Abound in Love

What are you seeking to increase? What would you like to be better at? How would you like to improve your attitude and behavior? Have you thought about increasing your love for others? Have you thought about abounding with love for family, friends, and everyone you meet?

Each of us can improve our attitudes and behaviors. Even those who think they have reached the peak of perfection. Perhaps especially them. We may admit we are not perfect, yet we do not continue pursuing it. Think about how much better the world would be if we did.

Perhaps the most important area we can improve is love. Not simply saying we love but putting our love into action. The word for love in today’s passage also include benevolence. Being willing to help one another and those in need is an expression of love. It is an expression of not only our love but the love of Christ that comes through us.

But increasing our love to the point of abounding in it is a big step…or several big steps. Abounding in love would mean that it pours out of us at all times. It is a sacrificial love that always puts others ahead of ourselves. It is being the hands and feet of Jesus. It is being the mouthpiece of Jesus. It is lifting up others when they are down. It is providing for the needs of others, whether emotional, spiritual, or physical.

Abounding in love is not for the faint of heart. It is tough to love some people. It is tough to sacrifice for others all the time. Yet, abounding in love is being like Jesus. He demonstrated to us what it means to sacrifice for others. He left a place that is perfect in all aspects to come to a place full of imperfection to save sinners all over the world—past, present, and future. Choose to be like Jesus. Choose to abound in love.

I pray we all seek to improve our love for one another. I pray we seek to abound in love for others. I pray each one of us will seek to be like Jesus and demonstrate His love to others. Love one another. Love everyone you meet. Be like Jesus. Demonstrate His love.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.

Increase Others Faith

Do you earnestly seek to see people you care about? Do you long to strengthen their faith? Are you continually praying for them? Do you plan to visit with them and provide what they need to hear to increase their faith? Would you want someone to do that for you?

It can be challenging to speak to others about our faith. Yet, when we know people whose faith has slipped a little, it can be easier to speak to them. We know they believe in God. We know they are struggling. The challenge is determining what they need to hear in their current situation.

Notice what the Apostle Paul tells the church in Thessalonica. He earnestly wants to see them in person. He wants to restore their faith. He wants to build them up. How does he prepare for this task? He prays day and night. He prays continually. The people in Thessalonica are continually on his mind.

When we care about others, especially those whose faith is lacking, they should be on our mind continually. We should pray for them. We should pray that God guide us in what to say to help build up their faith. We should listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to us. We should follow God’s lead when encouraging them.

On the other hand, we should simply pound them over the head with facts or telling them what they should do. They will be much more willing to listen if we first show we care for them. We should first listen to their story. Ask what is going on in their lives. Praying before our conversation with them is wise. Ask God to guide you throughout the conversation. When we show we care, we are more likely to get the other person to listen.I pray we all seek to help others increase their faith.

I pray we show them we care about them. I pray each one of us spend time in prayer and listen for the Holy Spirit to guide us. Seek to help others. Seek to increase their faith. Show you care about them. Spend time in prayer. Listen for the Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 3:10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

Leader and Mentor

Have had good leaders in your life? Have you had good mentors? Were they appointed to be your leader or mentor? Or were they people you looked up to because of how they carried themselves? Are you a mentor for someone? Are you a leader of others?

Good leaders and mentors are hard to find. There are many who are promoted into various levels of management, but they are not necessarily leaders. Managers are responsible for managing people to accomplish tasks. They may or may not be a leader who leads people.

I was taught leadership traits and principles during my time in the Marine Corps. They are as much about moral fortitude as they are about completing a mission. What the Marine Corps figured out long ago is that a leader with good morals who seeks the best for those they lead will be able to accomplish the mission. Why? When people believe their leader has the best interest at heart, they will do whatever is required by the leader.

Though we cannot see God physically, the same principle applies. God has our best interest at heart. Just as we might follow a human leader who cares for us, we should follow God for the same reason. Not only does God lead the way but he is our mentor as well, just like a good human leader is a mentor. God is continually teaching us, if we are willing to learn.

