DIG for Friday the 4th of September…..who is your neighbour…..Mark 12 v 31

When we read in the bible that we are to love our neighbour, there are no conditions set on this.

It does not define the type of neighbour we are to love; Jesus just said love thy neighbour.

We do not read that we are to love our church attending, “Jesus loving” neighbour.

We do not read that we are to love our white, straight, middle class neighbour.

Jesus said love your neighbour.

The Greek for neighbour means near or neighbour, fellow or man.

My understanding is that neighbour is every person on the planet except for us; as a human being living on earth every other human being is our neighbour.

This is a particularly important truth in the world we are living today.

Your neighbour and my neighbour is the so-called economic migrant, the so-called illegal immigrant, the so-called Muslim trying to flee their country and get into the West.

If I didn’t know better I would think that some of the so-called Christians I see commenting on social media today have never read Mark 12 v 31 or Matthew 22 v 39.

As a human being we have a moral duty to love our fellow man and as a Christian this is a command from our Lord, and with love comes responsibility and the requirement to help.

We cannot turn our back on our neighbour and we cannot pretend our neighbour in plight does not exist; we cannot pull up the ladder and say I’m all right thank you.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you love every single person on the earth today, help us demonstrate that love to a needy world”.

Mark 12 v 31…..And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these

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DIG for Thursday the 3rd of September…..feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace…..Ephesians 6 v 15

My wife knows that the footwear we put on are very important; she was with me yesterday as we trudged through four shops and I couldn’t get a single pair of shoes that I liked!

The footwear that Romans soldiers wore was also very important to them.

These soldiers were used to marching many miles a day, even fighting at the end of it, so they had to be in good condition at all times.

These boots were studded on the soles giving the soldier greater stability if fighting; there would be no slipping and sliding when these boots were worn.

Stability is something that we all need in or lives.

Stability (in terms of emotions and character) comes from having peace in our loves, and that peace comes from knowing and understanding the gospel.

The gospel reminds us of what the Lord has done for us and if we stay focussed on Him we will see peace, and hence stability (Isaiah 26 v 3).

The world, and other people around us, seems to be in chaos and uproar right now, but we can be a haven of peace in this place.

As the Roman soldiers stood firm in their boots we can stand firm because we have done our preparation with the gospel of peace.

And these Roman boots could also be used to attack the enemy by stamping down on opponents legs and feet.

We can use the gospel of peace to attack the enemy as well, telling him that we are healed and prosperous for example when he tries to steal, kill and destroy.

Prepare yourself today, get into the Word, and get into the gospel of peace.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for you Word, thank you for the peace that we can make manifest through your Word”.

Ephesians 6 v 15…..And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace