READ YOUR RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL
TRAIN YOURSELF TO LOVE – PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME
TUESDAY, 18TH OCTOBER 2016
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:10).
Everyone deserves and qualifies to be loved, including those you may perceive to be “your enemies.” Jesus said, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). You don’t only love those who love you; you love everyone with the unconditional love of Christ.
All people are the same when it comes to love. Everyone has the capacity to give and receive love. Everyone wants to be loved, though not everyone wants to give it or respond to it. Love is the greatest power in the universe. It goes beyond cultural divides, religious barriers, ethnic differences, and social stratifications.
Train yourself to walk in love. It’s a conscious choice you have to make; it’ll transform your life. In John 13:34, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” Tell yourself, “I’m going to walk in love, no matter what. I’m going to love others genuinely, even when their actions aren’t deserving of love.”
The Bible tells us that God demonstrated His love for us, while we were undeserving of kindness: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We’re therefore to love like Him, as His beloved children: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour” (Ephesians 5:1-2).
To walk with God is to walk in love. 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” Let your life be the out-shining of His love.
CONFESSION
My life is the expression of the love of the Father. I abound in love today, towards those in my world, and beyond, and declare that my heart is established, blameless and in holiness before the Lord, for His love is perfected in me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY
|| John 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. ||
|| 1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ||
|| 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you: 13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. ||
Daily Scripture Reading
1-Year Bible Reading Plan: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18,
Jeremiah 3-4
2-Year Bible Reading Plan: Hebrews 9:1-10,
Ezekiel 16