Part 3: The Bible - Its Application (iv)

Actually, this series is from Understanding Bible Truth booklets by Robert Hicks and Richard Bewes (1981), but I have expanded some texts for modern readers (to make it easier to read) and added Scripture quotes (I’m using ESV Bible) into these writings to clarify its points more clearly. My purpose of making this series available in the internet is single: So that you can be clear the essential facts about the Bible’s teaching in a readily understandable form.

What does it mean by “Application”?

Application here means apply what you read. If there’s a good example, follow it. If there’s warning, heed it. If there’s a command, obey it. If there’s a promise, believe it. The Bible is meant to change the way in which we live. As we apply the Bible, God instructs, supports, cleanses and directs us in our daily lives. When I read it, I want to be informed and at the same time be transformed by the Word of God.

There are essential 6 ways to apply the Bible in your life:

Read Prayerfully

The Bible is not (just) an interesting book to read, it is a book in which to get involved. It deals with issues that vitally concern the reader’s life, character and destiny. To read the Bible after begin with a prayer (Matthew 7:7-8) is a safeguard against hardness or pride – it also shows that the reader is willing to submit to God’s moral direction. The Psalmist pray, “Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart” (119:33-34).

Listen Personally

The Bible is not a book of abstract philosophy – it is a book about life and about people in real situations. For example, prophet Isaiah spoke specifically to the people of Jerusalem. The apostle Paul often greeted friends by name in his letters. The book of Revelation was written to Christians who were suffering persecution.

But we must go on to say that the Bible’s rewards and promises are for every reader, of whatever century. In Revelation 1:3, Jesus said, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near”. As we open our lives to the Bible’s message, we can expect God to communicate with us.

Look Expectantly

The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (23:29). As we read the Bible, we will be surprised and even shocked by some of the events that act as warnings within its pages. There will be other passages that challenge or puzzle us. We must expect to be stretched to the limit of our capacity by this book.

Apply Regularly

Pic taken from: becominglydia.com

When we read and apply the Bible regularly, one of the great benefits is that we start to see the world in a Christ’s perspective. We also see the Bible as a whole, and not as unconnected fragments. As young children need a regular diet for proper growth, so the Christian needs to feed spiritually upon the Scriptures, “meditates [the law of the LORD] day and night” (Psalms 1:2) and applying their truths to daily living. As a result, our characters are transformed.

Act obediently

The Christian will repeatedly be confronted with the Bible’s commands. The Bible challenges us to obey God’s Word, and not only to listen to it. Jesus said that it is not enough merely to hear His words (Matthew 7:24-27). It is only when we hear and obey that our lives are like a house build on rock – safe and secure. James says, “Be doer of the word and not hearers only” (1:22).

Read Totally

The Bible reader should aim at a full and balanced appreciation of all that the Bible may teach on any given topic. To rely on individual verses or on favorites selected passages (valuable though these are) will not lead us to spiritual maturity. As we persist in reading the Bible thoroughly, worship becomes a living force, Christ becomes a daily companion and our work for God comes as an outgrowth of a full and meaningful relationship (3 years or 1 year Bible reading plan is good for you to follow to get an overview of what the Bible is all about. If you want a copy of this plan, write a comment below and I’ll send you a copy of it ya).

My conclusion about the Bible “Its Application”

The Bible is a living Book because the ultimate Author is the Living God Himself. Martin Luther writes, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me”. In another way, he says that the Bible is organic and active not a static and boring book. We got to know the Bible in our mind. We go to stow it in our heart. We got to show it in our lives. We got to sow it in the world. Yes, by the power of the Holy Spirit that moves within us – we are able to apply and live by the Word daily.

Read the Bible completely like a love letter,

Consult it constantly like a road map,

Study it carefully like a lesson book, and

Obey it conscientiously like an army order.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

How to Paint a Picture of Alexander the Great without His long Scar

I read that when Alexander the Great became a world conqueror, he decided to have his portrait painted in oils. The finest artist in the realm was called to produce a masterpiece. When he arrived at Alexander’s court, the renowned general requested that the portrait be a full-face pose instead of a profile. This filled the artist with great distress, for one side of Alexander’s face was hideously disfigured by a long scar – the result of his battle wound.

