Do Good

 

Once upon a time, in the cold morning, a young woman cries in the front of the old homeless man who had died at the corner of the sidewalk. “Why are you crying, mam?  Are you his family?” Someone asked. The women replied, “No, He is not my family. I don’t even really know who he is” “If so, why you look so sad?” The women replied again, “Yesterday morning, I saw him lying down here. Somehow, my heart was moved and has a plan to buy him a food and drink after I go back from the office. What makes me sad and deeply regret is, I put off my plan and just did it this morning. But it turns out this morning he was passing away. I deeply regret why I put off the chance to do something good while there is an opportunity to do so.”

My beloved friends, here we talk about do good. There are six things that should to bear in our heart and mind in doing good.

Why we should to do good? Every religion has always taught its followers to do good. But there is something different with us as Christian. What is the difference? First, let’s have a look to 3 John 1:11,

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

This verse affirmed that for the Christians do good is not just a moral instigation and not just something mandatory to be done, also not as a way to get salvation or so we can live in Our Father’s home in heave but rather as a Christian identity. Do good is a faith expression and a proof that we fulfill the God’s law, reflect the God’s love, we were created to do good in accordance to that has outlined by God.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.(Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2 NIV)

When we should to do good? Paul was advising the Galatians,

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:10 NASB)

My beloved friends, we must realize one thing that our life in this world is very limited. We really don’t know how long we will live in this world. We don’t even know until how old we live. We are grateful if we are given longevity by God, it is God’s great blessing. But still we are not able to determine how long we live. God will determine. We live in this world only stay, as it is written in 1 Peter 1:17,

…conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

We don’t have to wait the right time and the right place to do good. While there is opportunity to do good, let’s do it. We shouldn’t be like a young woman in the story above who put off the opportunity to do good and finally she got deep regret. We should not miss the opportunity that has been given by God to do good. The opportunity to do good is an opportunity to please and glorify Him, to change our lives and the lives of those who got our help. To do good is a great commission from God.

To whom we should do good? First we have do good start from our household of faith then to all those who in need and deserve.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. (Proverbs 3:27 NASB)

To do good also not consider the race, religion, social status, gender, and so on. The second foremost commandment said,

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’(Matthew 22:39 NASB)

What the purpose we do good? We have to realize that do good to others is not for a personal interest such as want to be appreciated, or be respected and without expecting to get anything back. We should to do good with full of merciful.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend them without expecting to get anything back… Be merciful, just as you Father is merciful (Luke 6:35, 36 NIV)

Where we should do good? Anywhere as long we have opportunity to do good, whether in the office, church, in our family, or in neighborhood around us. Anywhere!  Just because everything we do is only for God.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23 NIV)

How we do good? There are so many ways to do good. We could start with these things such as: give big attention, affection, and patience hear someone sharing their problems. Encourage and pray to those who have affliction and suffering. We also could give support in the form of funds to those in need, if we be able.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40 NIV)

My beloved friends, have we done something good for other in our lives? Have we utilized opportunity that has been given by God to do good? This evening allow me to encourage all of us to make “Do good” as our lifestyle. Don’t be weary in doing good anywhere, anytime, and to anyone who needs our helping hand for the time comes we will reap the harvest of what we have done.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NIV)

Don’t eliminate our identity as the followers of Christ. Don’t put off the opportunity to do good because it may not happen again. Let’s use the opportunity that has been given by God to glorify His name, radiate His great love to the world through to do good to others. Amen.

Karina – Living by faith

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Get up and Eat!

 

Hello dear readers. In my previous post titled “Never give up”, we’ve learned something from the story of Elijah. We have learned although we could successful overcome big problems, we also could stumble to the small problems and it makes us depressed and want to give up. With God Elijah was successful defeated the 450 Baal’s prophet but it turns out Elijah was really scared when Jezebel threatened him. He depressed and wanted to die. (1 Kings 19:4 NIV)

Well, in this post I want to continue the Elijah’s story. Let’s look further what happened after he came to broom bush and prayed. Let’s have a look what the God’s answer of his prayer. After Elijah prayed, he lay down under the bush and fell asleep, and then an angel came touched him and said: “Get up and eat.”(1 Kings 19:5 NIV) Here there are two important words. This is God’s answer to Elijah’s prayer. This is what God wants so that Elijah can return to the path as God wants.

