Thought of the Day !!

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 22:37-40 (NIV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 2:16 (ESV)

If you love me, obey my commandments. - John 14:15 (NLT)

God is love. Those who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. - 1 John 4:16 (NCV)

We love because God first loved us. If people say, "I love God," but hate their brothers or sisters, they are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen. And God gave us this command: Those who love God must also love their brothers and sisters. - 1 John 4:19-21 (NCV)

Recognize a common thread here? Yes, love...from God, for God, for each other.  That's what everything is really all about.  You want salvation?  Love Jesus, therefore loving one another.  You want to be happy in life?  Love God, who already loves you.  You want to know what you were created for?  To love.

All this love talk is not sappy romantic movie talk.  It's powerful, sacrificial, take a stand, be brave kind of stuff.  It means putting your life in Jesus' hands.  It means standing up for those who are bullied, taken advantage of, or simply down on their luck.  This kind of love is the kind that makes men real men and women strong. 

Think about it today.  Do you have the real kind of love that makes a difference in other people's lives?  Is it making a difference in your life?  If not, begin with loving Jesus.  Everything else will flow from that.  For if you really love Him like you say you do, you will obey his command to love others.

In the love of Christ,
greg