To follow God fully, we must humble ourselves before him, just as we submit to good human leadership. God does not expect our humility to cause us to never question, rather to question with an open mind and be willing to follow even if not given an answer. There are times when trusting God and following him is all we can do. So, choose to be humble and follow the pathway God has set before you.

I pray we all see God as our mentor and leader. I pray we know that God has our best interest at heart. I pray each one of us will humble ourselves before God and follow his path for us. God is your mentor. God is your leader. God cares about you. Follow God’s path for you.

Psalm 25:8-10

Good and upright is the Lord; 

therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 

He leads the humble in what is right, 

and teaches the humble his way. 

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, 

for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Continual Learning

Who are you learning from? Are you learning anything at all? Have you come to believe you already know all you need to know? Do you think you are too old to learn? Why should you continue to learn? Will you choose to learn from God?

Learning should be a life-long activity. There is not a single person alive who knows it all. Those we may consider to be the smartest people are people who continue to learn. They have discovered the more they learn the more they realize how much they do not know.

It is especially important that we continue to learn about God and from God. It may seem odd to state we should learn from God. However, we learn from him by reading and studying his Word. We also learn through the Holy Spirit who reveals the meaning of God’s Word to us. What needs to happen for us to learn? We must be willing to learn, rather than think we already know it.

Having an open mind, searching to know more, seeking a deeper understanding is key to learning. We can get a deeper understanding by using scholarly books such as commentaries written by those who have studied the original languages and can provide insight into the meaning of the words used. Translations are good for a basic level of understanding but can hinder a deeper understanding.

One example of this is our English word love. We use that word in a number of situations to mean different types of love. Yet, when Jesus speaks to Peter about love and feeding His sheep in John 21:15-19, Jesus is using one word for love and Peter another. Peter is speaking of a friendship love while Jesus is speaking of unconditional love. Peter speaks of generally caring for others. Jesus is speaking of sacrificing for others.

There are many more examples of a deeper meaning being expressed in God’s Word within the original language. We do not need to know the original language. We can gain a deeper understanding by reading commentaries or using a concordance and dictionaries. Bottom line, continue to learn from God’s Word and God.

I pray we all seek to continue to learn. I pray we strive to gain a deeper understanding of God’s Word. I pray each one of us open our minds and listen for the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning of God’s Word. Open your mind. Listen for the Holy Spirit. Seek a deeper understanding. Continue to learn.

Psalm 25:4-5

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; 

teach me your paths. 

Lead me in your truth, and teach me, 

for you are the God of my salvation; 

for you I wait all day long.

Righteous Branch

Have you read God’s promises? Have you read the fulfillment of those promises? Do you know about one of the most important promises God made to humanity? Have you taken his promise to heart? Have you accepted his invitation? Will you stop living in fear?

God has made many promises. Perhaps the most important one was the promise of his Son coming to redeem us from our sins. One recording of that promise came from the prophet Jeremiah about six-hundred years before Jesus was born.

We are told that Jesus would execute justice and righteousness. We often long for justice. Especially if we feel we or a loved one has been wronged. Yet, God’s justice is not the same as human justice. God has his own set of rules. Rules that we don’t always understand. His justice includes offering the offender an opportunity to accept his plight and to turn to Jesus for redemption.

It is only by God’s grace that we are offered righteousness. We do not and cannot obtain righteousness on our own. We obtain righteousness through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So, when God sent his Son to this earth to redeem it, his wonderful character is put on full display. It is justice married with mercy. And because God works in this manner, we can become righteous through the atoning blood of his Son, Jesus Christ.

God promised to send a descendant of David to execute his will. We see in the lineages of Jesus in both Matthew and Luke that He was a descendant of David while also being the Son of God. Jesus is the righteous Branch promised. He is our redeemer. He is the only one who can save us from our sins.

