Faith Well Grounded

It shouldn't be amazing to any of us who have come into a relationship with God that all roads lead back to love with Him. When asked the greatest of commandments, Jesus listed the first two: Love God and love your neighbor. By implications of His other teachings, "neighbor" meant everyone-- even your most bitter enemy. And if you live up to the first two, the rest naturally come easier.

I was reading a good series of blogs on Grace & the Law over at http://www.extremetheology.com and couldn't help but think that love is the key. You'll have a much better chance of doing the works out of love than out of fear. You're given the grace out of love. The atoning Blood was the ultimate act of love.

20 minutes after reading those posts, one of my brothers in our church leadership program posted thoughts on John 12:36 and staying in the light. This naturally brought my mind to 1 John 1&2, where the light is explicitly defined. I guess the context of my reading tonight brough something out in a new and vibrant way-- something I've known and shared forever it seems, but is once again shining through (pun intended).

1Jo 2:9 He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now.
1Jo 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.

Did you catch that? In verse 10? If you love, you won't stumble. Notice the order-- the cause and the effect. Most people try it backwards. They try not to stumble. Instead, we should try to love, and the lack of stumbling is the natural result.

Are you struggling in your walk, feeling "unsanctified", like a Christian-faker? Look closely at the amount of love in your life and make a conscious effort to love everyone. You'll soon note the change this brings in every part of your life.

Make it easier on yourself by changing the cause instead of sweating the effects.

Be blessed...

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