Perfect in Love

How well do you love? Do you love only the “right” people? Are you only willing to love those people who will love you back? Do you not know that God has called us to love everyone, not just the ones we like?

We may have heard that God has called us to love everyone before. If so, we have likely said, “Oh, that doesn’t really apply to me. God didn’t make me so that I could love everyone. I can’t.” If you have said or thought this, you are sadly mistaken.

True, it is not easy to love everyone. In fact, it can be extremely difficult. Yet, Jesus gave us explicit instructions to love everyone, including our enemy. He has told us that if we love only those who love us, there is no reward.

How do we go about loving our enemies? How can we get to a point of looking beyond their evil ways and actions to love them? There is only one who can do such a thing and that is God. We must rely on God’s Spirit living inside us to help us get to the point of being able to love our enemy.

This is no easy proposition, mind you. We are bombarded by the media, co-workers, friends, and family to hold that grudge, give payback, return evil for evil. Much of this world will do exactly that and the cycle continues endlessly. At what point do you get tired of riding on the merry-go-round? When is enough, enough? When will you jump off and plant your feet on solid ground again?

Jesus tells us to love our neighbor and our enemy. He lets us know that even the worst of the worst in this world will love those who love them back. We are called to live by a higher standard. We are to love as God loves. We are to be perfect as God is perfect. Perfect in love. Perfect in seeing each person as a child of God that God cares deeply for and provides for, despite what we may think.

I pray each of us will reach out to God and ask Him to lead us in loving unconditionally. I pray that we take on the hard work of loving all people as God loves them. I pray God moves mightily in our lives. Love all God’s children. Show your love for them in your actions. Pursue being perfect as God is perfect. Perfect in love.

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor  and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Thought of the Day

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Today’s reading is included below with the link to the Amazon Kindle format of Thought of the Day below it.

Word vs Action

Who are you representing today? Are you representing God? Are you showing Jesus to others? Are you spreading the gospel the world needs to hear and see? Are you doing as Jesus Christ commanded you to do?

We all speak of many things throughout each day. We talk about our work. We discuss family decisions. We likely talk about what so-so should do. You know, observing what everyone else is doing wrong and how they can fix it, even though they aren’t in the room to hear our “advice.”

Our churches have workgroups, councils, or action teams that discuss ministry and outreach plans. Often those discussions will go through several iterations with some of the ideas shelved and others (maybe) put into action.

Folks, if all we do is sit around and talk about what should be done, but do nothing, we’ve lost the point of what Jesus told us to do. Sure, we are to put our faith in Him. Yes, our first step is to accept Him as our Lord and Savior. However, once we’ve taken that step, He has given us a command to go and do for Him.

I’m sure some of you are thinking, “Great! Now he’s going to tell us how we are all to be ministers and preach the Word.” Yup. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. However, I’m not going to tell you that you should become what we call a pastor, minister, or preacher.

All of us are called to spread the gospel. As one old saying goes, “Preach Jesus Christ and when necessary use words.” Paul explains to us in Ephesians 4:4-16 that some are called to be pastors, ministers, or preachers. They are called to prepare the rest of the body to perform service. Notice Paul did not say that these pastors were called to do all the gospel spreading that needs to be done. That is the service the rest of the body is to do.

Each member of the body is to spread the gospel. And, yes, use words when necessary. I have had people I’ve worked with and clients of mine that have come to me and ask how I can remain so calm amidst all the chaos. My answer is always my faith and my trust in God. You see, the actions we take speak far louder than any words we can shout. Our actions allow us to use fewer words to spread the gospel. Now, doesn’t that make spreading the gospel a little easier?

I pray we all spread the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, through our actions. I pray we answer the questions people will pose to us with a faith filled responses. Be the positive force in actions the world needs. Speak when needed to spread the gospel. Trust God to provide you with faith, actions, and words.

James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Sneaky Lion

What are you wrestling with today? Are you debating with yourself about a decision you need to make? Are you analyzing the pro’s and con’s? Have you lost sleep over a major decision in your life? Do you worry about what other people think? Are you fighting against a serious temptation?

As we walk this world and live our lives, we face numerous decisions, temptations, and worries. How we go about navigating them will define us as a person. We see some people who seem to always make the right decisions and their lives appear to be smooth and easy. I’m willing to bet that isn’t really the case.

