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Home Page > Bible Studies > Four Dimensional Love Part I


Four Dimensional Love Part I

Written by: Reinhard Bonnke
Monday, November 03, 2008


Ephesians 3:18-20  ...v.18 "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— v.19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
v.20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"...

I was looking recently at the mysterious Bible character Melchizedek who appears in Genesis 14. That chapter is the first in Scripture about gifts, giving and givers – particularly givers.

Abram had done battle with the enemies of the cities of the plain. When he came back, victorious, Bera, the king of Sodom, offered him gifts. Then to the baffled astonishment of Bera, a rogue, Abraham refused them. The truth was that all that the king was offering Abram was a share of the spoils of battle and nothing out of his own pocket. He assumed that Abram was as avaricious and unprincipled as he was. His gifts were the way of the world awards; the wealth of cities wicked in the sight of God. Abram wanted no share in Bera’s avarice and covetous idolatry, the worship of Mammon. The two men were contrasts; the man of God and the man of the world. Abram was wide-eyed and indifferent to great profit and the other narrow-eyed and cunning for profit. Abram even allowed his nephew Lot the first choice of territory for cattle grazing. Lot thought his uncle was naive.

Then another king met Abram, Melchizedek, king of Salem and offered him bread and wine, nothing else. Abram received them and gave tithes to Melchizedek. Bread and wine were the only gifts that Jesus ever offered the disciples.



Cheerful Giver and a Cheerful Forgiver

The book of Hebrews links Christ and Melchizedek together. What bread and wine mean I can’t fully explore now, but I do want to underline one thing: they are significant of sacrifice and the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is founded on both banks of the bountiful river of liberality. The life-waters of the church are drawn from that river. People who hold their money close are never close to God. Preachers often say “Give till it hurts,” but some are quickly hurt.

One of the advantages of being a Christian is that everybody loves a cheerful giver and a cheerful forgiver. A Christian gives without remembering and receives without forgetting. For new creatures in Christ Jesus, grasping becomes giving. Jesus heals the itchy palm and makes it allergic to filthy lucre. Covetousness becomes charitable. It happened to wealthy Zaccheaus. When Jesus came into the house of that heartless little extortioner, Zaccheaus, found a new pleasure - philanthropy, charity. Jesus doesn’t like us holding too tight to our money. If our hands are full, he can’t give us more.

Love and charity in English are the same word. Love! It changes its own environment, and creates an atmosphere of greatness, openness, and generosity. Love never has a zipped up purse.

The true giver doesn’t wait to be asked. 
 






























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