God Jesus the Son – Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

The Internal Conflict: Trusting Our Thoughts or Trusting God’s Sovereign Thoughts

“For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)

When three armies came against King Jehoshaphat, his immediate response was to declare a fast in the Kingdom of Judah. and using his faith, he prayed, asking for God’s Help.

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and Might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You.” (2 Chronicles 7:20, NIV).

King Jehoshaphat Prayer Focuses On God

If we look carefully at the King’s prayer, he honors and revere’s God by acknowledging God’s Sovereign Omnipotence: “You rule…Power and Might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You.”

We were created to depend on Christ. Loving Christ is revealed by using our faith to follow and depend on our Shepherd with a spirit of humility, surrendering daily to follow and obey His will and plans.

Throughout the Bible, we find that God never focuses on human ability or weaknesses. God always redirects our focus to Himself: The Scriptures reveal His Love, Power, and Sovereign Authority.

“Behold I am the God of all flesh, is there anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).

“God reminded the Prophet Jeremiah that He holds Absolute Power over all humanity and creation, affirming that nothing is too hard for the Sovereign God.

Reflection: Do we really believe that nothing is impossible for God to resolve? “Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21).

Joshua, Israel’s New Leader: Although Moses mentored Joshua to lead the people, when Moses died, because of the Israelites history of stubbornness and disobedience, Joshua not only feared the people, but he also doubted his ability to lead them.

God’s Response: (Joshua 1:5-6, 9):

“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”
“Only be strong and very courageous… Observe to do according to all the Law…Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Reflection: Recently I listened to a discussion by a panel of pastors, who stated the reason that most believers are having a difficult time in their spiritual Journey, and their routine duties of life: “We are always focusing on ourselves instead of God.”

Whether we are facing the routine obstacles of life, or overwhelming challenges and hardships, our initial thought should not be, “What am I going to do?”

With humility, King Jehoshaphat acknowledged our human limitations and the fact that we must depend on God: “For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

Love and loyalty to God is revealed by our willingness to surrender to His Authority. In faith, we pray for guidance, with the commitment to trust and obey Jesus Christ, our Savior and Shepherd.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'” (John 14:6).

The Message of The Cross reveals that Jesus Christ has Redeemed us with His Life: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, ESV).

“From accepting Christ as our Savior, we acknowledge that His blood washes away our sins, which signifies, “New Ownership: Believers belong to God rather than to themselves or the ways of the world.”

God, the Father’s expectation is that we follow, trust, and obey God, Jesus Christ, His Son and our Shepherd by honoring Him with love, loyalty, surrender, faith, and obedience.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). “And without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6).

Do our thoughts and decisions reveal that our faith is in Jesus or in our abilities?

If we live from day to day relying on our thoughts and strategies then we have redirected our faith and focus to ourselves, which proves that we do not believe in the Power of God, nor do we trust Him.

A lifestyle of surrender and obedience is demonstrated through daily worship of Prayer, Bible Study, and asking God to reveal His will and plans for our lives.

Faith, trust, and obedience are the keys that prompt God to open the Windows of Heaven, and pour out His Abundant Blessings, especially when we need His Divine Help.

Great is His Faithfulness! God sustains our lives; it is His Ruach breath that flows through our lungs and His mercies that keep us alive.

The Failure to Reverence God is prevalent in today’s Christian Community: Sadly, because we have embraced self-reliance, rarely studying the Bible, we pray with a focus on ourselves, approaching God as if He is our equal. God will not acknowledge prayers that do not honor Him.

Our prayers should always begin with honoring and reverencing God’s Sovereign Authority: Jesus teaches us in the Lord’s Prayer to always acknowledge God, the Father’s Holy Name : “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name.”

King David prayed: “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11).

“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:7).

We have embraced the worldview of self-governance. Something is not right when Christians use their limited perception, and prior experience to evaluate a challenge, trust their feelings, and with a spirit of overconfidence, develop a strategy, believing that it will work.

Self-Reliance is the intentional decision to exclude God, revealing that we believe our mind is greater than God’s Omniscience, and His Higher Thoughts and Ways.

Not only does self-reliance dishonor God, but it also redirects our faith to trust in misguided human thoughts. “…Do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5).

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21).

Trusting in ourselves builds an impenetrable wall of resistance against depending on God, placing us in a state of disobedience, which immediately separates us from God.

Trusting in human wisdom compares to driving on a familiar road covered with a thick fog. Because we know every curve in the road, instead of driving with caution, we drive at our normal speed, because we do not anticipate encountering any hazards.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures reveal that God always redirects our faith and focus to His unlimited Power. Jesus created us to depend on His Wisdom, Strength, and Guidance: “Without Me, you can do nothing.”

“We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, God listens to him.” (John 9:31, ESV).

