Good Morning Friends,
It is sad to say that many if not most who would call themselves Christians today are just sitting around day after day not really concerned about when they might decide to get out of their chairs and start doing the work God commands them to do. People in general are more concerned about finances, paying off their mortgages and managing their portfolios instead of loving God, loving others and making disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit. And I am guilty too to some degree but it is not all bad, it is just not the best. So I ask this: How Does Love Help Us To Forgive Debts?
Scripture: Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Romans 13:8-14 (NIV)
“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)
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied:” ’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 22:36-40 (NIV)
The fruit of the Spirit is love – A sign of a Christian, you will show love once the Holy Spirit is within you.
Galatians 5:22 (NIV)
Message: Paul starts out in our scripture from the letter to the Romans with not only a word of wisdom but also a requirement for Christians. “Let no debt remain outstanding.” It appears that God expects and demands that we as Christians be responsible with His money that He gives us. Why is this so important? Because God knows that if we are foolish with His money, and we spend beyond our means, that what usually happens is the first one that we neglect because of our financial mistakes is Him. Now I believe that in this day and age we are going to have some debt, but how deep we get into debt and in some cases making sure that we completely repay the debt is where the problem lies. God provides for all of us in different ways and in different amounts. Within this we must live according to His provision, remembering to always give back to Him who has provided for us. If we live beyond what He has provided, what we are saying is God I am not happy with what provisions you have given me and I deserve more. The me, me, me concept, a concept that by the way is not in any way a Christian concept. We must be responsible with what God has given us. In doing so He may even decide to trust us more. We are called to love in order to repay a debt, a debt that is never ending, a debt that we owe to God and to Christ for their love for us, and not only for our salvation, but literally for everything that we have.
And So, it is the debt of love that we must repay for the rest of our lives with everything that we have. This love is powerful stuff. The love that we are called to have is so powerful that we are told that by loving we are fulfilling the requirements of the Old Testament law. That by loving we should naturally fulfill the law because of this love. It is also important to keep in mind that through our love for others we will not only not do sinful things to others, but we will do good things for them, our love for others is something we must put into action. It is not a love that just sits still but a love of action. We all may not gain wealth, but we all have burdens… So, cast your burdens to the Lord and ask Him if He wants us to share, shoulder or shed them. When it comes to our faith and God the law of sowing and reaping always applies. Brothers and sisters, if we try hard to live by the law of love; love for God and love for others, we will honor God, obey Him, and do no wrong to our neighbors.We need to fulfill the law of love… We need to love as Christ loved and loves us. This act builds the Kingdom, strengthens the body of believers and engages us to do together what would be impossible alone…. Here we learn to celebrate the joy that we as Christian friends share in a relationship with Jesus.So, let us love, not in words or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Pray we have new hearts that guide us in the Spirit to accomplish the will of your perfect love. Pray that the faith that blesses us with love will never disappear. Pray our heart listens to God with a surrender to the simple life of the Holy Spirit. Pray our lives are filled with compassion. Pray that we live for the generosity of forgiveness. Pray that our light shines on all those who are in darkness and shows them the way of love. Pray that we shed the burdens we should shed. Pray we share the burdens we should share and shoulder those burdens we need to shoulder. Pray that we help to restore those who have faltered in the faith through the patient, kind and loving acts of Christian friendship. Pray that we not be tempted in the process but do what is noble, right, lovely, praiseworthy and excellent. Pray that we have compassion on others and when the relationship gets time consuming, expensive and just plain hard, know that it is Jesus we serve. Pray we are yoked to Jesus as He teaches us and lightens the load. Pray that we look into the perfect law of love and the light it brings into the world of pain. Pray that the Lord make our love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else. Pray we be a sign of Christian love and the Holy Spirit within us. Pray that we help others discover the precious gem of scripture.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 