Love Is An Action

In review of 1 Corinthians 13:13 it says, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”

Bottom Line:

Three things last, faith, hope and love. Love being the greatest.

What this means to me:

I am told that three things will last forever: faith, hope and love, the greatest being love.

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us that love is more important than all the spiritual gifts exercised in the church body. Great faith, acts of dedication or sacrifice, and miracle-working power produce very little without love. Love makes my actions and gifts useful. Although each of us may have different gifts, love is available to everyone.

God's kind of love is directed toward others, not inward toward myself. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against my natural inclinations. It is impossible to have this love unless God helps me set aside my own natural desires so that I can love and not expect anything in return. Thus, the more I become like Christ, the more love we will show to others.

Paul wrote that love endures forever. In morally corrupt Corinth, love had  become a mixed-up term with little meaning. I think that today, people are still confused about love. Love is the greatest of all human qualities and is an attribute of God himself. Love involves unselfish service to others. Faith is the foundation and content of God's message; hope is the attitude and focus; love is action. When faith and hope are in line, I am free to love completely because I understand how God loves. I need to ask myself, is my faith fully expressing itself in loving others?

God have given me three great treasures: faith, hope and love. Hope is God’s gift to every Believer. Whatever I place my hope in will determine the validity of it. Is my hope in God? Or is it in the things of this World?

Have faith in God, the greatest Source of hope when the going gets rough. Above all, share the love of Christ with those around me. Love my neighbor as myself. God loved me so much that He sent His only Son to die in my place. Don’t keep it to myself, give it away! There is not greater love!

Learning to Listen To His Voice

In review of John 10:14 it says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me.”

Bottom Line:

Jesus is the good shepherd, He knows who is His sheep.

What this means to me:

Jesus is the good shepherd, He knows me and I know Him.

Today's verse comes from the first half of John 10 where Jesus explains the concept of a  good shepherd and his relationship to sheep. A good shepherd doesn't need to sneak over the wall, rather he enters the gates and calls his sheep. They recognize his voice and follow him. Jesus goes onto to explain how a good shepherd will sacrifice his life for his sheep. A hired hand will run when danger comes as he only works for money and doesn't really care about the sheep.

Jesus then tells us he is the good shepherd; He knows his sheep, and they know Him, just as God the Father knows Him and He knows the Father. Jesus says that He sacrifices his life for the sheep. Also, he has other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold yet. He wants to bring them in as well. They will listen to His voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

In contrast to the thief who takes life, Jesus gives life. The life he gives us right now is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of his overflowing forgiveness, love and guidance.

A hired hand will tend sheep for money, while the good shepherd does it out of love. The good shepherd owns the sheep and is committed to them. Jesus is not merely doing a job; he is committed to love us and even lay down his life for us. False teachers and false prophets do not this commitment.

The Other sheep that Jesus mentions were non-Jews. Jesus came to save Gentiles as well as Jews. This is an insight into his worldwide mission; to die for the sins of the world. People tend to want to restrict God's blessing to their own group, but Jesus refuses to be limited by the fences we build.

God Almighty, the Creator of the heaven and earth, wrote the Bible to give me an inside peek at who He is and what He’s all about. His detailed love-letter invites me to know Him on an intimate level and be His ambassador to the world. The more I know about Him, the deeper my relationship with Him and the more I can share His love with others.

Not a moment slips by that I am not at the forefront of God’s mind. But do I really know the sound of His voice? Do I listen when He leads me down paths of righteousness? Learn to Listen? He might just be leading me out of harm’s way.

Learning to Utilize One of God’s Greatest Gifts - Prayer

In review of Matthew 6:9-13 it says, “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation,but rescue us from the evil one.”

Bottom Line:

Jesus teaches us how to pray.

What this means to me:

Jesus provides me a model for prayer that I can use at anytime.

Jesus provided a pattern to be imitated as well as duplicated. It includes praise for God, pray for his work in the world, pray for my daily needs, and pray for help in my daily struggles.

"Our Father in heaven" indicates that God is not only majestic and holy but also personal and loving. I am to praise and have a commitment of honor towards him.

"May your Kingdom come soon" is a reference to God's spiritual reign, not Israel's freedom from Rome. Christ's reign is present in my heart, and will be complete when all evil is destroyed and God establishes the new heaven and earth.

