‘On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.'”

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    Notes: by tkbrown

    First, we are told to “Love the Lord thy God . . . ” above all others. If we do this, then the second – which is like unto the first – will follow. Jesus said, “This is the first and great commandment.“

    Second, we are to “love one another . . . ” as Jesus loved us. By this, His disciples shall be known. If we strive to emulate Christ in our lives, others can see Him in us by the love that we have one for another.

    Finally, He goes on to say that “on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” All else that we as Christians are required to strive toward hinges upon these two commandments. If we strive toward complete obedience of these two commandments, all else will fall into place.

    Give of yourself . . .

    ~~ by tkbrown ~~

    ‘I have shown you in every way, “by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.‘”‘ ~~ Acts 20:35 (NKJV)

    Give a little of yourself, get something in return . . . 
    Love someone in purest form, you may not be loved back
    but, by giving of that purest love within
    you learn to love yourself -- simply because of the giving.
    In learning to love more of yourself
    you become more intuitive, to your own needs --
    and to those of others.
    What greater blessing can He bestow -- but
         to mold us into a tool to aid another along the journey . . . ?
    Photo by: bingngu93
    at pixabay.com

    Love . . .

    by tkbrown

    Love is like
    the petals of a rose
    soft and sweet
    against your nose
    with drops of dew
    that actually glow.

    So very slowly
    the feeling grows
    until you’re sure
    that everyone knows
    the love you feel
    deep in your heart
    for the one with whom
    you never will part.

    Written 1968 – First Love
    Image by Luis Eduardo Bastias
    pixabay.com