Supernatural Love

TODAY’S VERSE
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12-13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Christianity is so much more than a religion. It is a Holy calling. But contrary to so many images of religious zealots, we are not called to violence; we are called to a radical life of love. Jesus made this clear in His example, and the Apostle Paul did in his teachings. We are God’s holy people, and He has asked us to permeate our life with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. And not just with each other. We are to love the world in the same way He does. We are to love the unlovely. We are to love the needy. We are to love those that despise us, those that use us, those that come against us. We are to love those that disagree with us, those that are different than us, those that hurt us. This is a calling, and He who called us can empower us to do it. It is His Holy Spirit that lives in us to do His good pleasure. So today, call upon God to help you live a life of love.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You have called me to be Your ambassador of love. I confess I cannot do this in my power. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and empower me to see with Your eyes and to love with Your heart. Because of Jesus, my Lord, and Savior.
AMEN

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Word And Power

TODAY’S VERSE
Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.”
Mark 12:24 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Some mistakes are more critical than others. Jesus pointed out the worst. And sadly, we are often guilty of making it! There aren’t any two things more relevant to the way we should live than knowledge of the Scriptures and experiencing God’s power. Yet how many days do we live without the influence of either? Paul tells us, “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.” If this is true, why would we live day after day without it? And God’s power? Why would we deny ourselves of such an incredible reality? Jesus was attacking the religious attitudes of the Pharisees. They wanted to argue doctrine, law, and pretense. But Jesus didn’t see rules and rituals; He saw God’s word and power. The author of Hebrews writes, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” Jesus said, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” Today may God help us to truly know both.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for giving me everything I need for a Godly life through Your divine power and promises. Help me to know more about your word and power I pray. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Love Others

TODAY’S VERSE
But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.
I Corinthians 8:1 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Knowing the word of God is very important. Peter tells us to, “Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” But we can know all about God and still not be a loving person. And without love, the Church will not be what God desires it to be. Paul lets us know this in no uncertain terms. He writes. “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.” Today, let’s not just know God; let’s commit ourselves to love others the way He does.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I am so glad that I know You. Help me also to love the way You want me to.
AMEN

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Love In Action

TODAY’S VERSE
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 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Now here is a list to live by. We like to think of love as a noun. Some pretty valentine cards or songs we remember from our high school days. But love is a verb. It is love “in action.” Paul gives us a list that is unmistakable. Paul writes that love is patient, kind, not jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love does not demand its own way and does not get irritable or keep a record of wrong. Love is not happy with injustice but rejoices in the truth. Finally, love has staying power. It never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and has endurance. Can you imagine what the world would be like if all of us would live by Paul’s definition of love? Today, let’s change our little part of the world. Let’s practice this kind of “love in action” wherever we go.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You are love, and by the power of Your Holy Spirit, You can help me love. Give me the courage, strength, and desire to love the way You do. Today, help me exemplify love in action.
AMEN

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Love Your Enemies

TODAY’S VERSE
Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.
Luke 6:35 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes I forget how radical the teachings of Jesus really are. When I am tempted to be benevolent to someone that doesn’t seem deserving, when I am considering forgiving someone who has offended me, when I am accepting someone into my inner community whose background is troubled, I begin to get second doubts. Others start to question what I am doing, and my anxiety begins to rise. And then I come to Jesus. I read a passage like today’s, and I start to understand that I don’t even begin to understand. I see the depth of God’s love, and I am so far removed. I am so short of what He demanded. Love my enemies? Do good to them? Be kind to those who are unthankful and wicked? Sure, He has done that for me, but He is God. How can I love the way He does? It starts by committing myself to be like Him and then realizing the only way I can do it, is with the help of His Holy Spirit. I must be willing to let Him love others through me. If I do, His ways will become my ways. Today, decide to love the unlovely. Be kind to those who are unkind. Be patient with those that invade your space. Christ is our example. We are called by His name and empowered by His Spirit.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your high standards when it comes to love. Where would I be without it? Surely You have loved me with abandonment. Help me to go and radically love others.
AMEN

