How to Love

Despite receiving great love, it’s difficult at times to show love to others consistently. Let’s be honest: our first instinct is not to show love but to be selfish. If we feel like it, if it’s the right person, if it’s easy to do… then we’ll show love. If things don’t line up just so, we’ll be hard pressed to show any kind of love.

But, as Christians we are striving to be more like Jesus. We are His ambassadors, and He was the epitome of love. We have to learn how to give the same kind of love that He gave.

First, it starts with prayer. There’s no use trying to do anything without the help of the Holy Spirit! We’ve got to go before God and acknowledge that we want to change, we want to do better, and we want to show love. We have to ask for His help to soften our hearts toward others.

Once we ask Him to help us to change, He’s going to provide opportunities for us to live that change. People will start crossing our paths that need love. Situations are going to arise where we are going to be challenged to show love. God will place requests on our hearts for us to be love to others.

At first you may have to force yourself to do it. You may have to act out love even when you don’t genuinely feel it inside. As you keep practicing love, God will work the change in your heart.

Plus, there’s an added bonus: When you show love, you get it in return. Just like the Bible says, whatever you give out, you’re going to get back. (Galatians 6:7) When you push out love, you’re going to get a whole lot of love coming back your way. That should be a heap of encouragement to keep up the good work. Soon, love will become a habit, and after that second nature. Before you know it, the fruit of love will be evident in every area of your life!

Now, there will be times when you show love and don’t get it back in return. There is going to be that person who, no matter how much you try to show love, is going to throw a whole lot of hate back in your face. It is to those people that you should show the greatest love.

Jesus took the time - in the midst of the excruciating pain He was experiencing while He hung on the cross – to ask God to forgive those who had put Him there. He showed love down to the very person who had hammered the nails into His hands.

Jesus is our hero. He’s the One all of us should be trying to be like every day. If He can show love even to the folks who killed Him, the least we can do is love the people who hate on us. The more love we show, the more we become like Jesus. The more like Jesus we become, the prouder our Heavenly Father will be of us.

Verse of the Day: Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18

Wednesday's Word: Love

I went to a wonderful wedding yesterday and was reminded about the attributes of love. Let's all remember the true meaning of love today and share love with those around us!

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.

 

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.

 

Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

 

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

 

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

 

1 Corinthians 13

Greatest Love

It all began with love.

God spoke into the darkness and created this universe. He knelt down and fashioned man and breathed into Him the breath of life. He gave us charge of this whole world, and set us up to live in paradise.

Love.

When man sinned and broke the harmony that had been established, God found a way to restore the balance. He could have easily destroyed us and started over, but He cherished us so much. He knew that the only thing He had would repair the breech. His Son accepted the heavy call and asserted that He would come to earth to save mankind.

Greater Love.

Jesus shed His glory and took on the humble form of a servant. He was the physical embodiment of Love while He walked the earth. He led a blameless life and lived giving of Himself to those who were broken, hurting, and in need. Yet those very people Jesus helped turned on Him and condemned Him to die. Still, He chose to lay down His life so that those same people and the entire world could be saved.

Greatest Love.

We are free because of the greatest love known in the history of this world. We have eternal life because someone chose to love us when we were unlovable. Love gave us a new beginning. Love gave us no end.

As recipients of great love, we are asked to show great love in return. Just as we were shown love at our most lowly moments, we should reach out and extend love to those around us who are at low points in their lives. The exact way God’s love covered our nakedness, filled our area of need, fed our hunger, and visited our loneliness is the exact way we should give love to the world.

This love shouldn’t just be a random occurrence or meted out because we “feel” like it. Our love should have a constant flow. Regardless of how we feel, who the person is, or whether we feel that person is deserving, love should be something that springs out of us at all times.

None of us deserved God’s love. Yet He still chose to give His love. Even when we pushed Him away… Even when we abused His love... When we took His great love for granted… He still chose to give it without malice.

Greatest Love.

We are its primary recipients. We should be its primary givers.

Verse of the Day: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:10, 11

Wednesday's Word: Love Is A Verb

This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.


If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

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. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
1 John 3:11-24 (NLT)

Have you been showing love through your actions?

Have a great day!

Holy Week: Jesus Did It For You!

