Our world will never know love until it knows God fully.
We should all know God is love and our first command is to love Him and then all others around us. What a beautiful world that would be and what a beautiful eternity it assures us of. Knowing this we should also understand that the antithesis of love is hate which comes before us thanks to satan. Now it is our choice to love and know God or not love (hate) and not know God (1 John 4:8).
Ever since before the time of Christ the Jewish culture has brought us the understanding that what is hateful to us we should not do to others. Hatred for we who follow Christ will intensify around the world as Christ shares in Matthew 24 but God will vindicate us when things seem at their worse (Deuteronomy 32:36). The White Throne judgment will become a reality.When people stray from God He gives them over to the ways of the world. Christ clearly explains this in John 15:18-25. In this world hate and all other sins come to us courtesy of satan its founder. Those under the spell of satan do not want to give up their sin to live righteously and therefore they turn on Christians and Jews in a vicious way.Despite this we are to live in love and though we are to continue to hate the sin we are not to hate the sinner. Even in battle we battle not man but satan. Interesting that in past conflicts where wars began is where God was least evident. Ultimately love will win out as we see in the book of Revelations and hatred and evil will consume itself under judgment. That is the NATURE OF HATRED.THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Hate comes from a hardness of heart that has no hope.
DEVOTIONAL VERSE FOR TODAY: 1 John 4:8 “God is love”.
PRAYER FOR TODAY: Lord remove all signs of hatred from me.
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:
- What are the causes of hatred?
- Why is hatred expressed so strongly against Christianity?
- What is satan’s role in conflict?
- What should unite Jews and Christians?
*** Gary Jerke *** Is a former S.D. State Representative, author and Life and Liberty News contributor
Read more from Gary at Encouraging Others in Christ