We are all human and we all struggle with decisions at some point in our lives. For some, it all comes down to sound logic. The logical thinkers will weigh the options, list the pro’s and con’s, and make a logical decision. It may not be the choice they prefer, but they will make the choice with an understanding that it is the best choice based on their analysis.

Others will look at the options and choose solely on emotion. Their choice is based on what they want now, rather than looking at what’s best for them down the road. This may ultimately end as a bad decision, since the choice made today can lead to disruptions later on.

Now, what is wrong with both of these types of decision making? In neither case has the person sought God for His guidance. Seeking God to make our decisions is difficult for us. First, we want to be in control. Second, we don’t want to wait. In our “give it to me now” society, waiting for an answer from God is simply unacceptable.

Unfortunately, all too many of us lack the patience to wait for God. Tragic! I once worked for a Warrant Officer who said, “If we are making any decision short of life and death, we should take time to think it through.” I believe that includes taking time to pray about it and wait for God’s answer.

Praying and waiting is extremely important. Why? Satan is using our earthly logic, our impatience, and our own desires against us. He is purposely using our weaknesses to trip us up and cause us to fail. Our Scripture reference states he is prowling like a roaring lion. Yes, but a roaring lion doesn’t roar when it’s on the prowl. It sneaks around quietly, approaching the unsuspecting victim, and pounces when they aren’t looking. I’m guessing none of us like sneaks and deceivers.

I pray we all become aware of Satan’s sneaky attacks. I pray we all seek God in our decisions. I pray we all acquire the patience to wait on God, while also accounting for our human logic and desires. Seek out God’s wisdom. Be aware of Satan’s tricks. Trust God to provide the answers you need, when you need them. God does not disappoint.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

In Step With God

Where do you see God in your life? Do you see Him at all? Do you see Him in your friends? Is He revealed in what you see around you? Can you see Him in the people you interact with? Or, do you feel as though God is hiding from you or has abandoned you?

We all experience what is termed as “dry times” in our lives. Those times when it seems God is not listening, or He isn’t answering us, or He isn’t guiding us as we would like. We may be going through a trying time, when there are tough decisions to be made. We may be going through a time when we don’t feel connected to God, other Christians, the church, or don’t feel like we can pick up the Bible and read.

The good news is—God is still there. He is right beside us, behind us, and in front of us. Though we may not see or feel Him, he is guiding us as He walks beside us. He is gently guiding us by the hand or shoulder. He is whispering in our ear when we come to a fork in the path, telling us which direction to go.

God is in front of us, clearing the path for His plan. He is ensuring the path we are to travel is cleared of obstacles. He is working in other people’s lives, putting them where they need to be to support His plan for us.

God is also behind us, keeping the predators away. He is putting His shield up to cover our back. Since God is everywhere at all times, He can be beside us, behind us, and in front of uys. Isn’t that amazing?!

I know, some of you will say this is all a bunch of hogwash. You don’t believe it. You say you have had too many bad experiences. I only have one question for you. Were you walking in step with God when you had those bad experiences?

True, God, like any good parent, will at times let us fail. It is when we fail that we learn some of life’s greatest lessons. Yet, if we are walking in step with God, He will never desert us and never allow us to go through more than we can bear.

I pray we all learn to walk in step with God. I pray we all learn to see God every day. I pray each of us will seek Him out in our daily lives. Look for God. Seek His face. Trust He is always there. He will strengthen you and guide you.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; 

do not be dismayed, for I am your God. 

I will strengthen you and help you; 

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Blessings Large and Small

How often do you praise God? Are you thankful for the many blessings He has been so gracious to grant you? Do you recognize all those blessings? Do you believe God is the One who gave them to you? Or, do you believe you’ve earned them all?

As we go through our lives, we have diverse experiences. Even with some of those being what we would call low experiences, we are still blessed. We quickly recognize those high experiences as being blessed. Though we often don’t attribute them to the proper Giver.

Isn’t it funny that we like to question God when things don’t go exactly the way we want and fail to shout for joy and give Him the praise when they do? Our humanness wants to take credit for our successes and place blame on someone else for our failures. The truth of the matter is, we are wrong in both cases.

There are some who believe in full destiny, meaning that every tiny little thing is scripted by God. There are others who don’t believe anything is scripted by God. I believe the true answer is somewhere in the middle. I believe we have the freedom of choice. I also believe God blesses and orchestrates situations in order to bless us or enhance a blessing.

What does this freedom of choice and destiny have to do with praising God? Whether you lean far to either side of these beliefs or are somewhere in the middle, you must recognize that God is the One who blesses. So, praising Him is the right thing to do, regardless of where you are on this seesaw.