After studying his subject for some time, the painter came up with a happy solution. First he seated Alexander at a table; then, placing the general’s elbow on it, he asked him to cup his chin in his hand. As a final thoughtful gesture, the artist adjusted Alexander’s fingers so that they covered his unsightly scar. Then he went to work with paint and brushes and produced a flattering likeness of the general*.

In much the same way, Christian love will overlook or seek to minimize the faults and shortcomings of others (but love doesn’t mean we should minimize sins and tolerate what is evil). Love seeks what is good and noble in others and compromise their weaknesses and mistakes. Love is not blind but always alerts to recognize that others are also loved by God. Love is an act of spiritual maturity based on the eternal significance of another person. We see them as ones who Christ died for, and as ones who are created in the image of God. When we learn (‘learn’ mean there is a process involves) to see others as God sees them, in God’s perspective – you will be able to love them.

Love enables you to paint the best posture of a person. Love produce a wonderful picture of a person, of what they can become in Christ, based on the love of God. Paul wrote immortal Word of God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit when he says: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:9-10NLT).

Our ‘scar’ does not disqualify us to receive God’s love in our lives.

 What matter is His ‘scar’, He qualified us.

The nail scars in Jesus' hands and feet

are the ultimate source of love for Christians to love one another.

Therefore, love each other with genuine love.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Nota Khas bagi orang Kristian yang Sedang Mengalami Penderitaan dan Kesusahan Hidup

 “Kita tahu bahawa penderitaan menghasilkan ketekunan.
Ketekunan menyebabkan kita diperkenankan oleh Allah.
Oleh itu kita mempunyai harapan” (Roma 5:3-4).

Apa yang kelihatan [kesusahan] hanya tahan sementara,
tetapi apa yang tidak kelihatan itu [kemuliaan] kekal selama-lamanya” (2 Korintus 4:18).

Di dalam masyarakat sekarang, dimana keinginan untuk menjadi senang dalam sekelip mata dan keinginan untuk hidup gembira senantiasa adalah beberapa faktor utama yang penghalang kita untuk memahami maksud tersirat di dalam penderitaan atau kesusahan yang kita alami di dalam kehidupan ini. Malah, kita sanggup membuat apa sahaja untuk mengelak semua itu. Namun begitu, bagi orang Kristian khususnya, penderitaan yang kita alami di dalam hidup ini ialah cubaan yang terpenting bagi kita untuk menguatkan iman kita dalam Yesus Kristus dan untuk kita bertumbuh secara rohani melalui pengharapan kita kepada-Nya.

Tiada seorang pun di dunia ini yang suka akan penderitaan, pencubaan dan kesusuhan kerana semua ini akan mencabar kita secara fisikal, mental, emosi dan rohani. Namun, bagi orang yang pernah melalui semua ini dengan iman yang teguh dan harapan yang bersandarkan kepada kekuatan Tuhan Allah – mereka ‘keluar’ dari cabaran-cabaran ini menjadi lebih kuat iman dan lebih bijaksana. Adakah kamu pernah mengalami perubahan seperti ini? Jika pernah, kamu pasti tahu apa yang saya cuba maksudkan di sini.

Sebelum saya pandai bermain bola sepak sewaktu remaja dahulu, saya pernah jatuh terseliuh dan tangan saya retak kerana berlanggar dengan tiang gol (ketawalah). Sebelum saya pandai bermain gitar, jari-jari saya menjadi bengkak kerana terlampau lama belajar menekan kod-kod gitar (senyumlah). Sebelum saya lulus memandu kereta, saya selalu melanggar tiang-tiang semasa latihan meletak kereta dan tergelungsur ke belakang semasa latihan naik bukit (Wah, wah, wah, kamu tidak pernah ka?). Semua contoh-contoh ini boleh juga kita samakan dengan kehidupan rohani kita.

Kita tidak mungkin boleh menjadi seorang Kristian yang teguh iman dan penuh berharap dengan Tuhan Allah sekiranya kita tidak pernah mengalami kesusahan dan percubaan hidup. Tidak dinafikan bahawa Tuhan Yesus tidak senang melihat kita sengsara, namun begitu kadang-kadang Dia akan membenarkan kesengsaraan dan penderitaan terjadi di dalam kehidupan kita supaya iman kita diteguhkan, peribadi kita dikuatkan, dan harapan kita kepada-Nya akan menjadi semakin nyata di dalam hidup kita.