The Holy Spirit alerts every believer when they have detoured from the Narrow Path of Righteousness. Every day, we decide if we are interested in surrendering and following Jesus Christ.

“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:10, ESV).

When we live to please ourselves, we have an issue of the heart. God knows who loves Him, and although He knows we are attempting to serve Him with a divided heart, He will never coerce us to love Him.

When our response to John 3:16 is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength then faithful obedience and surrender is not a burden or an inconvenience.

Receiving Forgiveness and Spiritual Restoration: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

First, we acknowledge that we have sinned against God by not revering and trusting His Love, Faithfulness, and Sovereign Power.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10).

God requires a prayer of confession and asking for forgiveness because we have rebelled against His Sovereign Authority by embracing and practicing self-reliance.

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24, NLT).

When we repent for our wrongdoing and in humility, admit our helplessness, we serve a Loving and Faithful God, who will give us His Divine Help.

We do not have to live a life of hoping for the best to happen. Jesus’ Invitation:

“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need” [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. (Hebrews 4:16, Amplified Bible).

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12, ESV).

Lord God, You are the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory. We confess that we have trusted in our thoughts and strategies instead of placing our faith and trust in You. And we ask You to forgive us for dishonoring Your Holy Name and Your Sovereignty. We admit that we have reached a dead end in our spiritual journey, and are facing obstacles that we cannot overcome without You. Lord, we ask You to restore us spiritually. We confess that we desperately need Your Help, and we thank You for Your Divine Intervention. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Running The Christian Race – Strive For Your Crown of Life!

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24, NIV)

There is a misconception that has spread like wildfire in the Christian Community: Because Jesus Paid it All [redeeming us from our sins] on Calvary’s Cross, once we accept Jesus as our Savior, we don’t have to do anything beyond attending church to receive Eternal Life.

Jesus says, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12, NKJV).

The Amplified Translation: “Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to the merit of his deeds (earthly works, faithfulness).” (Revelation 22:12).

Throughout the Bible, God reveals that He has given us spiritual gifts and innate talents to use for His Honor and Glory. “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…” (Romans 12:6).

“By His own humiliation and agony, Christ has paid the purchase for our salvation, and He has a right to our services.”

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

“By the body we are to understand [lustful desires], appetites, and inclinations. These the apostle Paul set himself to curb and conquer, and in this the Corinthians [members of the Corinth Church] were bound to imitate him…”

“I say then: ‘Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.’ ” (Galatians 5:16).

“[We] must fight hard to overcome fleshly lusts, and not to surrender to uncontrolled appetites.” Fleshly lusts also includes the relentless pursuit of our desires, material possessions, wealth, and relationships with the intent of self-gratification.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV).

“You are the light of the world…You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13-14).

As “Light and Salt of the Earth” [Matthew 5], we represent God’s Love by possessing the Fruit of the Spirit, including self-control, which represents Christ’s Righteous Character:

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, Amplified Bible).

As “Light and Salt of the Earth,” God has given us the responsibility of spreading “The Message of the Cross.”

Sadly, many believers cannot fulfill their God-given Spiritual Assignment of witnessing to others, because they do not have a heart to Heart relationship with Jesus Christ. And from not studying the Holy Scriptures they do not know or understand God’s Character, His Commandments, and Righteous Precepts.

Walk In Love – Walk In Light – Walk In Wisdom

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ And Jesus replied to him, ‘You shall 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.'” (Matthew 22:36-38).

Love for God is the foundation and the catalyst of our spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. To love God is to know Him, to honor and revere Him, and to put God First in every aspect of life.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” (John 8:12, ESV).

Following Jesus requires that we love Him more than we love ourselves, and this includes our spouse, and our family. We do not neglect them, yet, we do not compromise because they are not committed to following Jesus with faithful obedience.

Dedicated followers of Christ are willing to live a daily sacrificial life of self-denial and faithful obedience. “I will not sin against God,” is the True Believer’s Creed.

“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational act of worship.” (Romans 12:1, Amplified Bible).

Sacrificial Commitment: The daily personal worship of praying, fasting [at least one hour per day], and surrendering oneself to follow Jesus cannot be accomplished without self-denial, self-control, and Jesus’ Wisdom, Strength and Power, given to us by the Holy Spirit.

“Spiritual Fasting is an earnest tool for seeking God’s Wisdom, breaking self-dependence, [and sinful habits, behaviors, and self-seeking pleasures].”

Practical Ways to Incorporate Spiritual Fasting: At 8 pm, I cease all food intake, with the exception of water [if thirsty]. At 10 pm, I pray for God’s forgiveness of sins, asking for blessings of safety while sleeping, and to reveal His will for my life.

