Thoughts from a Random Mind
Volume One
by
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February 25
Love Others as Yourself
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.’”
Loving the Lord is the easy part, loving your neighbor as yourself is where we run into problems. There are times when we simply don’t love ourselves very much. Some folks tend to be very hard on themselves. They struggle with self-doubt at times. How can we love our neighbor, if we don’t love ourselves?
Scripture talks about seeing yourself in a mirror, noticing things that need to change and then walking away without making those changes (James 1:23-24). It’s difficult to critique yourself. It’s an important component to make alterations in our character and in the way we live. It’s part of developing into a Christ-like individual. We must be open to change. Have you done that? To answer that question we must answer this question first … how serious are you about living for Christ? Are you putting up a front or façade or are you seriously desirous of being all that God would have you be. God knows what we can be in Christ and He knows what immense potential we have for the kingdom. It isn’t easy stroll; self-critique and constructive criticism never is. One of the keys is to find a mentor who will be honest with you and with whom you can talk about anything. A trusted brother (or in the case of a Christian women, a trusted sister) in Christ can be a valuable asset in living for Christ. Don’t beat yourself up; only you and God truly know your own heart. You can fool others all day long, but you can never fool God. He sees your heart, he knows your motivation. You can’t hide your true intentions from Him. You haven’t been paying attention if you think you can. There’s nothing that escapes the ever watchful eye of God. If you are a Christian, then God dwells in you in the form of the Holy Spirit. Your true motivation cannot be hidden from God.
Now what about your neighbors? Do you shove a tract under their door or in their mailbox? Do you preach at them every time you see them? In my opinion that is no better than driving up to a homeless person, shoving a bible in their hands, saying “God bless you brother” and leaving. You can be an honest, sincere friend to your neighbor without compromising your beliefs. Listen intently and look to meet a need they may have. Show him or her that you care about them as a person. Don’t treat them like just another notch on your ‘win’em’ for Jesus’ belt. Seek to love God with every fiber of your being, learn to love yourself and you will have an easier time reaching out to and loving others. It’s what God wants for all of us.
WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!!
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About the Book
Thoughts from a Random Mind is the latest effort by author RL Keller. It’s a daily devotional that is designed not to simply bless and encourage readers but also challenge them to think about who God truly is and how they might improve their walk with Him. They are meant to be thought-provoking, encouraging, edifying, instructional, and hopefully also a blessing to the reader.
The author considers himself no different than anyone else—just a believer wrestling each day with his beliefs. These devotions were born out of his own personal struggles with life and how his walk with Christ has grown and become more consistent. God is paramount in RL Keller’s life, and he is attempting to share his struggles through his writings so that the reader can know that he is not alone in the battle.
About the Author
RL Keller is a layman with ministry in his background. Some thirty years ago, Rich was in youth ministry in Northern Jersey. Ministry didn’t seem to be in the offing, so he moved on to a career in purchasing. Many years later, at age fifty-seven, Rich saw an opening to embark on what he felt God was calling him to do—write.
His passion is to honor God through the edification and encouragement of fellow Christians. His easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, flowing style of writing has been well-received and has proven to be a blessing.
He hails from and currently resides in the great state of New Jersey. Rich has one book already published, titled There Are No McDonald’s in Heaven: Waiting on God and is already working on a third project, tentatively titled Dear God, I Have a Problem—It’s Me!