Because Scripture declares all men to be sinful. In other words, our sin separates us from God who is perfect holiness righteousness and justice and God must therefore judge sinful man. Scripture also teaches that no amount of human goodness, human works, human morality, or religious activity can gain acceptance with God or get anyone into heaven. The moral man, the religious man, and the immoral and non-religious are all in the same boat.
After discussing the immoral man, the moral man, and the religious man in Romans 1: Added to this are the declarations of the following verses of Scripture:. No amount of human goodness is as good as God. God is perfect righteousness. Because of this, Habakkuk 1: In order to be accepted by God, we must be as good as God is.
Before God, we all stand naked, helpless, and hopeless in ourselves. If you are looking for a nice, comfortable religion that doesn't call for too many demands on your life, makes you feel better when you're down, and will reserve luxury suites for you in heaven when you die, then you probably shouldn't try to be one of Jesus' disciples. He has the crazy notion that his followers should serve others rather than themselves.
He expects them to show integrity when no one is looking. And he expects them to love. Not just people who only occasionally have a bad day. Jesus expects you to love your enemies. Don't follow him unless you're ready to experience some discomfort. The Blessings and Woes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Plain are radical. The poor, not the rich, will be rewarded. Then Jesus says to be happy when you are persecuted. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. Now he goes a step further. We are to love our persecutors. The world says -- rightly -- "Love your friends.
Be loyal to your friends. Look out for your friends. Friends will look out for you. Loving your friends is just smart. This also goes to loving your wife or your husband. As the Apostle Paul observes, "Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself" Ephesians 5: Loving your wife is a no-brainer unless you're self-destructive.
Loving your friends and your spouse is just enlightened self-interest. But it's altogether another thing to love an enemy, someone who has your disgrace or destruction as a goal. Notice as Jesus teaches his disciples in this passage he uses the familiar rhythm of Hebrew parallelism. But Jesus says that we are not to just force a smile and mind our own business when we are hated and mistreated.
We are to actively try to do good towards our attackers. It was developed almost exclusively in Christian literature to refer to the kind of love that doesn't serve itself, but extends itself for the sake of another. The other Greek words for love are eros , erotic love, philos , love for family, brotherly love, and stergos , natural affection. Agape love is really a different category of love that the world hadn't seen in action until Jesus came along and infected his followers with it. None are in the passive voice. They don't just take care of themselves. They are active verbs describing deliberate action to do good to one's enemies.
Let's pause for a moment. Who are your enemies? I'm not asking who you hate? I'm asking who hates you, or despises you? Often they are the people close to us who have been hurt. A spouse or former spouse. A son or daughter. A co-worker at the job. An enemy of God who takes it out on you. Someone whose evil action you have exposed and is now out to get you. Now what can you actively do to seek their good? That is the way Jesus is training his disciples to think. How do I love my enemy? This isn't a matter of just thinking nice thoughts. We need Jesus to do a heart change within us, to put the kind of heart within us toward our enemies that was in God who sent Jesus to redeem and forgive a world full of despicable people.
God-haters, vulgar, foul-mouthed, unfaithful to spouses, lying, cheating, stealing, selfish. The list goes on, and on describes us at our worst. Somehow God loves the people of Israel who thumb their noses at him again and again. They are unfaithful and are punished, but then God is at it again seeking to bless them. He doesn't give up. He has a heart of love toward the loveless. That is what we need to love our own enemies. We have plenty of strong examples from our God to follow.
So how do you do it? I don't think we wait for emotions of love. Rather we start with actions of love, and emotions may follow later. We start doing what Jesus taught right here:. And if you'll do good when you find opportunities, and bless when you think of them, and pray and intercede earnestly before the Lord, you'll find that God will begin to put love in your heart toward your enemies. Sometimes loving emotions, too. You see, Jesus is out to create an army of disciples that look at enemies as he and his Father look at them. As people to love and care for. People to provide rain for.
People to die for. Jesus is out to change you and me. And obeying Jesus' commands in these verses, along with the working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, will accomplish just that. Before we discuss Jesus' teaching in the next verses, we need to talk about hyperbole high- PER-bo-lee as a teaching tool.
