Love Your Neighbor, Love yourself

TODAY’S VERSE
And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The first part of this passage is about loving God with our whole heart, soul, and strength. The second part was to love others in the way we love ourselves. I understand the “love God” part. I know we are commanded to “love others”, but isn’t “loving ourselves” prideful and selfish? Some would teach so, but in truth, it is in loving ourselves the way God loves us that frees us to love others. Dr. Benner in “Sacred Companions” says it this way, “I meditate on His love, allowing my focus to be on Him and His love for me – and slowly things begin to change. My heart slowly begins to warm and soften. I begin to experience new levels of love for God. And slowly, almost imperceptibly, I begin to see others through God’s eyes of love. I begin to experience God’s love for others.” God’s love for others includes His love for you. Today, consider how much God loves you. Agree with Him and love yourself too. Today, love God, love yourself, love others.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your great love for me. Help me love myself and with that love, help me love others.
AMEN

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Wisdom

TODAY’S VERSE
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.- But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
James 3:13, 17 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We usually think of wisdom in terms of knowledge or the ability to solve a mystery. However, James describes something much more comprehensive. It is “relational” wisdom. The wisdom that God desires includes morality, prudence, humility, gentleness, love, mercy, and good deeds. It seems that God is more interested in how we apply what we know, especially in the way that we relate to others. You can be intellectually right, yet morally wrong in the way you use your knowledge. To be right, yet arrogant, unloving and proud is not real wisdom. Might God grant us the understanding that real wisdom is, “peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I ask for your wisdom in all that I do. With that wisdom, please help me be gentle, humble, loving and merciful.
AMEN

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Love Others

TODAY’S VERSE
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.
I Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Isn’t funny how we can spend so much time trying to figure out the “will of God” is for our life when so much of it is right in front of us? Peter wrote to the church, “Here is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it!” And what is it that God wants us to do? He wants His church to be of one mind. He wants us to sympathize with each other and to love each other as brothers and sisters. If we are to do His will we must be tenderhearted toward others and be humble. We cannot repay evil for evil and feel we are following Him. Neither can we retaliate with insults when people insult us. If we are going to do His will we need to pay those that hurt us back with a blessing. Simply said, if we are going to live out the will of God we must love. We must love! John wrote it this way, “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.” Today ask God to help you live out His will for your life. Ask Him to help you love others.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for showing me Your will for my life. Help me to love others, really love them the way You do. Help me behave toward others the way You would have me to. Empower me Lord through Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Supernatural Love

TODAY’S VERSE
He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
Colossians 1:8 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We get so used to hearing that we are supposed to love others that we think we need to do it by ourselves. But in today’s verse, we get a glimpse of where the real power comes from. God’s Spirit in us strives to guide us, teach us and create a love for others in our hearts. Why should that be so surprising? After all the Apostle John reminds us that God is not only the source of love, He is love. It is God Himself manifested in His Spirit in us that moves us to love. Jesus modeled this God-driven kind of love. John writes, “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” So today, love others. But don’t do it in your own power. Ask God to give you a Spirit-led love for those around you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit of God, reach deep into my heart and birth in me a love for others that only You can produce. I want to love as Jesus did. Fill me with a Supernatural love I pray.
AMEN

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Work Hard Toward Peace

TODAY’S VERSE
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.
Ephesians 4:2-3 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Everyone wants peace but so few are willing to work on it. Paul writes out a formula for peace that if practiced, would revolutionize the church. First, he asks us to be humble and gentle. It is amazing how much hurt can be dished out under the guise of humility. So, Paul adds to be gentle. He continues by writing that we should be patient making allowances for each other’s faults. But how can we do this? He says we do it out of love. Remember, love, covers a multitude of sins. Finally, if peace is our real goal, then we need to make every effort to keep ourselves united in the Spirit. To Paul, peace was not an option, but a reality to be insisted on. How hard do you work for peace at home, church or work? What if everyone did?

