Love Is More Than A Four-Letter Word

TODAY’S VERSE
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
I read this list of love’s attributes and I feel so inadequate. I am guilty of using the word love so insincerely, not even close to its true meaning. Love is more than a four-letter word. I use the same word to describe both my attitude toward a sports team or favorite dessert and my devotion toward my spouse or God. Love is more than saying, “I love you.” More than a romantic feeling, love demands my doing something. It is more walk than talk. It’s the kind of love the world is dying for. Today, I invite you to join me. Let’s read the list of love’s attributes over again and make it our goal today to love those around us in this radical Christ-like manner. With His help, you and I can love the way Christ would have us love.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, loving the way You love is not easy. I cannot do it by myself. I ask You to help me today love those around me with the patience, kindness, sacrifice, and dedication that You love me with. Thank You for Your love; help me to love others. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Here Am I

TODAY’S VERSE
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
Matthew 9 reads like a journal on supernatural power. Jesus heals a paralyzed man, raises a dead girl and gives sight to two men. He is exhausted feeling cramped in by all the throngs of people coming to Him for help. Even after all this, Jesus goes from town to town teaching, preaching and healing every disease and sickness. But then there is a dramatic shift in strategy – Jesus sees all the people harassed, helpless and needing help and then tells His disciples to pray that God would send you and me to help Him do His work. Do you get it? Jesus didn’t come here to help and heal everyone by Himself. He came to redeem mankind, begin the process of helping mankind find the way, truth, and life and then commissions you and me to take His power and ministry to the whole world. He has empowered you and me to aid Him in bringing His message of salvation and healing to a desperate world. The world where you and I live out our existence. In the Old Testament God asked His people, who will go share with the people? Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me!” Might our response be the same!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, I thank You for Your tireless mission of love that reached out to me. Today, I hear Your voice saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go?” How else can I respond to Your love but say, “Lord Jesus, I want to join You in Your work. Here am I. Send me!”
AMEN

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How Do We Behave?

TODAY’S VERSE
Lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:1-3; 31-32

TODAY’S MESSAGE
How can it get any clearer than this? Paul is commanding us to live like Christians should. This is not a “once for all” choice but rather a daily decision to live the way Christ would have us live. We are to be humble, gentle, forgiving, loving and patient. We are to get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander. Throw it off! Stop. Instead, we are to be tenderhearted, forgiving and kind. How will we live for the next 24 hours? What are we going to choose to do today? We will have opportunities all day to choose. But our choices need to be grounded in the Holy Spirit. Paul writes in Galatians that the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is the by-product of living under the direction of the Holy Spirit in our life, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We need to make living this way our goal. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our lives today. He will.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Oh, Holy Spirit. I need to get rid of all the negative emotions and behaviors in my life. But I can’t without You! I need You to produce Godly behavior in my life. I want love, joy, peace, patient, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control to be my normal experience. I want to be a witness to others of Your love through my behavior. Come Holy Spirit, convict me, correct me, forgive me, inspire me, teach me, guide me and fill me. Might I live completely under Your control. Might my life bear the fruit that only You can produce. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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What Have You Asked For?

TODAY’S VERSE
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:24 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
I’m not sure which is sadder: a person who never gets a chance to have what he or she desires or a person who had all the chances in the world and never took one? Here we are with a God who is all wise, all powerful and all loving. We also have Jesus Himself saying, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” And yet what do we do? What have we asked for lately? Jesus is not talking about a magic lamp that we rub three times and make wishes for our own pleasure. We aren’t to ask God for things with wrong motives. Instead, Jesus is suggesting that we have a fellowship with His Father which is so rich and deep, that we end up aligning our will with His. When we know His will, it will bring us deep joy and great pleasure to ask God for it. We will be about the business of making His will done on earth as it is in Heaven. What at home, work or in your church can you ask God for? What can you ask for your family, friends, and co-workers that would be in alignment with His will? Pray that God would give you insight into His will and a Holy boldness to ask for it. When you do, Jesus said, “You will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I ask You to help me know what to pray for. Help me to know how to pray for my family, friends, and co-workers. Help me pray about my relationships, career, and ministry. Speak to my heart and then give me the faith to ask You. Help me not to be like the person who had so many chances in life but never took one. Help me to ask You for something special today! In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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A Solid Foundation

TODAY’S VERSE
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 7:24-25

TODAY’S MESSAGE
It matters what you build your life on. Both Jesus and Paul agreed you need to build your life on the truth of the Bible. Not just knowing the truth but living the truth. Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them in practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Paul wrote that we should be a “workman that does not need to be ashamed, who correctly handles the word of truth.” If we want our life on the firm ground, then we need to be grounded in His word. We need to read the Bible, study it and then apply it to our life. We need to live what we read. When we do, we will find that life will stand the tests of time.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I want to live my life on solid ground. I want to be able to stand firm when I go through hard times. Help me to read Your word and understand its meaning. Help me to live what You tell me to do. I want to be a workman that does not need to be ashamed, who correctly handles Your word of truth! In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Staying On Course

TODAY’S VERSE
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
II Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
God has not left us alone to wander through this world as helpless victims. He has given us His word to instruct and guide us. God does not wait until we make a mistake and then discard us. He has given us His word to rebuke and correct us. God does not leave us the way we are. He has given us His word to train us. Life is like a journey. There is a trail we can follow that will get us through the wilderness. Through His word, God shows us the trail to go on. His word also lets us know when we wander from the trail. The Bible shows us how to get back on the trail again. Finally, the scriptures show us how to stay on the trail and not wander off in the first place!. Read His word. Make it a part of your daily routine. Through it, He will teach you everything you need to know about living this life.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank You for Your word. Please help me understand what the scriptures are saying. Help me apply it to my life. Holy Spirit, use the Bible and teach me, rebuke me, correct me and train me. Help me be the person You desire me to be. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Are You Using Your Spiritual Gift?