 “Get and up and eat” I ponder deeply to these words and we can get two important and valuable lessons. Let’s focus on the first word, Get up. In other word we can say wake up! Arise! In our lives, when we face so many hard problems and failed to overcome it all, sometime we feel so tired and difficult to rise again. We feel too tired to start again from the beginning. Even worse we tend to hide behind our tiredness; we are frustrated, depressed, and shy away from the realities of life that should be faced. No hope and no desire to rise again. Verily, God doesn’t want it happens to us. God does want us remain strong to face any kind of problems that always exist and when we failed, God doesn’t want us drowned in failure. God always want us to get up again! Not so easy! I really know it. But we have to remember that with God’s inclusion we will able to rise again. God will strengthen us to get up facing every problem. As He said:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(Joshua 1:9 NIV)

 God even promises will uphold us in His right hand. He said:

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

Life will not always be easy; problems will always be there and there times we have to fall and experience a failure. But it does not mean we should give up. As long as God is still with us, as long as we remain live in the shade of His glory, we have to stay eager to get up and go fight.  What The Lord said to Elijah also applies to us. God does not want us to be discouraged or lose hope when faced with pressure or failure. He wants us to always remember that His love and faithfulness upon us will make Himself always be with us forever.

Now let’s take a look to the second word. Eat! After Elijah did a great job defeating 450 prophets of Baal, he got extremely tiredness. His psychical and spiritual energy drained away so he didn’t have reserves power to face Jezebel’s threat. Then God asked him to eat!

He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank… (1 Kings 19:6 NIV)

But what happens after that? Elijah was lying again. It could mean that the food wasn’t enough to recover his energy and then what happened next was:

The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” (1 Kings 19:7 NIV)

Elijah was eating again, and through the food he was able to walk again. Not simply walk for short distance but he was able to take 40 days and night until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

What kind of valuable lesson from this part? Here we talk not just about the real food that we need to recover our energy, but here we are more talking about the needs of spiritual food. After we could to get up again, we also need the spiritual food which can make us strong and able to walk back to face all the problems of life. Jesus said:

“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God “(Matthew 4:4 NIV)

…that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV)

It is a very important message. We could eat anything to make us full physically. but if we let our spiritual hungry and thirsty, then we will easily infiltrated by fear, anxiety, easy to depressed, making us easy to give up, even make us forget that God is really cares and is always with us. We are not only need food to alive, to stay strong and to get back on our feet, but we also need food for our soul and spirit. Not only our body could sick, but our spiritual also get sick if doesn’t get good and enough nutrition. Therefore we need to continue to equip ourselves with God’s word, which will be able to strengthen us when we want to rise from failure and facing the life’s problems. God’s word is a nutrition source that will never run out. God’s word is the very best nutrient because it already contained all the needed aspects for our spiritual health and growth.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV)

God’s word also guides and directs us when we walk in the dark path and don’t know which way should to go.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105 NIV)

Now we come to the last thing. This is my personal thought based on the Elijah’s story. After we successful get up again and fill our soul and spirit with the good spiritual food, we need one more important thing. Courage to step up! Elijah will never get to the Horeb if he didn’t dare to move. If he only get up and eat but without move, he will not get anywhere. It is also the same for us. We must have the courage to tread to face all the problems and challenges of life. We must have the courage to step up make a big change in our lives and achieve what we hoped. When God asked Joshua to continue The Moses leadership to brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, God said to Joshua: “…Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”(Joshua 1:2-3 NIV) The underlined word means Joshua should to make a step, because if Joshua didn’t move, then he will not stepping on anything. Without stepped up he will not get the God’s promise.

My beloved readers, the process of our lives will continue to run and during the journey we will have so many problems and challenges. We may be facing a lot of failures. We may be so tired, frustrated, depressed, and loss of hope. This evening allow me to encourage all of us to remember these three things. The first, Get up! God doesn’t want us to be discouraged and loss of hope. God wants us to get up again, and again! God really cares to us and He will always strengthen and help us to rise again! As he promised to us He will uphold us with His own righteous right hand! And when we fall, He promises:

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. (Psalm 37:24 NKJV)

We will never successful to overcome our problems unless we are willing to get up to make something better. Don’t be afraid to get up again. We are not alone. There is God who always be with us.

