​24 February 2017
Always Seeking, Always Finding
Jeremiah 29:13
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

God invites everyone, not just some, to seek him, and then he does NOT hide. He isn’t joking or setting up anyone for upset or failure. He genuinely wants a relationship with everyone.

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 Peter 3:9)

Since mostly Believers are reading this, be encouraged and know that there is no end or expiration date for seeking and finding. He invites us to continually seek without disappointment. He never grows tired of revealing and giving to any and all who are seriously looking.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. (James 1:5-6)
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Dear God,
Thank you for your Word clarifying what is really right and really wrong. Thank you for showing us how to live to have a relationship with you and how to continue to make correct decisions thereafter. Thank you for knowing me and loving me, counseling me and enabling me through your Holy Spirit to enjoy a relationship with you. Thank you for all of the blessings that accompany seeking your will. I love you so much and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

​16 February 2016
God Invented Love
1 John 3:11
This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

The fact that God loves us and requires us to love others is what separates Christianity apart from all other religions. We love because God loved us first (1 John 4:19). And, in John 13:35, Jesus said that our love for one another will prove to the world that we belong to him. In fact, God is the one who invented love in the first place! (See 1 John 4:8) All other gods & religions describe angry or indifferent gods with burdensome requirements with no mention of love being beneficial to all.

God, on the other hand, says that we show love for others by serving them.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. . (Galatians 5:13)  

And God also give us lots of options to show our love for others, making people who are difficult to love not only a possibility but an actuality!
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

I love this passage! I can love people who are difficult to love as well as the people I easily love. Just being kind or patient to someone is showing them love. Holding my tongue or keeping an opinion to myself is also a way to show someone love. Telling someone the truth about Salvation is showing a person love. Not wishing a person any ill will is also a way to show love. Praying for others and simply hoping they follow Jesus is also a way to show a person I love them. This is fabulous news! I really can love everybody just like God asks us to!
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Dear God,
Thank you that you do not require impossible tasks for me. There are people who are difficult to love and you make it possible for me to love them – genuinely love them! Thank you! This is so good for my heart and makes room for me to give people what they don’t deserve just like YOU did for ME. I love you so much and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​7 February 2017

Hate What He Hates

Psalm 97:10
You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.

Some people are fond of the saying, “God wouldn’t want me to be unhappy” to justify whatever statement follows that is a simply a blatant excuse to go do whatever they want to do. Believers should be the happiest people in the world simply based on what Jesus has done for us all! That’s why the Good News isn’t called News. God obviously wants us to be happy or he wouldn’t have sent Jesus in the first place.

A more accurate phrase to adopt is, “God wouldn’t want me to be disobedient.” Honestly, happiness and obedience are absolutely linked.  Think of a kid who never obeys his parents. Is that kid truly happy? Think of a kid who always obeys; probably a happy kid. There’s no fear of judgment, and that is happiness.

 ...As we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment... (1 John 4:17-18)

You who love the Lord, hate evil... We shouldn’t just do whatever we want to do claiming God wants us to be happy. Rather, we should be happy because we obey God. We should love what he loves, and hate what he hates.
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Dear God,
Thank you for showing me how to obey you. Thank you that my own experience is that obedience does truly lead to happiness. Thank you for the Good News that is the happiest news of all. Thank you that I don’t live in fear but experience your love and attention every single day without having to make anything happen for myself. Please keep showing me to love what you love and hate what you hate. And I pray in your Son’s name, amen.

​6 February 2017
Christ-Centric Universe
Psalm 33:5
The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
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The earth is full of his unfailing love because he is everywhere!
Colossians 1:16-17 confirms:
 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Love is invisible and so is gravity, and he created both of them too. His unfailing love is everywhere just like his unfailing gravity. According to Greek scholar A.T. Robertson, ‘all things were created’ has the idea of "stand created" or "remain created." Robertson adds: "The permanence of the universe rests, then, on Christ far more than on gravity. It is a Christ-centric universe.” (David Guzik)

He didn’t just create everything and leave it alone; he continually chooses to sustain ALL things – even gravity. All the Laws of Nature work because he lets them. AND he chooses to lavish the whole world with his love faithfully by making the way for EVERYONE to be made right with him forever and have eternal life available to everyone still.
(See Romans 3:22)

And he goes beyond that for all who love and trust him. He continually lavishes us with good things & fills the lives of those who love and trust him with his unfailing love every day!

 The love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him.
 (Psalm 103:17)

Dear God,
Thank you for your unfailing love. Thank you for continuing to sustain all things for us. Thank you for the reminder that all creation STILL hinges on you. You have never left us, and you allow us to experience your love (and gravity) every single day. Thank you! I love you so much and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
      

3 February 2017
Safe Space
Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

When we are in trouble or worried or scared, we want love. Every kid goes into Mommy & Daddy’s room in the middle of the night after a bad dream, right? We automatically want to go to a safe place where we are loved when we are scared.

Being a Believer means that your “safe place” is with you everywhere you go, and we love that!
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Dear God,
Thank you for always being with me, always watching over me, and always protecting me. Thank you for today, a new day, to rejoice and be glad. And I am glad that you never leave me, and you are quick to comfort me. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.