Be Devoted to Others…

Romans 12:10 (NIV)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Our Verse of the Day continues to examine the expectations and qualities of our personal relationships with others. These are always great reminders when we might feel otherwise in our attitudes with other people. The Apostles give us some practical ways to demonstrate love … to be devoted to one another in love and to honor others above ourselves:

Romans 13:8-10 (NIV)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” (Citing Exodus 20:13-17; Deuteronomy 5:17-21) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Citing Leviticus 19:18) Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Galatians 6:1-3 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 (NIV)

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more….

James 2:8-9 (NIV)

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show favoritism, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

1 Peter 1:22-23 (NIV)

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God.

1 John 3:11-18 (NIV)

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s actions were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Well, if you are struggling with loving other people as God sees them, especially those you consider the most unlovable, then I hope these Scriptures will give you some renewed encouragement to love as God in Christ has demonstrated His love for you. When it hurts to love because someone has hurt us … when it is not convenient to love because it takes of our time … when it is difficult to love because we have disagreements … when love requires financial sacrifice to provide for the needs of others … how do we put the unmerited, compassionate, agape love of God into action – in real terms? I am reminded that Jesus addressed this issue for us:

Luke 6:27-36 (NIV)

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most-High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

As I mediated on all these scriptures, the word “kindness” came to mind. Jesus said that God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked – like many of us before we received the grace of repentance and came to a knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus! Kindness is the greatest demonstration of the other fruit of the Spirit. Love, peace, goodness, gentleness, and self-control can all be expressed through our kindness. And kindness is inherent in longsuffering and faithfulness. Paul observed it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Cf. Romans 2:4). So, I think the kindness we extend to others should have this same intention. Indeed, “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (Cf. James 2:13)

My friends, I think it is important for us to remember that God expressed His “unmerited” love through the riches of His kindness. As Paul wrote: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) There is nothing we did to earn it or deserve it. We are sinners saved by grace alone! (Cf. Ephesians 2:5) And so, I believe it follows that we are to love others without consideration of “merit”. We are not to love others because they deserve our love, forgiveness, or compassion; rather, we are to love others and to be merciful to them fully for the sake of love itself … while they too are yet sinners. That is HOW God has loved us … without condition! Amen!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had toward you. ~ Philippians 2:3-5

I Want To Know What Love Is

1 John 3:16 (NIV)

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Our Verse of the Day captures a great truth that Jesus desires each of us to attain from our personal encounter with Him; namely, the truth of God’s unfathomable love for those He created in His image … and all of His creation. Indeed, we find this truth repeated in the inspired writings of the New Testament authors. John wrote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (Cf. John 3:16) And Paul wrote: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8)

What the Apostle John affirms here is that the sacrificial death of Jesus is how we KNOW what love is! Jesus Christ defines the love of God in terms that we have yet to fully comprehend. Yet, Jesus assures us that this truth can be known and understood by us. Consider the following text:

John 17:20-26 (NIV) ~ Excerpt from the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus

“My prayer is not for them (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

My friends, we can know God and know His love because of Jesus Christ … His Son. The veil covering the holy place in the temple was torn in two – opening our access and revealing our capacity to have fellowship with the God who created us in His image. Jesus attested that He was sent to reveal the Father and to make Him known. Because of Jesus, we can know God … His Being and His passionate love for us. Paul understood this revelation; and his prayer for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 3:14-21 encompassed a deep, heartfelt desire for them (and us) to KNOW “this love that surpasses knowledge.”

Indeed, God has spoken His love for us. God has revealed His love for us. God has shown and demonstrated His love for us. All the Father asks of us is to believe in His Son, Jesus, and to love one another as He has loved us! His will is not mysterious or unknown. His expectation of those created in His image is attainable. The reciprocation of His love can be achieved. The only question for us is whether we truly desire in our hearts to make it actual in our lives. For love requires us to humble ourselves … to subdue own wills … to exalt God above all else. And Christ Jesus, who ascended into heaven to become our High Priest before the throne of God, has demonstrated what this submission entails. Indeed, the Son, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Cf. Philippians 2:6-8)

