All you need is love

Today was a great start to the week. I had a good lift this morning, an awesome time in the Word, a nice day at work, and as always, a great D-Group. Today I dug into John 15:12-13, I encourage you to take a look at it. God commands, not asks us, or suggests us, but commands. He says to love each other as I have loved you. Honestly, there are only a few people who I truly love. That I would really lay my life down for. Realistically lay my life down for. I mean it's easy to say, but if I think about it, who would I take a bullet for? Actually die for. God calls us to love all of our brothers this way. This convicted me this morning, because I don't love my brothers and sisters that way. And from the verses the other day love seals the deal. In order to truly master being humble, gentle, patient, forgiving, you must love that person. It's hard to imagine what that would look like for me, to love everyone in that way, the way God commands us. Next I read John 15:7 and it said, "Ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you." I know what I was thinking. I'm going ask for everything, or that God doesn't give me everything that I ask for. Later in 15:6 B, it says, "The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is the first time it has ever clicked for me. I have always heard, ask God and you shall receive. IN MY NAME. Today my eyes were opened, what we ask God needs to be honoring to Him, not selfish requests, that are all about us. Like God please help me be rich, happy, good looking, ect... Rather, God help me be humble, gentle, patient, kind, caring, compassionate, forgiving. It also takes work on your part and separating yourself from this world. Later in chapter 15, verses 18-19 it talks about how the world hated Jesus first, and how we don't belong to this world that also hates us. It is actually not a bad thing to be hated by the world. By the world I mean worldly sinful things, not literally the people of the world. The last thing I picked up from John chapter 15 was something that I have never really heard or understood before. That God/Jesus is our friend. He is not our master and we are not His servants. I guess I always picture God as our boss, or that we are his servants that do His work. It clearly says that we are His friends. Now think about your friends, you're true friends and how those relationships are. It is a much more comforting feeling to think about God/Jesus as your friend. The love that His friendship has and how we should reflect it. It really got me thinking. I need to start loving everyone the way God loves me. Easy to say and extremely hard to do, but it is a command. Not a suggestion. At times, daily, I will fail, but if I continue to give effort the rest will follow. Love is over all and seals the deal. Please pray that I will start to love all the way that God loves me. It sounds corny, but it could make a world of difference in not only my life, but others.

Serving Him,

Daniel