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Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration to make a point. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines it as "extravagant exaggeration. You get the idea. We are constantly finding means of expression to make a point. We allow "poetic license" to create word pictures that aren't literally true, but that make a point in a specially poignant way. We're a people of exaggeration in speech. Don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about stretching the truth here.
I'm talking about using exaggerations to make a point. Jesus used exaggerations to make a point, too. This was a common way of speaking in his day. It means that you must be considerate.
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Celebrate with others when they are celebrating, but also be compassionate towards those who are hurting. I seek to be used of You to be a blessing and not a burden to others. I seek to build up those who are torn down. I seek to encourage those who are discouraged. I do not rejoice when others are hurting. I have compassion towards others and I allow Your love and Your light to meet them where they are.
Love rejoices when right and truth prevail top of page. We have covered fourteen thus far and this morning we examine characteristic Love rejoices when right and truth prevail. Yesterday we stated that rejoicing is experiencing an intense feeling of happiness and how Christians should not rejoice over injustice and unrighteousness. This morning we take it a step further and clarify what we should rejoice about. Love rejoices when right or righteousness and truth prevail.
Moreover the Bible states that God is a God of truth Duet Before I became a Christian I rejoiced in unrighteousness. I remember growing up in Brooklyn and how we hated cops.
A Walk Thru Love: Loving God, Loving Others
The police officers were there to establish order, but we rejoiced in disarray. We loved to see people fight. If a fight broke out, a crowd quickly gathered. We loved to see arguments. If a couple broke out in an argument in the street, others quickly chimed in and instigated the argument to go further.
We were not operating in light and truth, we were operating in deception and darkness and we rejoiced in the things that we participated in. Paul explained it well when he told us that we were children of disobedience and by nature, children of wrath Eph 2: He speaks on his own, and everything he says is a lie.
It means that as Christians you should rejoice in and about the things of God. You should not rejoice when you see darkness in operation. When we become Christians we must realize the change. We should not take pleasure in watching shows like Jerry Springer that focus on the chaos of the world, but we should take pleasure in things that are true, just, honest, honorable, and right.
I fill my mind and meditate on things that are true, noble, righteous, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious; the best and not the worst; the beautiful and not the ugly; things to praise and not things to curse. I set my heart on the things above and not beneath. I take pleasure in goodly and Godly things. Love bears up under anything and everything top of page. We have covered fifteen thus far and this morning we examine characteristic It also means to carry in the mind, to carry from one place to another; transport.
We learned back in characteristic 3 love is kind that love is disposed to do good unto others. We have learned through many of the characteristics that this tendency to do good should not be shaken by temporary circumstances. We all make mistakes and love enables us to look beyond the mistakes and continue to love the mistaken. What we are dealing with this morning takes it a step further.
To bear up under our brothers and sisters means to literally be able and willing to carry their burdens. People should be able to come to us and share their heart and their faults without the concern that we will broadcast their faults to the world. Love is disposed to hide or conceal the faults and imperfections of others.
Love does not transmit or give undue publicity to the flaws and faults of others. Have you ever met someone who just seemed to tell it all? This is simply not the way that the Love of God operates. It means that we all makes mistakes and we all need someone to confide in and to share our heart and issues with. It also means that you must develop a sense of care and concern for people, to the point where you will not share openly what they have shared with you privately.
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I am disposed to do good unto others. I am also disposed to hide and conceal the faults and imperfections of others. What I receive in private will remain private. I do not transmit or make public the wounds of my brothers and sisters. I seek to minister to them and help them, not to hurt them by smearing their name with my lips. As I bear up my brothers and sisters I find myself strengthened through Your Spirit to be a continual blessing in the earth! Love is ever ready to believe the best top of page.
We have covered sixteen thus far and this morning we examine characteristic This is a big one. I have dealt with many people who consistently believe the worst of people. Love is always ready to believe the best, no matter what. Let me explain, however, that this does not mean that God wants you to be gullible. Love wants to believe that people are good and not evil.
