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Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

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Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.

Luke 10:27

This scripture tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and we are told in 1 John 4:20, For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. The Word tells us we cannot love God unless we love our brother and sister as our self. Therefore we must first love our self the way God loves us.

If we see ourselves through the eyes of God, we will realize he has given us self worth through our divine identity. It’s not a self worth we attained on our own, but it comes from God when we accept Christ. Love for self comes from having our heart filled with God’s love, which helps us to see ourselves as God sees us. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

The love in our heart and our self worth from God enables us to reflect God’s love to others with confidence and security. God’s desire is that we walk trusting him, filled with love, peace, joy, confidence, and wisdom. We can only do this if we see ourselves as God sees us, as revealed by our true identity. We need our identity and security in Christ because it enables us to minister to people who are not kind to us, and respond with God’s love and kindness instead of defensive anger. And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:47)

But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17) The longer we walk with the Lord becoming one with the Lord, the stronger our identity in Christ becomes. We thank the Lord for our new identity, our divine purpose in life, for changing us, and as our identity increases we become more secure and humble.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:17). Our new identity becomes stronger when are eternally minded, knowing we have a heavenly home with the Lord, a restored Garden of Eden waiting for us. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18)

Our new self worth, our new identity, our eternal home, fills us with God’s love and motivates us to spread the good news of Christ to others. Now we can love others as we love ourselves, and we want others to receive from God what we have received from God.

Today be conscious of your divine purpose because it will remind you of your identity from the Lord. Walk in secure humble confidence, knowing the Lord will guide you and give you the strength, endurance, and wisdom to go through anything this world can put in your path. Walk today feeling victorious in Christ, because you are victorious in Christ.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for my new identity and divine purpose. Guide me today to walk victoriously in your love, that I may be a humble uplifting light to everyone. Thank you for your love, power, strength, peace, joy, and for every perfect blessing. Guide me to use everything you given me for your glory. In Jesus name, Amen