Renowned philosopher, Charlie Brown once said, "I love mankind, it's people I can't stand."
Of course that is ridiculous, but then it's a cartoon strip so it is supposed to be funny.
What is equally ridiculous but not nearly as funny is the notion that you can love God but not love people.
When Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan it was for the purpose of confronting a religious man who was trying to justify his lack of love for people while posing as a believer in God. However, his own words condemned him when he quoted the Great Commandment in Luke 10:27 - "He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Clearly then, based on the authority of God's Word, if you don't love your neighbor then you don't truly love God. Period.
Loving others is not in our nature because selfish love is our nature.
The change from selfish love to selfless love sounds like a radical change. How does something like that happen?
There is only one way to experience a fundamental change in HOW you love. You must change WHO you love. Only when you love God COMPLETELY can you love yourself and others CORRECTLY.
You can no longer love God halfheartedly.
If you are not sold out in your love for God you are a hold out and the best that can happen is a partial change. Loving a little better is not what you need. Loving God completely is the only way to have a complete change of heart.
You can no longer love God around the edges of your life.
How would you feel about God loving you with a halfhearted love. Would that work for you?
Thankfully, that is not Who He is so that can never happen. But in fact, if He only has half of your heart you will only experience His love to that extent.
What gets surrendered to God is what gets blessed.
What gets emptied before God is what gets filled.
If you want to experience more love give God more to love.
If you need to love others more love God most.
The change from selfish love to selfless love sounds like a radical change. How does something like that happen?
There is only one way to experience a fundamental change in HOW you love. You must change WHO you love. Only when you love God COMPLETELY can you love yourself and others CORRECTLY.
You can no longer love God halfheartedly.
If you are not sold out in your love for God you are a hold out and the best that can happen is a partial change. Loving a little better is not what you need. Loving God completely is the only way to have a complete change of heart.
You can no longer love God around the edges of your life.
How would you feel about God loving you with a halfhearted love. Would that work for you?
Thankfully, that is not Who He is so that can never happen. But in fact, if He only has half of your heart you will only experience His love to that extent.
What gets surrendered to God is what gets blessed.
What gets emptied before God is what gets filled.
If you want to experience more love give God more to love.
If you need to love others more love God most.
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