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Loving Without Paybacks

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To love like Jesus…
1 John 2:4-6: If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 
I need to love without seeking anything in return.  So often I give with selfish motives.  Even if it is not premeditated in my mind, it is within my heart.
I need to be pursuing Him in my daily life.   To be reading His Words.  Spending time with Him.  An active, loving relationship.  How else can I expect to be anything but selfish old me?
I need to promote others, not myself.  Pride is the center of it all.  All my selfish motives are directly motivated by prideful wishes of gain and self-promotion.
 
I need to love the least of these.
I’m doing what He commanded and really loving Him in the midst of it.
I need to learn true contentment.
Godliness with contentment is great gain.
I need to realize that what He wills is most important.
Often times I say that I want what God wills, but what will it cost me? 
I need to serve with a cost!  Yes, salvation is free… but it cost Christ everything.  What am I willing to give up, to love like Him?   

Riches
 Am I seeking to be rich in this world?  What ways could I be seeking riches?
Riches in the form of self-promotion?
Riches in the form of taking more than I give?
Riches in the form of living far above my means when others are in need?
Riches in the form of hoarding my time and gifts?
Are you like me?  Do you need some serious self-evaluation?  What are some ways that we can give more than we receive?  
If we give out of selfless love, we are loving like Him! 

Matthew 22:37-39

 37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

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Comments

  2. We did have the same thoughts, didn’t we. I love the way you break this down. Thanks for visiting my blog. I’m going to add myself as a follower of your blog.

  6. Lots of great questions! Especially the one about promoting others. I think right now, I’m noticing a theme in my study time about promoting my husband’s agenda, and following along with the vision God has given him. I definitely need to grow in that area!

  10. Beautiful thoughts! Absolutely, beautiful!

    Have you read “The Blogger’s Prayer”? If not, you can check it out at a Holy Experience. Such true words and they follow along with your post today!

    Thanks so much for becoming a new follower. I look forward to getting to know you better

  14. I have read this post a couple of times now and each time I am challenged at my core.

    Guess it should have come as any surprise that the passage in I Jn. 2 was part of my personal quiet time this morning.

    I’m guessing God is trying to tell me something?… hhhhmmmm….

  17. WOW is all I can say by your words. They blow me away every time I stop by!!! Thanks for breaking things down and giving me more to think about!! Hope you get to feeling better soon!!! ~Blessings Sonya