1 Peter 3:10-12
“He who would love life and see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes for the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Today and everyday we make choices. The choices we make lead us down certain paths. The paths we take become a way of life. Our way of life becomes who we are. And who we are, or who we have chosen to be, leads us to everlasting life or everlasting suffering. The choice is ours. Always has been, and always will be.

 

The Lord says in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

 

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing into Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

We can see here the key to living for Jesus is love! The key to blessings and not curses is love. Love is the key to receiving a good life and long days, to have the eyes of the Lord upon us and His ears open to our prayers.

 

In this world, we see hate, envy, pride, self-centeredness, rudeness, selfishness and anger. We are called to be a light in the dark world. It isn’t an easy task. We can shine only through Jesus. It is His light within us that radiates outward. We cannot “put on” His light outwardly… That won’t work. It is only when Jesus takes over our hearts when His love will shine through us. It is by His Holy Spirit that he will guide us and enable us to do what He has called us to do. We cannot do this on our own so we must remember to seek out His help in loving “our neighbor as ourselves”.

Jesus says in Luke 6:27-36 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And f you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

What are we “practicing” in our daily lives?
Are we actively living a kingdom lifestyle?
Are we trying to line ourselves up with the Word of God?

 

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