When I pray, "May your will be done" I'm not resigning myself to fate, but by praying that God's perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as in the next. God accomplishes this through people willing to obey him. This part of the prayer allows me to offer myself as a doer of God's will, asking him to guide, lead, and give me the means to accomplish his purposes.

When I pray "Give us today the food we need," I'm acknowledging that God is my sustainer and provider. It would be a misconception to think that I provide for my needs myself. I must trust God daily to provide what he knows we need.

I know that God will sometimes allow me to be tested by temptation. I need to pray to be delivered from these trying times and for deliverance from the evil one and his deceit. I will always struggle with temptation. It can be so subtle that I don't even realize what is happening to me. God has promised that he won't allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear. So I ask God to help me recognize temptation and to give me strength to overcome it and choose God's way instead.

Jesus gives me a startling warning about forgiveness. If I refuse to forgive others, God will also refuse to forgive me. If I don't forgive, I'm denying my common ground as a sinner in need of God's forgiveness. God's forgiveness of sin is not the direct result of my forgiving others, but it is based on my realizing what forgiveness means. It's easy to ask for forgiveness but difficult to grant to others. Whenever I ask God to forgive me for sin, I should also ask, have I forgiven those who have wronged me.

If I ever find myself struggling with where I start my conversation with God, start with the Lord’s prayer. Get to know God like He’s your best friend. Call upon His mighty name; He tore the temple veil in two to make sure we knew: we have an all-access pass to the throne room of God Himself.

When Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t teach His disciples to preach, but He did teach them how to pray. When I pray I can unleash the power of heaven on earth. Demons will quake and angels are put to flight.

If I’m not utilizing prayer in my daily life, I'm missing out on one of God’s greatest gifts to His children. Prayer is communion with God. It is unleashing heaven’t best on my life. It is keeping my enemies at bay. It is fighting my battles in the heavenlies. It is a tool like no other. So start here with the Lord’s prayer.

Staying Connected

In review of John 15:5 it says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Bottom Line:

If you are disconnected from Christ, you can’t really produce what is worthwhile.

What this means to me:

Jesus is the vine, I am only a branch. When I remain in and stay connected to Him, I can produce much fruit, however apart from Him or on my own, I can’t do a thing that is worthwhile.

In the first half of John 15, Jesus tells us how he is the true grapevine, and his Father is the gardener. The Father cuts off branches that don't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do, so that they will produce more. Remain in Him (Jesus) and He will remain in you. A branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine. It's difficult to be fruitful unless the branch remains on the vine.

Yes, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Those who remain in Him and He in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Him you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in Him is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if we remain in Him and His words remain in us, we can ask for anything (our desires will match His desires), and it will be granted. When we do produce much fruit, we become his true disciples. This brings great glory to the Father.

Jesus makes a distinction between two kinds of pruning: (1) cutting off and (2) cutting back branches. Fruitful branches are cut back to promote growth. God must sometimes discipline us to strengthen our character and faith. But branches that don't bear fruit are cut off at the trunk not only because they are worthless but also because they often infect the rest of the tree. People who don't bear fruit for God or who try to block the efforts of God's followers will be cut off from his life-giving power.

Remaining in Christ means: (1) believing that he is God's son, (2) receiving him as Savior and Lord, (3) doing what God says, (4) continuing to believe the Good News, and (5) relating in love to the community of believers, Christ's body.

Many try to be good and honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to Him, like a branch attached to the vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful.

In addition when a vine produces "much fruit," God is glorified, for daily he sent the sunshine and rain to make the crops grow, and constantly he nurtured each tiny plant and prepared it to blossom. What a moment of glory for the Lord of the harvest when the harvest is brought into the barns, mature and ready for use! He made it all happen! This farming analogy shows how God is glorified when people come into a right relationship with him and begin to "produce much fruit" in their lives.

As long as I stay connected to Him, I will thrive, I can grow to become anything God wants me to be. But the moment I decide I no longer need God, I will begin to shrivel. I am not promised tomorrow. Stay rooted in Jesus and He will send me rain in the drought when all those around me are in need. As long as I’m connected to the living Vine, my future will shine.

God Approves of Those Who Listen to Wisdom's Counsel.

In review of Proverbs 8:35 it says, “Whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord”

Bottom Line:

Whoever finds Wisdom, finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

What this means to me:

When I find wisdom, I find life and receive approval and favor from the Lord.