When we humble ourselves and exert our own wills to be obedient … to pick up our cross daily … to die to sin … to believe God at His Word … to see God through His Son; I am persuaded that we will intimately experience His love that surpasses knowledge and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We will have the capacity to love others as we have been loved. Indeed, that is the purpose of God … to complete His love. The Apostle John shared these insights with us:

1 John 4:7-17 (NIV)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

All of these scriptures reveal the meaning and purpose of our Lord Jesus Christ being sent by the Father to this earth. God sent His Son to fulfill all of these truths because of His great love for us! I pray we will continue to reflect on these things as we recount His crucifixion and celebrate His resurrection!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then Jesus returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” He asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When Jesus came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So, He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. ~ Matthew 26:36-44

Jesus Died For All…

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

Our Verse of the Day brings a great opportunity for deeper understanding of the purposes and implications of the resurrection of Christ Jesus. I have decided to reprint the entire chapter to afford the context because it is packed with theological applications for us to consider. For me, there are lessons that impact not only my view of the world, but my understanding of finding my identity in Christ Jesus. Paul helps us discover who we are and what we are supposed to be doing with our lives as new creations who has been born of the Spirit to abide in Christ Jesus forever. Yes, this portion of scripture captures a myriad of faith-building tenets; and I hope you will find faith-growing encouragement as you review these insights of Paul….

2 Corinthians 5 (New Living Translation)

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit.

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So, whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love compels us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So, we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know Him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So, we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

I’m not quite sure how the theological thoughts and applications of the resurrection could be more succinctly presented. What God has done for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, our Lord and Savior, is overwhelming to contemplate! His great mercy; His amazing grace; His abiding Spirit; His everlasting love are fulfilled and completed in Jesus! His last words while on the cross were: “It is finished!” And with that, Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (Cf. John 19:30) There is nothing else to be done except to receive His gift of reconciliation!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For this reason. I kneel before the Father, from whom every familyin heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:14-21

Great Is Thy Faithfulness!

Isaiah 25:1 (NIV)

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.

Our Verse of the Day from the Prophet Isaiah is a call to praise and worship … exalting God for His “perfect faithfulness” toward His people. We first find this gratitude for the faithfulness of God in the Book of Genesis – so this understanding of His nature has been affirmed at least since the time of Abraham. Let’s look at that passage and some others:

Genesis 24:26-27 (NIV)

Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned His kindness and faithfulness to my master.

Exodus 34:5-7 (NIV)

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed His name, the Lord. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

Psalm 57:9-11 (NIV)

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 71:22-23 (NIV)

I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you – I whom you have delivered.

These are just a few of OT Scriptures attesting to the faithfulness of God. The earliest believers recognized and praised God for His manifested love and faithfulness toward them. So likewise, I think we need to be mindful and grateful ourselves. As you look back on your life and all of your relationships and experiences … can you see the hand of God over it? Can you see the faithfulness of God in sustaining your life … creating the unique story of you? I know that I can! In fact, without the faithfulness of God to guide me through the pitfalls and challenges I have faced, I would not be here to share this testimony. I have absolutely no doubt about the faithfulness of God in our lives. Perhaps, the more salient question is whether we have been faithful to Him. Ask yourself, “Have you been as faithful to God as He has been to you?”

I’m sure we all feel indicted by that question. None of us have lived a perfect life. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Cf. Romans 3:23) Even after we came to a knowledge of the truth; received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior; and experienced rebirth through the Spirit; most of us have stumbled at best to walk the narrow road and to love one another as He has loved us. I think of Peter who boldly and rashly proclaimed that he would die for Jesus at the time of His arrest … only to swear that he “did not even know the man” just a few hours later. (Cf. Matthew 26:74-75; Mark 14:72; Luke 22:60-61; John 18:27) So zealous was his boast and so vehement was his disownment. And note how every Gospel writer recorded what happened! Oh, I’d say each of us has wept as bitterly as Peter at some point in our life because of our unfaithfulness to God….