Melalui penderitaan, Tuhan Allah mahukan kita supaya mengalihkan pandangan kita kepada-Nya. Dia mengingini supaya kita bergantung harap kepada-Nya dan mempercayai setiap janji-janji-Nya di dalam Firman-Nya yang Hidup, Al-Kitab. Kita harus mengalami kasih-Nya di dalam penderitaan dan memahami kasih-Nya melalui pengalaman peribadi kita. Ini janji-Nya di dalam 1 Petrus 5:10, “[Tetapi] setelah kamu menanggung penderitaan untuk sementara waktu, Allah sendiri akan menyempurnakan kamu. Dia akan menegakkan, menguatkan, dan mengukuhkan kamu, kerana Dia Allah yang sangat baik hati dan yang sudah memanggil kamu untuk turut menikmati kemuliaan-Nya yang kekal, kerana kamu hidup bersatu dengan Kristus”.

“Dialah yang berkuasa selama-lamanya! Amin” (1 Petrus 5:11).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Charles H. Spurgeon on 'The Temporal Gifts of the World'

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27ESV).

                                                                                                  

This is one of my favorite quotes from my hero of old, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1950), in his sermon on John 14:27. Read it slowly and try to understand the logic of his thinking and its spiritual truth as he compared the temporal gifts of the world and the eternal gifts of God in Jesus Christ. He preached:

“Naked you did come into it and it will take care you shall take nothing out of it, for naked shall you go out of it again! Oh, Man, you have accumulated knowledge until you have become a walking encyclopedia, but what shall you take with you? What difference shall there be between your hollow skull and that of the meanest peasant, when some wanton sexton in some future year, shall take it up or split it with his spade? What shall you be the better for all those big thoughts that have stretched your skull and all those marvelous conceptions that have made it ache so much that you could scarcely carry it upon your shoulders? You will go back again to your fellow earth and the worms shall eat you and the philosopher shall taste no sweeter to his tooth than did the peasant! And, then, whether you are prince or king, or whether you are a poor, ignorant man, the worms shall make no distinction. You shall still rot—still be consumed—noisome gases and a handful of dust shall be your whole residue!

What, then, can the world give? If it tried, it could not give you anything that would last! It cannot give you anything better than air! It can give you nothing that can pass into eternity with you. What? Though it follows you with the trumpet of fame, that trumpet cannot be heard half-way across the Jordan! If all the men in the world clapped their hands in your praise, not one angel, even on the very borders of the celestial world would observe the tumult of applause! The world can give you nothing that you can carry with you—you are at best a packhorse that shall carry its burden till it ends its journey and then it must lie down and die! You do but carry a burden on your back and verily, death shall unload you before you are allowed to enter another world!

How different is Christ in His gifts! What He gives, He gives forever! When He bestows mercies, they are lasting things. No shadows does He give, but real substance—no fancies, but eternal realities does He bestow. Oh, men and women of this world, when your gold is melted—when your diamonds have dissolved in gas—when your estates have gone—when your hopes are lost and when your goods are destroyed, then shall the people of God begin to know their riches! Then shall they shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”

[DELIVERED ON SABBATH MORNING, APRIL 10, 1859 AT THE MUSIC HALL, ROYAL SURREY GARDENS]

“How different is Christ in His gifts!
What He gives, He gives forever!

When He bestows mercies, they are lasting things”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Reading Christians are growing Christians

Picture taken from: "Park reading book Wallpapers"

www.mrwallpaper.com

“Reading Christians are growing Christians.

When Christians cease to read, they cease to grow” (John Wesley)

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body” (Joseph Addison)

There are reasons why I offer at least 3 books per month in my blog Word Speaks Today. You, who requested for the book may think that I do it ‘sincerely’, but let me tell you the truth – I have ‘hidden’ agendas behind it. 3 main reasons to be exact; 1) So that you can gain godly wisdoms, get inspired and be motivated to live a Christian life through Christian’s literatures, 2) to make you think, stirs and exercises and polishes the edge of your God-given mind, and 3) to cultivate your passionate-love for reading. These are my goals. These are my ‘hidden’ agendas. These are the reasons I ‘sincerely’ giving you books for free. Feel trapped? Yeah, you should.

