We Can’t Love God, Yet Hate His People

The two commandments (love God, love others: Matthew 22:36-40) hold hands and cannot be separated. Why? This verse makes it painfully simple: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20).

You cannot love God and hate people. You cannot revere Him, yet dismiss the people He made. If you say you love God, yet skirt away from others in isolation, you are a liar.
Not easy words to write or hear or read. A liar is someone who says untrue words. A deceiver. So when we hate people who have wronged us, yet hallow God’s name in church, we are liars.
Loving others isn’t easy. And at times I don’t love well. I’d rather trumpet everyone else’s failures and barbs and minimize my own. I’d rather God forgive my mountain of sins than choose to forgive the molehill of sins that others have perpetrated against me. I’d rather bask in my self-righteous rightness than consider that I may be the perpetrator in need of others’ grace and forgiveness.

Written by: Mary Demuth

Marriage Built On Biblical Principles

Father, Your Word establishes that wives should submit to their husband’s authority and reverence him. Your Word also establishes that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave His life for it (1 Peter 3: 1- 7). We thank You that this is established in our relationship now and forever. We thank You, Father, for making us greater together than we will ever be apart (Ecclesiastes 4: 9- 12)

We thank You, Father, that divorce is not an option in this marriage so the discussion of such will never be entertained (Mark 10: 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder). We thank You for the willingness to rectify all disagreements or conflict in our relationship before our day ends (Ephesians 4: 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath). We confess and decree that we will give envy and strife no place in this relationship (James 3: 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work). We confess and decree that we use kind words to deflect frustration and anger (Proverbs 15: 1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger; Proverbs 16: 24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones). We confess and decree that we will live harmoniously and love each other with the unconditional love of Christ.

We thank You, Father, that our family prays together and will stay together, 

happily and lovingly, through the submission to Your Word and the leadership of my husband/ myself (Psalm 127: 1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 

We declare and decree that the glory of our future will be greater than that of our past (Haggai 2: 9)

Amen...

Curled from "I need to Pray" by Tina Campbell

Picture from instagram @jidekolaphotography