The second thing is eat! Let’s constantly fill our soul and spirit with God’s word as the best spiritual nutritious food. Don’t let our spiritual starving and thirst just because it will make our spiritual get sick. By maintaining our personal relationship with God through our prayer, quiet time, reading, pondering God’s word every day, and do it in our daily lives will strengthen and make our spiritual lives healthy.

The last thing, don’t ever be afraid and doubt to step up! We have God who always be with us and He always watches over the way where we steps. He will never make us stumble.

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. (Psalm 121: 3-4 NLT)

Let us vigorously step up to reach what has been promised by God. Without stepping we will not be able to make any change for the better future. Please remember God will never leave us of forsake us, as He promises:

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV) Amen!

Karina – Living by faith

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Never Give Up!

 

There are so many things that could inspire me to write something. My post this evening inspired by a true story of a pedestrian named Edward Payson Weston. He did several trips by walk in the several years and the longest traveling he did was in 1909. At the age of 70, he was walking along the 4000 miles from New York to San Francisco in a hundred days. It was a very remarkable achievement! A feat that may not be able rivaled by us who younger than him and of course it was a hard adventure! I strongly believe Weston experienced so many hard problems during his trip. In an interview he said: “There are times when my legs felt very sick. I almost gave up and stop this trip. The biggest problem that almost made me give up not feeling tired, not too very long distances up to 4000 miles, nor the blistering heat  that grilling me, but instead of the sands that goes into the shoe makes me hard to kept walking. “

I am thinking about the journey of our life in this world.  Our journey will be same with Weston’s journey. Often times we have to take a long, hard, and tiring journey. And in the journey we will face so many “stones”. We will face so many problems and obstacles, ranging from the little problems until the very hard one. Each of them has its own difficulties and at the one time we might come to a condition where we begin to tired, feel lost hope and wants to give up. Not just the severe problems that can make us give up but a small problem can make us lose the fighting spirit and prefer to wave the white flag. Like Weston who almost gave up because only grain of the sands in his shoes, similarly to us. We often defeated by the problems that may be relatively small compared to the pile of big problems that we’ve ever faced and won before. We often could successfully face the big stones, yet in fact we often stumbled with small pebbles but sharp enough to weaken us. Related with this issue, I remember the story of Elijah. We all know very well who Elijah is. He was one of the great prophets. Elijah referred as “the prophet of fire”, the prophets who brought down fire from Heaven and brilliantly defeated 450 Baal’s prophet. (1 Kings 18:20-40 NIV) He successfully proved that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel is the true God. With unwavering faith he prayed:

“Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command” (Verse 36)

In another chance, he was also successfully brought down the rain through his prayer so he also called as “The rain prophet”

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (James 5:17-18 NIV)

Here we see that Elijah was a prophet who had an extraordinary firmness of faith. But, as James said, Elijah was still a human being who has weaknesses and limitations like us. We could see this thing when Elijah was threatened by Jezebel.

So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” (1 Kings 19:2 NIV)

Logically, if Elijah was successful defeat 450 the Baal’s prophet, Jezebel’s threat wasn’t enough to make him afraid. But the fact was, Jezebel’s threat was quite effective to make Elijah afraid! Elijah was so scared, loss of hope, and depressed. Here we see an anticlimax. After he proved the God’s power which was significantly came down through him, it turns out his soul depressed by Jezebel’s threat. His depression escalated and then He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:4 NIV)  Jezebel’s threat actually not comparable with the power of hundreds Baal’s prophets. Jezebel’s threat was a small pebble but precisely because of it Elijah stumbled, weakens him, and even wants to die.

When I really ponder this story, I got an important lesson. Through Elijah we can learn that when we are able and successfully overcome the big problems, we have to be careful with the small problems and don’t underestimate it. Please remember, devil never stop trying to break our faith with many ways. If the devil didn’t  succeed destroying our faith through the big problems, then he will use other ways. Devil will do anything and use anything to tear down our faith, make us despair, give up, and always trying to blow out the light of our hope. Satan can make us so depressed and immediately forget about how Great God’s power and care to us and has been set us free from the big problems in the previous time. Moreover, as a human being who has weaknesses, we have to be careful and realize that devil can use our weaknesses to destroy our faith.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NIV)