Think on this...

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. Matthew 27:29-50


Jesus did that for you!

Wednesday's Word: Do You Love Him?

Today's Word looks at some of the last teachings of Jesus before He went to the cross.

Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me,

so that the world will know that I love the Father.

John 14:23-30a (NLT)

 

A couple of questions after reading this:

 

- From Jesus' words, do you really love Him?

- Are you following the teaching of the Holy Spirit?

- Have you embraced your gift of true peace?

 

Let these words ring in your spirit as you go about your day today. Think about your walk with Christ and whether it reflects what He has spoken in this passage.

Wednesday's Word: Loving One Another

This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 

We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil,

and his brother had been doing what was righteous.

So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life.

But a person who has no love is still dead.

Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart.

And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

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.

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Our actions will show that we belong to the truth,

so we will be confident when we stand before God.

1 John 3:11-19 (NLT)

 

Need I add anything more?

 

As believers, we know what real love is. We know what it means to be absolved of guilt and shame. We know the joy of being forgiven. We know the blessing of having our sins forgotten. All of this was made possible for us through Jesus' love and sacrifice.

 

Since we know the real love of Jesus, we should show that love to those around us. How can we claim to know God's love and not show it to the people we see every day?

 

It is through our actions, our behavior, our daily lives that the light of Christ's love in us will be shown. Are we reflecting that we belong to Him? Can we stand confident before the Lord?

 

Today, let's remember to walk in the real love of Christ.

It's Not Just About You

God wants us to bear fruit not just for our own benefit, but to benefit others as well. As we go about our lives exuding godly characteristics other people will take notice.


When people have the fruit of the spirit, it’s hard to miss them. They stick out because it is not normal in this world. Those people who aren’t used to the things of God are more often than not going to be drawn to those people.

People are hard-wired to respond to the love. They enjoy being treated well. They want to feel respected. When we choose to live out the Lord’s principles and bear fruit, people will naturally be drawn to us.

That’s the great thing about fruit trees: You can feed hundreds of people off of one tree. As long as that tree stays healthy, people can come back over and over again and be nourished. With trees that bear the fruit of the spirit, continual spiritual food will birth those traits in others. Someone who keeps eating on God’s goodness is much more prone to become a bearer of His fruit themselves.

How many people do you ‘nourish’ as you go about your day? Do folks leave your presence full of the spirit? Or, are you leaving those around you with a bad taste in their mouths? What are you feeding those who cross your path?

No matter how brief the encounter, how shallow the relationship, you always leave an impression. As a bearer of the fruit of the spirit, yours can be an everlasting one. You don’t always have to share your testimony, quote a scripture, or even crack a Bible to be a witness for the Lord. Sometimes all it takes is a meek spirit, a loving gesture, or the manifestation of another one of God’s spiritual fruits to turn someone to Christ.

Today, consider how you interact with those around you – both strangers and those you know. Do your actions bring life and strength to others, or are you causing tension, strife, and confusion in your wake? Are your words seasoned with salt that effects change? Are you lifting up Christ in your lifestyle?

The world is looking for an answer to their pain. They’re searching for a reason to smile in the face of adversity. They want to believe that their hope is not in vain. They want to know the reasons for it all.

Seeing an actual good person live with real joy, a loving heart, peace in the midst of chaos, gentle words, solid faith, a humble spirit, patience in trials, and self-control when others would just let go… They will definitely want to know that person’s secret.

You can be that person. You can set yourself up with the perfect opportunities to minister Christ.

Verse of the Day: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Blessed Are the Merciful

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

We have received great mercy from our Heavenly Father. As sinners, we were destined - deservedly - to live an eternal life in hell's fury. Yet, He chose to show us mercy. He chose to accept Jesus' sacrifice in place of our own.

Despite our daily failings... In spite of our habitual sins... Regardless of our continual falling away... Our Heavenly Father continues to pour out His love on us.

We have obtained the greatest mercy in the universe.

Yet, how much mercy do we show to others? When we are mistreated, misused, and abused, how often do we show forgiveness? How often do we overlook a wrong and choose to show undeserved kindness to another?

We have obtained great mercy, and we hold a great promise of eternal life as a result. It is only right that we show great mercy in return. It is only right that we reflect the great love that we have been shown.