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Prince of Peace, please forgive me. I have not made peace my desire. I would rather be right. I would rather be in control. I would rather fight for my self-interests. I have such a hard time trusting you. Forgive me. Please help me follow You and Your commitment to peace.
AMEN

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Love As Jesus Loves

TODAY’S VERSE

But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Luke 6:27-31 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT

In today’s passage, Jesus sets a whole new standard for moral behavior. That is why He starts this part of His sermon on the Mount by saying, “If you are willing to listen.” Our Lord knows how hard it is to follow what He is suggesting. But what makes this teaching even more amazing is Jesus did not just teach this, He lived it! This was not a political speech with moral platitudes given in order to win our votes. This was a mandate for those that He was calling to follow Him in His own lifestyle. If we are to follow Jesus, we must love the way He taught us. When Jesus taught about love, He went much farther than the Shema which commanded the Israelites to, “love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” He went much farther than, “loving your neighbor as yourself”’. In today’s passage, He said to, bless those that curse us and to pray for those who hurt us and to turn the other cheek when hit. These are ways to truly love others. Today, let us love others the way Jesus has commanded us to.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me love with Your love. Help me see others with Your eyes. Help me be filled with Your compassion, guided by Your Holy Spirit, used as an instrument of Your peace. In Jesus’ name. AMEN

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He Lifts Your Head High

TODAY’S VERSE
But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
Psalm 3:3

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How many of us go around with a constant sense of shame? You know, head down, slumped shoulders, feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness. Many of us have had this for a long time. We are shame-based; it has become a state of mind. But God doesn’t want that for us. Jesus bore all the shame we would ever have on the cross for us. He is the shame slayer. David knew God in this way. He knew what it was to be ridiculed, underestimated and hunted like an animal. Yet he looked to God, the one who lifts his head high. We read the story that Jesus told of the Prodigal son and we marvel at the forgiveness and love of the father. Yet we miss another important part. The son was coming home to become a hired servant, but the father said nonsense, get the ring, the robe, and the sandals. All this signified sonship. The father restored the son’s honor. Let God do the same for you. Today, look up. You are a child of the king. Put on the ring, robe, and sandals and let His love lift your head high.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your great love for me. Thank You that I don’t have to feel a sense of shame. You have created me as a loved child of yours. Lift my head, today Lord. Help me gaze into Your radiant face and know that the shame is gone.
AMEN

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Living Love

TODAY’S VERSE
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.
Ephesians 5:2 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We spend so much of our life looking for a cause to believe in. Something that we can excel in by using our gifts and passions. Something that will give our life significance. And yet, as we search for that certain mission, the answer lays right before us. Paul writes, “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.” What better cause is there? What else could give us so many options and allow us to use our own giftedness and passion? What could possibly give more significance to our life than loving the way Christ did? There are so many people that need love. There are so many people that your presence in their life would make all the difference in the world. Paul said it this way in I Corinthians 13. “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”
Today, ask God to help you love those that He leads you to.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank You, Jesus, for loving me so much. Might I follow Your example in loving others.
AMEN

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Be A Blessing

TODAY’S VERSE
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What would you do if you were given two potions, one that could cure cancer the other that would make people deathly sick? It is obvious that you would give every cancer victim you could find the cure and no doubt, do away with the poison. Yet what do we do with our words? With each sentence, there is the potential to cure or destroy. We can use our tongue to heal those that are hurting, bring joy to a broken heart or hope to those that are suffering. We could also choose to use unwholesome words that tear down, wound and destroy those that get in our way. James writes, “Sometimes it (the tongue) praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” Today, be careful with what you say to others. Use the wonderful gift of language as a blessing to others, not a curse.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me use my tongue as a blessing. Direct my mouth with Your power and help me use my words to share love and peace with others.
AMEN

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Bear Each Other’s Burdens

TODAY’S VERSE
Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2 (NASB)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
If I was asked to describe Christianity using only one word, I would choose the word, “love”. John tells us that God is love. It is His love that makes mercy and grace possible. Is it no wonder then, if we are really going to fulfill what Christ wants us to do, we must bear each other’s burdens? Bearing a burden means to take that burden on as if it was your own. We are called to help the wounded, love the hurting and to do whatever it takes to help those that are overburdened. If we don’t, who will? Who else is called to do this? It is this love of Christ, lived out by us in community, that is the mark of true Christianity. And if community is going to work, then each of us must prefer the needs of others to our own. We must put the needs of others above ourself. Jesus set the example. His whole life exemplified sacrificial love. So must ours. Today, ask God to help you sense when someone needs help. Ask Him to help you bear their burden.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I am so grateful that You have borne every one of my burdens. Give me a heart like yours and the filling of Your Spirit so I might love others in the way You have loved me.
AMEN

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