Loving Others = Successful Christianity

Loving other people isn't always easy, especially when it comes to family. We get
hurt...sometimes we're the ones that hurt others. I sometimes have to pray...lord,
help me love this person. Sometimes there is a lot of bad history that makes it difficult
to love and forgive others. May God help us all.

The good news is that God loves us when we aren't at all lovable. He also gives us
this command..."Love others as I love you". Giving, not getting is the goal of true
love.

When I first read the book by Rick Warren "The Purpose Driven Life" it hit
me hard. It said..."it's not about you". Wow!

Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. Proverbs 10:12 (NKJV)

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 (NKJV)

"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 if 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. Luke 6:31-36 (NKJV)

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?"
So he answered and said, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all
your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' "
And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live."
Luke 10:25-28 (NKJV)

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the
law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You
shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any
other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor
as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV)

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become
sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand
all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I
am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have
not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not
puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in
iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never
fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is
knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has
come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I
thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then
face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love,
these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (NKJV)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him
who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His
commandments. 1 John 5:1-2 (NKJV)

See also Forgiving others, Mercy