Reading is essential for Christians to grow mentally and spiritually. In fact, I venture to say that reading is the only way God can effectively speaking to us on daily basis (Have you ever wonder why God give us The Book, The Bible as the only mean to know Jesus Christ authentically for salvation? Think about it). On reading, Apostle Paul’s counsel to young Timothy to “focus on reading the Scripture” (1 Timothy 4:13NLT), which in context referred to the public reading of the Old Testament. J. Oswald Sanders in his classic book Spiritual Leadership comments on 2 Timothy 4:13: “Paul’s advice is appropriate for other areas of reading as well. Paul’s books – the one he wanted Timothy to bring along – were probably words of Jewish history, explanations of the law and prophets, and perhaps some of the heathen poets Paul quoted in his sermons and lectures. A student to the end, Paul wanted to spend time in study” If Paul who wrote half of the New Testament, who intellectual were higher than most people, who spiritually faithful still continues his study by reading books – do you think reading is not important for Christians?

Read to “fill the wells of inspiration” (Harold Ockenga), read for spiritual benefit, read for intellectual growth, read to cultivate speaking and writing style, read to acquire new information and knowledge, read to keep current with the time, read to polishes the edge of your God-given mind. Read for pleasure! Read to grow! Read for life!

“Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify,

to multiply the ways in which he exists,

to make his life full, significant and interesting” (Adous Huxley).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Refleksi Saya tentang Yoshua 2: "Rahab, Seorang Perempuan Pelacur, telah diselamatkan oleh Tuhan Allah"

Dua soalan yang seringkali bermain di dalam pemikiran saya apabila saya membaca Kitab Yoshua bab 2 ialah: mengapa dua orang pengintip yang dihantar oleh Yoshua pergi menginap di rumah seorang pelacur? Bagaimana dengan misi mereka untuk mengintip kota Yerikho?

Apabila saya berdoa tentang hal ini, membaca komentar-komentar tentang Kitab Yoshua dan berfikir lebih dalam lagi, saya mendapati bahawa hal ini tidaklah begitu pelik. Al-Kitab tidak menerangkan kepada kita dengan terperinci kenapa mereka berbuat begitu, tetapi yang kita tahu ialah pengintip-pengintip ini mempunyai misi yang lebih penting daripada tidur bersama dengan pelacur. Yoshua telah memberikan mereka tugas yang paling penting dan mereka hampir-hampir tertangkap jika tidak kerana pertolongan yang diberikan oleh seorang perempuan pelacur yang bernama Rahab.

Banyak pengembara-pengembara yang masuk ke kota Yerikho akan datang singgah ke rumah Rahab (ada komentar berpendapat bahawa Rahab ialah pemilik kepada rumah penginap itu. Jadi istilah ‘rumah Rahab’ adalah yang paling mungkin sekali). Jika ini ialah sebabnya mengapa pengintip-pengintip itu sengaja pergi ke rumah Rahab untuk menginap, jadi, strategi mereka adalah sangat berkesan sekali; 1) Banyak infomasi-infomasi boleh diperolehi di tempat sebegini, 2) identiti-identiti sebenar mereka dapat dirahsiakan kerana tempat sebegini tidaklah sangat mencurigakan, dan 3) rumah Rahab sangat dekat dengan tembok kota dan ini dapat menyenangkan mereka melarikan diri apabila dicari nanti.

Namun begitu, walau betapa baik pun strategi mereka, kehadiran mereka akhirnya diketahui oleh Raja Yerikho dengan cepat. Apa yang mereka sangka ‘masalah’ pada masa itu bukanlah masalah bagi Tuhan Allah. Dia terlebih dahulu telah menyediakan jalan bagi mereka untuk melarikan diri dengan menjumpakan mereka dengan Rahab. Rahab telah merahsiakan kedatangan mereka daripada orang-orang suruhan Raja Yerikho, menyembunyikan mereka di atas bumbung rumahnya yang rata, dan membantu mereka untuk melarikan diri dari kota (Yoshua 2:4-6, 22). Kenyataan bahawa Tuhan Allah telah melibatkan Rahab, seorang pelacur, dalam misi orang Israel untuk menawan Kota Yerikho adalah suatu perkara yang indah dan diluar pemikiran manusia (jika saya ialah “tuhan”, saya tidak mungkin memilik Rahab – tetapi syukurlah, berjuta-juta kali syukur, kerana saya bukan “Tuhan”, Dia ialah Tuhan. Ini ialah kasih-karunia-Nya).

