God's Holy Fire: 'Taught by God to Love'

Sunday, February 13, 2022

Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by [Paul's instructions] is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. But we don't need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.
— 1 Thessalonians 4:8-9 NLT

Key Thought

God keeps on giving us the vitally empowering presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. One of the great blessings about this presence is that God pours love into our hearts through the Spirit (Romans 5:5). Along with the great example of God's love in sending Jesus (John 3:16-17), the Father uses the Spirit to teach us how to love each other (Galatians 5:22-23). We are to be filled with the Spirit as we submit to one another (Ephesians 5:17-21). We share in the fellowship of the Spirit as fellow believers (2 Corinthians 13:14). We live together in unity and pursue peace as the Spirit transforms us to be ever more like Christ (Ephesians 4:3-4). Loving each other is not only a command; it is also part of God's continuing work in us through the Holy Spirit.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, I confess that I do not always love others as I should. I ask you to make me like Jesus in my love for others. I am thankful for the presence of the Holy Spirit to help me see those to whom I need to show your love and to empower me to love them when it is difficult. In Jesus' name, I pray for this grace. Amen.

Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, February 13, 2022

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'A Grafted Branch' (Ro. 11:17)
"Dear Father, king of banquets, Like that unknown hearer of Jesus long ago, I say, "How blessed it will be to eat bread in the kingdom of God."..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'The LORD Loves Justice' (Ps. 11:7)
"For the righteous LORD loves justice. The virtuous will see his face."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Romans 8:1
"Come, my soul, think thou of this. Believing in Jesus, thou art actually and effectually cleared from guilt; thou art led out of thy prison. Thou art...."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Illustration

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 4:8-9 NLT — But we don't need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations