"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10)

These words of Paul are so simple yet so profound. As Christians we are to love one another and be devoted to each other as members of the same family. We should consider each other over our own interests and give precedence and honor to our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. There should be no quarreling or factions between us, and we should consider how to build and encourage each other continually in the Lord. This image of God's family is what we are to portray to the world; united, loving, caring and devoted to one another.

Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us" ( I Thessalonians 2:8 ). The Gospel is what brought them together and gave them a common bond. What grew from that foundation was a great friendship with Christ as the center. He rejoiced that he was able to share in their lives also because these people were so dear to him. This bond transcends time and distance because it is based on the groundwork of Christ.

This is why it is so important to surround yourselves with other brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, who are willing to share their lives. Proverbs says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" ( Proverbs 27:17 ). Being in the company of other believers will encourage you in your relationship with the Lord. It is impossible to be around another person who is excited about God and not have that rub off on you. We are called to love each other and to be devoted to one another as a close knit family.

We now belong to one another. We have been adopted into the family of God and our lives now reflect His life. No longer do we ‘go it alone', instead we are called into fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ. The writer of Hebrews said, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching" ( Hebrews 10:24-25 ). We are to share our lives, encourage each other in the word and spur each other toward love and good deeds. This is a wonderful thing about God's family, having other brothers and sister to encourage us and help us grow.

There are a few precious people in my life that have impacted me greatly. I am who I am today because of their friendship and mentoring in the Lord. As early as a teenager, I had wonderful friends who gave up their time to teach me God's word. Today, I have friends who continually encourage me in the word and strengthen me by their devotion and love for God. I have friends who go the miles with me tackling every issue that life throws in the way. These people are so dear to me because of our mutual bond in Christ Jesus. This bond transcends all things because it is not based on anything this world has to offer, but it is based on Christ and belonging to his family.

Today, I encourage you to find other brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Be devoted to them and learn how to share your life with them. You will bless the body of Christ in the process, amen!

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good" (Romans 12:9)

One of the differences between Christians and the world is our ability to love. This love comes solely from God and stems out of the fact that he first loved us. I John says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God" ( I John 4:7 ). Our capacity to love is much more than a natural response to a feeling, our capacity is supernatural because we are children of God and God lives in us ( I John 4:7-21 ).

In today's passage Paul tells us that love must be sincere. It must be genuine - the real thing. It must be without hypocrisy. In our natural selves this is hard to do. It is not always easy to show love and compassion to one another, but this is the mark of a born again believer. Our love for one another should speak louder than any words we can express.

It is no mystery that love is the very first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" ( Galatians 5:22-23 ). This fruit is the characteristics of God that were deposited in our born again spirit. These things were given to us at salvation and prove that we are children of God when we allow them to operate in our lives. We have been given a supernatural ability to love one another. Love is the anchor to every fruit of the Spirit because God is love and his love is the driving force behind everything he has done. In the same way, since God loved us we should love one another and allow His love to flow through us ( I John 4:11 ).

Not only should our love be the real thing, but we should hate and abhor what is evil and cling to what is good. James tells us that keeping ourselves unpolluted from the world is true and faultless religion in the sight of God ( James 1:27 ). This is because God is good and perfect and everything that is good comes from him ( James 1:17 ). So it is natural that we should cling to what is good being born of God. I John tells us the reason Jesus appeared was to destroy the works of the devil ( I John 3:8 ). He destroyed evil on the cross and all the works of Satan. John then went on to say, "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother" ( I John 3:10 ). This is why Paul reminds to love and cling to what is good, because through Christ Jesus these things are who we have been created to be.

It is important to understand that living and operating in love is not something that we must work at, it is a natural byproduct of being born again and walking by the Spirit of God. Paul told us in Romans 8, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires" ( Romans 8:5 ). By simply walking in fellowship with the Lord and renewing our minds to the truth of God's word we will see these things manifested in our lives supernaturally ( Romans 12:2 ). This is the beauty of living by the Spirit of God; the changes that occur are effortless because in the process God changes our hearts to align with His heart. His characteristics become our characteristics as evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit in operating in our lives. Walking by the Spirit of God we will love deeply and gravitate toward everything good because his Spirit leads us. This is the way he designs us to function, not by trying in our own efforts and failing, but His spirit living within us.

What an amazing thing to love in the same way we are loved by God. Today, may this revelation of God's love for you overflow into your love for one another. May your love show you to be a child of God today, amen.