I pray we all trust in God’s promises. I pray we know we are righteous by the blood of Jesus. I pray each one of us see that God fulfilled his promise of sending a righteous Branch for our good. Trust God’s promises. Know you are righteous in Jesus. Know God fulfills his promises.

Jeremiah 33:15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

Promises Made, Promises Kept

How good are you at keeping your promises? Do you consider saying you will do something a promise? Or do you only consider it a promise if you say the words “I promise”? How do you feel when someone breaks a promise to you? Are you upset, let down, or depressed?

Keeping promises can be difficult to do. And sometimes we make promises we shouldn’t make. We promise to do something for someone or to be somewhere when we either don’t mean it or are not sure we will be able to follow through. Not keeping promises ruins our reputation.

When others do not keep the promises they have made to us, we get upset. Our emotions run high. We may get angry, frustrated, feel let down, or be depressed. If it has happened many times, we may think, “Here we go again” or “It never fails.” The person who has constantly failed to deliver on their promises becomes untrustworthy.

God has made promises, and he keeps them. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God said the promise he made to Israel and Judah would come to pass. God fulfills his promises. When he told them they would be turned over to foreign nations due to their turning away from him, he delivered. He also delivered when they turned back to him.

We can rely on God to keep his promises. As we read Scripture, we see many times God has made promises, and we see when he has kept them. We can read books that are dedicated to nothing more than God’s promises and how he has kept them. Perhaps taking time to read just a few of God’s promises and how he kept them would increase our faith in him.

I pray we all know that God keeps his promises. I pray we read God’s promises and how he kept them. I pray each one of us know God has made promises to us and will keep them. Trust in God’s promises. Trust God will fulfill his promises. Hold onto God’s promises.

Jeremiah 33:14 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

Unseen Hope Saves

What is your biggest or most important hope? How many hopes do you have? Do you hope for your family? Do you hope for material possessions? Are you hoping for something new and grand? Have you put your hope in God?

We all hope for a variety of things. There are hopes for family, friends, material things, jobs, relationships, and many others. Yet, those hopes are generally more like wishes than true hope. Those hopes typically do not include a full expectation.

The hope we have in God, in Jesus Christ, is a hope full of expectation. We have hope of an eternal life. We have hope of blessings from God. Our hope feeds into our faith and is a product of our faith. Where does our hope come from? God’s promises.

As we hold onto God’s promises and see them come to fruition, our hope increases along with our faith. It is God’s promises along with the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that gives us cause for hope. It is not mere wishful thinking, but an expectation that God will fulfill his promises.

We know not all his promises will be fulfilled in our lifetime. Some of them will come long after we are gone. Yet, our hope tells us they will be fulfilled, nonetheless. It is with this hope that we live confidently in this world. For we know there is nothing that can stop God from fulfilling his promises. With this knowledge, our hope increases.

I pray we all put our hope in God’s promises. I pray we hope with a full expectation that God will fulfill his promises. I pray each one of us will live confidently with the hope we have in God. Hope in God’s promises. Expect God to fulfill them. Live with confidence in your hope.

Romans 8:24-25 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Spoken Truth

Do you seek to know the truth? Do you research to dig to the bottom of a story to uncover the truth? Are you normally skeptical of what you hear from others or read online or read in books? Are you gullible and willing to believe whatever someone tells you?

Being either always skeptical or gullible does not work well for our lives. We need a healthy balance of both. There are times to we should be skeptical and times being gullible is fine. But when we are seeking truth, leaning more toward being skeptical is more likely to help us discover it.

Pilate was certainly skeptical yet seeking to understand why Jesus was brought before him. Pilate wasn’t necessarily seeking truth. He was seeking to know motive. Motive of the Jews and Jesus’ motive. In fact, Pilate was skeptical of what someone professed to be truth to him. His cynical nature was always seeking to protect his position as ruler over Jerusalem.

