How’s Your Love Life?
Are you familiar with the Scripture verse found in John 3:16? You probably are. Doubtless you can even quote it. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish; but have everlasting life. This verse tells us that Christ laid down His life for us that we might believe in Him and become children of God, the result being that we who believe on Christ become possessors of eternal life.
Now, let me ask you another question. Are you familiar with 1 John 3:16? It is important that we memorize that verse as well. 1 John 3:16 says, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. In John 3:16, we are told that Jesus laid down His life for us, and in 1 John 3:16, we are told to lay down our lives for others. Both of these verses are of extreme importance. Pastors need to hear them. Churches need to hear them. You and I need to hear them. And we need not only to hear them, but to respond as well.
Do you recall the lawyer who came to Jesus asking, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? This is the answer Jesus gave: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Then Jesus added, This is the first and great commandment. Then Jesus continued, And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. That’s all-inclusive love, isn’t it? We are to love God, and love others; that includes our family, our friends, the unsaved, and everyone. How are we to love them? As we love ourselves. That goes deep, doesn’t it? A lot is being said about self-love in contemporary society, but that is not what we get from John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16. The focus is on loving others, considering their needs, and looking after their well-being as much as we do our own. If you have trusted in Christ, who laid down His life for you, you have the important responsibility of loving others as much as you love yourself.
I read something not long ago that really shook me up. A young man was being tried for murder. During the trial he said, “My father always said I was no good. My mother said I would never amount to anything. My schoolteachers told me I was of no account. Even the people in my hometown never expected me to be anything but a criminal. I wondered, why. As far as I could see I was just like other boys, only a bit more independent. The only creature that ever really seemed to understand or believe in me was my dog.”
As I read this, I thought about the people who failed to love this boy as they loved themselves. I wonder what could have happened to him if you and I had been in his path. Would it have made a difference? Let’s remind ourselves that there are many boys and girls just like him all around us today. There are people who are hurting and in dire need. They could be right in our own neighborhoods. Some of them might even be in our own families. You may know people where you work or in your neighborhood that are not the same color or the same ethnic background as you are, but they need someone to love them as you love yourself.
You may recall when Chuck Colson was in prison because of the Watergate scandal. After his release, he told of two dramatic events in his life. The first was his introduction to Jesus Christ, which changed his life. The second was when his family was having some serious problems during his imprisonment. The eighth ranking member of the House of Representatives (a former political opponent and a member of Colson’s prayer group) asked the President’s permission to serve out Colson’s term. “His family needs him,” he said. “Put me in his place.”
That kind of attitude is what I am talking about today — loving your neighbor as yourself. You and I need to see people through the eyes of God. The Bible tells us that repeatedly. In Romans 12:10 God says, Be kindly affectioned one to another. Then in Galatians 6:1 He says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. It is our responsibilty to reach out to those in need.
Maybe you know someone who needs help. As believers, we must get involved. If there is trouble in your church, are you a peacemaker or a troublemaker? God says in Matthew 5:9, Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. I saw a title in a Christian publication that read, “Can Christians disagree and be nice at the same time?” They should be able to do so. Can you imagine a body that would eat itself? That would be a strange thing to do, don’t you think? Yet, in my involvement in churches over the years, I have seen the Body of Christ doing just that. God says in Psalm 133:1, How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Let’s ask the Lord for special grace and strength to practice the love of God. Don’t worry about other people and what they are doing. Just be sure you are doing the right thing. Let’s manifest the love that was made possible for us by Jesus Christ at Calvary.
If you do not belong to the family of God, join up immediately. Call on Jesus Christ and tell him you are sorry for your sins, claim His forgiveness by grace, and receive Him into your life. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).
You have heard (read) this message, and now it is time to make your commitment to Jesus Christ. After you have done this, let us know, and we'll send some helpful literature to you.
J. Allen Blair
Wrecked Homes & Wrecked Lives
At breakneck speed, our nation is becoming more fractured each day. The basic unit of our society, the family, is being attacked by our government, educational institutions, and special interest groups. We have a printed message to address this issue. It is directed to young people who are still in the parents' home. It's an encouragement to consider the liabilities of leaving home too early, or for the wrong reasons. Ask for, Are You Leaving Home, when you write this month. Young people, don't wreck your life and your parents home by starting out on the wrong foot. Parents, be aware of the need for your young person to be responsible and independent without destroying your relationship.
Wrestling with God
Pastor Geoffrey Janes
Life is filled with difficult choices. What does God want me to do with my life? If we truly desire to follow after God we must do as Jesus said. If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke 9:23). But making those life decisions is not always so simple: “Is this the career for me? Is this the person I should marry? Should I take this job, buy this house, or move to this city?”
Jacob faced difficult decisions as well. After fleeing for his life from his brother Esau, he ended up working for his uncle Laban for fourteen years to earn Rachel, Laban’s daughter, in marriage. After this time, Jacob decided to return to his home to make amends with his brother Esau. Years before, Esau had promised to kill Jacob because of his deceit. Imagine the struggle in Jacob’s mind and heart, as he approached his brother for the first time in fourteen years!
The night before their meeting, recorded in Genesis chapter 32, there was a wrestling match between Jacob and God. Jacob wrestled all night, quite possibly trying to settle this matter in his own heart. But Jacob was unwilling to give up—in fact he said, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me (Genesis 32:26). Wow! The lesson we can learn from Jacob! Are you struggling with a tough decision in your life right now? Then grab on to God and don’t let go until he blesses you! Part of our growth in Christ involves wrestling through these tough decisions in our lives. We must face the struggle, wrestling with the issue which God has brought into our lives.
And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray Thee, Thy name. And He said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after My name? And He blessed him there (Genesis 32:29).
May you wrestle with God over these issues, and may you not let go until He blesses you.