“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:3 (NIV) What is your life song? Has God put a new song in your mouth? As children of God, we have the life transforming message of Jesus. If […]
Category: Love
“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” Eph 1:15-16 (NIV) The most incredible relationship you can ever have is vertical. Having a right relationship with God through Jesus […]
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Love and Forgiveness
“‘Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.’” Luke 7:47 (NIV) What’s the relationship between forgiveness and love? God loves us so much that He sacrificed His only Son to atone for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus loves us so much […]
“‘But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.’” Luke 6:27-28 (NIV) Have you ever been mistreated or hated? Did it make you want to retaliate? That is a natural reaction. Jesus modeled how every believer […]
“Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.’” Luke 6:20 (NIV) Our condition before we came to Christ was that of spiritual bankruptcy. We had nothing to offer God due to our sin nature. Our fallen state disqualified us from the kingdom of God. […]
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True Love
How would you define love? Is love a verbal expression, an act of kindness, or a gift extended to another? Is love being willing to do what you do not enjoy in order to benefit someone else? Is love a natural flow from a heart that is full? “‘A new command I give you: Love […]
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Love In Action
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I […]
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First Love (1)
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” Rev 2:4 (NIV) Jesus affirmed the church at Ephesus for their good deeds, hard work, perseverance, and discernment. They had endured hardships for His name. The church at Ephesus appeared to be healthy from an external point of view. However, Jesus confronted the […]
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Compelling Love
“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” 1 John 3:17 (NIV) When you pull up to a traffic signal and notice a man holding a cardboard sign saying, “Need food! Please help!” What kind of thoughts […]
“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple.’” Luke 14:25-26 (NIV) Idolatry is a word we seldom use. Whenever you allow someone […]
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the […]
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20 (NIV) Is it possible to love God and hate your brother? Can you have the love of God […]
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” Gen 3:8-9 (NIV) God demonstrated […]
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, […]
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Living The Dash (5)
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Eph 5:1-2 (NIV) Who do I love and who loves me? Love is a fruit of the Spirit and an indicator […]
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Expressing God’s Love (2)
“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Heb 13:3 (NIV) Be sensitive to God’s activity. God wants us to express His love to His creation. People matter to God. Our value was clearly demonstrated by the ultimate love bridge ever […]
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Expressing God’s Love (1)
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Heb 13:2 (NIV) God uses ordinary people to accomplish the extraordinary. Did you know that God receives glory as you make yourself available for His use? God is not restricted by your ability. God chooses to use […]
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” James 2:8 (NIV) We are by nature self-absorbed, self-centered, and self-focused. When anything happens around us our first question is: How will this affect me? In many ways, we act as though the earth really does […]
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” James 2:1 (NIV) James gives perspective to the believers who have been dispersed by the persecution in Jerusalem. He is writing to the Jews of the Diaspora. They are living outside of their homeland. They are being exposed to different cultures and […]
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Real Temptation (2)
“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” James 1:13-14 (NIV) God is holy and God is love. The nature of God will not […]
Have you been there, done that, and left frustrated? Life is filled with unlimited options and unimaginable opportunities. We are bombarded with advertisements which are positioned to convince us that we need the product being promoted. Our landscape is littered with attractions and allurements which compete for our attention. It seems that the more we acquire, […]
How would you define love? Is love a verbal expression, an act of kindness, or a gift extended to another? Is love being willing to do what you do not enjoy in order to benefit someone else? Is love a natural flow from a heart that is full? “‘A new command I give you: Love […]
“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” 1 John 3:17 (NIV) When you pull up to a traffic signal and notice a man holding a cardboard sign saying, “Need food! Please help!” What kind of thoughts […]
“But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.” Mark 15:11 (NIV) Have you ever encountered injustice? Have you ever been treated unfairly? I think we have all been there. It hurts! The scars serve as a constant reminder. In our verse today, we find a word that compels us […]