Yet, Jesus states His purpose was to come into the world and testify to the truth. What truth was He testifying to? The truth of God. He spoke the true interpretation of God’s commands given to the Jews. He spoke truth to His disciples and the crowds who came to hear Him. He spoke truth about what was going to happen to Him. He spoke truth about His return.

Seeking the truth of God by listening to (or reading) the words of Jesus is in our best interest. We are not to be gullible, but we do need to have faith that Jesus is speaking the truth. It is by listening to Him that we get to know Him better and learn the truth of God.

I pray we all seek to know the truth. I pray we spend time reading God’s Word. I pray each one of us will trust in God’s Word and build our faith in Jesus by listening to Him speak to us. Seek the truth. Read God’s Word. Trust God’s Word. Put your faith in Jesus. Hear Him speak.

John 18:37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Be Honest with Jesus

Why do you seek to know who Jesus is? Why do you ask questions about Him? Why do your friends ask questions about Jesus? Who else have you met who asked questions about Jesus? What is their motivation? Does it matter? What do you think?

People ask questions about Jesus for a wide variety of reasons. Some are earnestly seeking to know about Him. Some are trying to trip us up, cause us to doubt. Some are trying to prove Him wrong because they don’t want to believe. Others are only doing so to join a conversation.

Pontius Pilate was questioning Jesus in part to adhere to Roman justice and in part to determine if He was a threat to his throne. Pilate had no interest in becoming a follower of Jesus. As far as he was concerned, the Jews were a conquered people, and they were lesser people than him. He was the appointed ruler in Jerusalem by Rome. He had the seal of Caesar on his appointment. Pilate merely wanted to stop a riot before it got started.

We don’t want to be like Pilate. We should want to ask questions about Jesus to learn more about Him. We should ask questions to seek a deeper relationship with Him. After all, don’t we ask questions to get to know people we want to build a deeper relationship with? All good relationships are built on honesty and knowledge of one another. As we seek to know more about Jesus, we also must be honest about the reason we are seeking to know Him. We must be honest with ourselves and with Jesus.

I pray we all seek to know more about Jesus. I pray we seek a deeper relationship with Him. I pray each one of us are honest with ourselves and honest with Jesus as we seek to know Him. Seek to know Jesus. Seek a deeper relationship with Him. Be honest with yourself. Be honest with Jesus.

John 18:33-34 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”

Priests of God

Do you consider yourself to be a self-made man or woman? Do you believe it only by your own hard work that you have achieved all you have achieved? Do you believe you are the only one you can count on to get things done? Have you considered giving God the glory?

Some of us like to think it is through our hard work and persistence that we have climbed up the ladder of success. We believe the harder we work, the more successful we will be. I know that attitude. I have been there and still go there at times myself.

Yet, when we take time to think about it, really dig down to the bottom of our success, we did not do it on our own. Even if we did not believe in God, we cannot take all the credit. There are others who contributed to it. But those of us who believe in God know it is God who has given us our talents. It is him who has guided our steps, even if we didn’t realize it. It is God who has guided us to the success we have.

What are we to do with that realization? We should praise God and give him the glory for his guidance and blessings. We know that Jesus loves us and freed us from our sins when He went to the cross. But have we thought about being a kingdom? We are a kingdom. Not one identified by land boundaries but one defined by the blood of Christ.

Not only are we a kingdom but we are priests who are to serve God. We do that by continuing to seek his guidance and following his will for our lives. As priests, we are to give God the glory for all he has done and continues to do in our lives. We are to praise him and realize he is the ruler of all and has dominion over everything in this world.

I pray we all know that Jesus has freed us from our sins. I pray we know we are part of God’s kingdom. I pray each one of us will give God the glory, praise him, and know he has dominion over everything. You are freed from your sins. You are in God’s kingdom. Give God the glory. Praise God. Know God has dominion.

Revelation 1:5e-6 To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.