SCRIPTURE: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? – 1 John 4:20
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The deeper you love God, the more you love other people. We serve a God of love. This is why He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Jesus, our Saviour, came to this world as the response of God’s love for us. That was why He preached and healed the sick through love. The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of love.
Today, we want to consider the necessity of love to our life and relationship with God.
a) Love for God is confirmed by our love for people, especially His people (1 John 4:12, 20).
If you are a worker in church and you hate your fellow brother or sister, then your service is aimless. This is the reason many people work in the church for many years without any positive result to show for it. A pastor, for instance, is wasting his time in ministry if he does not love his members passionately.
b) Love guarantees profitability of spiritual activity. Activity plus charity equals profitability (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) .
The degree of results you see from working for God is tied to the measure of love with which you work.
c) To walk with God, you must work in love (1 John 4:8, Amos 3:3).
The worst thing that can happen to anyone is to be working for God and not be able to walk with God. The deeper you love God, the more you love other people.
Remember this: The deeper you love God, the more you love other people.
ASSIGNMENT(S): 1. Search your heart if there is any root of bitterness in your heart towards your neighbour.
2. Reconcile with anyone you are holding grudges against.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: MINISTERING IN LOVE.
PRAYER: O LORD, give me the grace to forgive anyone who has offended me; help me to work and walk in love in Jesus’ Name.
QUOTE: Nothing works when love is not at work. Culled from REASON FOR LIVING by Paul Enenche.
DAILY READING: Zechariah 4:1 to 5:11, Revelations 14:1 to 20, Psalms 142:1 to 7, Proverbs 30:21 to 23.