What amazes and encourages me, though, is that Jesus takes the initiative to comfort Peter and restore him to fellowship. You can read about it in John 21. Yes, when we find ourselves in despair over our sin and unfaithfulness to God, the Apostle John shares with us this word of encouragement: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (Cf. 1 John 1:9) John reminds us of that timeless truth: God is Faithful. And so, I repeat that message here because someone needs to hear it. Someone needs to know that the discouragement and despair of unfaithfulness that has been extinguishing their life can be defeated. Yes, you ARE forgiven! Your life and fellowship with God will be restored! God is faithful even when we fail…. Like Paul, I am convinced that nothing is able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Cf. Romans 8:38-39)

One other thing that caught my attention about our verse was the phrase “things planned long ago.” I thought about that a moment. I thought about the plan of salvation was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. I wondered, “What other things did God plan long ago?” Well, He planned my birth. He determined the date, the generation, the place, the nation, etc. God knew when and where He wanted me for His plans and purposes. And despite a rebellious time of youth … in spite of disobedience, failures, and unfaithfulness in my life … God planned my reconciliation and salvation. I am His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for me to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And each day of my life becomes a revelation of things He has planned long ago for me. Indeed, God is faithful over the span of your life and mine….

Oh, I am certain there is someone who needs to know that God is willing and ready to restore your life just like He did for Peter – a man who disavowed even knowing the Lord Jesus … just like He did for Paul – a blasphemer and a murderer … just like He did for me – another sinner saved by grace through faith. God planned your Day of Reconciliation long ago! God knew just the right time … when you would bitterly weep … and open your whole heart to Him. God knew your moment of confession would come, and He is faithful and just to forgive your sins because you have called on Him. He is at the door of your heart … knocking even now. And I can assure you, it is an indescribable feeling to experience the great mercy, love, and faithfulness of God will pour out upon your life! I urge you to open the door and bid the Lord Jesus to come in … and let your healing begin!

Father, I thank you and I praise you for your perfect faithfulness. You have done wonderful things … too many to count as well look back over our lives. Each one is a testimony of your surpassing kindness and your steadfast love. Help, Lord, each one of us to embrace that you have been faithful to redeem us … to give us a hope and a future … to give us eternal life. These promises were established long ago … and we can receive them by placing our faith in you. You have proven yourself trustworthy, and I pray any person who has questioned the depth of your love will see the truth in your Word. In the powerful Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ~ Lamentations 3:19-23

Love In Action…

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

As we examine our Verse of the Day, we see that love must move from the abstract to reality … it must move from a thought to an action. The concept of love is a noun … but the demonstration of love is a verb. Love is something you DO! No matter how much we profess to love God or to love one another, the evidence of love is in the actions taken to demonstrate it. God not only tells us that He loves us, but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8). And here, John reminds us that actions speak louder than words. Even Jesus requires action on our part to show or demonstrate our love for Him: “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Cf. John 14:15 and 1 John 5:3) Indeed, love is a verb! Love is service oriented. Love is something we DO!

As we have studied, the Apostle John exhorted in 1 John 3:16-18: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Thus, love must be genuine. It must be authentic. It cannot be mere lip service; rather, it must be tangible … intentional … and outcome oriented!

Paul, likewise asserted, “Love must be sincere.” (Cf. Romans 12:9) And Paul will go on to explain how sincere love will manifest itself in real action:

Romans 12:10-18 (NIV)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people willing to do menial work. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

On a similar note, I am reminded that the Apostle James frankly addresses a similar point with regard to our faith. Faith is not merely profession alone either. No matter how much we “believe,” the evidence of faith is in the actions to demonstrate it as well. Here, James distinguishes between faith as a concept and faith as a reality:

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

We also find the Apostle Peter addresses the same issues in his epistle:

1 Peter 3:8-14 (NIV)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good;they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (Peter quotes Psalm 34:12-16) Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

My point is that the apostles emphasized the importance of love in action … love that is operational and effectual. And I surmise it was because the apostles observed the greatest demonstration of love in action when they walked and talked with our Lord Jesus. They were eye witnesses of His compassion and came to understand the personal, sacrificial nature of love in its highest form. The personal example of Jesus speaks volumes with regard the application of love. To me, it is in this context that we must consider what Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35)

So, I pray that as we begin our day … and each new day … that we will commit ourselves to love one another in action and in truth. I pray that we will be sincere and sacrificial. I pray that the love we have and share with others will be a true reflection of what lies within our hearts. My friends, let us not love with words only, but let our actions demonstrate love in truth. Indeed, that is how love moves from a thought to an outcome! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. ~ 1 John 4:19-21

God Showed His Love…

1 John 4:9 (NIV)

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.

