Beloved ...

Good Morning!

1 John 4:7-8 (English Standard Version)
God Is Love
7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Reading these verses always reminds me of the time God allowed me to work in the bus ministry at First Baptist, Red Oak Georgia. We put these verses to a tune and sang them on the bus as we made our way to Sunday School and Church. Every once in a while I run into one of the “children” from that era – now thirty-five years in the distant memory. All of the children who rode with me to Red Oak are now in their forties … some are in their fifties.

The bus ministry at First Baptist Red Oak touched thousands of young people in the tri-cities area of Atlanta (East Point, College Park, Hapeville). Our teams went unafraid into housing projects, apartment complexes, and individual homes seeking to share the Gospel with boys and girls – and Moms and Dads. When we finally had to abandon the ministry in 1975, 357 people had given their lives to Jesus Christ. Countless others had been positively affected by the ministry meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. What a blessing to have been a part of this great movement that taught this simple tune:

Beloved
Let us love one another
For love is from God
And every one who loveth knoweth God
He who loveth not knoweth not God for God is love
So
Beloved
Let us love one another.

Jesus commanded us to love one another. John wrote the words down both in his gospel and in his letter. And we carry the message forward today. Let’s love one another.

Agape’


Mr. Jim