Stand in Love
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7, ESV
“Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him…” (Deuteronomy 30:20)
“…God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)
“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.” (1 John 4:7)
“…if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:12)
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us, God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16)
We have all been concerned about the war in the Gaza Strip. We hear all the news reports and read about all the devastation happening in that area. We see images of the war and we listen to commentators give their points of view - who is right and who is wrong, and what should be done. We see all kinds of protests happening regarding this war. And depending on whom you are listening to will determine which side you believe is right.
However, there is only one side that a believer in Jesus Christ should be standing on and that is God’s side. Scripture teaches that God is not the author of confusion and if you are confused it is because you are listening to another voice. War in the Gaza Strip and anywhere else in the world is not a surprise to God. It is not our job to try and figure out who is right and who is wrong, because we are all wrong according to God. We were given instructions to love.
“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” (1 John 4:7). In other words, if there is anything else inside of you except love, it is not from God. Listen, loving is the minority not the majority. Jesus was a minority. As soon as He started preaching and teaching love, He was a marked man and the leaders of the church sought to kill Him.
The greatest command God has given us is to love. “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’” (Matthew 22:37-39).
When Jesus gave the sermon on the Mount, He specifically told us how we are to treat our enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45).
God consistently demonstrates to us how He loves His enemies; all we have to do is look back at our own life. We were born His enemy and yet God sent His son Christ Jesus who died for every one of our wrong doings before we were even conceived! Hallelujah! Our position during this season and forevermore is to stand in love.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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