Worth revisiting:
ALWAYS CHOOSE LOVE!
For believers, love is a command, not a suggestion. It begins with loving God and moves to loving others.
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 MSG)
As believers, walking in love does not come with an asterisk for exceptions just like God's salvation doesn't come with an asterisk for exclusions! (Let this sink in a moment!)
Once we are covered by the blood we are covered and everything in the Bible applies to believers. There are no exceptions. We cannot pick and choose the parts we like and skip over the parts we don't like.
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” (Luke 6:27-28 NLT)
It's walking in the parts we don't like that builds our character, making us more like Jesus!
If we want to be identified as belonging to Jesus, then we must lead with love.
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35 NLT)
Love begins within the household of God. It extends to those who may mistreat us, both in and outside the household of God. Yet, as believers we must do all we can to maintain our love walk, even when the other person doesn’t.
Let this be our stance when opportunities to be offended, hurt, or vengeful come our way, because they will:
“Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19 AMPC)
Choose to walk in love and let God handle the rest.
Be Encouraged! ❤
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