Love, Loyalty and Character

When I read this article there were two scriptures that come to mind. Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, that a man lives down his life for his friend.” JN 15:13 Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, and said to the people following Him, “I solemnly tell you that in no Israelite have I found faith as great as this. MTT 8:10

Jesus was talking about joy, friendship, love, and how his followers would bear fruit which would be demonstrated by their love for one another. Jesus commanded us to love one another. Love is an act of the will. Jesus said, the greatest act of love is to lay down one’s life for a friend. Just like Jesus if this story is true, the Muslim man Jamal Rahman, had a choice. Jamal Rahman chose to stand and die with his Christian friends. Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, that a man lives down his life for his friend.” JN 15:13


On the second scripture, it was a Roman Centurion who had a servant boy who was bed written and paralyzed. The Centurion was a soldier who had authority over his troops. He knew that when he gave an order it was carried out. He did not have to be in the same area to verify it. He knew what power his command had. The Centurion also had faith is Jesus power to heal by commanding it to happen and it would happened. Jesus told the Centurion “I will come and heal him.” But the Centurion did not feel worthy enough for Jesus to come under his roof but said “speak the word only and my servant shall be healed.” Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, and said to the people following Him, “I solemnly tell you that in no Israelite (or all of Israel) have I found faith as great as this. MTT 8:10.


Jamal, laid down his life based on loyalty and love for his friend. The Centurion had faith and did not need to see it happen to believe. The scriptures tell us that the boy has healed within the same time Jesus had spoken the words. Both stories speak to a man’s character not just in words but based on their beliefs and actions.

Hope and Faith

I just caught the news again of the harsh persecution realities of what our brothers and sisters are going through in the Middle East and in Africa and it made me rethink some scriptures about hope, faith and love. I wanted to share my thoughts. “Now faith is the substance (confidence or assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

In spite of all the negative things going in our lives, and in the world, Jesus is still Lord and God’s ultimate will is being carried out.  Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  In the Greek it is (panta sunergei) which has the idea that it is God who makes all things work together for our good according to his purposes. I think it was Barclay that said things work together can also be translated to intermingle. So, Gods purpose, though we do not always understand it, can intermingle all things together by somehow making those things we don’t understand useful for his purpose, and for our good, according to accomplish his ultimate will.

So, we must walk by faith, having hope, confidence, and love for God, knowing that He is accomplishing His will, for our good, in all our lives because he loves us. Even in the midst of persecution. This is costly and easy to say but it takes real faith to endure. Which is the faith Jesus expects us all to have.

 

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