Word for the Day November 13
By: Evang. Cascille Hammack
"For I am already
being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure."
2 Tim. 4:6
The Lord has commanded us to love one another. 1 John 4:21 tells us, "And He has given us this command: Whoever
loves God must also love his brother." Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down
his life for his friends." John 15:13 A person who loves, gives of their lives completely. A person
who cannot give cannot love and those who do not love do not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:16) "...God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." 1 John 3:10 says, "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." Many people do not give unless it is no inconvenience to them and reveal they have
no love in them. Paul taught us about true love which involves giving sacrificially to others. He said
he poured himself out as a drink offering. True giving of oneself is a pouring out of oneself. It does not consider
what is convenient of self. It is a giving of oneself that is a sacrifice that is well pleasing to God. Eph. 5:2
says, "..live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice
to God."
Giving to others is showing love to God. Some do not want to be inconvenienced. A self-absorbed
person is incapable of serving and giving. God cares deeply for his people. Hebrews 6:10 explains, "God is
not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people
and continue to help them."
Job was tested but because of his faithfulness, God was well
pleased with him and made his latter days greater than the former days before the test. He had a great reward in heaven
also. Job gave of himself. He said in Job 31:If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow
grow weary, if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless-but from my youth I reared him as a father,
and from my birth I guided the widow- if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without his garment,
and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep, if I raised my hand against the fatherless,
knowing that I had influence in the court, then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint.
For I dreaded God, and for fear of His splendor I could not do such things." Job 31:16-23 Job knew
he had shown love and could stand blameless before God. Because of this, God blessed him greatly. God saw his
heart and did not forget his giving of himself.
Love is a verb, not a noun. When you love, you give.
You give of yourself. Through haughtiness and pride people become self-absorbed and reap destruction on themselves.
When asked what was the most important commandment, Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30,31