THOSE WHO LOVE PEOPLE
THOSE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD Part 12
“Those who know their God will be strong and do great things.” Dan 11:32
WHAT DOES A PERSON DO WHO KNOWS GOD?
In our recent Encouraging Notes, we discussed how we are to continue the ministry of Jesus by doing the works he did. Today I want to dive into specific parts of what Jesus did that we are to emulate.
If there’s one obvious thing that Jesus did, it is that he loved people! I believe the most significant sign of a person who knows God is that they love people! Jesus revealed that the way people would know that we are his disciples is by our love for one another. John 13:34-35 It is so critical that we love and live in unity with each other that Jesus prayed five times in one prayer that it would happen. (See John 17) Therefore, those who say they love God must be those who love those around them.
1 John 4:16-20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
The world desperately needs to see us as Christ’s body carrying out the greatest work of Jesus, which is love! Apostle John later went on to say that whoever loves his brother lives in the light. He said, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 1 John 2:9-10
Wow! We all have many opportunities to be hurt and rejected. It is tempting to reject those who have rejected us or even hate them. But the person who lives in forgiveness and loves those who’ve done them wrong is the person who is carrying out the greatest work of Jesus! I love how apostle Paul spoke of this subject.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Rom 13:8-10
When we love those around us, we fulfill the entire law of God’s righteous standards! Wow! Someone once said, “Love is what makes the world go round.” Indeed, the love of God is what makes the world operate. People are longing to be loved! Those who are closest to you desperately need the experience of God’s love flowing through you!
Love is not something you can work up; it is something you must soak up! The more we receive God’s love for us, the more we will operate in that love! Here’s one thing that I am fully convinced of – those who know their God are…
THOSE WHO LOVE PEOPLE