The next morning, I whisper a prayer of gratitude for the blessing of a new day, breaking my fast with lemon water. At times, I feel no hunger for 3-4 hours, so I delay eating.

Spiritual fasting draws us closer to Christ and gives us spiritual and mental clarity. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to distinguish God’s Voice above our thoughts and others’ voices.

From daily fasting, we are rewarded by Jesus with the Wisdom to perceive life through spiritual eyes. Not only do we gain a higher spiritual focus, the Holy Spirit empowers us with the self-control to stop former habits and behaviors. Yes and Amen!

Before engaging in spiritual fasting for an extended time, pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who will guide you regarding the duration of your fast. This is especially important for those with medical diagnoses that require taking medications within definitive time parameters.

“See then that you walk circumspectly [carefully], not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15).

Continuous Prayer invites the Holy Spirit to empower us with Spiritual Wisdom, Discernment, and Strength. Without daily Spiritual Reinforcements, it is impossible to recognize and overcome Satan’s continuous covert strategies and temptations.

We receive our greatest Spiritual Blessings through personal worship. Our love and gratitude to God for our Spiritual Gift of Time is revealed by separating ourselves to worship Him one-to-one in Spirit and Truth.

From praying and eating The Bread of Life and drinking The Living Water [Studying The Holy Scriptures], God, the Holy Spirit converts our heart, and transforms our mind and character, preparing us for eternity with Jesus Christ.

Sanctification is performed by the Holy Spirit, who requires our willingness to actively participate in our daily spiritual growth and character transformation into the likeness of Christ. Let go of people, places, and habits that fail to honor God!

“Be holy for I Am Holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).

If our lives do not reflect the daily sacrifice of self-denial, and the willingness to surrender with faithful obedience to follow Jesus on the Narrow Path of Righteousness then we are only carrying the label of being a Christian.

Brothers and Sisters, we are living in the Last Days [2 Timothy 3], Run, Run, Run the Spiritual Race with Conviction and Courage in the Power of our Lord, Savior, and Triumphant King, Jesus Christ, Who Promises:

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My Throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne.” (Revelation 3:21).

Lord God, as we strive to run the Christian Race, we ask You to empower us with Your Divine Wisdom and Strength. We ask for the anointing, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Lord, teach us how to be holy, and guide us in our thoughts, spoken words, and decisions, so we always bring Glory and Honor to your Holy and Righteous Name. Jesus, please be our Strength, lead us, guide us, correct us, and protect us. Thank You, for Your Amazing Love. We ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of our Triumphant King, Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Lifestyle That Reveals We Love Christ

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'” (John 14:6).

Who is Jesus [Yeshua]? Jesus is the Only Son of God, the Father and Jesus is God, the Second Person of the Triune Godhead [the Holy Spirit is the Third Person].

In Hebrews Chapter 1, God, the Father makes the absolute declaration that Jesus, His Son is also God, refuting that Jesus is a created angel:

“For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten you? And again: I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?…Let all the angels of God worship Him.” (Hebrews 1:5-6).

“But to the Son He says: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions. (Hebrews 1:8-9).

God, the Father proclaims again that Jesus is not a created angel:

“But to which of the angels has He [God, the Father] ever said: ‘Sit at my right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool? Are they [the angels] not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:13-14).

The Creation of This World and Humanity

God, Jesus Christ created the world and life, by His spoken words, with the exception of Adam and Eve, who, He formed with His hands.

“Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3:).

Colossians 1:16: “For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

The Creation of Human Beings

“‘Let us make’ is evidence of the Godhead working in unison. God, the Father and God, the Son planned and executed the creation of humanity together.”

Outward Resemblance and Character: “Humanity was created in God’s image both in physical form (bearing a likeness to their Maker) and in moral character. This gave Adam and Eve perfect, holy attributes where reason controlled their passions and their affections were pure.”

“So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s One and Only Son.” (John 1:14, NLT).

Jesus Proclaims His Authority: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'” (Matthew 28:18).

Because the powerful Jewish rulers denied that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus proclaimed His Authoritative Status given to Him by God the Father to His disciples.

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2: 9-11).

So that every believer has conclusive proof that Jesus is also God, the Holy Scriptures validate that God, Jesus Christ has always existed with God, the Father, and God, the Holy Spirit.

Yes, we are given conclusive evidence that we must revere Jesus, the Lamb of God, our Savior, Heavenly Intercessor, and Mediator through the worship of faithful obedience.

Our Royal Status: We are Sons and Daughters, heirs of the Promise, who are preparing to live with and worship Jesus Christ, our Risen Savior and Triumphant King, for Eternity in the New Heaven and New Earth.

Living As True and Faithful Believers reveals to the world that we are Sons and Daughters of God!

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:14-17, ESV).

