Today, Selwyn asks: ‘is the way of love a practicable way to live’?
For those who follow Jesus it is the only way to live.
If, on the other hand, we ask the question to the average person in my western culture - their answer, as demonstrated by their attitudes and actions, would suggest that it is not a practicable way to live in their world. God’s perfect love brings with it, the essential element of forgiveness, we see this in the quotes which Selwyn uses in today’s study, in particular, Luke 23:34 – ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ My society – rarely demonstrates forgiveness – in a practical sense.
The verses, Selwyn has picked for reading and meditation are really good - my heart really jumps for joy, when I read this type of material – especially the highlighted bits [1 Peter 1:13-25, NLT]: “So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. … “
Don’t you feel like skipping through your day – after reading words, such as these (above)?
The power of love
Today, Selwyn asks: ‘is the way of love a practicable way to live’?
For those who follow Jesus it is the only way to live.
If, on the other hand, we ask the question to the average person in my western culture - their answer, as demonstrated by their attitudes and actions, would suggest that it is not a practicable way to live in their world. God’s perfect love brings with it, the essential element of forgiveness, we see this in the quotes which Selwyn uses in today’s study, in particular, Luke 23:34 – ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ My society – rarely demonstrates forgiveness – in a practical sense.
The verses, Selwyn has picked for reading and meditation are really good - my heart really jumps for joy, when I read this type of material – especially the highlighted bits [1 Peter 1:13-25, NLT]: “So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. … “
Don’t you feel like skipping through your day – after reading words, such as these (above)?