You Are Commanded to Love (2)
"Walk in love." Ephesians 5:2 NKJV
The Greeks used four words to distinguish different types of love: (1) Storge, which means natural affection; (2) Eros, which means sexual attraction; (3) Philia, which means emotional affection or friendship; (4) Agape, which means unconditional, giving, sacrificial love. When the Bible tells of God's love for us and the type of love we are to have for Him and others, the word is always "agape," indicating a commitment to act. Do you know it's possible to love someone you don't even like? Indeed, if God is going to educate us to love, He will bring certain hard-to-love people into our lives. The truth is, our lives are full of people we don't like. We do not like the way some people speak. We do not like the way some behave. We do not like what others wear. But most of all, we tend to dislike people who don't like us. If you think about it for a minute, you can probably produce a list of people you don't like. They would probably be people with whom you have difficulty getting along. Everyone is hard to love sometimes - even you - but some are hard to love at any time. But Jesus never demanded that we have a tender fondness for everyone. He did not feel warmth for the Pharisees. We don't have to like everyone - isn't that a relief? - but we must love them. What does the Bible mean when it says, "Walk in love?" Like physical walking, this unconditional love (a) requires effort, (b) moves in a certain direction, and (c) is something you do every day.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word for You Today
The Greeks used four words to distinguish different types of love: (1) Storge, which means natural affection; (2) Eros, which means sexual attraction; (3) Philia, which means emotional affection or friendship; (4) Agape, which means unconditional, giving, sacrificial love. When the Bible tells of God's love for us and the type of love we are to have for Him and others, the word is always "agape," indicating a commitment to act. Do you know it's possible to love someone you don't even like? Indeed, if God is going to educate us to love, He will bring certain hard-to-love people into our lives. The truth is, our lives are full of people we don't like. We do not like the way some people speak. We do not like the way some behave. We do not like what others wear. But most of all, we tend to dislike people who don't like us. If you think about it for a minute, you can probably produce a list of people you don't like. They would probably be people with whom you have difficulty getting along. Everyone is hard to love sometimes - even you - but some are hard to love at any time. But Jesus never demanded that we have a tender fondness for everyone. He did not feel warmth for the Pharisees. We don't have to like everyone - isn't that a relief? - but we must love them. What does the Bible mean when it says, "Walk in love?" Like physical walking, this unconditional love (a) requires effort, (b) moves in a certain direction, and (c) is something you do every day.
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