"Love your neighbor as yourself." When Jesus Christ was asked what were the greatest commandments in the Law, He said to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your strength and with all your mind and with all your soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. Last week we talked about the first of these, loving God.
To love your neighbor as yourself means to act and think toward your neighbor in such a way that brings about their highest good. The Bible says we are to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In other words, how would you like to be treated? Treat others that same way.
Would you like to be forgiven? Forgive others. Would you like to be treated with kindness and love? Treat others with kindness and love. Would you like to have others be patient with you? Be patient with them.
God's love is unconditional. He loves sinners (all of us have sinned) and He makes His sun to shine on the just and the unjust. So think of someone you can bless. Don't love only your family, or those who love you. Jesus taught us to love even our enemies, for then we would be children of our Father who is in heaven.
God loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. Let us ask God to give us His love for everyone around us.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
HOLY SPIRIT
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” Jesus Christ spoke these words to His disciples after He had been crucified, but before He rose into heaven. This coming Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, when we celebrate the day that the Holy Spirit descended on those disciples.
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God Himself. We talk about the Trinity; God is God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God Himself, here on earth, living in the lives of true believers in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter; He comes alongside us and helps us in our weakness.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to live a victorious Christian life. The Holy Spirit does this by coming and living in our lives. Christianity is not just a bunch of rules we are to obey; it is the living Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit living in our lives each and every day when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.
So I encourage you — ask the Holy Spirit today to fill and control you and empower you. After Pentecost Sunday, the disciples had the power and the boldness to go and proclaim everywhere that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. That same power of the Holy Spirit can live in you and me today
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God Himself. We talk about the Trinity; God is God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God Himself, here on earth, living in the lives of true believers in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter; He comes alongside us and helps us in our weakness.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to live a victorious Christian life. The Holy Spirit does this by coming and living in our lives. Christianity is not just a bunch of rules we are to obey; it is the living Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit living in our lives each and every day when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.
So I encourage you — ask the Holy Spirit today to fill and control you and empower you. After Pentecost Sunday, the disciples had the power and the boldness to go and proclaim everywhere that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. That same power of the Holy Spirit can live in you and me today
Friday, May 28, 2010
What is Love.
The first and greatest commandment, Jesus Christ taught us, is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength.
What does it mean to love God? The ancient Greeks had three words for love — agape, philio, and eros. Agape meant to love someone purely; to wish them the highest good; to always act in a manner that is best for someone; to love with no conditions. This is the way we are to love God.
How can we love God? We can give Him our hearts and our lives. We can think of what will please Him. We can tell Him we love Him. We can listen to Him and pay attention to Him. We can honor His Son Jesus Christ. We can sing worship and praise songs to God. We can love members of His family and love those who He loves — which is everyone!
When you truly love someone, you want what is best for them. God’s will is that no-one will perish, but that all will come to have eternal life. So one way to love God is to reach out to others in the love of Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to love God? The ancient Greeks had three words for love — agape, philio, and eros. Agape meant to love someone purely; to wish them the highest good; to always act in a manner that is best for someone; to love with no conditions. This is the way we are to love God.
How can we love God? We can give Him our hearts and our lives. We can think of what will please Him. We can tell Him we love Him. We can listen to Him and pay attention to Him. We can honor His Son Jesus Christ. We can sing worship and praise songs to God. We can love members of His family and love those who He loves — which is everyone!
When you truly love someone, you want what is best for them. God’s will is that no-one will perish, but that all will come to have eternal life. So one way to love God is to reach out to others in the love of Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Who is the Holy Spirit?
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” Jesus Christ spoke these words to His disciples after He had been crucified, but before He rose into heaven. This coming Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, when we celebrate the day that the Holy Spirit descended on those disciples.
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God Himself. We talk about the Trinity; God is God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God Himself, here on earth, living in the lives of true believers in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter; He comes alongside us and helps us in our weakness.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to live a victorious Christian life. The Holy Spirit does this by coming and living in our lives. Christianity is not just a bunch of rules we are to obey; it is the living Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit living in our lives each and every day when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.
So I encourage you — ask the Holy Spirit today to fill and control you and empower you. After Pentecost Sunday, the disciples had the power and the boldness to go and proclaim everywhere that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. That same power of the Holy Spirit can live in you and me today
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God Himself. We talk about the Trinity; God is God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God Himself, here on earth, living in the lives of true believers in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter; He comes alongside us and helps us in our weakness.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to live a victorious Christian life. The Holy Spirit does this by coming and living in our lives. Christianity is not just a bunch of rules we are to obey; it is the living Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit living in our lives each and every day when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.
So I encourage you — ask the Holy Spirit today to fill and control you and empower you. After Pentecost Sunday, the disciples had the power and the boldness to go and proclaim everywhere that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. That same power of the Holy Spirit can live in you and me today
Monday, May 17, 2010
SPREAD IT
Diseases like chicken pox, tuberculosis are infectious but thank God, it is not only diseases that are contagious, but love also.
Love can be spread to heal and save rather than to kill like diseases.
Love is a healing balm, a form of physical therapy that if administered, many live would be saved. Love can be demonstrated in many ways but the greatest of it is in giving. Giving is so profound that you can give without loving but you cannot love without giving. Today is boxing day; not a day to fight everybody around you but to show love to other. Give to the needy and help the helpless.
Giving is the central theme of love. Even God demonstrated His love through giving; He sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to take away the sin of the world so that we will not perish. The deeper you love, the costlier the gift you give. When people complain that no one loves them, I let them know that they too need to show love to people because the law that guides love is reciprocity. It is what you sow that you will reap. The seed you refuse to sow will not produce the harvest you need.
As the year is running to an end, list out a few people that are very important to you. Everyone is important but not everyone is important to you. List out the ones that have touched and are still touching your life and pray for then fervently. Pray for then to have a major breakthrough in the coming year and that no misfortune should befall them.
However, prayer only is not enough, also send them gifts. There is no better time than now to show love to those that are dear to you.
Love can be spread to heal and save rather than to kill like diseases.
Love is a healing balm, a form of physical therapy that if administered, many live would be saved. Love can be demonstrated in many ways but the greatest of it is in giving. Giving is so profound that you can give without loving but you cannot love without giving. Today is boxing day; not a day to fight everybody around you but to show love to other. Give to the needy and help the helpless.
Giving is the central theme of love. Even God demonstrated His love through giving; He sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to take away the sin of the world so that we will not perish. The deeper you love, the costlier the gift you give. When people complain that no one loves them, I let them know that they too need to show love to people because the law that guides love is reciprocity. It is what you sow that you will reap. The seed you refuse to sow will not produce the harvest you need.
As the year is running to an end, list out a few people that are very important to you. Everyone is important but not everyone is important to you. List out the ones that have touched and are still touching your life and pray for then fervently. Pray for then to have a major breakthrough in the coming year and that no misfortune should befall them.
However, prayer only is not enough, also send them gifts. There is no better time than now to show love to those that are dear to you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
