The Hard Things

The last month or two I have been meditating on some of the hard things that God is asking His bride to do. Hard things are happening in the home with husbands and wives. Hard things are happening at work with employers and employees. Hard things are happening with children and parents. Hard things are happening with relationships everywhere. And yet Jesus says, "This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:12-14)

Do you ever feel like you are having to lay your life down for someone else? Someone who does not appreciate you - in fact, someone who may be abusing you and rejecting you, spitting upon you? Do you ever feel like life is passing you by and you will be stuck in this wretched place for your whole life and never get a chance to truly live? Do you ever ask yourself, why would God ask me to live like this?

God said that we obey this commandment, to love one another - THERE IS NO GREATER JOY THAN TO LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR YOUR FRIENDS. Then He goes on to say, "You are My friends if you do what I command." WOW! When we do hard things, we are actually doing it for Jesus, who is our friend. He said, "If you do what I command, I no longer call you slaves, because a master does't confide in His slaves. Now you are My friends.." (John 15:14-15)

When we choose to obey this commandment, to love one another, even in the hardest situations, we are choosing to lay down our life for our friend, Jesus. We are no longer slaves, but friends. This is a position of great honor and power, and joy. Did you hear that? JOY in the middle of hard relationships. How does that happen? Then Jesus said, "You didn't choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for using My name. This is My command: Love one another." (John 15:16-17) When we choose to obey this command and LAY DOWN OUR LIFE for our friend Jesus, God makes sure we bear much fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. When we are in this position of loving one another, we are in the position where our Father can give us whatever we ask for in the name of Jesus. Oh my goodness! LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in May name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it." (John 14:12-14). Have you ever wondered why your prayers were not being answered? Maybe it is because we are not in position yet. Maybe God is waiting on us to obey Him so He can answer us. When we choose to love others in hard situations, we are actually choosing to love others like Jesus loved us. Do you think we weren't a hard person to love? We were/are. But Jesus chose to love us anyway and to give His life for us. Now He is asking us to do the same.
John 14:21-24 says, "Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, My Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal My self to each of them. Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to Him, "LORD, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?" Jesus replied, "All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn't love Me will not obey Me. And remember, My words are not My own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me."

If we choose to turn our back on people, we are actually turning our back on Jesus. All who love Jesus will do what He says. When we love people, we are actually loving God. In hard situations we can choose to LAY DOWN OUR LIFE FOR OUR FRIEND JESUS. Trust me. It is so very worth it. "Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you." LOVE! God is love! Jesus is love! And now God is conforming His bride into His image. LOVE.
Blessings my friends. May the God of LOVE fill you to overflowing so that you, too, will be able to do the hard things. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus.
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Terri