Tag: love one another
King of love
Scripture reading for October 3rd: 1st John 4, Psalm 47, Proverbs 11
1st John 4: 7-12 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.”
John, the ‘beloved’ disciple, calls Christ’s followers “beloved!” He proclaims that God is love and that all who love are born of God and know God. Those without love do not know God. God made His love known to us through His Son. Jesus Christ came into the world that we might have life through His sacrificial death! We would not even know love if God had not made it visible to us in Christ. Since God loved us through giving Himself for us, we have an obligation to love one another. When we love one another, God abides in us and makes Himself visible to others and perfects His love in us. Hail King Jesus, King of Love!
Psalm 47:4-7 “He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom He loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for showing us what love looks like through Your Son! Thank You that we have a King Who loves us and abides with us through His Holy Spirit. Thank You for the privilege of knowing Your love and sharing that love with my family and brothers and sisters. I long for Your love to be perfected in me when the trumpet sounds and You return and take me to dwell in Your presence!
Proverbs 11:10-11 “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.”
Walking in love and truth
Scripture reading for November 29th: Zechariah 12-14, Psalm 94, 2nd John
2nd John: 4-9 “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady–not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning–that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments: this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”
In Jesus Christ, love and truth are joined together. John’s second letter is short and to the point concerning Christ’s commandment to love one another. This commandment is not new, but one given by God from the beginning to His people. Loving one another involves faith in God’s Word and obedience to it. Jesus Christ came in a human body and lived a sinless life of faithful obedience to His Father. As God’s Son, He alone is worthy of our love and obedience. Only through abiding in His Word do we have confidence and know that we have the Father and the Son! Beware of deceivers who deny Jesus as God’s Son and His teachings as truth!
Psalm 94:14-15 “For the Lord will not forsake His people; He will not abandon His heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.”
Prayer: Father God, I know You through Your Son Jesus Christ and cling to Him as my Savior. Through Your gift of the Holy Spirit, I am now able to joyfully obey Your Word and seek to know and apply it to my life. You are my Lord and King and I choose to follow Jesus and walk in His truth. May my walk bring Your love and truth to those still in the darkness of sin and bondage of self.
Zechariah 14:9 “And the Lord will be King over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be One and His Name One.”
It’s all about love!
Scripture reading for November 24th: Zechariah 2-5, Psalm 93, 1st John 3
1st John 3: 11-15 “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
John kept his message to the churches he oversaw very simple. He pointed them to a basic commandment: ‘Love one another.’ He used the oldest example of murder as an illustration of how the unrighteous of the world hate the righteous and seek to destroy them. So it is in this world until this day that we live in. One of the surest signs of salvation and eternal life is our love for our brothers and sisters. If we have hatred, we abide in death, not life eternal. Love for others comes from new birth and the Holy Spirit of God, Who Himself is Love, abiding in us. Love gives grace and forgiveness as our Lord did for us.
Zechariah 4:6-7 “Then he said to me, “This is the Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts. Who are you O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace to it!'”
Prayer: Father God, I love You and I love the brothers and sisters in Your family. Thank You for the gift of love and eternal life. I can only love because You first loved me and gave me Your love in the abiding Holy Spirit. Your love is holy and mighty–moving mountains and drawing many to salvation. Forgive those who are still in hatred and fear and use me to share the Good News of Your amazing love.
Psalm 93:4-5 “Mightier that the thunders of many waters, mightier that the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty. Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits Your house, O Lord, forevermore.”
Walk it out!
Scripture reading for November 29th: 2nd John
Key Scriptures: 2nd John 4-8 “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady–not as though I were writing you a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning–that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
In this short letter, John writes to ‘the elect lady and her children.’ Most commentators believe that John was writing to a female church leader and the church members. His greatest joy came from finding some of the church members walking in the truth and loving each other. Jesus taught that the simple command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves was the greatest commandment. He emphasized to His disciples that they were to walk out their love for one another and by this all men would know that they were His disciples. We are to love those made in God’s image. Jesus Christ came to earth in a fleshly body and demonstrated God’s love through healing, relationships, and teaching. Deceivers tried to deny Jesus was a man in a human body. This is the spirit of antichrist. Don’t even welcome them into your homes.
2nd John 9-11 “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for perfectly walking out a life of obedience to all God’s commandments and summarizing them in the simple command to love one another and love God. May I bring joy to Your heart and church leadership by my walk of truth and love. Help me today to discern those with the antichrist spirit in the church and world and avoid their false doctrines.
2nd John 3 “Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.”
