Tag Archive | Love

Grateful for God’s Grace

Mar31

The majority of devotions I’ve written this month, I have written about, “Loving Your Neighbor”, a challenge for anyone.
God has taught me a lot through these “neighbor” verses, making me aware of just how hard hearted I can be sometimes because my neighbors don’t meet my criteria. I am reminded that God loved me so much He sent Jesus to die for me, you, and the world.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.3.16.NASB1995

I am to love my neighbor as Christ loved me. These are the ones I now pray for and I will practice loving my neighbor.

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
James 2:8 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.2.8.NASB1995

🌹A good man will obtain favor from the Lord, But He will condemn a man who devises evil.
Proverbs 12:2 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/pro.12.2.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Law Abiding Love

Mar26

For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:9 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.13.9.NASB1995

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:10 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.13.10.NASB1995

🌹Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.13.8.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Obedience is Greater

Mar25

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He (Jesus) had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;

and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Mark 12:28-33 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mrk.12.28-34.NASB1995

Obedience to God’s commandments is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.

🌹. . . “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1sa.15.22.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Priority Commandments

Mar24

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 foremost commandment.

The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:37-39 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.22.37-39.NASB1995

Is the second commandment possible without the first? What is your thought? Is there Scripture to support your thought?

🌹There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:31b NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mrk.12.31.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Love Your Neighbors & Enemies

Mar20

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I (Jesus) say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Matthew 5:43-44 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.5.43-44.NASB1995

Love your enemy as you do your neighbor.

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:45 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.5.45.NASB1995

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
Luke 6:35 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.6.35.NASB1995

🌹Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
Luke 6:31 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.6.31.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Love By Listening

Mar17

He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent (heart).
Proverbs 11:12 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/pro.11.12.NASB1995

This verse reminds me of two famous quotes I heard as I was growing up.

“Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.”

And

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”

To belittle or despise our neighbor lacks compassion, an attribute of our Lord; and since we don’t truly know how someone responds to life situations, could we just give an understanding, silent ear without sharing our opinion?

🌹Arguments never seem to solve anything. A listening ear can change a heart.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Vengeance or Love?

Mar11

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:18 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/lev.19.18.NASB1995

There are some versions of the Bible that translate “sons of your people” as members of our community. How does that fit into our loving our neighbor as ourselves?

Should not our countenance be as our Lord’s? How much cruel treatment and rudicule did Jesus experience for the sake of us? Why did He not take vengeance? Could it be that His love for the Father and all mankind gave us a glimpse at a different point of view? Wrath will eventually come, but in the meantime how many can we show the way to the true life?

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.12.19.NASB1995

🌹So, let us love our neighbor as ourselves.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Good Samaritan

Mar10

Recommended reading: Luke 10:29-37

This story of the good Samaritan points out who is our neighbor.

Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”
Luke 10:36-37 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.10.36-37.NASB1995

All peoples we encounter are our neighbors. So how are we to treat them?

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.13.8.NASB1995

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.7.12.NASB1995

🌹Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:10 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.13.10.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Grace-o-meter

Feb4

Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:60 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/act.7.60.NASB1995

What is your grace-o-meter?
Are we as gracious to our persecutors, or the unsaved of this world, as Stephen was? What about other Christians?

Do I show as much grace to others as Jesus shows to me?

🌹. . . ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:39b NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.22.39.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon https://indasharonjesus.org

*** That person would

Love Your Enemy

Jan28

“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Romans 12:20 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.12.20.NASB1995

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Matthew 5:44 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.5.44.NASB1995

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the Lord will reward you.
Proverbs 25:21-22 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/pro.25.21-22.NASB1995

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Luke 6:27-28 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.6.27-28.NASB1995

🌹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.12.21.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org