Love Your Enemies
Café Menu for Monday, September 1, 2014
Today’s Special is: Loving Like God
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Carolyn Dale Newell
Main Ingredient:
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Luke 6:35-36 NKJV
Entrée:
Someone has probably popped in your mind. It may be someone that you cannot get along with no matter how hard you try, or it may be someone who hates God and wallows in the worst kinds of sin. We hate their sin, but we should love them enough to give them the truth of the gospel.
Biblical love is not an emotion, but it is a choice to be merciful.
The story of the good Samaritan is a great example of this. Two men passed the injured Jew by, but the one who stopped was his enemy, a Samaritan. The hatred between Jews and Samaritans ran very deep.
Since God is kind to the unthankful and evil, we are to show them that same kindness. We are God’s children. Therefore, we are supposed to be like Him.
God does not withhold blessings from the wicked. He causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on all. This is known as “common grace”. When we love our enemies, we are showing them the love of God.
The unsaved world loves its own, but they hate their enemies. We are no longer part of them, and we are to love as God loves (v. 32-33).
It is difficult to love someone that you really don’t even like, but if we do not love them it is sin. We can only do this through the power and love of God. Pray for God to help you love this person. Begin to pray for your enemy, and you will see a change in your attitude toward them. Be your Father’s child and love.
Take Out:
Make the choice to love.
Start by praying for someone, possibly an enemy. Pray that God will change your feelings about this person.
Next, do something nice for them. It doesn’t have to be something big.
Finally, the most loving thing that you can do is to give someone the gospel.
Dessert:
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today to confess our sin – the sin of hatred. We know the only way that we can love our enemies is through Your love and strength. Help us today to be able to love them. Prepare that persons heart to hear the gospel, and save them! Thank You for all You do, and for Your love. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
© 2014 by Carolyn Dale Newell. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Monday, 01 September 2014.
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