Avoid Temptation Tuesday – Lack of Love

Many people who profess to be Christians today lack love towards one another. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:35 (NKJV). According to Jesus, a true disciple will have love towards one another. If you have difficulty loving others, then first of all examine your salvation. If you know you are saved, confess your sin of lack of love to the Lord. You may also need to make restitution to any individual whom you might have hurt.

“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, “leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matt 5:23-24 (NKJV)

This verse is referring to a Biblical practice which is established in the Old Testament. When Zacchaeus accepted Christ, he not only returned the money he had taken, but paid the people back four fold. For some reason, restitution is not spoken of much today in our churches, but it is the balm to heal wounds among people. There are church splits that need to be mended, families that need to seek forgiveness from each other and friendships that need restoring. Sometimes these relationships cannot be restored, but this does not release you from the responsibility of trying.

Here are some other verses on love or lack of love. If any of these are sins of yours, then confess them to the Lord. We don’t want any sin in our lives to hinder our relationship with a holy God and prevent our prayers from being heard. “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” Isaiah 59:1-2 (NASB).
“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you” 1 Cor 1:10-11 (NKJV).

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” Phil 2:1-4 (NKJV).

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. James 2:1-6 (NKJV)

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” Mark 12:31 (NKJV).

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” 1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV).

“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,  in humility correcting those who are in opposition” 2 Tim 2:24-25 (NKJV).

“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” 1 John 3:18 (NKJV).

Rev. 2:1-7 The Loveless Church