Satan’s False Teaching: We can live as we desire and still inherit our Crown of Life.

“But why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Obedience to Jesus is not an option.

“Empty Profession: Simply calling Jesus ‘Lord’ is just a verbal acknowledgment; only acknowledging His authority means little without obedience.”

True discipleship requires actively applying and obeying God’s Spoken Words, [the Holy Scriptures] to direct your thoughts, behaviors, actions, and lifestyle to reveal obedience to God’s command, “Be holy, for I am Holy.”

God not only calls believers to have a pure heart and clean lifestyle, but Jesus actively supplies the strength to achieve it. We can do nothing for our Spiritual growth and transformation without being empowered by the Holy Spirit.

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13, NIV).

“The Bible clearly teaches that living a holy life is not achieved through human willpower alone, but through the transforming Power and daily guidance of God’s Spirit.”

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:5, 8).

If God the Father required Jesus, God, the Son, in His earthly life to faithfully obey Him, then we as created human beings, certainly must acknowledge God’s Sovereign Authority over this universe and our lives through obedience.

Reflection: If we obey our employer’s policies and procedures, and county, state, and governmental laws and regulations, then how much more does God expect us [mortals who live and die] to worship Him through daily surrender, humility, and faithful obedience?

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38).

When we love God, following Jesus with total surrender and faithful obedience is not a burden or an inconvenience.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, Amplified Bible).

“We love Jesus because He first loved us,” unselfishly sacrificing His life to redeem us from the penalty of sin, which is the second and final death [Romans 6:23].

We love Jesus because through His blood, we have the opportunity to overcome sin and receive the greatest reward of living with Him forever [John 14:1-3, Revelation 21-22].

“I will praise you with my whole heart; I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 138:1, Psalm 139:14).

It is our heartfelt worship of obedience, praising God with our prayers of gratitude and singing joyfully that reveals our reverence, love, and loyalty to the Sovereign and Faithful God, the Sustainer of our lives.

The Path of Righteousness is Narrow, requiring a commitment to live a sacrificial, holy life of self-denial and overcoming our desires and Satan’s temptations through the Power of the Holy Spirit [Romans 12:1-2].

The Beginning of Our Spiritual Journey With Jesus: From our declaration of faith to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, He cleansed us from all our unrighteousness, giving us a pure heart.

Abiding in Christ is a lifelong commitment of following Jesus, requiring continuous Prayer, Bible Study, and asking for His Divine Guidance and Strength.

Daily spiritual growth and character transformation requires a partnership with the Holy Spirit; we must use our power of self-control to say No to our desires, sinful pleasures, and chasing wealth and success.

Keeping our faith and focus on Christ and being content with our blessings, denying our sinful desires, and Satan’s earthly pleasures is the lifestyle of a dedicated follower of Christ.

From our love and willingness to humbly follow Christ, we invite the Holy Spirit to Sanctify us, resulting in Jesus covering us with His Righteousness, and this is the Life of an Overcomer. Yes and Amen!

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:21).

Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant…” (Psalm 51:10; Psalm 86:16). Lord God, with surrender and adoration, we kneel before Your Throne of Grace, asking for Divine Strength and Guidance. As we strive to live holy, we also ask for the Holy Spirit to empower us with the wisdom to perceive life through spiritual eyes. Lord, teach us how to reveal Your light into a world that is dark from the plague of sin. We look forward to Jesus’ Second Advent when we will finally see our King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Triumphant Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

What Does God Require of Us?

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ” -Matthew 22:37

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” -John 13:35

“It is no secret what God desires and requires of those who would claim to love and obey Him. He specifies very clearly in Micah 6:8 (and in similar passages elsewhere): ‘He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?’ ” (NKJV).

The two greatest sins are both tied to love. The failure to love God and to love everyone else results in the loss of receiving our reward of eternal life. Many believers feel that loving God is easy, but add qualifiers and conditions for loving others.

“Loving Everyone” includes those who have despitefully used you, attempted to defame your character, and abandoned, or abused you. Everyone is the 8 billion plus people that live on the planet Earth. Loving others unconditionally reveals that our hearts are overflowing with Agape love.

Our role model is Jesus. In His earthly life, Jesus was hated by the majority of the Jewish leaders who not only schemed everyday to kill Him, but also attempted to entrap Him by asking questions which appeared to have no correct or acceptable answer. Jesus proved that loving others despite their hatred is possible.

God is Love! Yes, God, the Father knew the majority of people would reject the gifts of His precious Son and Salvation, still, Jesus humbly, lovingly, and willingly gave His life for us. Are we willing to walk in the Loving footsteps of Christ by asking God to teach us how to love?

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” -1 John 4:11

Lord God, we ask you to teach us how to love as You love us. And we ask for forgiveness for not loving others as you love. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.