Daily Devotions – Love God, Love Others

Daily Devotions – Love God, Love Others

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash,

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

1 John 3:11-24 NIV
More on Love and Hatred
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brothers were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

 

How are you doing at loving God?

 

You are Love. You laid down Your life for me out of Your love. I am eternally grateful. I worship and praise You out of my love, respect, honor, and adoration for my precious Father, King, Redeemer, Savior, and closest Friend. To love You is more than going to church and singing a few songs. To love You is to have a relationship with You. Lord, I desire to have a closer, more intimate relationship with You. Give me the courage to pursue You above all else. I crave for the time in Your Word and cherish the quiet times I spend with You so that I can learn more about You. I long to hear Your voice, discern Your wisdom, and follow Your will.  If I obey Your commandments, I will stay one in my heart with You, and You will stay one with me through Your Spirit. You, Lord, are greater than my feelings. As life presents disappointments, questions, concerns, and challenges, I can cling to You.  I can honestly express my feelings to You, without hesitation, because You already know my heart. You want me to trust You and have faith in You through good and bad times. I express my love for You when I obey you and do what pleases You. Let the evidence of my love and faithfulness for You be manifested through my love and respect for others. I pray that out of my love for others they will know Your love. Amen