Our Verse of the Day has been cited in previous commentaries numerous times. I want to think that since this verse appeared today, there is an anointing on this Scripture that we need to grasp and embrace. We have read this verse. We have quoted this verse. But do we really understand what this verse means? Do we truly comprehend this love that surpasses all human understanding? Indeed, God has shown His love. God has demonstrated His love. It is revealed in the life of His One and Only Son, Christ Jesus! Yet, I wonder, have we fully embraced this truth….

I have often become overwhelmed with thoughts and mental images of the crucifixion – the visage of blood trailing down sunken cheeks … a piercing crown of thorns penetrating His brow … jagged tears of flesh … whip-inflicted wounds covering every square inch of His back. The magnitude of unconscionable, demonic-filled physical torture that Jesus suffered is just beyond imagination. And I find myself weeping in my spirit at the unimaginable pain He bore … the sacrifice His endured to atone for the iniquity of us all.

Yet, the Lord Jesus reminds me that He knowingly and willingly went the cross. (Cf. John 10:11-18) For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross while scorning its shame. (Cf. Hebrews 12:2) God sacrificed His own life … His own blood … according to His own plan and purpose. Jesus died to reconcile me to God the Father. He paid the debt of sin for me. I am redeemed. I have been purchased by His blood. Not because I was good or worthy or merited His favor; rather, He died for me and set me free from the ultimate cost of sin within the human heart. He did that for me! He did that for you! Why? So that we might truly live through Him!

I am convinced there is no true life outside of life within Christ Jesus. Jesus proclaimed, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (Cf. John 14:6) We either believe Him at His word … or we arrogantly reject the sacrificial death He suffered to bring us eternal life. Jesus Himself affirmed: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise Him up on the last day.” (Cf. John 6:40) “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (Cf. 1 John 5:11-12)

The cross is a hard message. It is hard to understand because it is not rational to the human mind. I feel like Paul … when he expressed this message to the Corinthian Church: “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony (mystery) about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2)

This is the message of the cross, and for that matter, all of the Holy Scriptures. This is the Gospel … the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. (Cf. Romans 1:16) The Son had to do this for us! It was required by God; and He sent Jesus into the world for this very purpose – at the appointed time in history … at the appointed place of birth … in the chosen nation of inheritance … for the appointed children of God. Our Savior Jesus was slain for us … for the forgiveness of our transgressions … ordained by God the Father before the foundation of the world. Yes, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (Cf. 1 John 3:16)

Can I leave you with a passage of Scripture from the Prophet Isaiah? I believe he can best orate what I am trying to share here as he foretold the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Messiah 700 years before it occurred! I just think God wants us to focus on this message – maybe as we begin to prepare ourselves and our hearts for the season of Easter:

Isaiah 53

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Surely, He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression (From arrest) and judgment He was taken away. Yet who of His generation considered that He was cut off from the land of the living; that He was punished for the transgression of my people? He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

After He has suffered, He will see the light of life (see the fruit of His suffering) and will be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will give Him a portion among the many, and He will divide the spoils with the numerous because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:14-21

No Fear In Love…

1 John 4:18 (NIV)

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Our Verse of the Day presents a challenge to us in view of its surrounding context. I think we need to understand the meaning of the words translated “perfect” and “fear” within the context of the larger passage, so I’ll reprint it for us:

1 John 4:7-21 (NIV)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete (perfect) in us.

This is how we know that we live in God and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because God first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And Jesus has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

The word “perfect” can be translated “complete” or “completed” – not perfection in the sense that we are without flaw. It connotes the idea of “bringing into fulfillment.” When love has been perfected or completed, it has come full circle and is finished. Think about the words of our Lord Jesus upon the cross when He announced: “It is finished!” (Cf. John 19:30) His sacrificial death demonstrated the love (agape) that brought eternal life into fulfillment for us.

The word “fear” used in this verse should be translated in the same manner that we usually associate with this word. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it to mean “painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger.” Fear can conjure feelings of dread, alarm, panic, terror, and trepidation – adding the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation. Aversion and anxiety are present within this emotion.

