February 25, 2015
Greatest Commandment 
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Instinctively, we do take care of ourselves and meet our daily physical needs. Just as I wouldn’t ignore my own needs, I shouldn’t ignore the needs of others. Love your neighbor as yourself. Consider their needs. The Apostle Paul put it this way in Philippians 2:3-4 - Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

But when I see Jesus’ command for us to love others as much as I love myself I am a little troubled that in our day and age psychological and sociological factors have now seeped in to this simple direction. People are so extreme now. We have the “do it if it feels good” group and the self-loathers. I wouldn’t want any of these people considering me like (as in the same way) they consider themselves.

Self- loathers’ perspective is so distorted, how can they love others when they berate and harm their very own selves? And the self indulging camp is just as bad. No boundaries, nothing off limit? That means the don’t love others because they don’t care what happens to people because they certainly don’t care about what happens in their wake of pursuing their pleasure. How can we love our neighbor like we love ourselves when society doesn’t teach what properly loving ourselves looks like?

And that’s why we have Jesus. He doesn’t say Love your neighbor as yourself without tons of examples. Here’s a few:
*Philippians 2:5-7 (Jesus) gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position...
*John 15:9 I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
*John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.
*1 John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

See, there is no way to love myself correctly or love others at all apart from knowing God and his love for me. God’s love shows me that living to please myself is sin, not love (see Romans 7:5). And self-loathing is also sin because it negates the fact that I am totally treasured by God (see 1 Peter 2:9). God loves and accepts me just like I am. Therefore, I must love and accept myself exactly as I am and love and accept others exactly the way they are and not let the world’s distorted views of self-love obstruct the Greatest Commandment.

Dear God,
Thank you that I can love because you first loved me. Society has it backwards. They pick what to love or call hate love. But you have the REAL scoop, the real truth about love, and I pray for you to help me to love others the way you have intended. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

February 24, 2015
Luck is Dumb
Jeremiah 29:13
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

If I study hard, I might get good grades. If I work hard, I might get a promotion. If I take care of myself, I might enjoy good health in my older years. I knew a teacher who was in perfect health and followed the  “perfect” diet, exercised everyday and was fit enough to run marathons. Well, he dropped dead of a heart attack in his 40's. Life offers no guarantees. What works for one person might not work for another. 

I’ve seen Q&A sessions on tv before where young people have an opportunity to ask their idols in music, film, sports, etc how they got famous and ask what can they do to attain that success too. The response, no matter who gives it, is always the same. They have no formula for the admirer to follow because they know they were just in the right place at the right time to get the music deal, the movie offer, or the big fat contract. It was just dumb luck. 

And luck is dumb.

Having a real, rich and full relationship with the One True and Living God is not up to chance. It’s not something to reach for and only having a marginal chance of achieving. No, this is actually the ONLY guarantee in life, so I’ll gladly take it! If I look for God wholeheartedly, I will find him. He doesn’t invite me to seek him and then hide.
 
God has made himself obvious through creation. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20)

God has made himself obvious through his Son, Jesus. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. (Colossians 2:9)

God has made himself obvious through his Word. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16)

He is not hiding. People just need to look.

Dear God,
Thank you for not hiding. Thank you for a rich and relieving relationship with you because of your Son. I love you so much, and I am so thankful. I pray for our unsaved loved ones who do not acknowledge you at all through Creation, by your Son, or because of your Word. I pray for their hearts to be opened so they can see the wonderful guarantees you offer of forgiveness, restoration, and eternal life. Thank you for not leaving my future up to chance or luck. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus name, amen.

February 20, 2015
Treating Friends
Proverbs 17:9
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

There’s lots of verses about being a godly friend, and they all fit together. Something I keep in mind is that these verses are not merely about friends out in the world, but my list of “friends” should include my husband, my children, my siblings, and my parents. God’s prescription for being a godly friend also helps me be a godly wife, mom, sister, and daughter.

1. No fault finding.
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, so don’t drudge up the past. Proverbs 17:9
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13

2. Don’t be a know-it-all or think you’re better than others.
Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves... Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Romans 12:3&16

3. Don’t give people a taste of their own medicine.
Never pay back evil with more evil. Romans 12:17
Never be glad about someone “getting what they deserve.” 1 Corinthians 13:6

4. Love them exactly the way they are.
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Romans 12:9

I certainly want to be treated this way by my friends and family all the time no matter what, so I can’t live by a double standard desiring this for myself but only offering it in return to people when I think “deserve” it from me. No one “deserves” any of this amazing system of friendship that God has authored for us. How kind he is to instruct us all to put it into practice in all of our relationships.