Jesus told a telling parable about a man who was shown mercy with a debt he owed. Even though the man was pardoned for a great debt, he still chose to torture another man who owed him little. In the end, that same man was punished for his cruelty.

Despite the fact that we have been shown great mercy, are we missing out on blessings because of our inability to show that mercy to others?

Today, aim to reflect the great mercy that you've received from the Lord. Remember the great things that you've been forgiven of, and show someone else the joy of that forgiveness.

Verse of the Day: Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 106:1

12 Days of Christmas: Jesus' Choice

This is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it!

I'm home this morning recovering from this cold that finally seems to be leaving my body. It feels good to just sit and rest instead of running here, there and everywhere like I normally do.

Today, our blog is officially 12 days from Christmas! (No, I haven't gotten a single present yet.) This time of the year is important for Christians because it marks our remembrance of Christ choosing to come to the earth to save mankind.

Can we meditate on that for a moment? Jesus - God's Son, full of power, seated in glory, with the omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence only God can have - chose to come down to earth. He chose to take on a body made of the dust of the ground. He chose to shed His glory. He chose to give up His life of splendor.

All to save your life.

He loved us so much that He was willing to risk it all on the chance that you would make Him your Lord and be saved from sin.

Amazing.

No matter what you do or don't get for Christmas this year, you've already gotten the best gift. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, chose to come down to earth and be put to death as a sacrifice for your sins.

As you go about your day today, think about the weight of that decision that Christ made. Get a new perspective of the deep love that Jesus has for you. Honor that love by showing great love to someone else that you may meet in your travels today.

Jesus chose to come to earth to save you!

You must be pretty special.

Verse of the Day: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:6-8

Afternoon Ti: Inconvenience Yourself Today

Today, I'm going true devotional style and opening with our verses to meditate on:

...Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven... Nehemiah 1:2-4

And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. Nehemiah 2:5  
This passage of scripture relays Nehemiah's response to hearing of the physical and emotional brokenness of the city of Jerusalem. This man was so moved that he asked to leave his place of palatial comfort and peace to go back to Jerusalem, a place of conflict and sacrifice, in order to restore it to as safe haven for his people.

How many times do we hear of different churches, Christians or cities that have fallen? It may be a scandal, sin, tragedy, or some other affliction that rocks them to pieces. Yet, how often do we hear the news, shake our heads, mourn the downfall of society, and then just go about our day?

To bring it even closer to home, how often do we hear of our own friends, co-workers, family members, and other people we are close to who fall prey to difficulties? And what do we do in response? More often than not, we probably shake our heads and go on with our own agendas.

Yet, as believers, hearing of another person's struggle should move us into action. Our hearts should be sensitive to the needs and hurts of those around. We are to be the shining lights of Jesus' love, hope, help, and peace in the midst of a storm.

Whenever Jesus encountered people in need, He reached out and did what He could to help. Even when He was tired and hungry, Jesus allowed Himself to be inconvenienced to minister to those who were hurting, in the midst of scandal, and facing tragedy.

Don't be so wrapped up in your own story, that you miss out on influencing the lives of those around you. Don't allow your heart to become callous to the cries of a world that is in pain. You may not have the money, knowledge, or means to fix every problem you hear of, but you do have the ability to pray. You have the ability to give your time. You have the Holy Spirit inside Who can help you to bring comfort and peace to any situation.

Today, allow yourself to be inconvenienced in order to bless someone who is in need of God's love.

Yeah, It's My Birthday!

Happy Birthday to ME! Today, I am celebrating another year of life!

I'm so grateful at how the Lord has kept me this year. It has been a year of some great highs and some heartache. Yet, I am amazed at how the Lord has kept my heart and mind. I can say without a doubt that you can have peace that passes all understanding in Christ!

Usually I share my favorite scripture of Jeremiah 29:11, but this year we'll do my runner up scripture:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:

because fear hath torment.

He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

I love this scripture because at one time I struggled with fear. I was afraid to talk to strangers, afraid to go outside of my comfort zone... I was even afraid to utilize my own talents and gifts because of how I thought other people would react.

