Power Walk Ministries

Guest (Male): You're listening to the Power Walk Ministries broadcast with Pastor Paul Cannings. Thanks for joining us today as Pastor Cannings brings the final message in our current series, Abiding Love, based on John chapter 15.

Guest (Male): Through the headlines we read every day, we see how easily relationships can disintegrate. It's not just personal matters, but we also see that related to politics, sports, movies, race, and other factors. Learning to understand God's love and developing such a depth for our lives, here's Pastor Cannings with a message, A Love That Lasts.

Dr. Paul Cannings: Within our families, within our marriages, among our children, within our churches, in the very most difficult times a person may experience on their jobs, we need a love that lasts. Not a love that's here today and gone tomorrow, not a love that's depending on circumstances, but a love that lasts based on how God defined love and based on how we've looked at this process for the entire week.

Love is not a feeling. Love is a commitment to obey God. And anyone who chooses to do that, the Bible says must be like a seed of corn that falls to the ground and dies. Love becomes not just who we are, it becomes of who we are not on our own. It becomes of who Christ makes us to be when we are willing to deny ourselves, pick up the cross and follow him.

Christ is saying love is everything. Love is when you obey my word and you still do evangelism. Love is when you obey my word and do discipleship. Love is when you obey my word and do what I call you to do as a church, not how you feel good because a church is small and wonderful and we all get along. No, love is how we obey him.

Many times we allow the exterior circumstances to determine our interior commitment to God, and then we define how that gels together as love. And that's why it doesn't last. Somebody gets mad at someone and then the next thing you know the church dwindles as a small church and now you're trying to survive, or the large church is superficial so when the difficult times come, it can't make it through. Because what we've done is we have let the world define love, not God.

So today as we summarize all of this, the key thing is: how do we have a love that lasts? Because that's what we need. And that's why he says this in verse 12 of John chapter 15, "This is my commandment to you. I am not suggesting this. I am making this an order." It's an imperative. I'm making this an order to you. So loving must be seen as something that is not an option if it's going to last.

When it comes to how I operate on a job where the persons may be very difficult and vicious towards me, what is God saying I do with an enemy? He says if I'm devoted to him, in Romans chapter 12 verses 4 through 12, if I'm devoted to him, then I'm able to love even an enemy. And then he says this to make it more profound in Matthew chapter 5, he says in verse 43, because the folks were saying they're loving.

The Pharisees were loving Pharisees, Sadducees loving Sadducees, unless they're going to go through this whole issue of resurrection, of who believes in resurrection and who doesn't believe in resurrection. And then you've got this disparity that takes place. And then you have people hating Jesus Christ and all of these things, and you've got the poor people being misused. You have the Samaritans not being loved.

You have all of these dynamics taking place and Christ says this to his disciples in Matthew chapter 5 verse 43. This is what Jesus Christ said: "Ye have heard that it had been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy." That's what was taught in their day. As a matter of fact, if you forgive somebody four times, you did a great thing, and he would say no, forgive them seventy times seven, so it never stops.

In verse 44 he says, "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you." What? Are you serious? "Do good to them that hate you." This is what Christ modeled, demonstrating his Father's love towards him. "And pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." David teaches us how to pray for an enemy. Just read the text and you will see many psalms, and it will teach us how David prayed relevant to his enemies.

In verse 45 he says, "That ye may be children of your Father." Don't forget what we've been talking about this week about my Father's love and God's love leading to Christ's love, which is in heaven. He had maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good. He sendeth the rain on the just and the unjust. If you love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans, tax collectors, the same?

Verse 48: "Be ye therefore perfect." In other words, perfect doesn't mean that you're never going to make a mistake. He is not saying that. He is saying that perfect means that when an enemy shows up, I know the verses for that. When a husband shows up not acting the way God has instructed him to because he may not even be saved, I know what God is saying I need to do with that.

If it's a wife that is functioning in a way that is not of God's will, then he's saying I know what to do with that because I've got verses for that. I go to work and there's problems there; I have verses for that. I have a brother or sister who doesn't want to talk to me; there's verses for that. When a person comes to that point where they constantly are learning the various texts and they're willing, back to John chapter 15, to obey it by abiding in it, experiencing the pruning of God and keeping it, the Bible says now we have a love that lasts forever because the word of God does not return void.

I reward those who love the way I define love. Those are the ones I reward because why? I reward faith, Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6. When you do what I say, no matter what you feel or what you think, then you have abided, you have kept. So now I can command you to love. That when I command you, you would say, "Yes, Lord," and experience me rewarding you for loving your enemies.

And that's why he continues to say in verse 12 of John chapter 15, that ye love one another as I have loved you. I have modeled this for you. Peter, you kept messing up, I modeled it. When Thomas says he's not raised from the dead and all this stuff, he comes through the wall and he says, "Thomas, touch me." See? Constantly reaching out. "Peter, do you love me?" I'm modeling love for you.

I went to Martha and Mary, and Martha wants a theological discussion; I gave her one. Mary just needs somebody to hug. I model for you what love is. And the man born blind? Modeled. Or this woman that lost her only son? Modeled. Pharisees and the Sadducees, I called them out. I call them vipers and all these kinds of things. I turned the money table upside down because it's wrong, it's sinful before God, and I have a passion for God's temple.