True love in deed and truth
Scripture reading for November 24th: 1st John 3
Key Scriptures: 1st John 3:11-15 “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
John is writing to the church as an overseer of churches and an elder with wisdom. He goes back to the basics in this chapter, emphasizing a simple message that has been in effect from the beginning of recorded biblical history: ‘love one another.’ Cain and Able were the first two offspring of Adam and Eve after the fall. Cain murdered his brother out of jealousy that his brother’s offering was accepted by God (a blood offering) while his own was not (a grain offering). John pointed out that Cain was of Satan, the evil one who was a murderer from the beginning! Satan is also behind the world system that even to this day hates Jesus and those following Him. Hatred is the root stronghold behind Satan’s murderous spirit. John plainly points out that no murderer or anyone hating his brother has eternal life but actually abides in death! Love for our brothers will be displayed not by talk but by actions of love and faith.
1st John 3:16-18 “By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for this simple message of our basic need and your command to love our brothers and sisters. Help me to guard my heart against hatred of anyone made in Your image and to show compassion by serving brothers and sisters in need of help instead of siding with the evil one. I want to love in deed and truth.
1st John 3:23-24 “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit Whom He has given us.”
An example to follow!
Scripture reading for November 9th: John 13
Key Scriptures: John 13:12-15 “When He had washed their feet and put on His outer garments and resumed His place, He said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
Jesus had just taken off His out garment and taken a towel and basin and washed each of the disciple’s feet. He took the place of a servant and, although Lord and Teacher (Rabbi), demonstrated for them the servant heart that He had for them and all who would come to Him. He told them to go and do likewise for each other, remembering His example. Real worship is obedience to Jesus and results in loving service to the members of His body on earth, the Church. Jesus’ example would have rocked the thinking of His own disciples and the culture of that day. The way up, is to humbly take the lowest place by serving the needs of others.
John 13:16-17 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your humble example of obedience and serving others. Thank You for serving all by giving your life on the cross and by this example of serving Your own disciples. I commit to serving You and Your Father by serving my brothers and sisters as long as I have breath! I want all people to know that I am Your disciple.
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Authorities are God’s
Scripture reading for February 25th: Romans 13
Key Scriptures: Romans 13:1-5 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who caries out God’s wrath on the wrong-doer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.”
This excellent teaching on our relationship with governing authorities is one that has need of emphasis in our time and day. God is over all authority, secular or religious, from the home to the government to the church. Believers are to submit or be subject to authority because God is over them. Rules are to be obeyed, unless they violate God’s Word. Those who disobey will be subject to punishment by the authorities and those who obey will have no need to worry or fear. It is God we are obeying and serving and we are to honor and submit to Him and His established authorities.
Romans 13:8, 10 “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” . . . “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to understand and apply these truths on authority in my life as one under authority and one in authority. May Your law of love be fulfilled in and through me.
Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Love one another!
Scripture reading for November 9th: Ezekiel 37-39; Psalm 87; John 13
Key Scriptures: John 13:31-35 “When he (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek Me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Judas had just left the upper room to betray Jesus. Jesus announced His soon coming glory: His crucifixion death, burial and resurrection. By this, the Father would receive glory and the Father would glorify His Son–at once! Jesus told His disciples that where He was going they could not come. No other man could go through the experience that Jesus would go through for all mankind. He demonstrated the greatest love mankind would ever know and commanded His disciples to love one another. Love would be the most genuine proof to the world and the Church of discipleship.
Psalm 87:3 “Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God.” Selah (pause and think about that)
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, I give You glory for Your great sacrifice for me, a sinner and for all sinners. Out of thankfulness and the infilling of Your Holy Spirit, I will love my brothers and sisters and share Your glorious Gospel.
Ezekiel 37:24 “”My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one Shepherd. They shall walk in My rules and be careful to obey My statutes.””
Love marks Christ’s disciples!
Scripture reading for April 23rd: John 13, Psalm 81, Proverbs 19
Key Scriptures: John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus had shown His love to His disciples by taking a towel and washing their feet. He served them. Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment. It really was a summary of the ten commandments and the law of the kingdom of heaven. This commandment was not a suggestion and would be the distinguishing mark of all who belonged to Jesus. It was simple but not easy–to love one another as Christ had loved them.
Faith Confession: Jesus, thank You for loving me by serving me and all mankind. Help me today to love others that come into my path.
Proverbs 19:22 “What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.”
Love one another!
Scripture reading for April 22nd: John 13
Key scriptures for over-comers: John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Jesus had washed the feet of His disciples, demonstrating His love and servant’s heart for them. He also predicted that one of those He washed would betray Him and that Peter would deny Him three times! In the midst of this last meal, Jesus gave His disciples a new command: “Love one another!” This command was to be a sign to all men that His followers belonged to Jesus! Love does what is best for another. Love forgives. Love covers sins. Love never fails! The Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit would release a river of God’s love to flow from them! (Romans 5:5)
Observations for over-comers: Loving one another remains the greatest command of Jesus for those who will over-come the world, flesh, and the devil! A river of His love flows in our hearts by the Holy Spirit! “Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47:12)