How to Love others and also Love ourselves. Part 2
Welcome to part two of our short series about How to Love others and also Love ourselves.
In our last part we looked at a message the Lord gave me !
A lot of the time the Father trusts us (His Children) more than we trust ourselves ! It is the same with Love too. As there is a huge difference between Self-Love And Love Of Self’.
We asked this question:
Why do we so often, find it so hard, to Trust and Love ourselves?
We found the answers in
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
The Lord told me, to start off the journey of learning to trust and Love ourselves. We need to start with Loving Him with everything we have ! Mind,body and soul.
Then from this position, we now need to turn around and look at others through Him (His eyes). As He chooses not to see all the faults and weaknesses in others, we so easily do. But through His Son, He sees the person as righteous without a flaw or fault ! Our view is often sway by what people have done, what they have and who they have become. But this gives a world view and does not line up with a Kingdom mindset ! Also if we had to walk in their shoes, we just might have ended up where they were. We are called to Love them through the lens of Jesus, how He sees them.
So once we can see others His way, the next step is to turn to ourselves.
To look at ourselves through the same lens of Jesus as we use to see others. Seeing all our weaknesses or flaws made perfect through Him. Think of it this way, if you were perfect, you would not need God and He would not have anything to bring His Glory through you !
Let me explain, in 2019, God ask me to write ! Now as I looked at myself through my eyes, this was not possible. As I was dyslexic and when I wrote, I painted a picture of words all mixed up, that made no sense! But I did what He told me to do. He slowly released, His power through me and brought along, others to help me. Now as I look back there is over 300 messages the Father has asked me to write, released,also easily accessed by all. Now translated in 7 different languages. With others being released most weeks globally.
So did He make me with a flaw ‘of not being able to write’ . No He created me with a hole. That one today, He would use, fill and shine through. So that He would get the glory. Also an assignment we could co labour in together !
Like the story of the blind man, who had been waiting since his birth. For Jesus to come and heal Him, so the works of God might be displayed in him.
Let’s read the account.
John 9:1-5 (ESV)
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
So to conclude, we are all born with things that we may think, are wrong, flawed or simply do not look right.
You only have to look around at the drastic measures some people will go through. Trying to conceal or alter things, that they feel, make them less perfect. But where does this all end ?
To be honest, if we were to continually go down the road to change everything we don’t like about ourselves. Which I believe starts with a lot of discomfort, disappointment and ends up by us not being ourselves at all. So we end up living outside of our identity. Interesting that this is the same trick satan was trying to use on Jesus, now he is trying to use on us !
Remember the best ‘you’ is the one God created you to be !
We need to see any flaws or weaknesses, as a place predestine, for Him to fill and release His glory through. !
You are made in the image of God. !
What can be more perfect than that !
So is there some way of weighing ourselves to make sure we are not slowly slipping from Loving our selves, to becoming lovers of ourselves !
There sure is
let’s read it !
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.
Above is a list of How God Loves us ! So this intern is a list about How to Love others and ourselves. If our path, deviate from this list, it is time to repent and make adjustments.
Challenge Time
1. Take one thing of the list of what is Love in the above scripture 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Now implement it in both your relationship with others and your selves.
2. Once this one is a lifestyle, choose another and so on.
3. At each stage focus on Him and allow Him to shine through you !
Father I thank you for this word in season ! Help us all to walk in Love today. Loving you more ! Also Loving others more and lastly Loving ourselves, for who You, created us to be. Amen
For those your would like to place a seed at the alter or plant a seed finically to the Lord to 2024. Or maybe contribute towards His House, we are currently building. To equip the saints for ministry and release His word in a variety of ways from.
Below is a link so you can do this online.
https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=87bf3759-ef4a-4ae2-ac5d-902b82587e44
Or our bank account details for New Zealand memebers,
Encounter Centre – 03-0481-0007448-000
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Craig Patten
Founding Pastor/Prophet
Encounter Centre and Ministries