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Fruitful Living

WHAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD? (PART 1)

• God is love

God is love

 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my com­mands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s com­mands and remain in His love – John 15:9-10

 INTRODUCTION

Remain in my love – Jesus calls us to a life of holy inti­macy and personal devotion to Him. This is possible because of God’s love for us, which he has poured into our hearts by the holy spirit (Romans 5:5). God demonstrated His great love through Christ’s dying for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). We remain in Jesus’ love by pursuing spiri­tual intimacy and communica­tion with Him, and by obeying His commands, just as He did with the Father.

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See what great love the Fa­ther has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. – 1 John 3:1

CHILDREN OF GOD

The truth that God is our Heavenly Father and we are His children is one of the greatest revelations in the New Testament.

1. Being a child of God, adopted in Christ as His very own (Ephesians 1:5), is a high honour on privilege of our salvation. (Galatians 4:7).

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2. Being a child of God is the basis for our faith and trust in God (Mat­thew 6:25-34) and our hope of glory for the future. As God’s children, we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Ro­mans 8:16-17; Galatians 4:7).

3. God wants us to be increasingly made aware through the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of Sonship” (Romans 8:15) that we are His children. The Spirit produces the cry “Abba, Father” in our hearts (Galatians 4:6) and gives us the desire to be “led by the Spirit” (Romans 8:14).

4. Being a child of God is the basis for our discipline by the Father (Hebrews 12:6-7-11) and the reason we live to please God.

God’s ultimate goal in mak­ing us His children is to save us forever (John 3:16) and to conform us to the likeness of His Son (Romans 8:29).

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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easi­ly angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not de­light in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is an activity and behaviour and not just as an inner teaching or motivation. Other aspects of love are characteristics of God Himself who has been revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ.

The love of God is His pas­sion to sustain and uphold and exalt His holiness and His Son for your everlasting enjoy­ment. If you put yourself at the centre, you’re suicidal because it robs you of the very glory of God and his enjoyment.

1 John 4:8 describes one of God’s primary attributes as love. “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” This verse does not define God as love; it de­scribes God’s love as perme­ating His essence in all He is and all He does. As for today’s headlines tout stories of scan­dal, tragedy, and war; believ­ers can be confident knowing all they need is God’s love.

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I agree with the Theolo­gian A.W. Tozer once stated, “Nothing God ever does, or ever did, or ever will do, is separate from the love of God.” Everything He has ever done has been out of love.

THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOVE OF GOD

1. God’s Love Is Incom­prehensible. – “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” – Ephesians 3:17-18.

2. God’s Love Is known and Proven – “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.”. – John 3:16.

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3. We Can Trust In God’s Love.

4. God’s Love is Pure.

5. God’s Love is Perfect.

6. Our Salvation Is An Ex­pression Of God’s Love.

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7. Our Ability To Love Is En­abled Through God’s Love.

8. We Can Rest In God’s Love.

9. We Can Have Confidence In God’s Love.

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Fruitful Living

Cultivating, multivating, maintaining Godly Relationship (Part 2)

Friendships

Friendship is one of the most common forms of relationships, yet it is often undervalued in its potential for spiritual growth and support. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” A godly friendship is one that transcends conve­nience or superficial interests. It is a bond rooted in mutual respect, encouragement, and accountability.

Jesus modelled godly friend­ship with His disciples, partic­ularly with Peter, James, and John, who formed His inner circle. He shared His heart with them, corrected them when necessary, and entrusted them with His mission.

A godly friendship is one where both individuals push each other closer to God. There is no room for gossip, jealousy, or competition, but rather a mutual commitment to growth, honesty, and support.

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Family Relationships

God places us in families, not by accident, but with purpose. The family is one of the primary places where we are called to live out the principles of godly relationships.

The Bible instructs us in Ephesians 6:1-4 on the impor­tance of honouring our parents and raising our children in the fear of the Lord. In Colossians 3:19, husbands and wives are called to love and respect one another, mirroring the relation­ship between Christ and His church.

Maintaining godly family relationships requires intention­al effort. It’s easy to take our family members for granted, but God calls us to love them deeply, forgive often, and serve each other in humility. The challenges within family life—differences in personality, conflicts, or even misunder­standings—become opportuni­ties to demonstrate patience, forgiveness, and grace.