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”(Matthew 26:41 NIV)

In our lives we also often experience occurrence as experienced by Elijah. There are times the pressures repeatedly hit us, turns starting from the easy to hard pressure or even simultaneously hit us and it makes us getting tired and discouraged to keep fighting. Hope becomes faint, success looks getting far, and we begin to thinking to give up because no longer feel there is a hope. We might have problems in family, career, business, financial, or health problem. It all could make us depressed, scare, disappointed, and eventually could make us want to give up. The question is should we give up like Elijah who lifted up the pessimistic prayer? The answer is, No! We shouldn’t give up! Because why? Just because, praise to the Lord we have an outstanding Father’s figure who really cares. He doesn’t want us to end up like that. God will never be silent and stand idly to see us wracked by difficulties. Jesus, His only son who has been given to us was a real proof how He is the God who really cares and loves us. If for our eternal salvation God is so concerned, why we have to doubt about His caring to the life problems that hit us? Obviously God wants us always living in hope. It is written in Hebrews: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23 NIV) Yes! God is faithful to His promises. He never breaks His promises. As long as we always have hope in Him, there is no problem that cannot be solved because God is the source of hope for us.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Romans 15:13 NLT)

Indeed, if we rely on our own limited strength, it will be so difficult. But please don’t forget that we have God who the source of strength.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 NIV)

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NIV)

My beloved readers, There are times we successfully jump over the big stones but we even stumbled by a small pebbles’ attack but quite sharp to weaken us. There are times we even stumbled into a situation that is actually simpler than the hard faith struggle that we have won, but successful make us afraid, depressed, and want to give up. This evening let me encourage all of us, no matter how small or big our problems, no matter just pebbles or big stones that we face, never give up!  God will always give us the way out and not matter big or small our problems and trials will not more than of our strength, as God’s word said:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV)

Don’t ever to be afraid and dismayed! Because we have God who has unlimited power and He will strengthen and help us to overcome every problem.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

Keep stand firm in hope with the power of Holy Spirit and keep the light of our hope still shining.  If previously we already feel His help and experience the God’s power and miracles overcoming any of our problems, it means God will remain help us in the future. He never changes now and forever and He is the faithful God. Amen.

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

(Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV)

Karina – Living by faith

Image source: devianart.com

 

 

Crazy Thing Called…LOVE

There is an interesting song I found when my husband watching a video concert of Michael Buble. The song titled “Crazy little thing called love” That song says that love is a crazy thing. Well, I do agree and disagree. I do agree that love is a crazy thing because there is an incredible power behind the love. Love could change something impossible become possible. Love can move our heart to do any crazy things. Love can make us willing to do unreasonable things, or we might even be willing to sacrifice and be ready to die for the sake of someone we love. Love has a crazy power that’s able to break the wall of difference and unify the humankind diversity. Love makes the world go around! I am disagreeing if it is said in the song that love is a little thing! Love is a great thing! There is love quote said: A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love. Yes! That’s so true! We cannot live without love. Love has become an important aspect in human lives. There’s always a love in every side of our lives regardless of its form. My sister in Christ and blog friend Deborah Ann beautifully said in her poem: “When there is light, there is love. When there is hope, there is love. When there is happiness, there is love. When there is forgiveness, there is love…”

I always remember the story of Jacob and Rachel. For me their story was a very romantic love story. Jacob felt in love to Rachel and willing work to Laban for seven years to get Rachel. (Genesis 29:18 NIV) There is an interesting thing here. Seven years wasn’t a short time, but for Jacob it seemed like only a few days. Why Jacob could feel like that? Because Jacob really loves Rachel! Love be able to make time goes by so fast!

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. (Genesis 29:20 NIV)

 Is the story end? No! Apparently, because there was a custom that the older daughter should get married first, then Jacob should to marry Rachel’s older sister, Leah. What was Jacob’s reaction? He was angry, disappointed, and refused to marry Leah? No! Jacob was willing to marry Leah and He had to work for seven years more. (Genesis 29:26-27 NIV) See? Jacob was able to do something that actually wasn’t wanted to do. He willingly married to someone who he didn’t love in order to could marry Rachel that he loved very much. Why Jacob could did like that? Once again, the answer is because love. Jacob really loves Rachel! Oh how deep and great the value of Jacob’s love to Rachel.

