So much of the turmoil, unrest, and turbulence in the world today originates from just one thing - hate! Just because someone thinks or believes differently than you do is not a reason to hate. Neither is there an excuse for hatred because of skin color, financial status, level of education, or any other reason. There is simply never a good reason for hate, and those who allow such ugliness to creep into their hearts are miserable people. This includes those who claim to be followers of Christ because Jesus and hate cannot live in the same heart! 1 John 3:15 tells us, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” Wow! God calls hating someone “murder,” and anyone who is a murderer won’t be allowed into heaven! So how do you get rid of hatred? Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” When Jesus was here on earth, He set a wonderful example of how to treat others, and that was with love and respect! Throughout Scripture, the message is clear and repeated over and over again: “love . . . love . . . love!” Ask God to remove any hatred in your heart and replace it with an extra measure of His love . . . for your salvation depends on it. Text: 1 John 2:9-11, 1 John 4:20, Leviticus 19:17-18, Proverbs 10:12