Eph 4:2b in the Passion Translation reads, “Always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience.” This reminds me of 1 Cor 13:5b, “Love is not easily irritated.” Wow! Behaving like that is not something that comes easily to most people. Do you have someone in your life that irritates you at times? I’m guessing most people would answer, yes and it’s often someone close to us, like a family member. Our natural response would probably be to snap at them or say something we would regret later. However, if we are Christians, we are not natural people, we are supernatural! We have the Holy Spirit on the inside of us to help us respond with the unconditional, sacrificial agape love of God. Of course, this doesn’t come easily to us as we are used to responding “in the flesh.” However, it’s not impossible or God wouldn’t have told us to do it. We have to train ourselves to think before we speak. One way of doing this is to write these verses on a card and stick them somewhere handy so that when we are tempted to be irritated, we can read them and ask God to help us respond in love because “love never fails” (1 Cor 13:8a NKJV).
I was studying the first epistle of John recently and noticed again the apostle’s emphasis on love. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and: “we love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19; NKJV). He loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on a cross for us (1 John 3:16) and He calls us His Children (1 John 3:1). His love is perfected in us (1 John 2:5; 4:12, 17) as we walk in His Word (1 John 2:5) and love and
obey God. The love of God is to keep His commandments (1 John 5:2). We and people watching us can be confident that we are Christians when we express love for each other (1 John 2:7; 3:14). We are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 4:20-21; 5:1) and John adds that if we do not do this, we cannot claim to love God (1 John 4:20). The apostle clearly states that if we do not love our brothers and sisters, we are still dead in our sins (1 John 3:14) and we are not of God (1 John 3:10; 4:7). If we truly have an intimate, ongoing relationship with God, His love should shine from us (1 John 4:16), and we will walk in love as Jesus did (1 John 2:6).
The apostle John repeatedly urges us to: “love one another”, in this epistle (1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7). In fact, he wrote that, we should be willing to lay down our lives for each other (1 John 3:16). Love for others is more than words but has to be expressed in deeds and in true sincerity (1 John 3:18). With all the worldly resources that we have at our disposal if we fail to help our brothers and sisters materially how can we claim that the love of God is in us? (1 John 3:17).
The apostle John is so clear on God’s love for us and the Lord’s command that we allow that love to flow to others. Let us love as God loves us (1 John 4:19)! Do I hear an Amen?
"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Matt 27:50-51; NKJV). When Jesus died on the cross the veil in the temple that separated the holy
place and the Most Holy (see Exodus 26:31-35), was obviously torn not by man but clearly by the hand of God. Prior to this time only the high priest entered the Most Holy place and he only once a year (Heb 9:6-7). This act of God at Christ's death signified that the way was now open for all men and women to come into the very holy presence of God (Heb 10:19-20). In fact, Christ lives in us as Christians (Gal 2:20) and we: "are the temple of the living God" (2 Cor 6:16; NKJV). Through His death and resurrection Jesus stripped satan of all power and authority to harm us in any way shape or form (Col 2:15). Jesus won forgiveness for us (Col 1:14) and access to all God's power, fullness and blessings (John 10:10). When we asked Jesus into our lives as Saviour, we became His children (1 John 3:2). Turmoil, trials and tribulation may come against us and around us but God has and will deal with all of that (John 16:33) and will always provide the way out (1 Cor 10:13).
Be encouraged, we walk in victory; keep your eyes on Jesus.
In these days of turmoil and trials we all need a firm foundation for our lives. Jesus showed His disciples that He was the rock on which His church would be built (Matt 16:18). He said that if we built our lives on the rock of His Words we would withstand all the storms of life
(Matt 7:24-25).
The apostle Paul taught us that the only true foundation is Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:11). He also emphasized that for himself, he considered everything in his past as rubbish (KJV uses the word dung) compared to knowing Christ (Phil 3:7-8). He exhorted us to be: "grounded and steadfast", in our faith in Jesus (Col 1:23; NKJV). Paul further wrote: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col 3:16; NKJV). As we immerse ourselves in God's Word it will change us to be more like Him, we will learn how He wants to bless us (Ps 1:1-3), protect us (Ps 3:3) and how He wants us to shine as lights for Him (Matt 5:16).