Love wants to believe the best and not he worst. I have met many people that have lost faith in people. They have been hurt so many times that they now refuse to allow others to get close to them and they expect the worst out of people. These type of people close themselves down towards others and build up walls of resentment, bitterness, and pain. Love refuses to allow the actions of a few to influence our actions towards the masses. Have people mistreated me? Have some led me astray?
But those are not grounds for me to taint my opinion of people as a whole. Love empowers us to forgive those that have hurt us in particular and to continue to expect the best out of people in general. Have you been hurt in the past? There are people in this world that are here to bless you and others here for you to bless. If you have the wrong attitude you might miss both opportunities! I am disposed to give the benefit of the doubt to others. I put the most positive slant on the information that I receive about other people. I expect the best and not the worst. I will not allow those that have hurt me in the past to keep me from those that will bless me in the future, nor from those that You will enable me to be a blessing to!
We have covered seventeen thus far and this morning we examine characteristic To hope is to look forward to with a confident expectation. Hope desires the best outcome possible. Hope expects a positive result. In context, this is dealing with relationships with other people. Hope now takes it a step further. When there is no place left for believing good of a person, love comes in with its hope. Even when it is clear that a person has done wrong, love still confidently expects that they will do better. No matter how hopeless someone may seem, love hopes for the best for them and their situation.
Likewise, I know of many who have endured a great deal with their children, but they never gave up hope. His situation was beyond natural hope, but he still believed and God eventually got his turn around. Likewise, you may have a situation with a loved one that seems hopeless. Do you love them enough not to give up hope? Your love in me is so strong that I believe the best in and for others. I look beyond natural hope and I tap into Your supernatural hope.
I confidently expect the best for those that You have allowed me to come in contact with and I will not give up on them, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem. You are the Lord of the Breakthrough and I confidently expect a breakthrough in every seemingly hopeless situation. Love endures everything [ without weakening ] top of page. We have covered eighteen thus far and this morning we examine characteristic You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.
Not only will God help you come through it, but love enables you to remain the same while you are coming through. Love endures persecutions and mal-treatment from open enemies and professed friends; and still continues to love. Love endures people talking about you behind your back and lying to you to your face; and still continues to love. Love endures disappointments from loved ones and out right attacks from adversaries; and still continues to love. This does not mean that love never gets upset or that love never dislikes the actions of others, but what it does mean is that love can stand in the midst of unlikable and unpleasant circumstances and still operate in our lives.
God is love and He can endure anything. This same God, who is love, lives inside of us. It also means that this love is not a passive and wavering emotion, but rather a consistent and stable force that can operate in our lives. Are you ready to allow the force of consistent love to transform you into the image and the likeness of Christ? If so, there is nothing that God will withhold from you!
I declare, by faith, that I operate in consistent love today and everyday. I do not allow Your love in me to waiver with every change of circumstance. Your love is a consistent force in my life and it enables, empowers, and employs me in Your kingdom. Nothing can stop me from operating in love! Love never fails top of page. As for prophecy the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose , it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [ it will lose its value and be superseded by truth ].
We have covered nineteen thus far and this morning we examine characteristic This gives us a better understanding of out text. The text connotes that the gifts of prophecy and tongues have had and continue to have their role in the Kingdom of God, but there will come a time where they will become obsolete. When Jesus returns ultimately or when a believer dies more directly the role of prophecy and tongues ceases; but love will continue to operate, because God is love 1 st John 4: Most importantly, love will never become inferior to anything else.
It means that God requires us to operate in love today and forever. There will be no hatred in heaven, so we might as well prepare ourselves now in time for eternity. Create a checklist of these 20 characteristics of love and seek to perfect them in your life. If you want to know if you are growing in Christ, then simply measure whether or not you are growing in love. I know that You posses strength, might, and power. I know that You possess wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
Love is the most excellent way and I seek to perfect my love life today and everyday. The more I walk in love, the more I become like You. I declare, by faith, that I will be used this day as an instrument of Your love in the earth. The Greatest of these is Love top of page. But the greatest of these is love. I felt led to point out this morning that Paul not only led us into this chapter by exalting love, but he closed the chapter the same way. After explaining the characteristics of love and dealing with matters of spiritual maturity, Paul concluded that the major facets of Christianity can be summed up into faith, hope, and love.
