LOVE, HONOR

Tanzania Update: The East Africa Christian College website is <http://maxpoint.org/eastafricacc>. Pray for the conversion of the Muslim people of Tanzania, especially from the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. Conversion among Muslims has increased but pray for more. There is a spiritual battle between Muslim fundamentalism and Christianity for the souls of these Muslim people. Pray for the work that is being done in Tanzania by a number of different Christian groups. Pray for ongoing Bible translations. 51 languages have no Scripture at all and 32 only have portions of the Bible. Pray as the nation increases in literacy that Christian tracts and books and digital resources will increase. Pray for the ministries of Christian radio, the Jesus film and Gospel Recordings, which has recorded gospel messages in 88 languages and dialects. God is working in Tanzania but the need is great. Especially pray for the church and the Pastors of the nation.

Romans 12.10 says, "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." As followers of Christ we are called to glorify God by loving and honoring others. Loving others as we read in 1 Corinthians 13 is selfless and sacrificial. We are to give to others and treat others in a way that helps them not so much to get what they want, but to discover what they need and have in the fullness of Jesus Christ. Sometimes an act of benevolent love is a voice of support for the Gospel that someone else will preach at a later date. At other times the action of love is in the form of a rebuke or even a withholding of support that God may have room to work in the life.

As Christians we are especially called to love and honor fellow believers in Jesus. We are commanded to show them genuine appreciation, affection and admiration and to put them first as we are told in Philippians 2.3-11 and shown in the example of Christ. Of course other believers are people and that is the problem. We know that we are easy to love, but them, well that is another situation!!! God enables the Christian to embrace the porcupine in love and honor as well as the teddy bear.
We are to outdo one another in showing honor. What a loud message to a back biting, self-centered, proud world. As smiling, humble, serving, honoring, loving Christians we may be mocked for our beliefs and marginalized in our social circles, but let us make sure we are never accused of hypocrisy, and partiality. Let's at least be attractive to the world and not give any valid reason for their rejection of Jesus. "Let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven". (Matthew 5.16). "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation". (1 Peter 2.12).
Grab a coffee or tea or juice or water. It is time to take 1/2 hour to quietly meditate on 1 Peter 2. God has given us much and also calls us to much as we live in Christ.