1 John 4:20-21 (MSG) If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.
If we say we are Christians, we must act like it! Acting like a Christian is not about spouting religious rhetoric or sending e-mail and facebook chain messages with, “If you love Jesus, send this…” Acting like a Christian is acting out of love. It is sharing salvation, not to get a notch on our mission belt, but because we truly love others and want them to know God’s loving peace here and an eternity with Him in heaven. Acting like a Christian is loving those we don’t particularly like. When we love enough, liking becomes easier. Generally, we dislike people out of distrust or fear. Prior to this verse, John said, Perfect love drives out fear.” With love, all things are possible, because when we love, we are living God’s plan. Who do you need to show love to today?
Loving Father, No matter how much I profess love for You, it is futile if I don’t show Your love to others. Help me love perfectly. Prick my heart to set aside distrust, prior rejection, my own hurt and simple annoyances. Nourish the seed within me that is planted by Your love. Let it flourish so much in me that I can’t help but love others. When I am consumed with the foliage of Your love, love for others will be my bloom. I love You! Amen
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
Daily Dose 12-3-12
1 John 3:18-22 (MSG) My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him.
It is hard to truly love others when you can’t love yourself. This Message translation calls this debilitating self-criticism. Older translations refer to it as our hearts condemning us. Our culture has engrained in us the need to strive for self-perfection – perfect body, perfect spouse, perfect job, perfect house, perfect stuff. We begin to see our lack of ability to measure up to that perfection and begin down a slippery slope of despising ourselves. Self-loathing is a cancer that eats away joy and replaces it with bitterness. It consumes our compassion for others and makes us focus on our own hurts and struggles. It nibbles away relationships by bringing strife, jealousy and conflict. When we begin to really love ourselves in a holy, reverent appreciation for the way God intended us to be, God can do great things to us and through us. Loving self the way God intended is not a prideful, it’s all about me, look to my inner self, kind of love. It is a freeing love that allows us to see what God sees as beautiful in the way He created us. Look at yourself through His mirror. Soon you will begin seeing others through His eyes. That is when our lives can be free to be full of joy, compassion, and where fulfilling relationships can flourish. That is when we can reflect the love of Christ.
Father, Help me love myself fully and see me as You created me to be. Help me remember the words You gave me: to love the unlovely and those who reject or disregard my love for them is the ultimate test of how Christ’s love is reflected in me. I love You! Amen
It is hard to truly love others when you can’t love yourself. This Message translation calls this debilitating self-criticism. Older translations refer to it as our hearts condemning us. Our culture has engrained in us the need to strive for self-perfection – perfect body, perfect spouse, perfect job, perfect house, perfect stuff. We begin to see our lack of ability to measure up to that perfection and begin down a slippery slope of despising ourselves. Self-loathing is a cancer that eats away joy and replaces it with bitterness. It consumes our compassion for others and makes us focus on our own hurts and struggles. It nibbles away relationships by bringing strife, jealousy and conflict. When we begin to really love ourselves in a holy, reverent appreciation for the way God intended us to be, God can do great things to us and through us. Loving self the way God intended is not a prideful, it’s all about me, look to my inner self, kind of love. It is a freeing love that allows us to see what God sees as beautiful in the way He created us. Look at yourself through His mirror. Soon you will begin seeing others through His eyes. That is when our lives can be free to be full of joy, compassion, and where fulfilling relationships can flourish. That is when we can reflect the love of Christ.
Father, Help me love myself fully and see me as You created me to be. Help me remember the words You gave me: to love the unlovely and those who reject or disregard my love for them is the ultimate test of how Christ’s love is reflected in me. I love You! Amen
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