Love One Another
Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from John 15:12-27. In this Scripture, Jesus is talking to His disciples; right before He went to be crucified. Jesus tells them, “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” He didn’t tell them to love each other if they felt like it. Jesus wanted them to commit to love each other.
Make the decision to love someone whether you feel like it or not. Even in our families there might be times when we don’t feel like loving each other. But we should love each other anyway, because we are committed to love them.
Even so, we should love our brothers and sisters in Christ because Jesus tells us to love one another. What better example than that of Jesus who taught us how to love others? This kind of love is not an emotional love, but rather a decision to love one another.
Jesus reminds His disciples, “Greater love has no man than this that He lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” He tells the disciples they didn’t choose Him, but He chose them and ordained them to bear fruit, that whatever they ask the Father in His name, He may give it to them.
Not everybody we meet is going to love us. Jesus reminds the disciples of this by telling them if the world hates them or mistreats them they should not be dismayed because they knew the world hated Him and His Father before it hated them. Jesus explains to them that since He came into the world and told the world about their sin, they had no covering for their sin.
Those who didn’t want to accept Jesus as their Savior hated Him and His Father. Not everyone you try to share the gospel with will accept Jesus, and they may not like you for sharing it, even though you are trying to help them.
Another way God showed His love for us is by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell with us. Jesus promises the disciples that He will send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, unto them from the Father and He will testify of Jesus. He tells them they also will bear witness of Him, because they were with Him from the beginning. God didn’t want to leave us alone so He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell with us.
God wants us to have this same kind of love for one another that He has for us, the kind of love that cares for one another.
Daily Bible Reading:
John 15:12-27
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
Things to think about:
- Why does Jesus want us to love one another?
- How do you know you have the love of Jesus in your heart?
- When do you find it hard to love others?
Prayer of the Day:
Dear God,
Please help us to love one another as Jesus commanded in this Scripture. Help us not to go by our feelings, but to make a decision in our hearts and lives to love anyway. As we live in this world help us to bear witness of You and Your Son, and share Your love with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. We love You, LORD. Amen.
Daily Bible Verse:
–Excerpt from God Is Love ~ Deborah H. Bateman
Christian Music Video: “Love One Another” – Michael W. Smith
PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Please come back again tomorrow and invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.
Featured Book:
by Deborah H. Bateman
About the book:
God is Love is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman. It contains 19 daily devotionals on Scriptures about love from the Bible: including God’s love for us, the love relationship between a husband and wife, love and honoring our parents, and much more.
This devotional would be great for either a personal daily devotions or group Bible studies, including small groups, and Sunday school classes. Each devotional contains a brief commentary by the author, the daily Bible Scripture, a prayer of the day, and several questions for personal reflection or group discussion.
In God is Love, Deborah strives to show you not only what love is, but that love comes from God, as well as the love of God surpasses all imagination. Her goal for you as you read this book is that you would realize how much God loves you.
Benefits of reading God is Love
• You will learn what love is
• You will learn about different kinds of love
• You will learn how much God loves you
• You will learn of the sacrifice made by God because of His love for you
Get your copy now!
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Have a blessed day,
Deborah
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