Praising God for His wonderful blessings is good for our soul. As we spend time praising Him for the obvious blessings we easily recognize, we begin to see the smaller blessings as well. Giving thanks to God and praising Him is a good habit to form. It is one that will bring us peace, comfort, and contentment. Through our praising of God, we will be further blessed by His gracious works in us.

I pray we all develop a habit of thanking God and praising Him for all He does in our lives. He works in both large and small ways. He knows exactly what we need and the exact time we need it. Praise God for both His wonderful blessings and His perfect timing. Praise God. Know He is always with you. Trust Him in all situations. You have a wonderful inheritance ahead of you.

Psalm 16:5-8

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; 

you make my lot secure. 

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 

surely I have a delightful inheritance. 

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; 

even at night my heart instructs me. 

I keep my eyes always on the Lord. 

With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

The Company You Keep

Who are your friends? Who do you hang out with? What is their influence on you? Or, do you have an influence on them? Often when groups of people get together there is a group mentality that manifests itself. Does that happen when you are with certain groups?

We see this group mentality manifest itself in numerous settings. We see it at sporting events, concerts, local bars, and in our schools. We sometimes refer to certain groups as the “in crowd” because of the way they act. However, we usually find that when we catch one of those people by themselves, they don’t exhibit the same behavior or attitude.

This brings us to reflecting on our own lives. Do we act a certain way when we are with a specific group? This is not to infer that we should not be more formal when at a formal dinner. Instead, the question is in regard to how we act when in the company of our friends, family, church, or the “in crowd.” Should we act different when with these different groups of people?

The short answer is no, but it isn’t that simple, is it? Sure, we should feel more comfortable when we are with family and friends. Perhaps we laugh a little more or can relate a personal issue without fear of reprisal. Yet, it is more common, because of letting our guard down with our family, that we react negatively and treat family members badly. Where does this come from?

I’m sure most of us have heard the old saying, you are what you eat. Well, the same can be said about our mental attitudes. If we bombard ourselves with negativity from outside sources, we will reflect that negativity. Our brains absorb so much of it that we can’t help but regurgitate it.

Jesus stated that what comes out of our mouth is what makes us dirty or defiled (Matthew 15:11). It is also why He said to pick up our cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23). Our cross is leaving the ugliness of the world behind and choosing to be like Jesus. The meaning of following a Rabi, which Jesus was considered to be by many while walking this earth, is to follow so closely that the very dust off his sandals would get onto your clothes.

The metaphor explained is that when we truly follow Jesus, we will be covered by Him and in Him. That means that we will say what He would say, we will react as He would react, we will treat others as He would treat them. How well do we follow Jesus? Our behavior and words will tell the tale.

I pray each of us will decide to truly follow Jesus. I pray we will do as He would do and speak as He would speak. I pray that we become the shining example to the world around us. Choose to follow Jesus. Learn more about Him. Follow His example and His commands. Be Jesus to someone today.

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

Joy, Peace, Hope

Are you filled with joy? Are you filled with peace? Do you overflow with hope? Are you trusting this world to provide those for you? Or have you put your trust in God to provide those for you? Your answer will make a huge difference in your life.

We all long for joy, peace, and hope. We all want to experience those in our lives. Yet we often chase after them as if we are chasing the wind as we go about our daily lives. We chase them through the products of this world. Our humanness tells us we are lacking something, and we attempt to fill it with the things of this world. 

I, myself, have chased after those things by chasing after earthly pleasures. I have purchased the new house. I have purchased the new car. There is certainly excitement in those…for a while. Eventually all that excitement goes away and the responsibility of taking care of that new possession sets in. We understand that if you do not take care of something, it won’t last.

I have discovered that none of the earthly pleasures can hold a candle to the joy, peace, and hope that God provides. It is difficult to explain, hard to put into words. It’s sort of like that initial puppy love that causes you to be giddy about the other person. It’s kind of like experiencing the promise of the everlasting gobstopper that would provide a different flavor periodically and never dissolve. It’s also like completing a marathon, a huge accomplishment, and finally being able to sit down and rest. If you wrapped all of these into one, you just might begin to get the idea.

Until we put our full trust in God, we won’t feel that joy, peace, and hope. However, when we do trust Him, He will readily provide it. There are no words to fully explain the feeling of this, but contentment may come close. The power of God’s Spirit living in us provides for our truest, deepest needs when we trust Him.

