In our last Barnabas Bulletin (106) we were challenged about loving Jesus more than anything else. In this BB~107 we are challenged to know that loving God means loving people. It is where Christianity stands or falls. If we look at 1 John 3:14-23 we will see that God’s Word has set the standards for us. “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.”  Naturally we would think that it would be that “we love Jesus.” But it does not say that. The test of the reality of our relationship with Jesus is our ability to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible goes on to tell us that if we do not love our brothers and sisters, then we are abiding or living in death! We have not made the right connection with God! It also very clearly teaches us that there is no room at all for hatred in the heart of a Christian for a fellow believer. If we carry hatred in our hearts, then we are classed as a murderer ~ and a murderous heart is exactly opposite to the heart of Jesus! A murderous heart does not carry any attributes of eternal life and therefore makes us an enemy of God.

• In short, every Christian has to deal with those issues that come between us and our brothers and sisters!

There is no room for envy, jealousy, unforgiveness, hatred, murder in our hearts ~ at all. There is no justification in our carrying these things. We can practice forgiveness through the love of Jesus in our heart. As difficult as we may feel that is to do (because of the hurts that some have caused us), it has to be done if we are a child of God. Love conquers! Love conquers all! It is so powerful that it enables us to lay down our lives for one another. Listen to the Scripture:

“By this we know love, because He (Jesus) laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Notice again, it does not tell us to lay down our lives for Jesus ~ but for His brethren! That is a very different love! I know it is much easier for us to “lay down my life for Jesus,” but it does not say that. It tells me to lay down my life for my brothers and sisters in Christ. That is a very different thing!

In John 21:15-19, when Jesus asked Peter if he loved Jesus more than all the rest ~ and Peter replied in the affirmative ~ Jesus told him to “feed His lambs” and to “feed His sheep.” True love is always directed and worked out in helping and “feeding” God’s people.

We cannot separate our love for Jesus from love for people, for we only love God as much as we love people (1 John 4:20). So, if we want to know today just how much we love Jesus, all we have to do is to know how much we love our Christian brothers and sisters. Our love for one another is the “measuring stick” as to how much we love Jesus. That means we have to keep short accounts with one another; that means we have to practice forgiveness often; that means we cannot afford to harbour grudges, etc. It means we have to be very genuine in our friendships and relationships with people. This is the Jesus way of LOVE! May we all always seek to keep our hearts clean and pure in our fellowship with one another. God bless you! ~ Rodney W. Francis.

 Bible  Readings:  1 John 3; 1 John 4; John 21; 1 Corinthians 13; John 13:34-35.  

 Please Pray This Prayer:

“Dear God, I come to You in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I ask You to teach me how to love people more than I do. Help me to keep short accounts with others, to practice forgiveness, and to be motivated powerfully by Your great love, and to serve You faithfully day by day. I genuinely ask You to bless those who have hurt me and caused me harm. I release them now to You, and seek to love them more and more. In Jesus' name, I pray these things. Amen."

 

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