And so, with these definitions in mind, I think we can readily begin to see the connections within this passage of Scripture. Remember, Jesus instructed: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34) And we should not lose sight that this is a command … not a suggestion. John focuses on this command to remind believers of its imperative and significance. Why? Because we will all face the Day of Judgment! As it is written: “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Cf. Hebrews 9:27) And, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10) And, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Cf. Romans 14:10)

And so, the certitude of judgment for the life we have lived enters our thoughts; and perhaps, a sense of fear, dread, or trepidation accompanies it. I think these feelings are natural to us … but John shares how we can face the Day of Judgment without fear. Yes, he asserts we can face our judgment with confidence in this: Perfect (complete) love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and the one who faces their judgment with fear has not been made perfect (complete) in love. So, this raises the question: “How do we know if love is perfected or completed in us?” “How can we have confidence on the Day of Judgment?”

The answer lies in Verse 17! What does it say? “In this world we are like Jesus!” Indeed, John affirms to us: “Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.” (Cf. 1 John 2:6) Just as Jesus taught, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Cf. Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23) We cannot escape the point being made here. If we want to have confidence on the Day of Judgment, then we must live as Jesus lived … we must love as Jesus loved. This is the heart of our response to the gift of His grace – seen in the light of the Gospel!

Again, as we have studied, John emphasizes some key theological points for us: Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete (perfect) in us. How is it made complete? In this world we are like Jesus! And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. And, “This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit! Yes, the Spirit guides us into the truth and empowers us to put it into practice. His love is what activates our faith! As Peter wrote: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3)

Confidence! That is what I pray would fill each of us on that Day! Not confidence in our abilities or self-perceived virtues, but confidence in His power to equip us with His Spirit to love one another in truth. And if there is any fear or hesitation … any dread or trepidation within us now, we know how this fear can be allayed. The answer lies in Jesus – the author and perfecter of our faith! We look to Him and His merciful love. We look to His teachings and example. We abide in His unfailing grace and intercession. We repent of self-centeredness and humble ourselves. We deny ourselves and pick up our crosses to follow Him. In weakness, we share in the fellowship of His sufferings. Indeed, Jesus calls us to return to our first love … to the One who loved us first. Oh, my friends, His love being completed in us and through us is HOW we are empowered to stand before Him with confidence on that Day! So, I thank John for the insight, wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement he imparts in this epistle to prompt us toward completion! Yes, may the fullness of love become the sole focus of our faith! Oh, Father, may we live as Jesus lived … and love as Jesus loved! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ~ James 2:12-17

Love Does No Harm…

Romans 13:9-10 (NIV)

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.

When we look at the commandment to love, we need look no further than the Ten Commandments themselves. The first four commandments address our love for God. The last six commandments address our love for others. Indeed, these commandments instill in us that our personal relationships are to be guided and governed according to the will of God! Father God has expressed His will in these commandments that were given through Moses and written on tablets of stone. Likewise, in the New Covenant given to us in Jesus, God has put them in our minds and written them on the tablets of our hearts. (Cf. Jeremiah 31:32-34)

I find it interesting that the Ten Commandments only address relationships … first and foremost our relationship with God; and secondly, our relationships with one another. I believe this stems from the truth that God is love; and love by nature and function is relational. Further, it appears that all other commandments, statutes, and ordinances we find in the Torah were written to provide more structured detail for the observance of these Ten Commandments. So, in our Verse of the Day, Paul explains to us that love should supersede all other behaviors. Love will cause no harm to another person; therefore, love is the fulfillment of God’s covenant of love – engraved in these Ten Commandments.

