OTHERS

Today’s Scripture   (Across my desk this morning.)
“…Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matthew 22:39, NIV)

Love Yourself
Jesus said that if you don’t love yourself in a healthy way, you will never be able to love others in the way that you should. This is why some people don’t have good relationships. If you don’t get along with yourself, you’ll never get along with others. We all have weaknesses, shortcomings, and things that we wish were different. But if you see yourself as less than, not talented, and not valuable, you will become exactly that. If you feel unattractive on the inside, you will convey feelings of unattractiveness. That’s going to push people away. You carry yourself the way you see yourself.

People see you the way you see yourself. Perhaps if you quit focusing on your flaws and start loving yourself in a healthy way, being proud of who God made you to be, then as you send out these different messages, it’s going to bring new opportunities, new relationships, and new levels of God’s favor.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for uniquely designing me with gifts, talents, and abilities to enjoy life and accomplish Your will. Help me to love myself with all my weaknesses, shortcomings, and things I wish were different. I celebrate who I am. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts:
Right to the heart of our existence.   To go from “Me, My, Mine in Adam,   to you, please take the piece of cake “that I had my eyes on.”  Or I am really happy for you, that is really a great looking new car.  Or please, do take the really plush chair by the fire, I am good over here.  There are so many places were we tend to want the very best for ourselves but in hypocrisy avoid being found out concerning our covetousness and self contentedness.  We so need God’s grace to win this battle.   I am reminded of a story about William Booth of the Salvation Army.  It was Christmas and he wanted to share with all those on the front lines in the ministry how he felt, and there were many all over the world.  So he prayed and came up with one word the would keep the cost down on Western Union which was the only way that some could be reached quickly and efficiently.  So he sent out the word. “OTHERS.”    And as Jesus came into our world we see such a wonderful expression and example of HIS  concern for “OTHERS” (US) which is beautifully shared with us even today.

And we all know what Jesus had to endure to keep this promise of HIS love to all of us who want it.  And it would be good to read the rest of HIS prayer as it will be answered and it will absolutely come to pass.

Fact is, that our Creator has had to endure the mess that humanity has made of HIS wonderful world just so we could learn to exercise our free will and to learn to love God, ourselves and each other.  Love can not exist without free will.  But wrong choices in free will can also be very destructive as we see all around us in the world today.  So “OTHERS” in HIS TRUTH IN UNITY & LOVE is how we start, in leaning how, to become like Jesus.  It is in Gen.1:36-37 that our Creator God spell out HIS ultimate VISION for us, (those of us who want to), to be changed into HIS IMAGE and LIKENESS.  And one great thing about our Creator, HE never changes HIS mind.  HIS absolute foreknowledge prevents the need for that.  So with “who so ever wills,”  HIS grace/power is there for us if we want to learn how to walk in it.  So repenting of sin, making Jesus LORD and loving others as you love your self is a good start towards leaning how to live in GOD’S future Kingdom of Righteousness.    Paul puts it this way in his letter to the Romans:

“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach— 9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer]. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.”  Rom. 10:8-13 AMP.