1 John 4
John repeats the command of love throughout his letters and of course love is a significant theme throughout the Bible. We are to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. And we are to love each other as oneself (later modified to be as God loves us - see John 13) - these are the two greatest commandments per Jesus via Matthew 22. Of course we cannot love if we have hate...hate is murder in the heart and a sin. Sin separates us from God and the further from God we become the less love is in us.
See also 1 John 3, Proverbs 8.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You ARE love and so much more! What a great God You are, full of love, peace, patience, kindness, joy, gentleness - You produce fruit like no other! I need You desperately in my life as I desire to produce fruit and much of it - help me Jesus! Thank You for Your mercy and compassion on me and Your patience with me. I need to be a doer of the Word. Yet often I am not. Please forgive me Jesus! Help me turn from my sin and towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength. Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure her of this cancer. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. v20-21
John repeats the command of love throughout his letters and of course love is a significant theme throughout the Bible. We are to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. And we are to love each other as oneself (later modified to be as God loves us - see John 13) - these are the two greatest commandments per Jesus via Matthew 22. Of course we cannot love if we have hate...hate is murder in the heart and a sin. Sin separates us from God and the further from God we become the less love is in us.
See also 1 John 3, Proverbs 8.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You ARE love and so much more! What a great God You are, full of love, peace, patience, kindness, joy, gentleness - You produce fruit like no other! I need You desperately in my life as I desire to produce fruit and much of it - help me Jesus! Thank You for Your mercy and compassion on me and Your patience with me. I need to be a doer of the Word. Yet often I am not. Please forgive me Jesus! Help me turn from my sin and towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength. Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure her of this cancer. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
