A Ferocious Love!

fe⋅ro⋅cious - extreme or intense

Most people identify the word ferocious with something bad like violence or danger. But I on the other hand started to contemplate this word a few days ago and found that I really like the word cause as a worship pastor I love when things are extreme and intense. Well for that matter my personality loves when things are extreme or intense. Now don't get me wrong I'm talking about when things are great or even good not when they are bad I really don't care much for things being extreme in the negative, as most humans don't.

Not long ago I started telling some friends of mine that God has been saying to me alot "love them like Jesus" be a ferocious lover of people. So just a few days ago I decided to adopt this new found thing God has pointed me towards and start caring less about how people love me and start caring more about how I love them - loving them ferociously.

Last night I was so blessed to lead worship at River Of Life church this is a church that has some of the most loving real genuine amazing people I have ever been blessed to be around. This church has by far the most anointed worship leader I have ever had the honor to set under. When Vernie leads worship the glory of God falls every single time without fail. To stand in the gap for her last night (she is in Haiti on a medical missions trip) was an amazing experience. See for us worship leaders being on the other side of worship is vital for us and when I started to attend River Of Life on some Sunday & Wednesday nights I found I was learning more and more about what its like to be a worshipper and less and less about being a worship leader. If I am not a worshipper first I can never be a worship leader that can take my people on a journey of "ferocious worship" yes there's that word again. I think it may be my new favorite word.

Ok so here's the deal and where I am going with this. As I have been studying and thinking about this word I am starting to see how GOD dropped this in my spirit for such a time as this. See in the ministry for some reason you usually (at least in my experience) feel more attacked then you do loved. And I want to learn with everything in my being to take the love, the ferocious love, that resides inside me and love people inspite of how they love me.

Yesterday was my test day I was asked to go to the hospital and visit a lady that I have never met never seen never even heard of that has been attending CCC and when the hospital called and said this lady was there and she put down Cobblestone as her church then it immediately became our responsibility to make a call on her....I dread hospitals all together but I would go into this situation and just ask God to be with me. As I was walking down the hallway towards her room God said to me. "remember our new deal! Be a ferocious lover of people." And I took on that spirit and I have to tell you I left this precious ladies hospital room more blessed and encouraged and lifted up then I could have imagined. I was going to minister to her and in turn I was the one ministered to. That is what will happen over and over when we love like Jesus loves....I had about 3 more very eye opening things happen to me yesterday confirming to me what God has asked of me....

I started out my day this morning as usual getting Kylee up for school heading to the living room turning on the fireplace opening the word and talking to God about my day. I started reading through Philppians this morning and right away God started to talk to me. Check out what Philippians 1:10-11 says

Philippians 1:10-11 (The Message)

So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.


You think God had a word for me this morning? Thanks God for talking to me and thanks for teaching me to listen!

So need more confirmation? well I got some for you...as I am in the living room reading about being a ferocious lover of people Kylee was upstairs getting ready as she usually does blaring the radio and I had to stop reading and listen to my 14 yr old's choice of music "Michael Buble" his song "Everything" was playing and yep you got it - its about ferocious love, well in his way I suppose, but I was listening to the chorus and knew that was a little cha ching just for me from heaven above...look what the chorus says:

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

I will put the youtube video at the bottom of this post cause it will make you smile....or at least I hope so anyways...

God help me on my new quest to love like You love. Jesus help me to love like You loved the day You went to the cross and people spit on You, threw things at You, plucked Your beard and beat You, when they nailed You to a rugged cross and tortured You to the point that You were unrecognizable as even a man, You said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." God almighty help me to love the people that love me more than ever, help me to love the ones that don't love me so much the way You love them, help me to love people that I don't even know, showing them WHO YOU ARE without even saying a word.

My friends lets all become ferocious lovers - we might just live out these last days on earth actually living life the way Jesus told us to when He said, "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." John 10:10b....
living ferociously, sharla