You knew that was going to happen; Isaiah said that was going to happen. And for them to keep doing that in my face every day? No, no, no more. I responded. First Peter chapter 3 verse 13 on says God's not saying don't speak up, just do it with a clear conscience when you speak up. God is not saying a person can't be angry, but just don't sin by cursing and having a disposition that displeases God. Jesus Christ showed that.

So he says I've modeled for you what love looks like because in the tough situations, I manage my anger to the purposes of God, so I had righteous indignation. I manage my love for people based on their commitment to God, so that's how you see me loving people. I call a spade a spade because the Bible says you must give the truth in love.

I told the Pharisees who they are, but I didn't do it to create strife. I did it for them to be held accountable for the manner in which they were treating the people in their time. So I decided to tell them "You are vipers." I told them "You're hypocrites" because that's the truth. But when I did it, I still taught the word of God. I still respected the high priest. I've taught you how to love and I've shown it and I've modeled it to you.

And that's why I say greater love, verse 13, hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends. You see, you weren't my friends to start out with. You left me. Proverbs 13:13 says a friend will always stick closer than a brother. You deserted me. But what I did was I saw that you're going to preach at Pentecost, Peter. When I saw your commitment to me after this cross, I knew where you're going to be. So I love you for the potential I see that God can do in you.

What kind of man is this that would lay down his life for the potential of what can take place? That's why he says in verse 17, "These things I command you, that ye love one another." He repeats it so that love is not a suggestion, it is something that the Bible commands us to do. This is why when a person loves in First John chapter 3 verse 16 on, the way God defines love, then God will answer their prayers.

In John 15:7 he says, "I'll grant you the desires of your heart because your heart does not condemn you," as First John chapter 3 verse 21 through verse 24 says. Because you don't just love in word, you love in truth. A person who loves this way has no reason to fear God. In chapter 4 verse 18 of First John he says, "There's no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear, because fear had torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

I'm fearful that if I keep loving this man the way the Bible tell me to, he may just be so ridiculously that he can manipulate. The only fear that is healthy is reverent fear of God, and that's what leads to wisdom. How do I effectively love this man the way the Bible has instructed me to and he's not saved? So let me see what the Bible is saying how you live with an unsaved person. Let me study that.

That becomes now how I grow in God, and as I experience his love, I'm now able to love because I find the strength of the Holy Spirit, because the fruit of the spirit is love. So the more I grow into the spirit, I have less fear, anxieties, insecurities, because I've now learned to love the way God tells me to. So therefore, since I'm loving the way God tells me to, I'm experiencing his love. The love of the Father, love of the Son.

And in chapter 10 of John he would say, "No one will snatch you out of my hand." When you commit to love this way, Hebrews chapter 1 verse 14 says, "I put angels around you to protect you." The Bible says when I do this, I learn to so be in Christ. I'm more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ, and all things work together for the good of those that love God. So therefore, since it's going to work out for your good, and nothing will separate you from your love, what is there to fear?

There's more reasons to trust me, to depend on me, to walk in me. It doesn't matter how intimidating the circumstances will be, your love will last. Learning to love God's way because of God's empowerment of love, so that perfect love casts out all fear and I learn to walk in the light as he is in the light. This is the love that lasts. Fear can't hold it back. Circumstances don't shake it, but defines us and makes us perfected in God's love. Difficult situations make us more deeply committed to God, and that's why this love perfects. Stay focused, no matter what.

Guest (Male): Amen, Pastor Cannings. Developing a love that lasts can really transform our lives. Friends, as we make loving God and loving others a priority in our lives, we'll see our circle of relationships and our communities change as well. Now to review this entire series, log on to powerwalkministries.org. That's powerwalkministries.org, or call us at 281-260-7402. That's 281-260-7402.

Guest (Male): I am so excited about the pastor's conference coming up April the 23rd through the 25th. You cannot miss it. There's going to be such a great group of teachers teaching, well-trained, well-prepared, practiced what they're teaching in their local churches. Here's some examples: Pastor and Deacons functioning under the lordship of Christ, the biblical approach to resolving conflict in the church, traits of successful leaders, effective teaching methods for children, social media and how could you make it very positive for your children, developing a counseling ministry dealing with mental health issues in the local church, marketing, moving from traditional ministry to bibliocentric ministry, how do you grow the church through evangelism? You cannot miss this conference. April the 23rd through the 25th, 2026, at 7350 TC Jester Boulevard right here at Living Word Fellowship Church. I pray you'll go to powerwalkministries.org. Powerwalkministries.org. Be a part of this, you will not be disappointed. April the 23rd through the 25th. Look forward to seeing you.

Guest (Male): Pastor Paul Cannings serves as senior pastor at Living Word Fellowship Church in Houston. If you don't have a home church or you're planning a visit to Houston soon, would you join us this weekend? The church is located at 7350 TC Jester Boulevard in Houston, and Sunday services are at 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM. We hope you'll stop by. And now remember, as we just heard, Christ modeled love for us in a very real way while he was on earth. And as we study his life, may we also choose to imitate his love and his compassion for us.