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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Wholeheartedly

TODAY’S VERSE
Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.
I Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is easy to say that we are a Christian. It’s another to follow Him wholeheartedly. Unfortunately in many cases, we fall short. But that is not the way God intended it to be. We have been called to follow Christ in the way we think, feel and behave. David knew the seriousness of following God. When he commissioned his son, Solomon, to build the Temple, he challenged Solomon to live Godly. He told him to acknowledge God as the Lord of everything and serve Him with both wholehearted devotion and a willing mind. God doesn’t want pretense; He wants sincerity and authenticity. That is why He searches our heart and motives. Might our prayer be that of David’s at the end of Psalm 139. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Today, decide to serve Him wholeheartedly.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for the opportunity to serve You. Help me to be true to You and to serve You with wholehearted devotion and a willing mind. In Jesus’ Name.
AMEN

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Doing His Will

TODAY’S VERSE
Now may the God of peace—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Isn’t it exciting to know that God is more interested in you doing good than you are? In fact, He is so invested in your success that He has equipped you with everything you need to do what He wants you to do. In fact, the author of Hebrews says that God is going to produce in you, every good thing that is pleasing to Him, through the power of Jesus Christ! No wonder the author could finish this passage by saying, “All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.” Today you can bring glory to God by living the way He has called you to. Ask Him to help you do His will. Ask Him to provide all the power you will need to do every good thing that pleases Him today.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for equipping me with everything I need to do Your will. Thank You for Your power that You make available to me so I can do every good thing that is pleasing to You. Give me the strength to live for You this day. Give me the wisdom to know what to do, the courage to follow through and the faith to trust You with the outcome.
AMEN

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No Revenge

TODAY’S VERSE
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.
Romans 12:19 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Revenge. What a toxic emotion. What a deceptive motive. It is so easy to slip into this deadly trap. It starts with a wound. Perhaps a deep hurt, humiliation or betrayal. Life isn’t fair, but this is just too much! Soon our wound festers and anger becomes an obsession. But what makes revenge so deceptive is that we don’t have to murder someone to get revenge. Instead, we feel justified in slandering the person, shunning them, campaigning against something they are doing or a million other ways of getting nasty. But this is not revenge. It is getting even, or giving them what they deserve, or settling the score. No, it is revenge. It is hard not to go there. What can we do? Paul shares the only thing we can do. Let go. Give it to God. Let Him take over your case. The author of Hebrews was serious when he wrote, “Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Today, follow that advice. Let God search your heart and then pull out any bitter root that has taken ground in your emotions. Don’t let a wound fester into something worse.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, search my heart. Show me any toxic bitterness I may have. Show me any attitude or behavior of revenge. Forgive me and help me change my attitude. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Come Boldly To God

TODAY’S VERSE
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:15,16 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The author of Hebrews is using the High Priest as a model of Christ. It was the High Priest who represented the Israelites to God, confessed their sins and gave an offering for their offenses. In order to do this, he would first have to confess his own sins. He would have to make a sacrifice for his own failings. Then, after his own cleansing, he could represent the people. You see, there was the limit to what the High Priest could do. He couldn’t help the people stop their sin. He could not meet the individual needs of the people. Today, God has created a better way. He has sent Himself to be our High Priest. God, in the person of Jesus Christ, came once for all time and sacrificed Himself so we could be forgiven. More than that, Christ is on the right hand of the Father, interceding for our every need. He knows your weaknesses, so He gives you complete access to His love, power, mercy, and grace. If you know Him, you can say with confidence that He is “my” Savior. When Christ became your High Priest, He made it personal. Today, come to God’s very throne. Come to the one who loves you and has everything you need.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son, my savior, Jesus Christ. I thank You that You know who I am, You know my weaknesses and still love me. I especially thank You for promising to take care of my every need with Your mercy and grace. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Know Him