Dear God,
Thank you for Jesus who shows us all these things about real friendship. Help me to make it my practice  and personal policy to not be a fault finder, not think I’m better than everyone, not be a know-it-all, not hope people get a taste of their own medicine, and not wait for people to change before I love them. I don’t want to be a hypocrite living a double standard. I just want to live by your standard of how to be a loving, godly friend in all of my relationships. I love you and thank you and pray for your help in Jesus’ name, amen.

February 19, 2015
I Surely Ought To
1 John 4:11-12
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

All children imitate their parents in some way. Even children who are adopted take on traits of the people that raise them. If God is my Father, I certainly want my life to be a reflection of his instruction and influence in my life.

But I don’t live to try and imitate God simply fit in or look like I belong to the Family of God. Since I do not deserve the love, forgiveness, comfort and grace he pours out on me, how can I decide for whom and when I will pour it out on others? As God’s daughter, people should expect these things from me too without having to earn or deserve it in some way. 

Because of how I am treated, I surely ought to...
Love: We surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:11
Forgiveness: But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:15
Comfort: God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 
2 Corinthians 1:4
Grace: Is a GIFT from God, not something I’m owed. Ephesians 2:8

These are things God does for me. I should be treating others the same way without falling into the trap of thinking they have to earn it or deserve it from me because that’s not how I would accurately be represented the Dad raising me.

Dear God,
Thank you so much for your love, forgiveness, comfort and grace. I love the relief I receive from you as a result of your never ending supply of these things for me. Help me to generously be like you to the people around me so they can know without a doubt to whom I belong. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

February 18, 2015
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Romans 8:38
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 

The whole cartoon idea of a little devil and angel on each shoulder whispering in ears isn’t completely accurate. Culture acknowledges the equality of influence of either God or the Enemy in our lives, because we do all have many opportunities every day to choose good or evil - a 50/50 shot at one or the other, but that is on us. In no way is this a reflection of God and the Enemy having equal power, for they absolutely do not. God has an answer for anything the Enemy could try and scheme up. He always has. It’s like a game of rock, paper, scissors that Satan will never win.

The world might see the two has having equal influence, but anyone would be gravely mistaken to assume the two hold equal power. Keep in mind:
1. The Devil meets his end; God does not. (See Revelation 20:10)
2. Jesus said, “I have overcome the world!” and actually did; Satan did not. (See John 16:33)
3. And 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, "But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The very thing the Enemy is in charge of, death, has been remedied. God has an answer for anything and everything that Satan can come up with not the other way around.

So when Paul writes nothing can ever separate us from God’s love, he really means it!

Dear God,
Thank you for your power! Thank you for your power being so powerful that nothing can top it. So, if I put my hope and trust in you, I literally do not have a single fear. You are the mightiest and the greatest. No matter what the Enemy comes up with; you trump it all! Thank you that this is all true because it means that your love and mercy cannot be undone, covered up, or kept from me ever at all. Thank you so much for being the strongest and most powerful and for making a way for me to get to you through your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen.

February 14, 2015
Fellow Believers
John 13:34-35
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciple.

Jesus is love. He loves everyone all the time. He is the only one who expresses God’s love perfectly, and this is what HE says about love. But look at to whom he is speaking? He’s talking to his followers. This order is for Christians loving Christians. Our love for each other, our brotherly love from within the Church is what shows the world we belong to Jesus. That’s interesting.

Some Believers mistakenly take this directive and apply it absolutely everywhere, and that is why they become unhappy and burned out. Christians should get together and have outreaches and share the Good News with everyone, but the unconditional, brotherly love that Christians express to fellow Believers is what proves that Jesus is with us. Expressing this kind of love to unbelievers, God mockers, and people who do not regard the Faith is confusing to them. Psychologists would call it enabling, parents would call it indulging, and regular people would call it being a sucker. Now, I’m not saying not to love everyone; love the sinner and hate the sin - that’s a thing. But if the unbelieving world looks inside the Believing world and sees the same bickering, backbiting, lawsuits, social hierarchies, and prejudice that’s on the outside, why  in the world would they ever want to come in?

