Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

Colossians 1:10

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10

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Friday, November 20, 2015

True love

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. - 1 John 4:20-21

The Spirit was teaching me about love today. I seem to always be learning about how to love. I know, shocking right? It's definitely not something that comes naturally for me.

So all this stuff going on with Syrian refugees, ISIS, refusal to help, blah blah blah, etc, etc. There's a lot of opinion on the subjects and I don't care to join in. I do have some points to share with you believers. This is just what I've learned. What YHWH needs for me to understand. Let the Spirit teach you what you need to learn.

The verses above were brought to mind while I was cleaning this afternoon, after my oldest and I had had a short conversation about slavery and America's past. If I hate my brother, I can't claim to love God because it would make me a liar. I mean really. How can I say I love someone I've never physically met and say I hate someone made in that same image? And let me be sure, it is not your words that prove your love. It is what you do that proves your love. I was thinking about how so many Americans claimed to be Christians (by their actions alone it shows that they did not actually follow Christ) and yet they hated others who bore the image of God because of their skin color.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. - Genesis 1:26-27

If we are all made in the image of God, why is it okay to hate anyone? And then I was shown my (same) hate. I wouldn't go around shouting that I hate Syrian or other militants. But in reality, wishing evil upon someone is the same as hating them. That is definitely not praying for my enemies!

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." - Luke 6:27-36

So I don't care about your stance on refugees. I care about you, brothers and sisters in Christ. What are you, you as in the individual reading this, you (not your brother, not your neighbor, not your pastor, not your governor, not your president), what are you going to do? Will you show the love of Christ to whoever needs it? Will you show that love to your enemies? There are many ways to demonstrate our love. Find the ways that YHWH has told you to demonstrate it and then go lavishly shower that love!

Go read about the "Good Samaritan" in Luke 10:25-37. Like Jesus said at the end:

Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” - Luke 10:36-37

I long to please my Savior. I long to honor Him through my life because He demonstrated His love for me. He ransomed me when I was still His enemy. He prayed for me when I was still His enemy. He showed me mercy when I was still His enemy. The least I can do is obey Him by "going and doing the same".

2 comments:

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  2. Challenging and thought provoking as always Amanda!

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