The word greatest in the text means exactly what you think it means. It is means that love is superior to any other quality of Christianity. Being an usher, singing in the choir, or wearing a clergy collar; means nothing to God if you do not operate in love. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and having pity on the poor; means nothing to God if you are not doing it because of love. Preaching on Sunday morning, teaching on Wednesday night, and even knocking on doors on Saturday afternoons; means nothing to God if you are not compelled with love towards those that you are seeking to minister to.
God is love 1 st John 4: It means that this series should provoke us all to check our motives and ensure that we are doing what we do in the Kingdom of God, because of the Love of God in us. Continue to seek to be a blessing to others, but do it because you love God and love people, not because you are seeking to impress your Pastor, your spouse, or your friends. Love is your greatest requirement. I seek to please You daily with my life and living. I declare, by faith, that I will operate in love today and every day.
I allow love to be my motivator. Use me this day as an instrument of Your love. Love your enemies top of page. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. A few of you emailed me and expressed your concern that this series was about to end; stating that this is a topic that you would like more teaching on. Well, for those of you that are enjoying this series, rest assured that we still have a ways to go. This morning we start with action 1: In Luke 6 Jesus was being followed by a great number of disciples.
He broke away from the crowd and spent all night praying for direction. The next morning He chose the 12 Apostles out of the crowd. He went on to minister to the crowd, healing the sick and casting out demons. He then began to teach them verses Human love loves those that love them back. Human love loves those that are easy to love. The word action means the process of doing or performing something. Love is more that just thinking. Love is more than just dreaming. Webster says that an enemy is one who feels hatred toward, intends injury to, or opposes the interests of another; a foe.
Jesus had many enemies while He walked the earth, but their actions against Him and His ministry never stopped Jesus from loving them — flaws and all. It means that there will always be people that do not like you and there may even be some that are out-right against you; but do not allow your dislike for the actions of a person to lead to a hatred for the person themselves. Hate the sin, but love the sinner. Dislike the negative things acted out towards you, but ask God to empower you to still love the persons acting them out. Love them enough to earnestly pray for them.
I know this is a hard thing — believe me, I understand — but when you truly love those that are coming against you, you find yourself being transformed into the true image and likeness of Christ. I declare, by faith, that You empower me to love those that I would not normally love. I even love those that come up against me, feel hatred towards me, and seek to injure me.
I do not repay evil with evil. I overcome evil with good. I overcome hatred with love. I overcome darkness with light! Overcome Evil with Good top of page. This morning we look at action 2: John the Baptist got in trouble because he spoke out about a situation that he judged to be immoral. Phillip was the brother of Herod and was married to Herodias, the granddaughter of Herod the Great. Josephus, a first century scholar, wrote that says that this marriage of took place as a result of a trip to Rome where two married couples decided to swap spouses.
To make matters worse, not only did Phillip take Herodias to be his wife, after she was the wife of another, but they were also related. John the Baptist publicly spoke out against this and became a marked man. Soon Herod had John the Baptist arrested for speaking out against his brother. Her mother jumped on the opportunity and pushed her to ask for the death of John the Baptist. The king did not want to do it, but he was obligated by his word. So John was beheaded in prison and his head was brought to the girl on a platter. When Jesus found out what happened He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.
I am sure that the matter by which he died made it worse. If John had died for preaching the gospel it would have been a different story; but John died as a result of a birthday party prank and I am sure that Jesus felt the pain of it. So how would love react? Would love put a curse on Herod? Love knew that this was an attack from the kingdom of darkness, attempting to destroy the work of God; so love would counterattack the kingdom of darkness and destroy the works of satan. It means that there is an overwhelming satisfaction that comes from firing back at evil with good.
