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A New Commandment For 2016

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So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 NLT 

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Dear Jesus, I know all about the Sabbath and clean and unclean foods. I totally understand or at least think I understand all the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation, and have taught several prophecy seminars. I know all about the mark of the beast and the anti-Christ. When it comes to love, I know how to be nice to people who have been nice to me and to be good to people who have been good to me. But this morning in your Word I saw something new. Oh, it’s always been there, and the Bible scholar that I think I am should have already seen it by now. I know I have heard it before, but this morning it struck me like a 2×4 right between the eyes. You said, 

“Love each other. Just as I have loved you.”

Jesus, you said there was plenty of room in your Father’s house. If the innkeeper who didn’t have room for you were to show up at your house, I imagine you would have room for Him too, right? I just can’t see you telling him, “Sorry you left me out in the barn so you can’t come in. Ha ha serves you right!” I can see me doing that! But you aren’t anything like me. 

I greet people who greet me. I do huge favors for those who do huge favors for me. I give to those who give to me, and I call that being a Christian, but you call that being a pagan! (See Matthew 5:43-48) In 2016 can you teach me love the way that you love?

Now that I ask that, I am sure the first time someone mistreats me in 2016 I will want to write them off or retaliate one way or another. But when that happens will you please promise to whisper in my ear, “Now, William! Now is your chance to be like Me!” 

I have given bread to those who have never given it back. Yet I still always have plenty of bread because you give me so much. I imagine if I love people in 2016 who never love me back, that I will still have plenty of love because you give me so much love too. 

I can recite the fundamental beliefs. But I suppose pagans can do that too. I can preach and teach, but You have met your fair share of pagan teachers and preachers too, haven’t you? How can I show you that I am a genuine disciple of Yours? Ah, yes, by my love for others. By loving others not the way that pagans love but by the way that You love. That is what being a disciple is all about. 

Jesus I am really going to need Your help in 2016! Because in 2016 I don’t want to lose weight or save up money or give up Nachos. With Your help I am going to do something totally supernatural and miraculous! I am going to love others the way that you do! I can’t do this without your supernatural presence in my Life. I can’t do this on my own. Who am I kidding? I can’t do this at all! Why don’t I just lay down my life and let You do it through me? 

I am 50 years old. I was raised in the church and have been an elder ever since I was 22. Yet I have met 12-year olds who can love more purely than I can. I have seen pagans give the shirt off their backs while I clung to my coat. So I guess it’s time now for me to ask You to teach me what I should have asked a long time ago. In 2016, will You teach me to love, the way that You love? 

Thank You, Jesus, for hearing my prayer. 

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A New Commandment For 2016 — 20 Comments

  3. Reading this, it seems as if it was written for me, I too need to love more. Thank you for this, it really touch something in me.

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  4. Praise the Lord Bro. William! This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the manifestation of the Sons of God, who alone are begotten of God, who imitate their Father because of His Seed in them. They have entered into God’s rest so that His glory and power may be manifested in them.
    I pray that we all may be among His Elect and Chosen, with our names written in the books of Heaven, and may declare His Praises to the world.

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  5. It can feel quite easy to manifest love for friends, and even for people that are strangers. But real maturity of Christian character is shown when we can love our enemies. When we manifest genuine love for people that are actively hostile toward us, THAT is to walk worthy of our high calling. (Eph 4:1)

    And this, I suggest, is a key aspect of the "perfection" (the maturity, or the "full stature",) that Jesus admonishes us to reach. (Matt 5:43-48).

    Wearing His yoke, and having Him as our yoke-fellow, He will lead us up the ascent.

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  6. This is our great need, as individuals and as a corporate body. In Christ's Object Lessons we're promised "By constantly relying upon Christ as our personal Saviour, we shall grow up into Him in all things who is our head....The object of the Christian life is fruit bearing--the reproduction of Christ's character in the believer, that it may be reproduced in others."...."When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own." COL pp. 67, 69
    It's me, Oh Lord, standing in the need of You.

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  7. William, I have taken inventory of my life and also find a need for the Love of Jesus "Agape", to be implanted by gifts from the Holy Spirit, in my heart. We may not completely understand what this means, or how it may apply, but we can understand that a change is needed. I would only add that we can admire the virtue that is seen in others, but to Love with all our "Heart, Soul and Mind" Matt22:37 requires a commitment that we may be reluctant to make. Thus our strength and power must come from the Holy Spirit. John16:13

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  8. Amen. Without love in me I see my Christian life meaningless. Loving others unconditionally is what we Adventist Christians must live. Sharing and serving are two ways we can show love from our heart to others.I have been sharing much of my life but I have not yet serve which I purposed in my heart to in 2016.

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  9. AMEN! May I suggest this is what is needed within our church even more! Too often it is easier to kick those with different likes or preferences in music or worship styles out the back (or even front) door! Can I truely love those from other cultures, those younger or older with different ideas like He loves them!

    WOW! You have hit the nail on the head with this thought provoking article! Thank you!

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  10. Interesting insight. I have personally experienced a pagan literally giving me the shirt off his back. Back in my hippy dippy days
    I was in Philly PA at a Grateful Dead concert. My truck(Mack lol) was broken into and all my clothes and a CB radio were stolen. A young hippy learned of it and gave me a tie dyed t-shirt he was selling. It is strange but a bunch of long haired, unwashed, stoned hippies often have more no strings attached compassion than many clean cut, Bible professing Christians. For this New Year may we all ask GOD to lead us to divine appointments that will demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to ANYONE He leads us to. Sometimes (actually often) GOD shows a divine sense of humor with His leading. There are a lot of hurting, downtrodden people out there aching to see Jesus. Let Him Shine through us! SSSpringer

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  11. It's how we get back isn't it? Back to being in God's image, before the fall ruined everything. Without the love that Jesus demonstrated, we are simply fallen. "Religious" perhaps, but still fallen.

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  13. Thanks William. An eye-opener on your side was an eye-opener on my side and to other people too. I realize I am doing the same. I am weak. Yet i again and again, I am the victim of sin. By accepting that, we realize that we greatly need to involve God in our lives. To strengthen and to whisper guidance. Be all blessed.

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  14. Thank you Bro. William for sharing this powerful thought which after all is the essence of Jesus' ministry. I am blessed.

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  15. Thank you so much for this post. I've often thought that I have "love" covered. That, of the fruits of the Spirit, my huge problem is self-discipline. But, reading this post sent a chill through me. God has impressed on my heart that I have a lot more growth to do, to love as He loves. Thanks for initiating this eye-opener.

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  17. William, I am reading your post in April 2017. Have a Sabbath School preamble to give and was going to talk about Joseph of Arimathea and his new friend Nicodemus, who both showed 'impromptu' love for Jesus after the crucifixion. Your article is superb - love that springs from the heart, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the immediate thought that we so often push away - let's resolve in 2017 to follow through for Jesus's sake. Not just the greeting, but the doing. Not just inside church doors, but out in the community.

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