My dear friends, if for human the value of love was so great, so does the love’s value for God, even more than human. God is a figure who full of love. God is love! The way He loves us is an innumerable, amazing and very surprising! There was an indisputable proof about how great and marvelous His love to us. Written in very famous verse:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

An astonishing missions performed by Jesus who down into the world, taking the form of a servant, and was willing to underwent all with obedient, treated with inhumane unto death on the Cross. If we as the father then see our child experiencing all this for a purpose, whatever it is, what do we feel? I am unable to imagine what we feel as the father. But God still chose to allow His only begotten Son just for us so we all do not perish, but have eternal life. He did it all in order to save us from death, moving us to get into the salvation. Isn’t that amazing? Definitely, yes! A question arises, what we have done to God so that God was willing to do all that. If we’ve did amazing and extraordinary things so that God indebted to us? Absolutely no! In fact we did the opposite; we more often hurt and disappointed Him with our deeds that are contrary to His will. In fact we didn’t deserve all that has been done by God. But once again, God still decided to did an amazing thing for us. Not just a little thing, but an extraordinary thing! Why God was willing to do all that? What the power that was able to move God to take this astonishing decision? The one and only answer is: Love! For God so loved…! That’s a power called love, a great thing called love!

That’s why I don’t agree if love defined as a little thing. If we read and looking for quintessence of the entire Bible contents, then we will get love as the quintessence. It all comes down to Love. Paul remains us that love is the greatest.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV)

And the love became the first commandment as Jesus said:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37- 40 NIV)

If God so loved us, what about us today?  How deep and great our love to Him? How the quality of our personal relationship with God? Whether we felt the same way as Jacob? We always feel time is running so fast when we are in fellowship with Him and always feel our time is too short to express our gratitude for the all blessing that have been given to us? Or conversely, we feel so long and get bored when just for one hour we listening God speaks to us through the pastor’s sermon? Whether in our daily lives we have to apply the law of love to our fellow? How far we implement those verses above? Very ironic if God has said to love our neighbor as ourselves but the fact we are more love ourselves and don’t even care about our neighbor. Our lives instead filled with hatred, envy, arrogance, oppression, egoism, and so on. God has said firmly:

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8 NIV)

My dear friends, today as always I encourage all of us once again think and ponder how great our love’s value to our neighbor and especially to God our Father. Let’s take a moment to ponder everything that has done by God to us. God has poured out his love through the Holy Spirit. Please remember, has been poured out! Not will be poured or hopefully God willing to pour out! This means that there is a seed of love which has been embedded in our hearts. Let us continue to cultivate the seeds of love that has been in our hearts in order to continue to grow well so that every deed in our lives is always based on love.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5 NIV)

  And God has first amazingly loved us by died on the cross while we were still sinners.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NIV)

Furthermore, because He loves us, He adopted us as His child according His pleasure and will.

He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:5-6 NIV)

If because of love God has done so many wonderful things for us, now what we will do for Him? If our earthly father so loved us, what we will do to him? I am definitely sure we will really love him even trying to love him more. We will always trying to not hurt, make him sad, and disappointing him. We will always do everything the best for him. So it is with our Heavenly Father! God longs for us to love Him and do the best for Him. God doesn’t say: “Give to me your one and only child” as a proof of our love to Him. God just wants us love Him with our heart, soul, mind. He just wants us always living in His righteousness, obedient to His command, please Him, and always glorifies Him in every step of our lives. God also wants us love our neighbor. It is simple, right? But in fact we have to admit that it is not as simple as that. Whether we could still love those who have hurt us? Whereas God said to us:

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44 NIV)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7 NIV)

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13 NIV)

We would not be able to do all that if only rely on our own strength. Therefore, let’s ask  for strength to God through prayer, let the Holy Spirit always strengthen us to continue cultivate the seed of love that has been poured out into our heart and eventually people will see that in every of our deed always radiate the God’s true and perfect love. Let people know that through the crazy thing called love we could bring joy, peace, happiness, and goodness into this world. Amen.

Karina – Living by faith

Related article : Love the Lord and Love your neighbor as Yourself by Mark Shields

Special thanks to Deborah Ann for your beautiful poem.

To read the original poem “When there is Love” please click here

Love Quote by Max Muller from BrainyQuote.com

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