Loving God and Loving Others
There are two ways I will know that the Light of Life is shining in my life in 2009.
1. Loving God - Matthew 22:37 "thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and will all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
2. Loving Others - Matthew 22:39 "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
If I love God then I will love you. Will it be easy? No, in fact it will be impossible, unless the love of Jesus is flowing through me. In John 15:12 God commands me to "love one another as I have loved you". I will love you whether or not you deserve it. If you fail, I will refuse to believe failure is the final answer. I will even believe God can work in your life if you are found guilty of wrong doing.
If you offend me, I will choose to forgive you. I will not hold you in bondage by holding the offense over your head. I will gladly release you into the loving hand of God. I will feel your hurt and your pain. I will be there to support and protect you.
You see, friends, this is the way God loves me. I will have no problem loving you in this manner unless I have hidden my Light under a bushel. I will choose to abide in Him and in His Word so His Light will not be hidden.
"Father, I thank you that you never ask me to be or do anything without empowering me to do it. I thank you for my pastor who shared this message with his congregation this morning. I pray for every person reading this blog today. I pray they will be filled with You, and through them, You will love those they come in contact with today. In Jesus Loving Name I pray, Amen."
4 comments:
I so needed to read this! Thank You Jen for this beautiful post. It reminded me to stay strong and FOCUSED. I know Jesus is holding me up during this time.
I love you dear Jen,
Kimmie
Great post Tiz. Thanks for the reminder. When I get so busy I feel like my light is on dim. Thanks for reminding me that it is my choice to let it shine or hide it under a bushel.
When I went to camp as a teenager, we learned a song that went "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God for God is Love... Beloved, let love one another First John 4, 7 & 8!"
I was reminded of that song during Bible reading years later as an adult and just started singing it out of the blue!!
But the scripture was planted in my heart and I TRULY believe in loving the sinner and hating the sin. I have struggled a bit with loving those that hurt me though. But I struggle when I try to do it in my own power. When I give it to God and ask Him to love through me, it goes ever so much better.
He works miracles in the heart.
Kimmie, JC and Jen
Glad you were blessed by this post.
Jen, I really do not believe I can love some folks if Jesus does not do it through me.
Love y'all, Tiz
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