Yet this scripture reminded me that I have no need to fear. I have the perfect love of Christ on the inside of me. Greater is He that is in me than anything the world could throw my direction!

So when fear would come my way, I'd remind myself that fear could not coexist with God's perfect love. I decided to allow the love of God to take me to my perfect place in Him. Fear is no longer holding me back from moving forward.

Don't let fear hold you back from your destiny! Allow the Lord's perfect love to move you to the place where He wants you to be.

Verse of the Day:  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

Created in God's Image

Well, I'm back in school. So, you all will now get to be blessed by what I'm learning in my classes again! Yesterday, I had to read on the imago Dei or the image of God. What stood out to me is that everyone is created in the image of God.

God takes the time to hand-craft each and every one of us into His image. He purposefully chooses to create all of us, and He then forms us to look like Him. All of humanity bears His image and likeness. Every single one of us.

Many people on this planet - although bearers of God's image - choose to live in a way that looks nothing like our Heavenly Father. People choose to follow their own selfish desires and whims despite their actions being contrary to God's Word.

Can you imagine what would happen if we all fully embraced being created in the image of God? What changes would break out if we simply chose to conform to the image of God in every area of our lives? How much would things improve if we began treating each other like the image-bearers of God that we actually are?

Jesus stands as our prime example of what it means to fully embrace being created in the image of God. Jesus walked the earth with authority. He knew no fear. Jesus treated His fellow man with love and respect no matter who they were. Even people who were supposed to be His enemy got shown the love of God when they came across Jesus' path.

Today, let's live our life like Jesus. Let's remember that we were all created in the image of God. Let's remember that every person we encounter - no matter where they are in life, no matter how they appear, no matter how they act - they were created on purpose by God to look and act like Him!

Every human being deserves our respect and love. As we acknowledge how much care God put into creating them, we ourselves will take on more of His image ourselves.

Verse of the Day: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26, 27

Handle With Care

Right now, millions of people are walking around thinking that no one cares. No one cares about them… No one cares about their problems… No one cares about a certain situation or issue… No one cares about the tragedies going on around them…

They walk around feeling helpless and alone. They don’t see any hope. They don’t feel any love.

Jesus’ ministry was so effective because He cared. He could have walked around performing miracles and preaching God’s Kingdom and not had as great of a result if He had not have cared in the midst of all of it.

Because Jesus cared He reached out to the lepers – a group of people the whole nation was instructed to shun because of their illness. Because Jesus cared He ministered to the Samaritan woman – a member of a race with whom the Israelites were enemies. Because Jesus cared He preached and ministered to the crowds when He Himself just wanted to rest and get away. Because Jesus cared He followed through on His mission all the way to the cross and the grave.

I know at times I go about life as if I have blinders on. I have tunnel vision and can only see what relates to me and my needs, wants, and desires. Too often, I miss out on interacting with another person in a more meaningful way or doing a good deed that would bring a smile to someone’s face. All because I didn’t take a minute to notice… to care.

Do you care about those around you? Do you consider other peoples’ feelings, issues, and situations? Do you notice when someone around you needs some care?

Today, make an effort to care about what’s going around you. Turn off the tunnel vision and pay attention to the people, situations, and issues happening in your world. What can you do to show that you care? How can you give someone the same kind of attention that Jesus did?

Don’t just live today for yourself. Make it about someone else.

Verse of the Day: But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36

Put Your Love on Display

I'm back from vacation! I'm rested, relaxed, and refreshed! I had so much fun seeing all of my family, and I can't wait to go back again.

In the midst of all of the hustle and bustle, love was on full display. There was love for family, love for friends, love that sacrificed, love that gave above and beyond, love that spoke up, love that was silent... It was an all-out lovefest!

It's easy to show love to family and friends. It's not hard to show kindness to people we like. The true testament of our faith comes when we reach out to strangers. Our love really is shown when we give it away to those that others feel are 'unlovable'.

Jesus told us that the world would know we were His followers because of the love we displayed. He constantly spoke about love and forgiveness. He taught that keeping the peace should be our highest priority. To Him, we couldn't give an offering without making sure that things were made right between people who had offences with us first! (Matthew 5:23, 24)

Are people able to see your Christianity through the love you display? Can they tell you're a follower of Christ from how you treat them? Would someone be able to observe you throughout the day and see the love of Christ shine through?