But if they look in the church window and see forgiveness, helpfulness, care, genuine concern, and problems being resolved Biblically for all, then they would like a piece of that action. They would know there is something different about being here as opposed to being at their country club or something. Jesus is here, and we’re treating each other like he treats us all the time. It involves humility, unselfishness, and a whole lot of grace, and we pour it out on each other whether we deserve it or not. A group of people making an awesome family that everyone would want to be a part of is what the unbelieving world should be seeing when they peep inside. 

1 John 4:20-21 confirms:
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?  And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.

Dear God,
I’m always so thankful when we get together with other Believers like at our women’s breakfasts at church. It’s like having a room full of sisters. You have made us Family, real family simply by having Jesus in common. It’s so wonderful to see some of those dear ladies who wouldn’t get any others hugs, or have anyone show them any concern get hugged, loved on, visited with and cherished. It is a great feeling, and it is great to be a part of a “family” like that. I pray for the ones who leave church out of anger, selfishness, bitterness and a lack of love for the other Believers and ask that they get their hearts right with you so that they can join in with the Family again that always has welcoming arms. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus name, amen.

John 3:16
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The facts from this Bible verse are well known:
1. God loves everybody in the whole wide world!  2 Peter 3:9 confirms:
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 

2. God has a Son, Jesus, a man, who lived on earth with all the power of God himself.
Colossians 1:15 declares that Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

3. Everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life... Jesus didn't come to make our lives better and perfect; he came to forgive our sins so we could be around God again. Humans had the opportunity of a perfect life in the Garden of Eden, and we blew it. A perfect and trouble free world is not an option right now. That ship has sailed. But God's determination to rescue us from our own destruction demonstrates his overwhelming compassion and kindness. Humans may have let decay and death into the world by sinning, but God made a way to make me perfect again; it's simply by believing in Jesus (see Romans 3:22-24), so that when I do die, I will then experience the perfect relationship with him that he intended for us all along. And the neat thing about God being everywhere means that I actually get to enjoy this perfect relationship before I'm six feet under.

Colossians 1:19-23 states John 3:16 this way:
For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled
 everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.  Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. 

Dear God,
Thank you for John 3:16, and all the other scriptures that restated these truths about your love, forgiveness, and plan to make a way for us to be together. The fact that Jesus brings me into your presence and you see me as holy and blameless without a single fault really amazes me and puts a lump in my throat about how much you love me and how incredibly good you are. No other leader treats subjects like this. You are the most amazing Leader I have ever heard of and I love you and thank you and praise you and pray in Jesus name according to your good will. Amen.

February 10, 2015
Better Get Used To It
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Love really is the most important thing.

God can use everything we experience to shape our hearts for spending eternity with him. When we are with God forever, faith will no longer be an issue, but our faith will then be complete (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). Prophecy, that is proclaiming everything Jesus said and did, will also be completely fulfilled one day too (see 1 Corinthians 13:8-10). But LOVE... that is something we need now and will still be using for all eternity (see 1 Corinthians 13:13). That’s why it is the most important.

Using the time I have right now to practice loving others is time well spent as it is preparation for something I will be doing for all eternity - loving people exactly like they are.

How do I love people? Especially, how do I love people who are difficult to love?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 gives me lots of options...
1. Love is patient and kind. Smile at people, that is patient and kind. 
2. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. Be happy for the talent that someone else has. Enjoy it with them instead of comparing myself to them. What someone else has doesn’t make what I have less. What someone else can do doesn’t make what I can do less.
3. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. Let a lot of things go. I can mind my own business and keep my opinions to myself. The person I am loving doesn’t even know I’m doing this, but God does.
4. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Never ever gloat over someone getting a taste of their own medicine. Never wish anyone ill will. That is showing love. It is also invisible as the person I am trying to love doesn’t know I’m doing this, but I am loving them all the same, and God sees that.
5. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. I must keep my heart soft and never have no grace for people with no grace. What if they change? That would be nice!

God is not impressed with any amazing thing I can do, any time or talent that I share, or any financial sacrifices that I make if I don’t love others because EVERYTHING else will pass away according to Matthew 24:35 . But love, God’s kind of love, is going to stick around forever; I’d better get used to doing it!

Dear God,
Thank you so much for your amazing love for me constantly being demonstrated in my life. Help me to share love with others out of my love for you and from my thankful heart. Help me to be kind, let issues go, wish people well, and keep my heart soft all the time. I love being loved this way by you even though I don’t deserve it. Help me not fall into the trap of requiring people do deserve this love from me. And thank you that THIS love is what is going to last and last because it is wonderful and full of relief. I Thank you and praise you; I love you very much, and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.