Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
“He who loves his brother stays in the light.”
1John 2:10
“If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father isn’t in him.”
1John 2:15b
“By this, the children of God and the children of the Accuser are distinguished: everyone who is not doing righteousness is not of God, as well as he who does not love his brother.”
1John 3:10
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God because God is love.”
1John 4:7-8
“If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet, hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”
1John 4:20
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.”
1John 5:2-3
You love people. I want you to know that about yourself. I know you love people because I know that the love of God, the love you have, is love for people. A man cannot possibly love God and His word without loving people. You love your earthly relatives, and by humbling yourselves to Christ, you have positioned yourself to spend eternity with them; and if they love you as you have now loved them, they will do the same. To live a life of sin is to hate people, but you are living a life that tells people you love them, for it shows them that you want to live forever and want to be with them.
The world will never tell you that you love people (unless it is flattering you for an evil purpose) because it does not know what love is. The world hates, and then calls that hatred love. It promotes sins, and calls sin good; it sees goodness and calls it evil. But not you, because you love people. You are not of the world. Those who hear the word of God and obey it are the ones who truly love people because seeing someone in this world walk in the light of God is how people are truly loved. Righteousness is the way God has chosen for us to love people. It is how He loves people, and it is good.
I know you love people because you know the truth and confess it. Solomon said that “he who speaks the truth shows forth righteousness”, and righteousness is God’s expression of true and deep love for people.
Even those brothers and sisters in Christ who have wandered away from the right road will not tell you that you love people. They may, in fact, tell you that you do not love people. If they confessed that you loved people, they would have to confess that they left their love of people behind to pursue their own will, and to confess such a thing is difficult for those who do not love people.
God wants you to know that you love people. You need to know that you love people, so that you will not be confused by the spirits of this world that say you do not. You even love people who hate you, and you will not do evil to them, regardless of what they do to you, because you love them. You are happy when you see others blessed because you love them. You are happy when you see a transgressor forgiven. You want others to know the grace of God that has been given to you because you love them. You are happy when you see anyone do anything that is good because you know your heavenly Father is watching and will reward them for the good that they have done.
Feel the love that you have for people! It is in your heart. Never be ashamed of it. Go ahead and let yourself feel the feelings that you have in your heart for people. In other words, go ahead and live! Confess the truth to yourself and over come the world: “I love people.” Then, go be yourself among those whom you will meet today.