Apa yang telah berlaku kepada Rahab? Kenapa dia membantu orang Israel menawan kotanya sendiri? Apa yang berlaku? Mungkin dia menyedari bahawa ada sesuatu yang lebih bermakna lagi dalam hidupnya daripada terus menjadi seorang pelacur atau terus memilih untuk menjalankan perniagaan yang berdosa ini. Mungkin dia menyedari bahawa ada Tuhan Allah yang Benar di luar sana. Dan dengan itu, mungkin dia terpegun apabila mendengar kisah tentang orang Israel yang telah bebas daripada perhambaan orang Mesir. Tentang laut terbelah dua. Tentang mukjizat-mukjizat yang dilakukan oleh Tuhan Allah kepada orang Israel dan bencana-bencana yang telah berlaku kepada musuh-musuh Allah Israel. Dia mungkin telah mendengar tentang kehebatan dan kedahyatan Tuhan melalui cerita pengembara-pengembara yang datang singgah ke rumahnya. Walau apapun, Tuhan Allah telah melembutkan hatinya sebelum dia berjumpa dengan pengintip-pengintip yang dihantar oleh Yoshua pada masa itu. Dia telah meletakkan imannya kepada Tuhan yang dia belum pernah jumpa (tetapi selalu mendengar tentang perbuatan-Nya) dengan berkata:

“Aku tahu bahawa TUHAN telah memberikan tanah ini kepada kamu. Semua orang di negeri ini takut kepada kamu. Kami telah mendengar bahawa TUHAN telah mengeringkan Laut Gelagah di hadapan kamu ketika kamu meninggalkan Mesir. Kami juga mendengar bahawa kamu telah membunuh Raja Sihon dan Raja Og, dua orang raja bangsa Amori di sebelah timur Sungai Yordan. Kami ketakutan sebaik sahaja kami mendengar hal itu. Kami sudah hilang keberanian kerana kamu. TUHAN, Allah kamu sesungguhnya Allah yang berkuasa di langit dan di bumi” (Yoshua 2:9-11).

Jatuhnya Kota Yerikho
(Yoshua 6)

Pada masa itu, dia telah membuat pilihan untuk mengikut dan menjadi umat Tuhan Allah orang Israel. Apa yang berlaku seterusnya, dia tidak tahu. Apa yang dia tahu ialah kota Yerikho akan diserang oleh orang Israel dan dia telah membuat tindakkan yang bijak dengan meminta supaya keluarganya diselamatkan. Tidak lama kemudian, Kota Yerikho telah diserang dan ditawan oleh orang Israel dibawah pimpinan Yoshua. Yoshua telah mengotakan janjinya untuk tidak akan mencederakan keluarga Rahab dengan menyuruh pengintip-pengintip yang dahulu untuk membawa mereka keluar daripada kota itu ke tempat yang selamat berhampiran dengan perkhemahan Israel (Joshua 6:22-23). Kesimpulan tentang hal ini telah dinyatakan di dalam Buku Ibrani 11:31, “Kerana beriman, Rahab, wanita pelacur itu, tidak turut terbunuh bersama-sama orang yang melawan Allah, kerana dia menyambut pengintip-pengintip Israel dengan ramah”.

Bagaimana Rahab tahu bahawa pengintip-pengintip itu datangnya dari Tuhan Allah sendiri? Jawapannya hanya satu, yang paling tepat sekali – Tuhan telah “membangkitkan hatinya” untuk mencari-Nya dan Rahab mencari Tuhan Allah yang benar dengan sepenuh hatinya. Allah telah memperlihatkan diri-Nya kepada Rahab melalui cerita-cerita tentang-Nya; dan Rahab memberi respon yang haus akan Kebenaran-Nya. Dia haus akan-Nya; Tuhan memperlihatkan diri-Nya – Ini ialah kasih-kurnia Tuhan Allah.

