Friday Fellowship: Knowing God is Loving God

Do you believe in God?  “Certainly!” most people reply.  The definition of certain is free from doubt, confident and sure.  Conversations I've had usually end here, as they answer certainly yes like an automated message. If you do believe in God, then WHY?

Most people I've talked to claim they believe in God because of: the creations of the world, extravagant locations, formations of the world, knowledge, and they mention everything except which makes somebody FULLY BELIEVE IN GOD, which is that the INVISIBLE GOD became VISIBLE in YOUR OWN LIFE.

In Genesis 18, there were men sent from the Lord to deliver the message that certainly according to the time of life, Sarah should have a son.  When Sarah heard this she laughed within herself in doubt analyzing her age and state. She was certain that wasn't possible.  However, Corinthians 2:5 says, "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."  After she laughed the Bible says the Lord asked Abraham why she laughed?  Then he continued saying "Is there anything too hard for the Lord?"  Sarah denied laughing and doubting within herself as she was scared. 

God says to Abraham that the promises he gave him shall certainly come because he KNOWS HIM.  God, in verse 19, describes Abraham as a faithful man. If someone asked you do you know (your parents name)?  You would automatically and confidently say YES. 

Do you know God?

If you had to think on this, then you don't.  Be encouraged and get to know God. God is not unreachable, unattainable or difficult.  Jeremiah 29:13 says, "And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” 

Later in the chapter, God reveals to Abraham he was going to Sodom and Gomorrah because the sins in both cities were great.  So Abraham prayed for the cities, because he knew that once God arrived, he would judge their sins by destruction. 

In Luke 10, where the lawyer asks Jesus what shall he do to make heaven his home, Jesus responds and asks him what is his understanding of the law.  The lawyer responds, “Love the Lord with all thy heart, soul, strength, mind, and love thy neighbor as thyself.”  God then told him to do this and then thou shalt live, referring to heaven.  A neighbor is defined as someone who is near another.  Who do you consider your neighbor?  Jesus then told the lawyer the “Good Samaritan Parable” where the priest is seen walking past the needy man. 

Sometimes Christians can become so self-righteous in their own walk with God, that they tend to look down on other people’s sins or lifestyles.  However, God said that we should love our neighbors as thyself, and in the story the Good Samaritan who was a neighbor, had compassion on the needy man.   In this story, the priest and the lawyer are the same person, who is similar to that of a self-righteous Christian who looks down upon those who don’t know God.  This is not the type of a love for a neighbor that will inherit eternal life.  God wants us to be like the Samaritan who showed compassion on the man in agony.  Romans 14:4 says, “Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”  Do you know your neighbor?

Knowing God is LOVING God.  Loving God is Loving ANYTHING that he Loves.

Do you love your neighbor?

Point to Ponder: Have you ever noticed that once you fall in love with someone it is so much easier to love anything that they love.  For example, if you were to fall in love with someone with children, it would be so much easier for you to learn to love their children.  This should be the same with God! If we love him, like we say we do, then it should be so easy to love our neighbor. I challenge you to do a good deed for someone today (nothing major), it could be a simple hello to a stranger or even a smile to someone who looks down.

Friday Fellowship: Christian

A Good Samaritan Catches A Little Girl From A 3-Story Fall