LOVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT

Love is a great big word often thrown around casually without even truly knowing and understanding the true meaning of it. So many people love "conditionally" as is evident by the soaring divorce rates and court battles. Love is more than a feeling.

When you say you love someone, and this includes your friends and family, why not take a peek at 1 Corinthians 13. If you have your Bible handy look it up now. In verse 7 of that chapter it says 'love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things'. Now that is commitment and true love. Love does not think of itself first but puts others first.

Sometimes in life we run into people who you feel like you don't like or prefer to not be around or maybe it is someone you disagree with. Perhaps you judge this person for something they can do nothing about like the color of hair they were born with or a deformity. The point is, if you name the name of Jesus you should love like He loves. His love is "unconditional".

In Matthew 22:36-40(ESV) it says “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Knowing this why do so many people harbor hate and grudges? Not all people are humanly likable but we need to love like Jesus loved.This goes for your supposed "enemies" or those who have treated you with disrespect or hate. Try praying for them instead even though it is difficult and see if your heart does not feel better.

Go now and love like Jesus!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I want to show love to everyone. Sometimes it may be hard so please help me have a heart of compassion for others. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link below for a praise song by Dove Award winner singer/songwriter Aaron Shust, who by the way will be in concert this Sunday at 7 p.m. at Asbury Church, 138 Gillespie Rd in Madison, Alabama in the Grace Building. It is a free benefit concert. I plan to be there to lift up the name of Jesus through his music.

http://youtu.be/8iSVF2XM7yQ

SUPER CHRISTIAN...OH REALLY??

Think you are pretty good huh? Got it all together. No real major issues you are dealing with? Well be careful as when we start thinking we are so wonderful, look out! 1 Corinthians 10:12 warns us "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"

 Have you really let go of grudges you have against people? Have you really learned to forgive and forget? Can you overlook an offense or do you need to keep a fight going? Do you secretly form opinions of people in your brain? Do you avoid certain people? Do you conjur up things in your head that really aren't happening like for instance, "I do not think so and so likes me"? Do you harbor resentment? Alot of this garbage is there because Satan is alive and well and in a battle for our minds, hearts and souls. Confusion, for instance, is not from God. Lack of peace is not from God. Hatred is not from God. Grudges are not from God. Bitterness is not from God. You get the point. We have to make a conscious effort to stay in the word of God on a daily basis to feed our spirits with good things to fight off the mental attacks of the enemy that try to wage war within us and our souls and against other people.

Leviticus 19:17-18 says "Don't secretly hate your neighbor. If you have something against him, get it out into the open; otherwise you are an accomplice in his guilt. Don't seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am God." You have heard it said that "love covers a multitude of sins.(See 1 Peter 4:8) and we know from the 'love chapter' 1 Cornithians 13 what love is. This pertains to love between man and wife or love in general.In verses 4 through 7 of this chapter is says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  Proverbs 10:12 says "Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses."

So where is your love meter set at? Do you truly love everyone? Can you forgot an offense or do you continue to 'run it into the ground'. You will never truly have peace within yourself til you can stop looking back and look forward to the good things God has in store for those who love Him.

2 Peter 3:17-18 says "Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen"

PRAYER: Father I know I have held onto hurts and pains and had grudges in my heart. I know this does not please you. I know the enemy wants to destroy me and my witness for you so I ask for your strength each day Lord to wake up with an attitude of love and forgiveness. Even if someone is hateful to me give me the supernatural ability to not lash back or dwell on the hurt but to dwell on you Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.

GRUDGES: GOOD FOR NO ONE

Has someone or something  hurt you in the past and you just feel so mad you can hardly think straight? You say you do not 'hate' anyone but yet you can not seem to let this hurt or offense go. It is time to move on in life and let God take this off your shoulders and if this person is still in your life do not be ugly to them. Should they ever contact you try to be nice. Show mercy and forgiveness even when you do not feel like it. If you do not think you can do this alone you do not have to. Call on Jesus who is always there ready to help you with your battles. The problem  could be a variety of things such as broken marriages, broken friendships, betrayals,  loss of a job for no apparent reason, stolen ideas at work, being passed over for something you felt deserving of and on the list goes.

Let things go. Move on. Do not look back. Stay positive. Know that you will not be in this rut forever. Let go of disappointments and pain.Focus on something good even if it is hard to. Start praising God even if you do not feel like it. Admit there is nothing you can do alone and God has a plan and will direct your steps. 1 Peter 5:7 says "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Ephesians 4:31 says "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." Psalm 37:8 says "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil."  Proverbs 3:5-6 says to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean  not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." Romans 12:17-21 says "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. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;  if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Release your bitterness over things you do not understand to God. Do not get bitter, upset, confused and angry but ask God to calm your spirit and soul. Ask God for peace. Instead of getting bitter get better. Learn from problems in life and move on and use them to grow more into the person Christ wants you to be. If you have not asked Jesus to be Lord of your life you can do that right now. Don't allow anger and bitterness to get you defeated.

James 1:2-3 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Thank the Lord for the things that happen to help your faith grow.

PRAYER: Lord thank you for family and friends you have in my life. I thank you for situations I have had to go through that have made me aware of my need for you Lord. Forgive me if I have harbored bitterness towards anyone in my heart. I release that to you now. Give me your strength to walk each day victoriously with you. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Note: I have included a link to another wonderful praise song that will help lift your spirits.
http://youtu.be/KuGRaCrg9hE