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Professional Relationships

One of the most overlooked areas where godly relationships can be cultivated is in our pro­fessional lives.

Too often, we compart­mentalise our faith, failing to realize that our interactions in the workplace are opportunities to show Christ to oth­ers. Colossians 3:23-24 instructs us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as work­ing for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Whether we are em­ployers or employees, we are called to treat those we work with fairly, with integrity and respect.

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This means valuing others not just for what they can contrib­ute to the company, but for who they are as people made in the image of God.

In our professional relationships, we are ambassadors for Christ, and how we conduct ourselves speaks volumes about the faith we profess. These relationships, if culti­vated with the right motives, can lead to opportunities for mentorship, witnessing, and personal growth.

Mentorship

Mentorship is another critical aspect of godly relationships. Throughout Scripture, we see examples of mentoring relation­ships: Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, and most significantly, Jesus and His disciples.

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Godly mentorship goes beyond simply giving advice or sharing knowledge; it is about investing in the spiritual and personal development of anoth­er person.

A mentor is called to guide, correct, and encourage their mentee, helping them navigate the chal­lenges of life and faith. Mentor­ship is a two-way relationship, where both mentor and mentee grow together in Christ.

Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2 is instructive: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be quali­fied to teach others.”

In other words, godly mentor­ship is not just about the indi­vidual relationship, but about equipping others to carry on the work of the Kingdom.

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To be continued…

  • By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
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Fruitful Living

‘Allahu As-Samad’

• Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
• Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author

 Introduction to the Con­cept of As-Samad

Servants of Allah, one of Allah’s most profound names, As-Samad, is mentioned in Surah Al-Ikhlas, where Allah describes His oneness and perfection:

“Say, ‘He is Allah, [Who is] One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge (As-Samad). He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.’” (Qur’an 112:1-4).

The name As-Samad en­compasses the idea of Allah’s absolute independence and self-sufficiency. Ibn Abbas (RA) explained that As-Samad refers to the one to whom all creation turns in times of need, while He Himself is free from any need (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

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Allah requires no suste­nance, no assistance, and no support in carrying out His plans. Yet all creation—human beings, animals, plants, and even angels—rely entirely on Him for their existence, suste­nance, and success.

Allah’s Independence Demonstrated in Creation

Allah’s independence is evident in the perfection of His creation. He brought the universe into existence with unparalleled mastery. Allah states:

“Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He manages every affair…” (Qur’an 10:3).

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The heavens, the earth, the mountains, the seas, and every living creature were created without the assis­tance of anyone. Even the most intricate systems—such as the orbiting of planets, the growth of plants, and the functioning of the human body—operate under Allah’s command.

This is further emphasised in another verse:

“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatev­er is in the earth. And Allah is free of need, the Praisewor­thy.” (Qur’an 31:26).

Evidence from the Sunnah

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The Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad further emphasis­es Allah’s independence and self-sufficiency. In a powerful hadith qudsi, Allah says:

“O My servants, all of you are astray except for those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me, and I shall guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those whom I have fed, so seek food from Me, and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me, and I shall clothe you.” (Muslim, Hadith 2577).

This hadith reflects Allah’s perfection in fulfilling the needs of creation while re­maining independent and unaffected by those needs. Allah’s perfection in providing is limitless, as reflected in another narration:

“Allah’s Hand is full, and it does not diminish by His con­tinuous giving day and night.” (Bukhari, Hadith 4684).

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Human Dependence on Allah

Unlike Allah, humans are intrinsically dependent on Him for every aspect of their existence. Allah says:

“O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praise­worthy.” (Qur’an 35:15).

This dependence is not a weakness but a natural state that reminds us to turn to Al­lah in all matters. The Proph­et Muhammad advised his companions to rely on Allah, saying:

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“If you ask, ask Allah; if you seek help, seek help from Al­lah.” (Tirmidhi, Hadith 2516).

Believers are encouraged to place their trust in Allah, as He alone controls every affair:

“And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose.” (Qur’an 65:3).

By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai,
1BN – Michel Camp

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