"The Mark of a True Disciple”

Galatians 6:17

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From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

John 13:34-35

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A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

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By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Romans 5:8

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Luke 6:32-36

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“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

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And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

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And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.

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But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

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Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

I heard Abba say, "The evidence you know me will not be your prophetic utterances nor by the wisdom you possess, but rather it it will be known by how you love."

Friends, it is most certainly true some people are very difficult to love. There are people in your life who have harmed you deeply. There are others who simply seek to make your life difficult through their actions daily. And there are others who simply rub you the wrong way.

Do you understand everyone of them was sovereignly placed in your life by the Father for a divine purpose? And this purpose is that you would learn to love as Messiah loved you.

Remember, he is the potter, you are the clay. He is forming you into a pure vessel which can contain His Very Presence. As he whirls you around on His wheel, you are given opportunities to learn to love as He loved. So what is the secret, our Father, the Potter is trying to reveal?

The answer lies in Zechariah 12:10, an incredibly prophetic declaration about the Messiah.

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Friends, if we are to learn to love as Yeshua loved we must realize that this verse was speaking about us. When you and I were walking in sin, we were those who were "piercing" Christ. But the very moment we look upon Him, we see His love collide with our depravity. Then we understand the meaning of the Scripture, "we love because He first loved us."

There is a famous painting by Thomas Blackshear called "Forgiven." You will find the image below. I will never forget the moment I stood before this painting in a museum shortly after being saved. I stared at this picture of Yeshua wrapping His arms around the man holding the hammer and the nail.

I knew I was this man.

Yeshua took the punishment you and I deserve. He poured out His love on the cross for us, His enemies. He did this to not only give us eternal access to the Father, but to empower us to love others as He loved us.

At the time of my salvation I remember hearing Abba say this, "Now that you know how I responded to your wretchedness, by sending my perfect Son to die in your place, you will never be unable to love and forgive another.

Friend, God knows what has been done to you. He sees the scars you bare. He is asking you today to reject seeing this person as an enemy, and to start seeing them as an opportunity.

For they are the opportunity to prove the authenticity and depth of your understanding of the cross.

So then, as the world descends into more and more hatred, let us ascend into greater heights of love and forgiveness. Let us love not because the person deserves it, but because of the fact that Yeshua deserves it.

Our choice to love our enemies in the Last Days will be a catalyst for true revival… For the way we love will be the ultimate mark, that we are the Disciples of Yeshua.

Our Prayer

Father, our desire is to love as you loved us. We cannot do this on our own. Our flesh is prone to take offense. It is prone to grow roots of bitterness. It is ready to rise up and seek vengeance. May it not be so with us Father! Crucify our flesh. Give us a true revelation of what Messiah has done for us. As we look upon Your Son whom we have pierced, teach us to love and forgive those who have pierced us. Today Father we release those who have wounded us, and we choose to walk in love because you first loved us. For the glory of Yeshua. Amen.

A Word from Our Father

My child, there is nothing I desire more than to see my children walking in the truth. And the greatest revelation of truth is not the demonstration of wisdom and intellect, but of love and forgiveness. Remember, I desire obedience more than sacrifice. Remember my mercy triumphs over judgment. If I have forgiven you greatly, will you not forgive and love those who have wronged you? Today, you must release that person into my hands. You do not know if your choice to love and forgive that person is the seed I am waiting to see planted, before the water of my Spirit comes to bring them salvation. This is a high calling. You will need my indwelling Presence to love as I have loved. Beloved, look upon my Son the one you pierced, and feel Him wrapping His loving arms around you. Let this divine encounter empower you to wrap your arms around those who wound you. This has more power to change nations that do wars or elections. I have spoken.

Devotional Song

Let us thank God for his amazing love for us. Let our worship not merely be sung in melody, but let it be shown in how we love one another. Thank you Yeshua for your blood! Thank you for loving us to show us how to love you!