LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”- Matt. 5:43-44

Corrie Ten Boom in her book, Reflections of God’s Glory, shared the story of a Christian man she met in Africa who had bandaged hands. She asked him how he was injured, and he said, “My neighbor’s straw roof was on fire; I helped him to put it out.”

Later, Corrie heard the rest of the story. The neighbor hated this man and set his roof on fire while he, his wife, and his children were asleep inside. Fortunately, he was able to put out the fire in his house. But sparks flew over to the neighbor’s roof and set it ablaze.

So this man did everything he could to help his neighbor put out the fire in his house – and that’s how his hands were burned.

Christ’s call to “love your enemies” isn’t one that’s easy. But when love that surpasses all understanding is shown to those who deserve it least, God does some incredible things.

So love your enemies even when it’s hard. You can’t do it on your own, but God will help you when you need it!

Ask God to help you love your enemies – even when you don’t want to.– Senior Living

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

CARE FOR OTHERS

“But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;”– 2 Corinthians 8:16–18

When Catherine Booth died of cancer in 1890 after many years of faithful service with her husband William in the Salvation Army, her body lay in state at Congress Hall in London. Thousands filed past her body, giving honor to the lady who had given so much to so many. The cream of London society and the rich and powerful filed by next to children from the slums and former drunkards. It is recorded that one elderly man paused by her casket and said, “I’ve come sixty miles to see her again. She was the means of saving my two boys.”

The impact that we make on the lives of others is a direct result of the amount of care and compassion we have for them. That is because it is that care that drives our actions. There is no more powerful motivation than love. It changes the way we view other people, and it changes the way we allocate our resources, time, and energy. We invest in what we care about, and when we care, others can tell. “And of some have compassion, making a difference” (Jude 1:22).

The world has many ways to counterfeit a number of the good things God calls us to do and be, but there is no substitute for compassion. The people with whom we work and to whom we minister will know whether they genuinely matter to us. And the more we care for others, the more we will devote ourselves to meeting their needs and reaching them with the gospel. Only those who truly care for the needs of others are prepared to make a major impact on their lives.–Daily in the Word

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

OUR DUTY TO OTHERS
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”- Matt. 7:12

This is a wonderfully comprehensive rule of action. It bids us consider the interests of others as well as our own. It bids us set our neighbour alongside of ourself, and think of him as having the same rights as we have, and requiring from us the same treatment that we give to ourself. It gives us a standard by which to test all our motives and all our conduct bearing on others. We are at once in thought to change places with the person toward whom duty is to be determined, and ask, “if he were where I am, and I were where He is, how should I want him to treat me in this case?” the application of this rule would instantly put a stop to all rash, hasty actions; for it commands us to consider our neighbour and question our own heart before doing anything. It would slay all selfishness; for it compels us to regard our neighbours interests as precisely equal to our own. It would lead us to honour others; for it puts us and them on the same platform.

The application of this rule would put a stop to all injustice and wrong; for none of us would do injustice or wrong to ourselves, and we are to treat our neighbour as if he were ourself. It would lead us to seek the highest good of all other men, even the lowliest; for we surely want all men to seek our good. The thorough applying of this Golden Rule would end all conflict between capital and labour; for it would give the employer a deep, loving interest in the men he employs, and lead him to think of their good in all ways. It would also give to every employe a desire for the prosperity of his employer and an interest in his business. It would end all strife in families, in communities, among nations. The perfect working of this rule everywhere would make heaven; for the will of God would then “be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”– J. R. Miller

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

PRIORITIZING

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” – Matthew 24:35

Some of the earliest missionaries to the Marshall Islands received their mail only once a year when the boats made their rounds of the South Pacific. One year, the boat was one day ahead of schedule and came while the missionaries were visiting a neighboring island.

The captain of the boat left the mail with the Marshallese people, who knew only that this was a much-awaited delivery that the missionaries spoke about often. So they examined the mail to see what was so great about it and concluded that it must be good to eat. So they proceeded to tear the letters into tiny bits and cook them!

Ascribing value to things can often be a very subjective decision. The sentiment you may feel for a family heirloom or a cherished piece of jewelry won’t be shared by everyone. So it can be easy to become overly-attached to such things that hold so much personal value to us.

But the Bible teaches that every material thing will pass away. All the money in our bank accounts… the prized possessions passed down from family… even the most beautiful art in the most prestigious museums will be gone.

What endures, however, are things of eternal value. God, His Word, and the souls of people will exist for eternity. Because of that, these are things which should receive our attention. While things of the world pass away, God endures. Make Him your focus!

Ask God to help you focus on the right things in life: having a saving relationship with Him and loving others.– Senior Living

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346