Love Is A Decision
"You must love..." Matthew 22:37 NLT
When a lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, He replied that he must love God, others, and himself (See vv. 37-39 NLT). Observe that He said, "You must love." This tells you a lot about the true nature and behavior of love. If love can be commanded, then it can't be only emotional, or a matter of feelings. Genuine love is much more than feelings; it's a matter of the will. That's why Jesus could command us to express it. It's a commandment followed by a commitment. Although feelings are important, true love functions regardless of how you feel. In his book The Fred Factor Mark Sanborn writes: "I learned a long time ago that liking people and loving them are different. Liking someone is an emotional response. Unlike love, 'like' is a feeling. The tough part is that we can't control our emotions. We can control how we choose to express those emotions but not the feelings themselves. A healthy person can choose to be angry and still choose to act lovingly...A feeling is a reaction. Maybe that's one reason Jesus didn't say, 'Like your enemies.' He knew that liking or not liking someone was not always in our immediate control...I have learned that love is, among other things, an action. I can love someone I don't necessarily like. I can do something or act toward that person in a certain way because I know it is the right thing to do even if I don't feel warm and fuzzy doing it." And here's the thing: When you act lovingly toward another person, your emotions begin to line up with your actions. Go ahead, try it and see!
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today
When a lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, He replied that he must love God, others, and himself (See vv. 37-39 NLT). Observe that He said, "You must love." This tells you a lot about the true nature and behavior of love. If love can be commanded, then it can't be only emotional, or a matter of feelings. Genuine love is much more than feelings; it's a matter of the will. That's why Jesus could command us to express it. It's a commandment followed by a commitment. Although feelings are important, true love functions regardless of how you feel. In his book The Fred Factor Mark Sanborn writes: "I learned a long time ago that liking people and loving them are different. Liking someone is an emotional response. Unlike love, 'like' is a feeling. The tough part is that we can't control our emotions. We can control how we choose to express those emotions but not the feelings themselves. A healthy person can choose to be angry and still choose to act lovingly...A feeling is a reaction. Maybe that's one reason Jesus didn't say, 'Like your enemies.' He knew that liking or not liking someone was not always in our immediate control...I have learned that love is, among other things, an action. I can love someone I don't necessarily like. I can do something or act toward that person in a certain way because I know it is the right thing to do even if I don't feel warm and fuzzy doing it." And here's the thing: When you act lovingly toward another person, your emotions begin to line up with your actions. Go ahead, try it and see!
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today
Recent
Archive
2026
January
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSERVING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIAITONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE."KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATTITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDETHE SIXTH BEATITUDETHE SEVENTH BEATITUDETHE EIGHTH BEATITUDEBE CONTENTYOU ARE A STEWARDDEMONSTRATING GOD'S KINGDOM WHERE YOU LIVEAVOID COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERSHE'S LOOKING FOR LABORERSKNOWING AND ENJOYING YOUR INHERITANCE
February
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (1)HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (2)HEALING FOR YOUR MINDHUMBLE YOURSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHTYOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCELIVE ON PURPOSE, FOR A PURPOSEHOW TO "RENEW" YOUR MINDFIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGETRUE REPENTANCE BRINGS RESTORATION"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"RESPONSIBILITY AND THE "ABILITY TO RESPOND"MEDIATE AND ASSIMILATECLICK THE SAVEBUTTONBE CONFIDENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOUGOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (1)GOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (2)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (3)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (4)PRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODHEALING FOR ANXIETYEXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACETHE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF LEADERSHIPSTAY TRUE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORDLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODOVERCOMING ENVYRELY ON GOD, NOT YOURSELFPAID IN FULLTRY FOR RECONCILIATION
March
HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (1)HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (2)EMBRACE “THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD”CONFIDANTS, CONSTITUENTS, COMRADESIT CAME TO PASS — NOT STAYLIVE FOR A CAUSE GREaTER THAN YOURSELFFREE FROM GUILT AND CONDEMNATIONPRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODJUST PLAY YOUR PARTYOU ARE AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATIONLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODWHEN YOU LONG FOR COMPANIONSHIPTHE WHOLE WORLD MUST HEAR GOD’S WORDWILL YOU HEAR CHRIST, OR THE CRISIS?LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (1)LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (2)THE WAY UP IS DOWNTHE WORST FAILURE….IS FAILURE TO TRYARE YOU WASHING YOUR NETS?“OVERNIGHT SUCCESS” USUALLY TAKES MANY YEARSYOU HAVE FULL FORGIVENESSKNOW WHO YOU AREHE’S THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGSGOD IS “AT WORK IN YOU”OVERCOMING WORKAHOLISMTHE TOUCH OF HIS HANDCHRIST CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULTRY FASTINGGOD’S WORKING IN YOU, WITH YOU, AND THROUGH YOUASK GOD FOR A DREAMTODAY GOD IS “WITH YOU”
Categories
no categories