Tag: Loving God

Loving thy Neighbor

Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.38  This is the first and great commandment.39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The Lord Jesus stated that loving our neighbor is compared to our love for God. Look at it. Love God will all our heart, and soul and mind and the second is like unto the first – Love they neighbor as thyself. As I have been reading through Proverbs the past couple of weeks, a passage has stuck with me.   I can not get it out of my mind.

Proverbs 3:27-35 (NKJV) Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor,  For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. 30 Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; 32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. 33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just. 34 Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise shall inherit glory,

  • Withholding is not a good thing.
  • Do not delay helping when it is within your power to do so.
  • Reaching out to those in need is an act of wisdom.
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
For example:
  • I have $2.00 to buy me a diet coke and as I am approaching the check out, there is a mom who is buying baby formula but is $2.00 short. All I have is $2.00. Do I have the ability to help?
  • I am home watching my favorite tv show. I got a phone call and someone needs me to take them to the doctor. Do I have the time?
  • A young girl finds herself expecting and needs a place to stay. I have three rooms that I am using as storage. Do I have room to keep her?
  • A boy has no father in his life and needs someone to teach him to play baseball but I have to the golf course, Do I have time?
  • The church needs cleaning but I want to clean my oven even though I just cleaned it two days ago, do I have time to help clean the church?
  • My neighbor’s car broke down and needs to get to the store. My car runs fine but I have driven all day and just do not want to drive anymore. Do I have the ability to drive them to the store?
  • The widow lady’s washer is broken down and I am a repair man. Do I have the ability to fix it?

Luke 10:29-37 -But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Three men all on the same path in life.
One a religious priest – religious.
One a Levite – religious.
One a Samaritan – despised by religious crowd.
Only one became a neighbor.
God is not looking for religious people.
God is looking for committed people.

Question of the day: Are you religious or are you committed?

Being a good neighbor will:
  1. Cost you.
  2. Inconvenience you.
  3. Take you out of your comfort zone.
  4. Possibly change eternity for someone.
  5. Is it worth your time?

David. A man after God’s own heart.

Acts 13:20-22

And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 21  And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.22  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

Humble

Psalm 62:7-9   In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8   Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.9  Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

1 Peter 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Reverent

Psalm 18:3 – I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. –

I Samuel 12:24  Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Hebrews 5:7 – Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Respected the things of God.

Psalm31:9 – Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

Psalm 29:2-4   Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 3  The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. 4  The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

Trusted God

Loved God completely

Psalm 81:1 – Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Wholly devoted to God

Psalm 4:7 – Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

Psalms 9:1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Psalms 111:1  Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

Psalms 119:2  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Psalms 119:10  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Psalms 119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Gave God all the praise

Psalm 9:1-2 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 2  I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.–

Faithful even in Hard times

Psalm 25:1-7 – Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.2  O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.3  Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.4  Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.5  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.6  Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.7  Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.

Obedient

Psalm 119:34-36 – 34  Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 35  Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.36  Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Luke 11:28 – But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Repentant heart

Psalm 25:10-15  All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.11  For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.12  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.13  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.15   Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.