I pray each of us will trust God with all we are. I pray we experience the joy, peace, and hope that He will provide. Live for God. Trust God with everything. Experience the hope that comes from the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Building Correctly

Who built your house? Do you know? Should you know? Who are you working with to build your eternal home? Are you building with the right One? Have you invited Him in to work beside you? Are you willing to follow His instructions?

There are many builders in this world. Some good, some not so good. If you are going to build a new house, you often seek advice from others who have built a house, asking them who built theirs. You may even look at consumer ratings to see how well each builder is rated on their workmanship, design, and overall customer satisfaction.

Building a house that you intend to live in for several years, perhaps the rest of your life, is an important decision. If you plan to live in that house for 20, 30, or 50 years, you want it to be of good quality. You want to ensure it will last. You probably choose high quality appliances, so you don’t have to worry about replacing them for a long time. Bottom line—you put significant thought into building that new house.

Are we putting as much time and thought into where we will spend eternity? Are we working toward an eternal home that we will love living in forever? Unfortunately, I don’t believe we spend much time doing so. Too often we simply listen to what our parents tell us, our friends tell us, or perhaps what our co-workers tell us. We don’t think through it and plan our way forward.

Oh, we’ve all heard that we need to believe in Jesus. We’ve all heard that we need to commit ourselves to Him. We’ve all heard we need to be baptized. We’ve all heard we need to follow in His footsteps. We’ve all heard we are to read our Bible. We’ve all heard we need to spend time with other Christians. And … we’ve all pushed that advice to the side in some way or another.

One of the truest sayings that I’ve heard, yet is challenging to put into action, is that we all need to come into our own faith. What does this mean? It means we can’t simply follow blindly what our parents have done. They may be very faithful, going to church every time the doors are open. They may be very involved in the church, actively working to guide others and plan events. So, what does it mean to come into your own faith?

Coming into your own faith means that you spend time with God, developing your own understanding of His Word, and what His plan is for you. It means spending some time setting your own goals. Perhaps you start by deciding to read one particular book of the Bible in a month. Later, you decide to read the entire Bible in a year, or 90 days. Perhaps you start reading a devotional every day. Perhaps you start attending a Bible class. You spend the time to think about building your faith and coming to your own understanding of God and allowing Him to guide you.

I pray we all spend time to think about and design our own plan to get to know God better. I pray each of us decide to build our faith intentionally with God. He is waiting and eager to spend the time with you. Be intentional. Spend time with God. Read His Word. Build your own faith. You will build a strong house.

Psalm 127:1

Unless the Lord builds the house, 

the builders labor in vain. 

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the guards stand watch in vain.

Powerful Hope

What do you hope for? Are you hoping for worldly possessions? Are you hoping for a better job? Do you hope for a change in your spouse? Perhaps you are hoping to acquire a spouse. Will you hope in the hope from God? Do you know that He has given us a powerful hope?

In this world, the word hope is often used as synonym for wish. If we say we hope our favorite team wins the game, we are really saying we wish our team wins. Unfortunately, that leaves the word hope as nothing more than some wishful exercise, rather than the meaning of the word as we often see it in the Bible.

When the word hope is used in the Bible, particularly when it is referencing our hope in God the Father or Jesus Christ, it means far more than wishful thinking. The word means there is a look to the future with the expectation that what we desire will come to fruition. We see hope carries with it an expectation of fulfillment.

The expectation of a future fulfilled by God is an amazing future. In order to see that future in its proper perspective, we must be of the same mind as God. To be of the same mind, we must spend time with God. Doesn’t this make sense?

How do we get to be of the same mind with someone? We spend time with them. There are many people who can finish the sentences of their spouses. They can also make decisions on behalf of their spouse in full confidence it is the same decision the spouse would make. There are people who have very close friends and can do the same.

When we have a close relationship with God, we too can make those types of decisions in accordance with Gods plan. We can finish the sentence just as God would finish it. This then converts our hope from wishful thinking to a powerful hope. You see, we then begin to hope for the same things God is planning. Don’t you think it would be powerful to hope and have confidence it is exactly what God is planning?

I pray each one of us will grow in our relationship with God, grow to the point of knowing how to finish the sentence the way God would. I pray we all experience the power in hope, having full confidence that what we hope for will happen. Come closer to God. Grow your relationship with Him. Experience the powerful hope He has given you.

Ephesians 1:18-21 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.