Make sure your love is on display today!

Verse of the Day: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35

Souls in the Balance

By now you've probably heard about the theater shootings in Aurora, CO. Yesterday, there were memorial services and prayer services to remember those that were killed and pray for the injured. Our President even put his agenda on hold to go and see about those hurting in that city.

In the midst of all the news coverage and happenings surrounding this matter, one thing keeps bugging me: somebody knew. Someone knew that the alleged shooter, James Holmes, was off. Someone knew that something wasn't right with him. Someone saw that he was not in his right mind.

Yet no one said anything. No one did anything.

As believers it is practically our job to notice those who are outcast, rejected, hurting, and alone. It is our responsibility to show love to the unloved, to give to those who have nothing, to be friends to the friendless. We are to spread Jesus' love to everyone we see who needs it.



Marc Piscotty for nbcnews.com



The question is whether we are taking the time to do something about the people we see who are in need.

 Are we reaching out to those that we see hurting? Are we going out of our way to show love to someone who needs it? Do we reach out to those who we see are all alone?

There are souls in the balance.

True, not everyone will accept the love of Christ. Not everyone will respond to a caring act. But someone will. There's someone who is just waiting on someone else to show that they care. There's someone who wants someone else to notice that they're hurting. There's someone who doesn't want to feel alone anymore.

That's where we come in. When we show God's love, when we follow the Holy Spirit and reach out, when we take on the mind of Christ and pay attention to someone in need... we can turn things around. We can change someone's life. We can rescue someone from despair.

Who knows? Our small acts of kindness could lead a person to the Lord. Our smile or hug could save someone from the grasp of suicide. Our love could ease the hurt of someone who was planning to hurt someone else.

We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Are we doing our jobs? Does the world reflect our Christian actions? Is our faith impacting those we come in contact with?

We can't just live our lives in a bubble. We can't ignore the pain and hurt in the lives of those around us. We were given too much to be selfish. We were shown too much love to keep it all to ourselves. We have to start reaching out. We have to start living the life we claim. There are souls in the balance.

Verse of the Day: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18, 19

Love Is What You DO

Love is a verb. It is an action. It is something you do. However, when it comes down to it, many of us resort to declaring our love rather than portraying our love.

Jesus was someone who exemplified love in literally everything He did. He came to this world out of love. He chose a humble life out of love. He took the time to befriend, mentor, train, and inspire the twelve apostles out of love. He performed miracles out of love. He taught the multitudes out of love. Even when Jesus was dying on the cross, He made it a point to forgive His killers out of love.

Jesus' life was a model of what it means to love.

Think about your life. Do you really show love? Or, are you one of those who just say that you love someone? When you do something for someone else, is it truly out of love for them? Do you limit your love to just those who are close to you, or is your love available to all? Do you love no matter how you feel, or do you continue to show love even when it's inconvenient for you?

As children of the King, we should allow God's love to transform us to the point where we show love like Jesus did. God's love should permeate our beings to the point where we can't help but to show love everywhere we go and to everyone we meet.

Yet, too many of us are comfortable being selfish or stingy and we allow our love-growth to go lacking. We don't allow ourselves the joy of knowing what it really means to exemplify love. We stop ourselves from reaching the maturity that go wants to bring us to in Him.

And we wonder why the world is in the amount of disarray that it's in...

Today, make the choice to show love. Allow the love of Christ to take over. Let love challenge you to grow in your Christianity. Choose to show love not just talk about it. When opportunities arise, consider what Jesus would do and choose to follow His example.

Our Savior chose a life of love and was able to bring salvation to mankind. What can you accomplish if you follow His example?

Verse of the Day: Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. Ephesians 5:1, 2

Right Obedience

When God blessed Abraham with a son, Abraham was overjoyed. He loved Isaac so much that God began to wonder if the child had taken first place in Abraham's life. To test Abraham's loyalties, God asked Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice to Him.

When Abraham heard the Lord's request, he didn't argue, he didn't complain, and he didn't talk back. He simply obeyed. Literally, the next morning, Abraham got up and set out to follow the Lord's command.

