Love and pray

[1over137]

Matthew 5:43-48 ESV
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

---

It amazes me how wise this is. When I have some troubles with people and I do not really behave as would Christ love me to see I find praying for people helping myself. I then am (I hope) more kind, maybe patient, loving towards them. Still, I need to improve in this.

What is your experience?

[Lonewolf]

I don't know what it is to love people anymore., I try to be right with them., I try not to judge them wrong., I try not to be a stumbling block for them., I try not to do them any harm., I don't think I steal from any of them, nor do I covet anything they have., I try to be a good father, a good husband, a good brother and family member., I try to be a good employee, a decent citizen, a lending hand., I give freely for the most part, without asking to be payed back., the LORD blesses me plenty, but yet., after all that and more, I hate people in general., and I don't know what to do that can help me to love them., the job i perform has demonstrated to me more than clearly that people are just out for their own selves, it doesn't matter how they go about getting things their way, just as long as it works out to their advantage., the system is corrupt., the people are corrupt., the world is corrupt., and no matter how much praying, how much try and try I do., I can't help but to see the corruption in people, and I hate them., I really do., I love people, but yet I hate them!., I have seen the devil in people's eyes!

[theophilus]

I can't help but to see the corruption in people,

God sees their corruption even more clearly than you do. You can only see their actions; God sees their thoughts and the evil they think about but don't have the chance to put into practice. Yet in spite of this he loves these people enough to sacrifice his son so they can be saved.

You say you live an outwardly moral life but what are you like inside? All of us have a nature that wants to rebel against God and his standards and we have to make an effort to do what is right. God has forgiven you even though you don't deserve it. Shouldn't you be willing to love others even though they don't deserve it?

[PaulSacramento]

Love begets love, forgiveness begets forgiveness.
We ALL need lots of both.

[Lonewolf]

Well I can forgive individuals, and I can love individuals, but to love all in general, well, that's not an easy thing to do. You can care about things, and you can care about people in general, but loving them is very tough, especially when you either get to know them and learn of the darkness living in their heart, or you don't get to know them but by their attitude, words, actions, demeanor, and their all, you know that they don't care about no one but themselves. How can one love those people? Some people, I have seen the devil in their eyes and nothing but blasphemy come out from their mouths. How can one feel love for those people?

[RickD]

Well I can forgive individuals, and I can love individuals, but to love all in general, well, that's not an easy thing to do. You can care about things, and you can care about people in general, but loving them is very tough, especially when you either get to know them and learn of the darkness living in their heart, or you don't get to know them but by their attitude, words, actions, demeanor, and their all, you know that they don't care about no one but themselves. How can one love those people? Some people, I have seen the devil in their eyes and nothing but blasphemy come out from their mouths. How can one feel love for those people?

By the indwelling Holy Spirit. That's how.

[Lonewolf]

I hear you. Maybe I'm just not indwelled by the Holy Spirit anymore.

[theophilus]

I hear you. Maybe I'm just not indwelled by the Holy Spirit anymore.

If the Holy Spirit has ever indwelt you he is still doing so. When we are saved we become part of the body of Christ and nothing can ever change that. However it is possible for us to allow things in our lives that hinder his work in our lives.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
(Ephesians 4:30 ESV)

The things that interfere with the Spirit's work aren't necessarily things that are sinful in themselves. Something that is good can create a problem if you put it ahead of something that is even better.

There is one other possibility you need to consider.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
(2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV)

[PaulSacramento]

Well I can forgive individuals, and I can love individuals, but to love all in general, well, that's not an easy thing to do. You can care about things, and you can care about people in general, but loving them is very tough, especially when you either get to know them and learn of the darkness living in their heart, or you don't get to know them but by their attitude, words, actions, demeanor, and their all, you know that they don't care about no one but themselves. How can one love those people? Some people, I have seen the devil in their eyes and nothing but blasphemy come out from their mouths. How can one feel love for those people?

No one ever said love was easy?
See, love is like freedom of speech for example.
We only have true freedom when a person can say the most horrific and vile things and NOT be penalized for it and we support him !
Not support what he says mind you, but his right to say it.

Love is like that for a Christian.

We not only love those that it is easy yo love ( anyone can do that), we love those that it is impossible to love.

It just isn't easy, it is very, very, very hard and all we can do is try.