Love (2)

Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV) Jesus says,

30. " And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.

31. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no greater commandment greater than these."

    
    

Amen, thank you LORD.

The main focus of this post is based on the second commandment which is loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Yesterday, I shared on the importance of receiving God's love. After you receive God's love, it is to be shared with others because the love that you have received is most likely the love that you will give to others. When you share the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus and His love that you have personally experienced through salvation, this is you practicing the above Word of God that is to love your neighbour as yourself. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."

As a child of God, God's love at work in you compels you to give to those who are in need. James 1:27 (NKJV) illustrates an example of loving your neighbour as yourself and says, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble; and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."

At the same time, as we love others, it is also important to give that love to yourself. One of the best ways to give this love to yourself is to see yourself the way God sees you that is, not based on what society tells you, or negative circumstances, the people from your past and around you but to focus and live your life based on your identity in Christ Jesus because this is who God truly created you to be.

Ephesians 1:3-4 AMP says, "Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love."

Child of God, when God looks at you, He says you are loved, your sins are forgiven, you are blessed and blameless in His sight. When He looks at you, He sees nothing wrong because your life has been cleansed and washed with the precious blood of His Son, Christ. The Psalmist praised God and said, "I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Your works and that my soul knows very well." (Psalm 139:14). It is important for you soul (which is made up of your mind, will and emotions) to appreciate the goodness of the LORD and the truth that God loves you, you are blameless in His eyes and that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him - AMEN!

Let's pray: Father God, thank you that I am holy, set-part, loved and blameless in Your sight. Thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made and my soul knows that very well. Abba, I ask that You continue to teach and give me the wisdom and grace to love you with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and to love my neighbour as I love myself in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

I'll end with this Word found in Isaiah 52:7 (NLT)

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!"

Amen, thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: If you would like to be born again into God's Kingdom, that is saved and have a personal relationship with God as Your Father and you as His child by receiving His Son, Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, I invite you to say this confession:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever." AMEN.

Congratulations, YOU'VE BEEN REDEEMED by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen. In case you do not already, please join a church community and get water baptized!