Today's passage comes from the last part of Proverbs 8. I it, I am encouraged by Wisdom to listen to her, for all who follow her ways are joyful. I am to listen to her instruction and be wise, don't ignore it. When I listen I’ll be joyful, watching for it daily at the gates, waiting for it outside my home! For if I find her, I find life and I'll receive favor from the Lord. But if I miss her, I'll end up injuring myself. All who hate wisdom, love death.

In Proverbs 8, Wisdom's call is contrasted to the call of the immoral woman. Wisdom is portrayed as a woman who guides us and makes us succeed. Wisdom was present at the creation of the world and works with the Creator. God approves of those who listen to Wisdom's counsel. Wisdom should affect every aspect of one's life; from beginning to end. In response I should be sure to open all the corners of my life to God's direction and guidance.

Today I’m also reminded that my own wisdom can become intellectual idolatry. The Bible says that God’s Word is truth. If I believe anything beyond the Word of God, I’m investing in a lie, plain and simple. As a believer, every answer I need for life is found in the Bible. Don’t lean on my understanding; rather lean on what God tells me is true.

Fear and doubt can sway me in the wrong direction and blow me off course. So I am to hold tight to the truth found in God’s Word. Cling to it like a life vest on a sinking ship when the storm is raging, and know that the promises found within the Scripture are always true. The Bible’s truths will not only set me free but can navigate a course that will make me a success story that shines light on the Savior... on my Source.

Right now, what I see in front of me is not the whole picture. Only God knows what is coming my way. Trust that He knows what is best, and continue seeking His will. He will never lead me in the wrong direction.

God Hears and Listens To Me

In review of Psalm 145:18 it says, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”

Bottom Line:

You are near to everyone whose prayers are sincere.

What this means to me:

God comes near when I call to Him and ask with sincerity.

Today's verse comes from Psalm 145. In it David explains that a time will come when all people will join together in recognizing and worshiping God. Because God is full of love, he satisfies all who trust in him.

Sometimes my burdens seem more than I can bear, and I wonder how I can go on. David stands at this same bleak intersection of life's road and meditates on the Lord, the great burden-bearer. Likewise God is able to lift me up because (1) his greatness is beyond my understanding; (2) he does might acts across many generations; (3) he is full of splendor and majesty; (4) he does wonderful and awesome deeds; (5) he is righteous; (6) he is kind, merciful, patient, loving and compassionate; (7) he rules over an everlasting kingdom; (8) he is my source for meeting my daily needs; (9) he is righteous and gracious in all his dealings; (10) he remains near to me when I call on him; (11) he hears my cries and rescues me. When I feel a burden and about to fall, I can turn to God for help. For He is always ready to lift me up and bear my burden.

I serve the God who gave me the awesome power of prayer as a means of direct communication with Him. All I need to do is ask. There are people who would give a fortune to be able to talk to the President for just a few minutes, but I have the opportunity to talk directly to the King if kings and Lord of lords for a long as I please. And best of all, He hears every word I say.

Today is the day and right now is the time. Whatever I need,I can call upon His mighty name and know that is shall be done in Jesus’ name! My mind finds it difficult to even begin to grasp the great things He can do. I just need to free Him to have His way in my life.

If I’m Thankful, My Life Will Show It

In review of 1 Chronicles 16:34 it says, “Oh, give thanks in the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

Bottom Line:

The Lord is good and kind, and his mercy endures forever.

What this means to me:

I can give thanks to the Lord for he is always good, in fact his faithfulness, mercies and kindness go on forever.

Today's verse comes from 1 Chronicles 16 and is part of David's song of praise. Four elements of true thanksgiving are found in this song: (1) remembering what God has done, (2) telling others about it, (3) showing God's glory to others, and (4) offering gifts of self, time, and resources. If I am truly thankful, my life will show it.

When I declare God's character and attributes in the presence of others, I recognize and affirm his goodness, and I hold up his perfect moral nature for all to see. Also, praise to Him benefits me, because it takes my mind off of my problems and needs, and let's me focus on God's power, mercy, majesty, and love. In addition, my praise should also give credit where credit is due. When I worship, give God all the glory.

I’m encouraged this morning to remember God’s amazing grace. I was once lost in sin, and the loving hand of God reached down and pulled me out. He washed me in His precious blood, redeemed me, and set me free.

So I can choose today to give God thanks for all the good things He has done instead of reminding Him of what still need to be taken care of. While there is air in my lungs, I should use it to glory His Holy Name.