Jesus could have done lots of things, but He chose to be a blessing and not a curse. He chose to do good and not evil. He chose to overcome evil with good. When something bad happens to you or your family, what will you do? Will you seek to retaliate with evil or will you overcome evil with good? I seek to be a blessing and not a curse. I seek to do good and not evil. No matter what the kingdom of darkness hits me with, I declare that I will walk in the light. I will seek to destroy the works of darkness by being a blessing to all those that You enable me to be a blessing to!
Pray for those that give you a hard time top of page. This morning we look at action 3: He was falsely accused, run through bootleg trails, convicted without one witness, slapped in the face, spat on, mocked, ridiculed, beaten, and then caused to hang on a beam in between two real criminals; all three of them with nails driven through their hands and feet. Our scripture is clear that we should pray for those that give us a hard time. Just to make sure we are clear in what the Bible is teaching us here, I want you to read it from three more versions KJV included:.
Could it be any clearer? God wants us to be a blessing to others, period! He wants us to be love and light in a dark, dying, and decaying world. When people are against you and they give you a hard time, take a few minutes to get away and pray for them. Pronounce blessings upon them and earnestly pray for God to establish His best upon their lives.
If they are giving you a hard time, then they probably need someone to pray for them. Why not be the bigger person and operate in love? It means that praying for those you give you a hard time is a true symbol of Christian maturity. Are you there yet? Can you earnestly pray for those that curse you? Can you sincerely invoke blessings upon those that mistreat you? I declare, by faith, that Your love is operating in me so strong that I am able to pray for those that give me a hard time and pronounce blessings upon those that mistreat me.
Your love in me empowers me to remain constant and consistent as light in the midst of darkness and love in the midst of selfishness. I can do it! Stay consistent while under attack top of page. This morning we look at action 4: This morning we come across a scripture that many do not like to mention.
What Jesus is teaching here is that love remains consistent. Love operates in patience. Remember that patience was the ability to endure circumstances while still remaining the same. It is in Exodus Jesus Himself was hit in the face and He did not turn the other cheek, but He also did not seek to hit the person back. We see this in John But if not, why did you hit me?
It means we should not attempt to repay evil with evil. What good is it if we attempt to get revenge for everything people do to us? If we do that, then how are we different than anyone else? As Christians we are called to be different. We are called to be light in the midst of darkness.
We are called to be love in the midst of selfishness. I do not seek to get revenge for what people do to me. I know that You protect me and You will deal with those that come up against me in accordance with Your wisdom. My role is to remain consistent in love, hope, and faith. I operate in Your love today and everyday, no matter the circumstances. Your love in me is consistent! Give to those that want to take top of page. This morning we look at action 5: I know that some of the things covered in this series may seem unrealistic.
When you are Born-Again your spirit is renewed with the Holy Spirit, but your mind has yet to be renewed. A man came to Jesus who had a son with a condition that he could address. This is what this series is all about. God wants us to change our belief system concerning how we deal with people. Instead of repaying evil with evil, we must be re-programmed to overcome evil with good. This was a legal matter. Jews wore two principal garments, an interior shirt and an exterior coat.
The interior garment encircled the whole body and extended down to the knees. The exterior garment was wrapped around the body and was removed when labor was performed. Jesus taught that if and adversary wanted to obtain your interior garment, through the legal system, that instead of following your normal way of thinking and fighting him tooth-and-nail, that we should rather take our exterior garment, gift wrap it, and give it to them as well.
Because this is not the way the world operates. The world goes tit-for-tat against each other and Jesus was teaching us a new way to live. It means that you must seek to change the way you look at things. Once you change your perspective and your belief system, you will be open to the leadership of the Holy Spirit concerning how to act and respond to others.
If you do that, then you are no better than the world. If you are able, however, to get a new mind into the old body of your new man, then nothing will be impossible to you! I declare that my mind is renewed daily towards Your belief system. I do not respond to evil with evil. I change my thoughts to Your thoughts and my ways become more like Your ways everyday. Use me as an instrument of kindness that overcomes a world of deceit! Give to the needy top of page. This morning we look at action 6: The US is a nation of abundance in comparison with most of the world and most Americans do not really understand how financially blessed they are.
