Dear Friend,

February is considered the month of love. The Valentine’s Day holiday sends out the message that love is flowers and candy for your chosen one. That is thoughtful and sweet; however, my idea of the perfect love story is Jesus. He chose to come down and redeem us when He could have said, “No, thank You, Father.”

First John 4:10 says: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Then First John 4:11 gives some very good advice: Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Amen.

I think it is impossible for us to love Jesus and hate our brethren at the same time. He wants us to be His light in this dark world. I believe the hardest thing for us to comprehend is how much Jesus does love us. We have a tendency to be very hard on ourselves, but today, let’s start by forgiving ourselves, then by an act of faith, let’s forgive others. It’s easy to love people who are good and kind to us but not so easy to love the unkind. However, Jesus still expects us to love them. Amen.

The reason I am bringing this up is because I have seen Christians display actual hatred for people who don’t agree with or believe like they do. Before I was saved, I would watch how people treated each other, and I found out that many Christians had a double standard. It took me a long time to get born again because of the judgmental state these Christians were in.

I would encourage anyone who wants to grow in God’s love to start out by asking Him to forgive you of anything you might have said or done that doesn’t please Him. Then, pray in the Holy Spirit, building yourself up on your most holy faith and, of course, stay in the Word of God and worship! The Presence of the Lord is amazing. First John 4:15,16 says:

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Hallelujah!! I want freedom and boldness in the throne room of God. Amen. Verses 17 and 18 say:

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

More than ever, I want my prayers answered for the lost, the sick, and every need that we all might have. Psalm 66:20 says: Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Amen!

I’m smiling because Jesus is so wonderful, and He loves you so very much.

In His love,

Donner Roberson