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Your Deepest Cares

TODAY’S VERSE
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
I Peter 5:7 (AMP)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Why is it we feel we need to minimize our pain? Where did we get the idea that we would become a burden to God? How did we come to believe that it is unspiritual to admit that we have been a victim of something awful? Abuse, violence, the death of a loved one, divorce, an unfortunate accident, incarceration, war. God cares when we have suffered as a result of something being done to us. And God cares when we have suffered from trauma as the result of something not happening. When love, safety, and security from those we trust are missing, we get trauma in the form of abandonment, unfaithfulness, embezzlement, betrayal, gossip, or neglect. And to pretend that we are not affected, and everything is okay is to only add to the damage that is already left in trauma’s wake. It is not spiritual to “tough it out.” It is spiritual to be healed. Peter is pleading with us to cast all of our cares onto Jesus. His whole book speaks about the suffering of Jesus and how He understands our suffering. And here, Peter assures us that Jesus “cares for you.” He cares for you with deep affection. Today, bring your pain to Jesus. Tell Him about your trauma. Ask Him to give you strength, forgiveness, peace, and a deep understanding of love. Ask Him to heal your broken heart; heal your deep wounds of grief and anger. Bring all of your cares. Cast them on Him and leave them there.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You. I come to You with all my burden, all my cares. You know my pain. You know my suffering. I bring it all to You. Heal my hurts. Heal my heart. Return me to joy, I pray.
AMEN

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God’s Forgiveness

TODAY’S VERSE
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
Psalms 103:8-10 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
King David had an acute understanding of the love of God. It is as if he could see the very heart of Jehovah Himself. David, who knew sin so well, knew the forgiver of sin better. He who struggled with sinful passions in such profound ways was also set free by the miraculous compassion and mercy of God. Listen to what he writes. “The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. – He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. – His unfailing love for us is as high as the heavens. – He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” Finally, he writes, “The Lord is like a tender and compassionate father.” Who could write such beautiful words? Who could so eloquently write about God’s forgiveness other than someone who knew first hand, the love of the Father? David knew God. God offers the same experience to us. Today, meditate on God’s mercy, compassion, and love. Let the words of the Psalm radiate brightly in your heart and make them your own. And may the realization of your own forgiveness be imprinted deeply on your mind just as it was on David’s.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, how I thank You for Your compassion. How I praise You for my forgiveness. How I glorify You for Your unfailing love to me. Thank You for not giving me what I deserve but being merciful and removing all my sins from me. In Your precious name, I pray.
AMEN

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Go and Do the Same

TODAY’S VERSE
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
Luke 10:36-37 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Jesus said we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. So what are we thinking when we pass up people in need? Perhaps, “They deserve it.” “They did it to themselves”. “They will never change”. Or how about, “Someone else will take care of it.” The religious leaders thought they could be excused by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” But Jesus told them a story where a Samaritan stopped and helped a Jew that was hurting on the side of the road. He said, ‘“Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” Jesus had a point to make. He looked at the crowd and asked, “Who do you think was acting as if the hurting man was his neighbor?” And here is the critical answer, “The one who showed him mercy!” Now we can go ahead and ignore the story. We can moralize and say it is a great story. But Jesus didn’t ask us what we thought about the story. Instead, He looked at the crowd and said, “Go and do the same.” It was the only time He said that phrase. Wouldn’t we do well to obey?

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, guide me on my mission today. Help me love with Your love. Help me assist those in need that I come across on my journey today.
AMEN

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Important Things

TODAY’S VERSE
What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
Luke 11:42 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Just follow the rules. Obey the law. It seems so right. It can be, but there is a point where we get into trouble. We trade following rules for spirituality. Legalism for righteousness. Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees were so obsessive in following laws that they even tithed their tiniest income from their herb gardens! The Pharisees were zealous about keeping the law but neglected what God really wanted. He wants us to give Him our interests and focus. He wants us to love Him and those all around us that are in need. In fact, when we love justice for those in need we are really loving God. God cares about people. Broken, hurting, disenfranchised people. And if we want to tithe anything then we should give of our time, talent and treasures to helping those in need. Jesus said it best. He said, “You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Today, love God and give of yourself to help those in need. This is what God desires.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me to have your priorities. Help me to have a heart that beats like Yours. A heart full of grace and mercy for those in need. Help me love You by loving justice and those in need around me.
AMEN

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Sincere Help

TODAY’S VERSE
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:1-2 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
So much of the sin in our life is due to our emotions. We get upset, worried, stressed, and emotional pain starts to build up. This leads us to sin. The solution is found in relationships. Relationships with God and other close friends give us the love, support, and comfort that can tame our sinful behavior. It is in these deep relationships that Paul encourages you to gently and humbly help a person return to sanity and stop their negative behavior. How? By sharing their burdens and pain. In using a kind word, a listening ear, and a prayerful heart, your sincere help will keep a person from acting out on their negative emotions. Your empathy and love will help keep them from committing grave relational sins. Today ask God to help you share in someone else’s burden and restore them to a place of peace and joy.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me be there for other people. Help me share their burdens and gently bring them back to You. Thank You for Your grace and mercy extended to me. Help me do the same to others. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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