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Love is the antidote to fear and hatred

by JIM KUBIAK
| September 18, 2020 1:00 AM

We are living in a time in which both fear and hate are rising and trying to rule. It is a major focus of our daily news. Why is this such a problem? Because the fruit of giving in to fear and hate is the departure of love. You cannot partner with fear and hate and still have love, they are mutually exclusive.

Lawlessness is also showing up in many places around our nation and there is a huge problem with lawlessness (Matthew 24:12, NKJV): "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."

A lack of love is the fruit of lawlessness. A lawless society is a loveless society. When law and order are not upheld, chaos rules, and love subsides. When law and order are upheld, love can abound.

The antidote to the fear, hate and lawlessness we are experiencing in our nation is love. But where does that love come from (1 John 4:8, NIV)?

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

The source of love is God and the lack of love is rooted in an absent or deficient relationship with Him. How do we access that relationship? It is through Jesus.

Full access is granted to those who believe in Him (John 3:16, NIV): "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Returning to that relationship is the answer for those who already know Him (Rev

2:4-5a, NIV): "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."

Love is the defining characteristic of both a healthy culture and a healthy society. We need love now more than ever.

If you don’t know Jesus, will you choose to believe in Him?

If you do know Jesus, will you return to your First Love?

Jim Kubiak is interim senior pastor at Harvest Valley Worship Center, a refuge for healing and a launchpad for transformation. He can be reached at hvwc.com.