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

GET THEM BACK!! NOT!!

Has anyone ever hurt you so bad that it is all you can do humanly to
not keep the battle going? First of all we have to realize we can not
control people or their emotions or reactions. It hurts to be rejected
or made fun of by someone especially if we are close to them. Human
nature says 'Get them back' but God's nature says 'Not'.

This is a battle of the mind and it involves unconditional love to the
utmost. Since this is the month of love why not bring up letting hurts
go, not harboring resentment, and just moving on? It is very hard to
be betrayed by a friend for instance or to have co workers talk behind
your back. Maybe someone shared something personal you asked to be
held in confidence. Whatever the scenarios, you only give Satan more
ground and keep him happy when you choose to keep resentment over
something in your heart. Ponder that for a while.

Romans 12:17 (NIV) says 'to not repay evil for evil' so why do we
think we should? Some may say, 'I will never forgive them' but what
happened to kindness, grace, love, mercy, and being like Jesus? Jesus
of all people was scorned by many. He never uttered a harsh word and
wants us to pray. In Matthew 5:44(NIV) it says 'But I tell you, love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' Proverbs
19:11(NIV) says ' A man's wisdom gives him patience. It is to a man's
glory to overlook an offense.' Get your mind on something else. Make

yourself pray for whoever it is that hurt you. Do not try to keep

reasoning things out and figuring them out, just move on and give it
to God.

PRAYER: Lord it hurts to be rejected. You know that feeling more than
anyone. Father give me your ability to focus on you and not past
hurts. In Jesus' name. Amem.

FORGIVE....JUST DO IT!!

Valentine's Day is fast approaching. No matter whether you celebrate
this day or not, it is a day of red roses, chocolates, and hearts.
Basically a day for love. Why only have one day for love but why not
let love be your aim around the clock?

Valentine's Day puts undue pressure on young men who are not attached
because if they ask a girl out on that particular day she may get the
wrong message. Basically as my younger son used to call it years ago,
"Singles Awareness Day". Sort of catchy isn't it?

True love involves more than just being romantic. For a married couple
it is about commitment, trust, putting the other person first, and
learning to say you are sorry and ask forgiveness. The person who has
been hurt needs to show their love by not keeping a record of wrongs
as it says in 1 Corinthians 13:5, found in the infamous "love chapter"
in the Bible.

Forgiveness is a major part of loving someone. Learning to let go of
an irritation and forgive whether they asked or not. Unforgiveness
does nothing but drive people further apart and makes anger fester.
Not forgiving is our human side and it is what the devil wants. Now if
on the other hand someone is reading this who is being physically
harmed by a spouse or a date then you need to seek protection as the
individual may need help. Hopefully no one reading this fits that
category but if so get help not hurt.

Being unable to forgive breaks families apart, ends relationships of
friends, can have two adult siblings unable to communicate, and many
other things. Does not sound like a character trait for a believer to
possess now does it? It is so easy to be angry and want our way. That
is self just getting in the way.

Love is a great thing particularly when it is unselfish. That is what
it is about. Are you able to turn the other cheek, get on with life,
and show forgiveness? Are you able to pray for the person who hurt you
or maybe in worse case scenario, killed a family member? Wow that last
one is a biggie. Matthew 5:44(KJV) says 'But I say to you, love your
enemies and pray for those, who persecute you.'

Ephesians 4:32(NIV) says 'Be kind and compassionate to one another
forgiving one another just as Christ God forgave you.' I challenge
you today to make a list of anyone you are harboring something against
and pray and give that over to the Lord. If necessary pray for
restoration of a relationship when appropriate.

Is there a person in your life you need to forgive? Well then,go and just do it!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus it is through you that we are able to show grace,
mercy, and forgiveness to someone who may not deserve it. It is part

of what love is all about. Let me reach out to people with God's love
around the clock and not harbor things in my heart. In Jesus' name.
Amen.

Click on link below and worship the Lord:
Forgiveness by Matthew West
http://youtu.be/wz3tkHv5sbg

FORGETTING AN OFFENSE

Has something occurred in your life you can not seem to let go of and
it is driving a wedge of hurt or anger towards the offender? Maybe it
is a friend,a spouse, a girlfriend, a boyfriend, a family member, or a
co worker? Perhaps you think they were heartless and cruel and you

deserve to feel the way you do, but does harboring this anger or ill

feeling towards someone get you anywhere? The answer is NO!

So what do you do about it when you feel left out, hurt, betrayed, or
forgotten? Do you "pick the scab" so to speak causing you to feel
anger and be offended even more or do you do what God would want and
turn the other cheek and let it go? Maybe you have already said
something to the person or someone else and wish you had not. It is

never too late to start again and mend your heart and the

relationship. Maybe the other person is not even aware that they hurt

or offended you. It is always a good time to try again.

Taking offense against others is not a God given thing. This is not a
trait you should want to possess. It is easy to become offended and
consequently bitter as a result, when focused on yourself. Give up
your right to be angry or hostile. God does not want His children to
be bickering and having bad feelings about each other. Especially
married couples need to learn their spouses "love language" and need

to be willing to say they messed up and ask forgiveness. If your

spouse is unaware he or she hurt you then just drop it and move on as
to not keep the offense alive. We are supposed to be God's children
and act like Christ. Harboring a bad attitude or a grudge has you

working on Satan's team,not God's! (Note:If it is something deeper in
a marriage perhaps counseling should be sought).

What do you do if you are caught up in this trap Satan likes to lay
for Christians? You know you cannot very well focus on your "love
walk" and getting closer to God if bad feelings exist. Ephesians
4:31(NIV) says to 'Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.' Try to let go
and let God do a work in your heart and life and do not always try to
win your battles.

PRAYER: Lord I love you and I do not want to break your heart by
harboring bad feelings in my heart towards those who might have hurt
me in some way. Help me start this new year making an effort with your
help to be different regardless of a situation around me. In Jesus'
name. Amen.