Gregory E. Lang's Blog, page 6

Love Your Neighbor

You may commit acts of charity and kindness, but unless your acts are motivated by love, your good deeds mean nothing in the eyes of the Lord. It is in your love for your neighbor that you continue Christ’s work of spreading the hope of salvation and everlasting life. Be a disciple; love others so well that there will be mutual regard and affection, all for God’s greater glory. Love your neighbor.

I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other. John 13:34-35

You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17

I may speak in different languages of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing if I do not have love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. Serve each other with love. The whole law is made complete in this one command: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Galatians 5:13-14

This is the teaching you have heard from the beginning: We must love each other. 1 John 3:11

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

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Cherish Your Spouse

Marriage is a relationship of mutual obligations. Each spouse must offer to the other what those obligations require. Your spouse is a great blessing given to you so that you may more fully enjoy your life. Honor and treasure that blessing. You are called to love your spouse just as Christ loved the church, with loving devotion and lifelong fidelity. Cherish your spouse.

And God said, So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body. So there are not two, but one. God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.” Matthew 19:5-6

The husband should give his wife all that he owes her as his wife. And the wife should give her husband all that she owes him as her husband. The wife does not have full rights over her own body; her husband shares them. And the husband does not have full rights over his own body; his wife shares them. 1 Corinthians 7:3-4

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Marriage should be honored by everyone, and husband and wife should keep their marriage pure. God will judge as guilty those who take part in sexual sins. Hebrews 13:4

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

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Help Others Succeed

If Christ encourages and blesses you, follow his example! Serve not only your own interests, but also the interests of others, all the while urging them on toward their own good deeds, not letting them fall into confusion or failure. Help others succeed.

I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made it grow. So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God, who makes things grow, is important. The one who plants and the one who waters have the same purpose, and each will be rewarded for his own work. 1 Corinthians 3:6-8

We do not want you to have troubles while other people are at ease, but we want everything to be equal. At this time you have plenty. What you have can help others who are in need. Then later, when they have plenty, they can help you when you are in need, and all will be equal. As it is written in the Scriptures, “The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little.”  2 Corinthians 8:13-15

When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others. Philippians 2:3-4

God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helping them.  Hebrews 6:10

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

The post Help Others Succeed appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Do Your Share

Do as much as you can in line with your blessings and abilities, no matter how high or low the task may be, with joy in your heart, knowing you are a model of Christ’s great love and mercy. This pleases the Lord. Do your share.

You know I always worked to take care of my own needs and the needs of those who were with me. Acts 20:34

In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people. Colossians 3:23

Brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ we command you to stay away from any believer who refuses to work and does not follow the teaching we gave you. You yourselves know that you should live as we live. We were not lazy when we were with you. And when we ate another person’s food, we always paid for it. We worked very hard night and day so we would not be an expense to any of you. We had the right to ask you to help us, but we worked to take care of ourselves so we would be an example for you to follow. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9

We want each of you to go on with the same hard work all your lives so you will surely get what you hope for. We do not want you to become lazy. Be like those who through faith and patience will receive what God has promised. Hebrews 6:11-12

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

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Do Good Deeds

The call to all Christians is to do good deeds; by your good deeds you bring glory to God. Your faith in God if that faith is without good deeds is not enough. Care for others and encourage them to do their own good deeds, all wrapped in love, for that love identifies you as a faithful child of God. Do good deeds.

In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10

This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love; that you will see the difference between good and bad and will choose the good; that you will be pure and without wrong for the coming of Christ. Philippians 1:9-10

My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring. 1 John 3:18

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

The post Do Good Deeds appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Use Measured Words

Words can be either lasting solace or lethal poison. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. Do not utter both blessing and cursing, good and evil, for such contradictions only insult God and discourage his people. Think before speaking. Use measured words.

Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things. But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things. And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said. The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will prove you right, but some of your words will prove you guilty.  Matthew 12:35-37

Besides that, they learn to waste their time, going from house to house. And they not only waste their time but also begin to gossip and busy themselves with other people’s lives, saying things they should not say. 1 Timothy 5:13

We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself. Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen. James 3:9-10

Brothers and sisters, do not tell evil lies about each other. If you speak against your fellow believers or judge them, you are judging and speaking against the law they follow. And when you are judging the law, you are no longer a follower of the law. You have become a judge. God is the only Lawmaker and Judge. He is the only One who can save and destroy. So it is not right for you to judge your neighbor. James 4:11-12

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

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Tell the Truth

Simply let your Yes, be Yes, and your No, No. You are a member of the Christian household, and every member has a right to the truth; do not lie. Have faith and trust the results of honoring and defending the truth. Turn away from your former ill practices and conduct yourself as a new and better person. Tell the truth.

Say only yes if you mean yes, and no if you mean no. If you say more than yes or no, it is from the Evil One. Matthew 5:37

So you must stop telling lies. Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body. When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day. Do not give the devil a way to defeat you. Ephesians 4:25-27

But now also put these things out of your life: anger, bad temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and using evil words when you talk. Do not lie to each other. You have left your old sinful life and the things you did before. Colossians 3:8-9

The Scripture says, A person must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. He must not say evil things, and he must not tell lies. He must stop doing evil and do good. He must look for peace and work for it. 1 Peter 3:10-11

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

The post Tell the Truth appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Tell the Truth

Simply let your Yes, be Yes, and your No, No. You are a member of the Christian household, and every member has a right to the truth; do not lie. Have faith and trust the results of honoring and defending the truth. Turn away from your former ill practices and conduct yourself as a new and better person. Tell the truth.

Say only yes if you mean yes, and no if you mean no. If you say more than yes or no, it is from the Evil One. Matthew 5:37

So you must stop telling lies. Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body. When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day. Do not give the devil a way to defeat you. Ephesians 4:25-27

But now also put these things out of your life: anger, bad temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and using evil words when you talk. Do not lie to each other. You have left your old sinful life and the things you did before. Colossians 3:8-9

The Scripture says, A person must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. He must not say evil things, and he must not tell lies. He must stop doing evil and do good. He must look for peace and work for it. 1 Peter 3:10-11

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

The post Tell the Truth appeared first on Gregoryelang.

Listen With Understanding

Pray that you might faithfully hear the Word and use the Word to glorify God in all other things that you hear and answer to. When listening to man, what you hear depends on how you hear. You should be quick to listen, but slow to speak and even slower to become angry, for anger does not bring about the Christian example that God desires. Listen with understanding.

Everything that is hidden will become clear, and every secret thing will be made known. So be careful how you listen. Those who have understanding will be given more. But those who do not have understanding, even what they think they have will be taken away from them.” Luke 8:17-18

Be happy with those who are happy, and be sad with those who are sad. Romans 12:15,

We have spoken freely to you in Corinth and have opened our hearts to you. Our feelings of love for you have not stopped, but you have stopped your feelings of love for us. I speak to you as if you were my children. Do to us as we have done – open your hearts to us. 2 Corinthians 6:11-13

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and patient. The Lord’s servant must gently teach those who disagree. Then maybe God will let them change their minds so they can accept the truth. 2 Timothy 2:24-25

My dear brothers and sisters, always be willing to listen and slow to speak. Do not become angry easily, because anger will not help you live the right kind of life God wants. James 1:19-20

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

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Ease Others’ Burdens

There are many burdens: financial, spiritual, emotional, and physical. To the extent you are able, help lighten others’ burdens. Keep in mind that you yourself are not infallible nor without fault, so judge others’ circumstances gently. Ease others’ burdens.

The only thing they asked us was to remember to help the poor – something I really wanted to do. Galatians 2:10

By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

But it was good that you helped me when I needed it.  Philippians 4:14

Tell the rich people to do good, to be rich in doing good deeds, to be generous and ready to share. By doing that, they will be saving a treasure for themselves as a strong foundation for the future. Then they will be able to have the life that is true life. 1 Timothy 6:18-19

God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helping them. Hebrews 6:10

Lead Serve Love: 100 Three-Word Ways to Live Like Jesus can be purchased for Kindle here.

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