TODAY’S VERSE
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
II Peter 1:2 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Are you growing in your knowledge of Jesus Christ? Have you been spending time reading the Bible to know what He wants you to do? Have you examined His life so you can follow His example? Do you know how He feels about you? Do you see life, with all its people and situations, with the eyes of Christ? God’s design was that you have more than a superficial knowledge of Christ. It is His desire that you grow in what you know and experience of Christ. That you will understand more and more about the unending grace that He has for you. As you do, you will have more peace in your life. Today, spend time and get to know Christ better. Learn about Him as you learn from Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, help me to know You better. Help me learn more about Your desires and passions. Help me know Your love, grace, and peace. Teach me, guide me, instruct me I pray. Help me grow more and more in You.
AMEN

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Working With God

Working With God

TODAY’S VERSE
Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
Psalms 127:1 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
God has created us to work in harmony with Him. We are at our best when we allow God to guide us and be Lord of whatever we do. Paul wrote, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The Psalmist suggests that making plans and working toward goals without God is foolishness. It is wasted. Instead, seeking God’s guidance, blessing and partnership on everything we do is the wise and prudent thing to do. How much of our lives will never reach their full potential because we do not let God work with us? Today seek God’s guidance, wisdom, and partnership in whatever you do.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, lead me, guide me, direct me in all I do today. Help me join You in Your work so what I do today will not be in vain, but for Your glory.
AMEN

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Forgiveness

TODAY’S VERSE
Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
Matthew 6:12 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Forgiveness is crucial to our mental health. More than that, it is imperative for a right relationship with God. God puts a premium on grace and forgiveness. Forgiveness is love in action. It is an act of grace that is inspired by Jesus Himself. In fact, Christ emphasized it when He taught us to pray. He said, “Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” There are two key elements in today’s verse. First, we see that God wants us to confess our own sins and ask for His forgiveness. He didn’t say, “Put on a mask and pretend you did no wrong.” Jesus didn’t say to rationalize away our attitudes of pride, anger, and bitterness. Instead, He admonishes each of us to focus on our own sinful situation, repent and ask for His forgiveness. When we do, God will bless our heart and give us the capacity to participate in the second part, that is to forgive others. God wants us to be ambassadors of His grace. Today, as we have been forgiven let us go and forgive others.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your grace and forgiveness. Thank you for not giving up on me. I pray that I might express the same kind of forgiveness to others.
AMEN

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Maturity

TODAY’S VERSE
Until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Maturity is something to aspire. It is not an automatic by-product of salvation. Jesus brings us salvation and with that, He brings deliverance and healing. Thank God that this changes our identity, our nature, who we are. But even still, we can become a Christian and still be immature. Maturity is a process. This is why Paul says that God has given us, “apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” He writes, “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” As we subject ourselves to the teaching and authority to those that Christ has given to us, we will mature in the Lord. Christ has come to give us life and give it more abundantly. This happens as we grow in Him. Where are you in your spiritual maturity? Today, examine your own life. Ask God to show you where you need to mature. Ask Him to guide you and help you be all that He intends you to be.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, point out my immaturities. I want to grow in You. I want to be all that You want me to be. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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The Journey

TODAY’S VERSE
Peter asked Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus replied, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.’
John 21:21-22 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Life is a journey with many twists and turns. And it is different for each of us. None of us travel the same road. If we are going to live the way He desires, we have to be willing to follow Him. In his book “Sacred Companions”, David Benner writes, “It is impossible to specify precisely the route that has to be followed in a soul’s journey of transformation. This is because rather than following a map, in this journey we follow a person – Jesus. Jesus does not tell us where to go; He simply asks us to follow Him.” Jesus compared us to sheep. He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
When worried whether John’s journey was going to be similar to His, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “What is that to you? As for you, follow me.” It is the same for us today. We don’t need to be concerned with others and what God has for them. All we have to do is get to know God, try to understand the purposes He has for us and begin to follow Him. Today, obey His command to “follow me” and seek God’s direction for your journey.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me follow You. Give me the wisdom, courage, and understanding I need to participate in the journey You have for me.
AMEN

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