I have done a great deal of study on what the Bible has to say about money. The Word has taught me that money makes a great servant, but a poor master. Those that understand the purpose of prosperity are able to keep the proper perspective and use money as a blessing and not a hindrance. I have heard lots of teaching on tithing, giving offerings, and supporting ministry. This is a direct tie to supporting ministry and ministers and it is a text that is often quoted by ministers asking for support.
This is biblical and something that I perform in my personal life; but I do not neglect the next verse. The point is that you can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
You cannot love the homeless without wanting to do something for their situation. You cannot truly love the hungry without having the desire to get them some food.
- Der Tag am Meer: Everything has a reason (German Edition);
- .
- The Best Birthday;
- Por un puñado de hechizos (Pandora) (Spanish Edition).
- Love Your Enemies (Luke ) -- JesusWalk.
- See a Problem?;
Will you be able to meet every need? When you walk in the love of God, you will have a desire to want to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. It means that tithing is good and supporting ministry is fine; but never forget to take the opportunities that the Lord gives you to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.
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There are many organizations that are making a difference in the lives of people daily. If you are not postured to impact the needy directly, then at least pray about financially supporting an organization that is. Remember that what you make happen for others, God will make happen for you!
I declare that I will honor you with my finances. I will not neglect to do what is right and I will ensure that money is my servant and not my master. I seek to be a blessing to those that are in need. Use me as a conduit of blessing, as an instrument of Your grace, and as an example of Your love! The Actions of Love 7: Practice Benevolence top of page. This morning we look at action 7: When you walk in love you are literally looking for ways to be a blessing to others.
One way to be a blessing is to forgive debts. I know that at first reading it looks as though this text is making reference to those that steal things from you. This is not the case. If someone steals something from you, then they are a thief and you are to treat them as such, but this text is making reference to those that borrow something from you, but are having difficulty repaying it. Debt is an epidemic in the United States and is the cause of family problems, high blood pressure, stress, and a myriad of other ailments.
The Israelites knew the dreadful possibilities of debt and the Law established a fail-safe mechanism to ensure that no one would fall into the deadly grips of long-term debt. This is the procedure: Everyone who has lent money to a neighbor writes it off. You must not press your neighbor or his brother for payment: Jesus carried this principle of debt cancellation over to the New Testament, but with a twist.
If you lent something to someone and you know that they are struggling to get it back to you, then love simply forgives their debt. Bless them with it. It will relieve a burden from off of them and it will give you the satisfaction of walking in the love of God and being a blessing to someone else.
Feel God's Selfless Love - Today's Word
Your gift will become a seed and God will cause you to reap a harvest. It means that love does not chase people down to demand that they repay something that you both 1 know they are struggling to repay and 2 really have no need of yourself. Be a blessing to someone today. I declare that I walk in Your love. I forgive the debts of those that owe me and cannot repay.
I will not chase them down and add additional pressure. I will be a blessing and not a burden. I also seek to perform kind, charitable acts every day. I am an example of Your love. The Actions of Love 8: Practice the Golden Rule top of page. Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!
This morning we look at action 8: One of the things that I bring out in the series is that Jesus taught that our harvest is not contingent upon our understanding of the process. Meaning that we do not need to totally understand how God will bless us for sowing seeds of love, peace, forgiveness, money, etc. In our text for this morning Jesus teaches us a simple rule of thumb. The world calls it the golden rule, but I call it sowing and reaping. If you ask yourself what you want people to do for you and you then take the imitative to do it for them, you are sowing seeds towards your harvest.
No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others — ignoring God — harvests a crop of weeds. No matter how people have offended me and no matter how they treat me, I am able to overcome evil with good. I am able to forgive. I am able to love. I am able to treat people, by faith, the way that I expect to be treated. I sow the right seeds and I reap the right harvest! The Actions of Love 9: Love those who are Hard to Love top of page.
Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. This morning we look at action 9: Before we get into the lesson this morning I want to share this text from one more version. For even the [ very ] sinners love their lovers those who love them. A hard-core sinner knows how to love those that them.