Adakah kamu seperti Rahab, “seorang perempuan pelacur”, yang bererti bahawa kamu ialah orang yang dipandang rendah oleh masyarakat, orang yang melakukan perkara yang tidak berkenan dihadapan Tuhan, orang berdosa? Mahukah kamu melakukan perkara yang sama sepertinya – haus akan Kebenaran, menyesali dosa, takut akan murka Allah, dan mencari Tuhan Allah yang benar? Sekarang juga Allah ingin menyelamatkan kamu dari “kota Dosa” itu, Dia telah berFirman: “Allah sangat mengasihi orang di dunia ini sehingga Dia memberikan Anak-Nya yang tunggal, supaya setiap orang yang percaya kepada [Yesus Kristus] tidak akan binasa tetapi beroleh hidup sejati dan kekal” (Yohanes 3:16).

“Rahab”, apakah tindakkan kamu?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

No More “Bullet” for Valentine

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:43-44NLT).

Today, there are hundreds and hundreds of watered-down phrases for not loving other people. “Oh, I love Anthony in the Lord, but I don’t like his mannerisms… Rudy is alright, but he is so hard to get to know… John has emotional problems and Samuel comes from a low social background… I like Kenny alright, but not sure if I love him as a friend though…” [Dear buddies, I’m using your names for an example. Jangan marah a…]. All these phrases are but a bunch of excuses to avoid loving other people. We all once in a while are guilty of breaking this clear direct to the point commandment.

In the sight of God it is all hypocrisy. Jesus never said in His Word, “Love your brothers and sisters if he or she have a good mannerism, well-dressed, zealous, a soul-winner… love them if they loves you back” No! Jesus told us in the famous Sermon of the Mount that real love does not begin until we love our enemies – “But I say, love your enemies!” And if it is not enough to just gives command (even though it was sufficient to do so since He is the Lord over all creations) to us – He displayed it on the Cross. The Scripture says, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8) That mean, while we were still His enemies, He die for us. The Cross is the solid proof of His eternal Word, an apex of commitment for His love for us and thus for us to joyfully obey His command to love our enemies.

This whole concept of loving our enemies is, for the average person of today, nothing but an outdated theological phase, a wall-picture for ‘Pharisees’ of today to display in their Facebook pages, a great quote for ‘Scribes’ to twit on their Twitter accounts – but the fact is, for many people, it seem so impossible for the human nature to attain that it is never taken seriously, even among Christians. We read and read and read “Love your enemies” and say and preach and share but we know nothing of it. Nothing of really loving a man who cannot tolerate us, who speaks evil of us, spites us, those who does not like us or the way we do things. More often, as for me, we cannot love even the people around us with whom we live and work daily.

There was a young man who often told me that he loved everybody. I replied, “Bro, you not telling the truth aren’t you?” He doesn’t think much about what I had just said. He insisted that he loved everybody (This is the kind of respond you’ll get when you ask young people today: “How are you?” They will automatically answer you, “Dahsyat luar biasa! Yes! Yes! Yes!”). I happened to know of at least one person to whom he didn’t bother to say ‘hi’ to every time he meet that someone at Christian gathering. He could pass this person several times without showing any gesture of kindness – not even a smile. I asked sarcastically, “Do you really love everybody? How about him?” He said, “Of course bro I do loves everybody… well, except him.”

Do you get my point here? Had you been like that to your enemies lately? Friends, don’t let God’s Word to be filled only in the head. There is no real love without action! Potentially he may have loved him. Theoretically he may have loved him. But it was not a reality. To joyfully obey God’s Word to “love your enemies” requires head and hands, mind and heart, knowledge and action – not a bullet to the head; dead and static. Floyd McClung writes, “The Scriptures teach that we cannot live the Christian life with integrity unless we love people when they are impossible to get along with. The challenge is to love and keep on loving, even when it is hard”.

This Valentine’s Day, would you once again learn to love the unlovable? Would you stop shooting “bullets” to the head – dead and static, and start to living and doing the Word of God? Would you take the challenge to be serious and radically different by “love(ing) your enemies”? Would you trust Him, as you surrender your life to Him, as you reflect His blood flows for His enemies on the Cross, as you depend on the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Would you take this challenge to “love your enemies” this Valentine’s Day?

Jesus said, “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves… In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” (Matthew 5:43-45, 48, The Message)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.