What does it matter if we get as much as we can out of church, Bible study, or prayer, but then our neighbors are not loved? Now let me ask again in a different way. How about if we attempt to get our lives right with God by loving Him, as He loves us, but this love is only focused on us and not really with God’s will? You may ask, how can this be? Well, the answer is really pretty simple. It is because without keeping God’s commandments, there is really no true love for God in us. Jesus even said, 2“if ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Now, do you even know what these commandments are and what they signify? Well, it goes down to two important things, loving God and our neighbor. We can’t just remember our self and God and leave out loving others. Jesus even taught this and said, 1“thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) What? Did you catch that last part? Loving God plus loving our neighbor equals loving Jesus. Then, we are his friends also. Since Jesus said, 3“ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:14) These two things make us true Christians and not fake ones any longer. So let us now define what it looks like to love God and our neighbor. This is when the Holy Spirit is moving in us, while shaping us to be like God. Then, we can walk in His holiness, as He is holy.
Our love for God becomes real, as we go out in the world and begin to light it up. We see those people that are in need and care for them. If a person is homeless and needs a coat, we take the one off our back and give it to them. The same can be said if they needed a winter hat or gloves and we have them on us, we are to then offer these things to them. And if they are hungry or thirsty, we get them food and drink. We don’t let people go away empty who are in need, but we freely give as God gives to us. And witnessing about Jesus and prayer is the topping to our opportunities with people in need. Then, can they go away with a Bible, having known that Jesus died for their sins and truly wants to save them. And since we prayed for them, His comfort and peace are now with them. Now, we can show this same kindness with people that can’t pay for their groceries in the store or food in a restaurant. Helping pay for what they cannot will show Your love for them in a dramatic way. This same love extends to those people in prison, assisted living or nursing homes, our family, our friends, people in the church, co-workers, our neighbors, people we encounter on the streets, gyms, and many other places. The thing is that we are living our life for God. And if you are all in for Jesus, then you would know that faith means faithfulness to God and His commandments. Therefore, remember that as you abide in Christ, you are also going out and doing as He says. Then, will you be in right standing with God now and on judgment day.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that people will not only get right with You but also see the importance of living out their faith. Then, will they go the extra mile to do as You command them. People’s sinful desires are keeping them from following You, and I pray that You will remove these things from their lives, in Your mighty Name, Jesus. To many people now don’t understand the need to do as You say, but as they think only. Oh, how foolish people are, by thinking that all they need to do is believe in You, and then they are saved. If they just knew that faith equals faithfulness to You also. For how can we show that we love You, if we are not doing as You would have us do. It is like saying that I love my wife or my parents, but I never listen to them or obey what they say. What hypocrisy is in the hearts of too many so-called Christians. This grieves my heart Lord, to think that people are not reading the Bible daily, and then if they are, they are not doing as You have taught them, in scripture. They may read and received counsel from You, oh Lord, but really do they consume what they’ve learned for themselves and have not done anything with it. For this reason, is the Holy Spirit pertinent to our lives. Because without it, we are not able to love others like You do. And without being born again in the Spirit, our faith is really selfish faith and not bearing any fruits at all. So Lord, help us look past ourselves and start showing kindness to everyone around us. If someone has a need, may we stop what we are doing and care for that person. I believe in and trust in what You have taught us. Therefore, I obey Your commands, because I love You, Lord. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Matthew 22:34-46 (KJV)
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.
43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
2John 14:12-24 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
3John 15:1-14 (KJV)
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