TODAY’S VERSE
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:6-8

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Can a carpenter build a house without tools? Can a farmer plant a field without seed? Can a professional athlete compete without the necessary skills? Why is it we feel we can serve God to our fullest, do all that He has for us to do, see mighty deeds done in His name if we do not use the spiritual gifts He has given us? Look at the church today. What’s missing? Is there healing, miracles, a sense of God speaking to us? Is there great faith, Godly knowledge or wisdom? Are we seeing great and mighty things done in the name of Jesus? Is injustice stopped, the sick healed, the poor rescued? If these deeds sound more at home in a fairy tale than our church, perhaps we need to start using our spiritual gifts. God never expected us to do His work on our own. He sent the Holy Spirit to equip us, empower us and give us gifts to be used. God wrote through Paul that concerning spiritual gifts, He did not want us ignorant. Might we learn more about our own spiritual gifts today.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I know that You gave me the Holy Spirit to equip me for Your service. I also know that You said that You give all Christians a spiritual gift. Help me know what my spiritual gifts are. Help me use them so I can do the work You called me to do in the fullness of Your power. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Do You Really Know Him?

TODAY’S VERSE
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
II Peter 1:2-3 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Do you know Christ? I don’t mean “know of Christ”, but do you know Christ to the point that knowing Him deeply influences your life? Look at today’s verses. Peter is saying that we will experience an abundant amount of grace and peace through our knowledge of Christ. He then goes on to say that our knowledge of Christ will set loose the power of God and give us everything we need for life and godliness. I love that phrase, “EVERYTHING WE NEED FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS!” Some things? Almost everything? No, everything we need for life! This is no small claim. Peter is saying that our knowledge of Christ is crucial to everything we need in life. So what does knowledge mean? Peter was using the Greek word that means a full knowledge, a deep participation by the knower in the object known so that it powerfully influences him or her. This is more than an acquaintance or a casual relationship. It is a passion to know, really know, God. It is a hunger for His word, a longing to spend time in His presence, an openness to dialog freely with Him and listen for His voice. There is so much to gain by knowing Him, really knowing Him. You can start to know Him more today. He is waiting for you to try.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, I confess my lack of spiritual knowledge. I have not taken the time I should to really know You. I haven’t been real with You nor have I let You be real with me. But today, I want to start. I want to know You, really know You. I want to hear Your voice. I want to sense Your presence in my life. I want Your scriptures to come alive in my mind. Father, I want to know You as Father. Help me know You. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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The Promised Land Is Waiting

TODAY’S VERSE
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored.
Numbers 13:30-32 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Attitudes can change everything. You know the story. Moses sent spies into the promised land to see what it was like. All twelve men saw the same thing but came back with different conclusions. Two saw possibilities born out of faith and hope in God’s love and power. The others saw defeat, death, dying and doom. The people believed the second story. Why is that? Why can we believe the death, dying and doom story so much easier than the land of milk and honey? What is it that keeps us from believing in the goodness of God? We don’t doubt whether He can do good, we doubt whether He wants to. Dallas Willard in his book Hearing God shares why even the miracles of Jesus could not convince some people of His love and Lordship. Willard writes, “Our preexisting ideas and assumptions are precisely what determine what we can see, hear or otherwise observe.” You see Caleb’s report could not change what the people already believed in their heart. They did not believe that God loved them. Deep in their heart, they believed they were better off taking care of themselves. What do you believe? Seeing a miracle won’t change it. A good report won’t change that deep-down doubt. Only repentance and a relationship can. Repent of unbelief, doubt and fear and then time spent with God soaking in His love. Every day get to know Him until you sense His concern and His deep passion and love for you. Come to Him today, ask Him to show you His love. He will. The promised land is waiting.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Oh, Father, You know my heart. You know my doubts, fears, and negative thoughts. I have had them all my life. I repent, Lord. I want to believe. Help me correct my thinking. Help me know You more and more until my inner thoughts reflect the faith and love that You created me for. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Powerful Possibilities

TODAY’S VERSE
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 1:19-20

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How would it change your life if you really understood the power God has for you? Can you imagine someone only living on $10,000 a year when they had a billion dollars given to them and placed in their bank account? It would be foolishness to have a billion dollars and never understand all that you could do with it. Yet what must God think, when He has deposited into our life account His incredible power, and we never avail ourself of it? Sadly we only live on a fraction of what He has supplied us with. How different would our life be if we really begin to understand how He wants us to use His power? How different would the world be? Pray today that God would open your eyes to all that He wants to do in your life through His powerful possibilities.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, help me to understand all the power You have for my life. Help me see how I am a steward of that power and how You want to use Your power in and through my life. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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