“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).

Hmmm.

I don’t like it when I get spurred. It hurts. It stings.

What is interesting about the verse of the day is that it tells disciples to spur one another toward love and good deeds. We are to encourage, nudge, peer-pressure, spur one another to love and good deeds. We do that by practicing love and doing good deeds. We are to create such an environment where we spur one another to outdo one another in acts of love and good deeds.

That’s exactly what the Apostle Paul encourages us to do in Romans 12:10, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (ESV).

Can you imagine a church like that? A church that peer-pressures one another to love and good deeds. A church that outdoes one another in acts of service and showing honor to one another.

Wow!

Last thing – there’s a moment when spurring becomes spearing. When encouragement becomes demand, when a nudge becomes a shove. People die when speared.

The aim of our spurring is for the building up. The aim of spearing is for killing. Know the difference.

“You will be hated by everyone because of me…” (Matthew 10:22).

So…

The statement is true.

• We will die and we will face judgment.
• Without Jesus, we will be damned.
• God’s wrath against sinners will be poured out.

This is all true.

But…dang…this is not the way to communicate God’s love for sinners!!!

Jesus told us that his followers will be hated. But Jesus didn’t say that his followers will be hated because they are annoying or because they are jerks. Jesus told us that we would be hated because of Jesus, because of his name. Just as the world hated Jesus, so the world will hate those who follow and live like Jesus.

The last thing Jesus was, was a jerk!

I like the way @aussiedave put it. He says, “If people hate you because of Jesus, that’s expected. If people hate Jesus because of you, that’s a problem.”

@aussiedave is right. Be merciful as Jesus is merciful. Be kind as Jesus is kind. Be gracious as Jesus is gracious. Being like Jesus will be more than enough for a world that wants to go on sinning to hate Jesus followers.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Sinners? Yup.
Repeat sinners? Yup.

It’s a given. We are sinners. There is not one single human being who prays to God who is innocent. We are all guilty. We are all undeserving of God’s mercy and grace. We are all deserving of God’s wrath and judgment.

Yet, God still calls us to pray.
Yet, God still answers prayers.
Yet, God still loves us.

The devil uses what everyone already knows and wants to use that against us. He makes us feel guilty for praying to God. “What right do you have? You are a sinner…a repeat sinner at that! How many times are you going to ask God to forgive you for that? You actually think God is going to answer YOUR prayers?!?!”

The thing the devil doesn’t want you to know is this simple truth. We do not pray because of who we are. We pray because of who God is.

• Of course we are undeserving. That’s why God is merciful.
• Of course we are sinful. That’s why God calls us to repentance.
• God WANTS to forgive us.

So, pray. Pray. Let God know what’s in your heart. Let God get close. Pray.