Abraham's heart had to be in turmoil and his mind utterly confused. Yet, he chose to obey the word of the Lord. Even when Isaac asked how they were going to make a sacrifice without a lamb, Abraham merely replied, "The Lord will provide the lamb."

When God saw Abraham's obedience, when He saw that Abraham was indeed willing to give his most prized possession up as an offering to Him, God intervened and spared Isaac's life. And the Lord did provide a ram in the bush to serve as the sacrifice instead. (Genesis 22)

Abraham endured this emotional test and passed God's challenge with flying colors. He obeyed immediately, he did not obey grudgingly or with the wrong spirit, and he kept his words in line.

Has God placed you in a challenge situation? He may not have asked you to sacrifice your child, but maybe He's asking you to sacrifice some time. Maybe He's challenging you to sacrifice in the area of giving. Perhaps He's testing you in the workplace.

Are you being like Moses? Are you simply obeying God without complaint? Or, are you talking back, questioning God's instructions, or even ignoring them altogether?

Our Father wants to know that He has first place in our hearts. He should take precedence over our jobs, our favorite hobbies, our friends, and even our families. He should be first always.

As our first love, we should have a deep enough relationship with Him to know that whatever He asks of us, He has our best interests in mind. We should trust that He will never lead us astray or cause us to fall. We should be assured that He loves us far beyond what we could think.

Maybe you are in a difficult spot. Maybe you feel that what God is asking you to do is unfair or painful. But, if we act in obedience like Abraham, the end result is God showing up and showing His love for us far beyond what we could have imagined.

Verse of the Day: If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. Job 36:11, 12

Showing Love for All

In 2 Kings chapter 5 we find the story of a young girl who was taken into captivity by the Syrians. She was made a slave to the wife of one of the captains who defeated her country. Yet even while enslaved, the young girl displayed the love of God.

Her master, Naaman, was a leper. Seeing his sickness, the young girl spoke up. She mentioned to his wife that Naaman should go see the man of God because she knew that Naaman could be healed if he went to see him. As a result of this young girl's suggestion, her master was ultimately healed after following the prophet Elisha's instructions.

This young woman had every right to be bitter. She was taken captive from her home and she was now forced to be a slave to a family of her enemy. But, this young woman was not bitter. She recognized a need and knew how it could be fixed. She spoke up in faith believing that God would heal even her enemy. In showing her faith in God, she was able to give Naaman his miracle and ultimately show him that the Lord was the one true God.

Are you in a "captive" situation? Do you find yourself working with someone or in a situation that you see as totally against your favor? Don't get so caught up in what you see as a slight that you allow bitterness and anger to cloud your vision. Choose to remain full of God's love. Bless those that curse you. Do good to those who despitefully use you.

As you showcase God's love - even to your enemies - He may point out some problems that only He can fix. As you speak up in faith, you may be just the instrument to bring someone their miracle and ultimately lead them to the Lord.

Verse of the Day: And he [Naaman] returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel... 2 Kings 5:15a

No Need to Fear

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  - 1 John 4:18

I love this Scripture because at one time I had a problem of fear. I used to be afraid to talk to people, I was afraid of messing up, I was fearful of other people's views of me... I had so many worries and concerns that plagued my mind.

Yet in this verse I learned that there was no reason for me to be afraid. As I allowed God's perfect love to envelop me and to fill me, I experienced a strength and assurance that drove away fear.

God's love is so strong that He would do anything to save you. He gave up His only Son, so you could live. His love placed you in the right moment in time, the right family, the right country, with the right abilities and talents to fulfill your destiny. His love for you is so great He makes Himself available to talk to you whenever you want. He allows you to experience His awesome presence and to hear His personal words of wisdom straight to you.

With love like that, what do you have to fear?

There is no circumstance that can beat you. There is nothing a human being can do to you to cause you to fall. There is no sickness that can overpower you. There is no mountain that can block you. You have no reason to be afraid.

Why? Because God's love is for you. With His love, God will make sure you succeed. He will make sure your destiny in Him is fulfilled. He will take care of your every need and destroy your every foe.

All you have to do is allow His love to lead. All you have to do is trust in the love that saved you. All you have to do is allow yourself to become perfected in His love.

Verse of the Day: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:16, 17