I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3 (NKJV)
In Parts I of this devotional series, we looked at how every failed relationship (Marriage) contains the common denominator of one of the people saying, "I'm drawing the line," or in other words, "I quit!"
In Part II we started to identify that we all fit into one of 3-types of people who at some point will say, No more. We then started to break down Ephesians 4:1-3 to see how God tells us to respond to these breaking points in our relationship in lieu of pulling the plug and calling it quits.
We learned that we're to:
1. Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called
2. Walk with all lowliness and gentleness
3. Walk with longsuffering
Let's continue to look at the scriptures above to see what God wants us to do.
4. We are to be bearing with one another in love.
Love is the greatest commandment that God has given mankind-period! Let's take a look to see how Jesus stated it.
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30 (NKJV)
So we see that there is no other commandment that is more important to the Lord.
Q: So what does it mean to love our neighbor, or to love God?
A: Jesus gives us the answer below
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. John 15:12-14 (NKJV)
So we're to love others just as Jesus has loved us. Jesus used His earthly life to share the Gospel Message that salvation was available through Him. He laid down His life for us and offered Himself as a sacrifice so that we might know eternal life. Isn't that really what we are doing when we submit to our spouse in love; we're living like Christ before them so that they might be drawn unto Him. So in reality, we are dying to our wants and desires and living in a selfless way so that they might see the love of God in us, prompting them to want to know God intimately and be saved.
And as far as showing our love for God, we are told by Jesus personally, that if we love Him, then we are to do whatever He commands us. So we are to read His Word, abide in it (see John 15), and serve others in our relationships as if we are serving Christ Himself (See Col 3:23).
The bottom line is this; every relationship fails because one or both parties fail to truly love God by not abiding in His commandment to love Him or others.
Q: Why is this so?
A: Because of pride!
Hey Christian, people are watching you, and this especially includes your spouse. Can they see the love of Christ in you? How well are you doing as His representative?
I know that there are many variables that the enemy uses to tear a relationship apart, but God has great information contained within His Word to combat each of these divisive things. This devotional series is not meant to be everything you need to solve the specific problems you will face, but it will give you a baseline for attacking these issues and not each other. So whether we encounter a problem in our relationship (marriage) such as bad communication, anger, unforgiveness, jealousy, or whatever, we must not draw the line and say, "I'm done."
I want to encourage you to seek the Word of God for every situation that you face. When we know the scriptures, we will know the path that we are to walk in. We must continue to look to God and to stay focused on Him. He has promised us a perfect peace for those of us that would trust Him and do this (See Isa 26:3).
STUDY QUESTION: According to the scriptures above, what does it mean to love God, and to love others?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to acknowledge that to love God is to obey His commands. Knowing this, are you willing to Love others in this way?
APPLICATION: Stay in the Word and seek the Lord for everything you need to be what He has called you to be. Walk worthy in the manor with which you were called.
In Parts I of this devotional series, we looked at how every failed relationship (Marriage) contains the common denominator of one of the people saying, "I'm drawing the line," or in other words, "I quit!"
In Part II we started to identify that we all fit into one of 3-types of people who at some point will say, No more. We then started to break down Ephesians 4:1-3 to see how God tells us to respond to these breaking points in our relationship in lieu of pulling the plug and calling it quits.
We learned that we're to:
1. Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called
2. Walk with all lowliness and gentleness
3. Walk with longsuffering
Let's continue to look at the scriptures above to see what God wants us to do.
4. We are to be bearing with one another in love.
Love is the greatest commandment that God has given mankind-period! Let's take a look to see how Jesus stated it.
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30 (NKJV)
So we see that there is no other commandment that is more important to the Lord.
Q: So what does it mean to love our neighbor, or to love God?
A: Jesus gives us the answer below
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. John 15:12-14 (NKJV)
So we're to love others just as Jesus has loved us. Jesus used His earthly life to share the Gospel Message that salvation was available through Him. He laid down His life for us and offered Himself as a sacrifice so that we might know eternal life. Isn't that really what we are doing when we submit to our spouse in love; we're living like Christ before them so that they might be drawn unto Him. So in reality, we are dying to our wants and desires and living in a selfless way so that they might see the love of God in us, prompting them to want to know God intimately and be saved.
And as far as showing our love for God, we are told by Jesus personally, that if we love Him, then we are to do whatever He commands us. So we are to read His Word, abide in it (see John 15), and serve others in our relationships as if we are serving Christ Himself (See Col 3:23).
The bottom line is this; every relationship fails because one or both parties fail to truly love God by not abiding in His commandment to love Him or others.
Q: Why is this so?
A: Because of pride!
Hey Christian, people are watching you, and this especially includes your spouse. Can they see the love of Christ in you? How well are you doing as His representative?
I know that there are many variables that the enemy uses to tear a relationship apart, but God has great information contained within His Word to combat each of these divisive things. This devotional series is not meant to be everything you need to solve the specific problems you will face, but it will give you a baseline for attacking these issues and not each other. So whether we encounter a problem in our relationship (marriage) such as bad communication, anger, unforgiveness, jealousy, or whatever, we must not draw the line and say, "I'm done."
I want to encourage you to seek the Word of God for every situation that you face. When we know the scriptures, we will know the path that we are to walk in. We must continue to look to God and to stay focused on Him. He has promised us a perfect peace for those of us that would trust Him and do this (See Isa 26:3).
STUDY QUESTION: According to the scriptures above, what does it mean to love God, and to love others?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to acknowledge that to love God is to obey His commands. Knowing this, are you willing to Love others in this way?
APPLICATION: Stay in the Word and seek the Lord for everything you need to be what He has called you to be. Walk worthy in the manor with which you were called.
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