Let’s look at the commandments as recorded in Exodus 20:1-17 in summary:

1. You shall worship no other gods before God.

2. You shall make no images or idols in place of God.

3. You shall not misuse the name of God.

4. You shall observe the Sabbath Day of God.

5. Honor your father and mother.

6. You must not murder.

7. You must not commit adultery.

8. You must not steal.

9. You must not lie.

10. You must not covet.

In addition, I think it is important for us to see how Jesus summarized and affirmed these commandments in His response to the Jewish authorities who had questioned Him on the matter:

Matthew 22:35-40 (NIV)

One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Citing Deuteronomy 6:5) This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Citing Leviticus 19:18)All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The First Commandment is expressed through Commandments 1-4; while the Second Commandment is expressed through Commandments 5-10. And ultimately, both the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul help us to understand that through obedience of the commandment “ to love your neighbor as yourself,” we necessarily fulfill both commandments! John asserted: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” (Cf. 1 John 4:19-21) Likewise, our Verse of the Day captures this same theology. For both have expressed what Jesus taught: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (Cf. John 15:12; 17) So we see that a singular command … to love one another … a central theme for our worship of God Himself. Love is how we fulfill the supreme Law of God! Indeed, when we love others in truth … we love God in truth! Yes, love is HOW we worship the Father in the Spirit and in Truth!

Father God, we thank you that you continue to humble us and to teach us the ultimate expression of what it means to worship you … LOVE. Holy Spirit, we ask for you to examine our hearts … to know our hearts and to test them. Reveal the thoughts and the inclinations of our hearts. Lord Jesus, thank you for your blood … the blood of the new and everlasting covenant that cleanses us and secures us in the way of love … the way that leads us to everlasting life in You! Oh, I pray that we might remain in your love; for you said that if we keep your commands, we would remain in your love. And your command is that we love each other as you have loved us! Oh, Lord Jesus, let the joy of your love be within us! Let us complete your joy as we serve one another and fulfill your command. Yes, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! In the power of Your Great Name, I pray! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. ~ Galatians 5:13-15

How Love is Made Complete…

1 John 4:11-12 (NIV)

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.

We have included our Verse of the Day in previous commentaries over the past week or so as we have studied the love of God for us … and the command to love others to demonstrate our love for God. These concepts are imperative to our understanding of God, and they are foundational to the formation of our faith in Him. Though life is filled with questions and mystery, there is one thing that does not have to be questioned or remain unknown. We can always be assured of God’s love … because He has made it known to us! The Apostle John affords us great insight into what we need to understand in this regard:

1 John 4:7-21 (NIV)

Knowing God Through Love

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

Obeying God Through Love

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made complete in love. We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

It is clear to me that we cannot comprehend the love of God without understanding and embracing what Jesus accomplished through His death upon the cross. The love of God has been demonstrated … it is seen through the blood atonement offered and accepted through His Son, Christ Jesus. As Paul articulated: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) Until we see the depths of mercy His love poured out upon the cross, we will not see HOW to love one another as He has loved us. Yes, I love how Paul urges us to imitate and practice merciful love: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Cf. Romans 12:1) Indeed, we will become humbled, and love others in truth, when follow the example of Jesus. I pray in our relationships with one another, we will have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. (Cf. Philippians 2:1-8) Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

When He had finished washing their feet, Jesus put on His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. ~ John 13:12-17

This Is The Message…

1 John 3:11 (NIV)

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Our Verse of the Day continues to affirm the message for us to love one another. Indeed, this is the highest command of God: to love Him and to love one another. To love others is not optional! It is an intentional action that comes from hearts that have been changed by the love of God.

1 John 3:16-18 (NIV)

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Philippians 2:1-5 (NIV)

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

If we truly believe God at His Word, then our faith will be seen through its response of love. Yes, “As I have loved you, so you MUST love one another. By this everyone will know that you ARE my disciples – if you love one another. (Cf. John 13:34-35) Jesus once asked His followers: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Cf. Luke 6:46) It is a penetrating question for us to answer as well; and yet, Jesus affords us some insight into what it means to be obedient to His Word:

Luke 6:47-49 (NRSV)

I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the waters pressed against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground (sand) without a foundation. When the floodwaters pressed against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.”

Oh, Lord, I pray that each one of us will embrace the knowledge that love is the fulfillment of Your commands to us. Yes, love is your expressed will for our lives as believers! Let us, therefore, be imitators of You and follow Your example. As beloved children, let us walk in the way of love, just as You loved us and gave Yourself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God the Father. (Cf. Ephesians 5:1-2) Oh, Lord, I pray that love will be the foundation upon which we build our lives. Indeed, let us be wise when we call you, “Lord!” And may we endeavor to be like you, Lord Jesus, in this world! In Your Mighty Name, I pray. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

This is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. ~ 2 John 1:6