Today, Saturday January 30
Romans 5:4-8
Jesus instructs us in His Sermon on the Mount to love our enemies:
Matthew 5:43-46 “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”
Of course this seems impossible to do, humanly speaking, when someone hurts you deeply. Our first response most likely is anger and revenge. And then bitterness sets in and we might do everything we can to avoid that person. So how can we express love to someone whom we might feel the opposite toward, maybe even hate? We find the answer here in Romans 5!
When we personally experience the love of God, when we didn’t deserve it, and we now have a right standing before God, and know that we have peace, access, and hope, we find something else has taken place. The Holy Spirit is pouring God’s Agape Love into us, and now His love can flow out of us to those around us. We don’t have to “feel” love to give God’s love, His grace, His forgiveness to someone else.
The Holy Spirit now living in us makes possible what is humanly impossible. And you will have proof in your heart and life that you genuinely have experienced God’s righteousness yourself!
My friend, this is what will change the culture and the world around us! God bless!