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 Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:04 pm
February 14 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. — John 13:34-35 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...How do you recognize Jesus' followers? How do you find Christians? Jesus said they love each other just as he loved the disciples. In the immediate context this means he is willing to give sacrificially and extravagantly by dying for them at the cross, and he is also willing to love selflessly and practically by washing their feet. His ministry reveals he will do almost anything in between extravagant and practical. Imagine if we all read the Gospels and committed to love each other in the same way Jesus showed his love to his disciples! My Prayer...Father of Compassion and God of all grace, I thank you for teaching me to love through the example of Jesus. May my words and actions reflect his love toward your people today, tomorrow, and until you bring us all home to you. In the name of Christ, my Great Example, I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:38 pm
February 15 This is love: not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. — 1 John 4:10 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...He loved us first! He offered his Son to save us regardless of our decision to believe or ignore his grace. We are given the ability to accept or reject the death of his Son as the sacrifice for our sins. The only condition, as 1 John 2:1-2 emphasizes, is that we realize that he died for everyone else in the world, too! My Prayer...
Precious King, God Almighty, why you should love me and send Jesus to die for me I will never fully understand. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your sacrifice for my sins. Thank you Jesus for coming to save me. I pray in your name and by your intercession. Amen.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:28 am
February 16 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. — 1 John 3:11 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...The original message - love one another. The enduring message - love one another. The most convicting message - love one another. The most difficult message - love one another. I'm reminded of the little verse: To dwell above with saints we love, O that will be glory. But to dwell below with saints we know, now that's another story. But it's the story we're called to write with our lives! This is God's enduring message he wants demonstrated in his children. Let's go out and live it! My Prayer...Loving Father, I commit to you that I will intentionally show my love for your children in what I do and say. I do this trusting your grace to empower me to do more than I would do on my own. Through Jesus my Savior I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:08 pm
February 17 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. — Romans 8:35-37 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Conquerors! We win!! When you open up the final book of the Bible, Revelation, that is the message - Christians win because Jesus is the one true conqueror. No matter how the battle is going for you right now, remember that in the end, we win! My Prayer...El Shaddai, God Almighty, thank you for securing the ultimate victory for me by raising Jesus from the dead. I know he is coming with victory on the day you have determined, but I pray that I may live victoriously for you until that day. Through Jesus my conquering King I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:02 pm
My all-county tryouts for band-Day I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Separation is something we fear whether it's separation from a child, a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, or from God. Jesus endured separation from God by becoming a human and by going to the cross. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we can know we won't have to ever be separated from God's love. He bore the separation so we would never have to fear it! My Prayer...Great Father of all peoples, thank you for loving me. Thank you for giving me the promise that nothing can separate me from your love. Make me more aware of your accompanying presence in my life. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 7:16 pm
February 18 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. — 1 John 4:11-12 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Can you imagine what an honor it is to have the Creator of the universe, the Lord God Almighty, living inside of you! But when we love each other, that is exactly what happens. When our hearts are full of love, there is room for God. When they are not full of love, we leave God little room to take up residence and produce his character in us. Let God complete his love in you. Make a commitment to do loving things for others today! My Prayer...Abba Father, it is so comforting to know that you are not far away - that I live in you and you live in me. Help me see others with your eyes and respond to their needs with your heart so that your love may be complete in me. In the name of Jesus, the Servant and Savior of all, I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 5:38 pm
February 20 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. — Proverbs 17:9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse..."It's just a little harmless gossip." The Wise Teacher reminds us that gossip is neither little or harmless. Its consequences are huge and its damage horrible. Instead, it is much better to be a peacemaker and an offense mender. My Prayer...Father of Glory, I confess that I am often more a peace lover than a peacemaker. Give me the character not to repeat gossip and instead have the wisdom and strength to be an offense mender. Through the Prince of Peace I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:30 pm
February 21 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. — Romans 13:9-10 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to have laws to keep people in line! That's the point behind Paul's message here. Treat our neighbors like we would like to be treated. Love them as we like to be loved. If we do that, then we're not going to do anything that would hurt them, much less violate a command of law! My Prayer...God who gave Moses the Law on tablets of stone, please write your character and will on my heart that I might be a living stone, testifying to your righteousness and grace. Help me to think more carefully about how my neighbors feel before I act or react to them -- not just today, but every day! In the name of your Son, Jesus I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:14 pm
February 22 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. — 1 John 4:18 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...What is there to fear since God sent his Son to die to redeem us? What is there to fear since we cannot be separated from the love God has for us in Christ Jesus? What is there to fear except ourselves, and God has poured his Spirit into our hearts to reassure us and strengthen us in our weakness! As we love God and his children, we are reminded of his love for us which is far better than our meager love for others. Rather than run from him in fear, we bow before him in thanks knowing that he who hears our prayers is also he who loves us and yearns to calm our fears. My Prayer...Loving Father, thank you that I can reverence you without fearing your wrath. Thank you that I can revere your word and yet not be terrified with my inadequacies. May your love in me produce a closer likeness to your holiness, righteousness, justice and mercy than all the laws, threats, and judges combined. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, who ransomed me from sin and poured out his love upon me. Amen.
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:31 pm
February 23 Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. — Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Of all things to be rich in, I cannot think of anything I'd prefer the Holy God to be rich in than mercy. I know my failures, shortcomings, sins, and transgressions. Without his mercy, to pardon again, and without his grace to send Jesus to pardon at first, I would be lost and without God. Now, because of his rich mercy, my life is tied to Jesus' future and not the one I earned for myself. My Prayer...Father of all grace and mercy, thank you. Thank you for being God like you are God. Thank you for extending grace when I have not deserved it. Thank you for giving mercy when I most needed it. Thank you for giving life when I thought my life was doomed and hopeless. May my wealth be in mercy and grace much more than money and gold. Help me be more like you. In the name of Jesus, my older Brother and Savior, I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:38 pm
February 24 We love because [God] first loved us. — 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...It's all very simple. God is love. He is love's origin, example, and architect. I love because he loved me first. I know how to love because he has demonstrated it. I can love because he made me in his likeness and to share his character. He is the fountain, the motivation, and the pinnacle of love. I love because he does, first, last, and always. My Prayer...God of comfort, thank you for comforting me with your love. Just as a child learns from parents how to do so many things, I want to learn to love as you do: sacrificially, selflessly, and submissively so that others may know that they do not have to earn your love, only receive it. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:09 pm
February 25 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. — Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Some things are just not very complicated. Living for Jesus can be boiled down to two principles: love God with everything I am and have and love others and treat them like I would like to be treated. Not too hard to understand. I guess it's the living it that is the challenge! My Prayer...O Living and only True God, please accept the work of my hands, the words of my mouth, the moments of my rest, and the love of my heart as my worship to you this day. I pray that these are pleasing and refreshing to you. In the name of your Son, my Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 2:00 pm
February 26 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. — 1 John 4:9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Love is an action. The Bible stresses this truth again and again. Love must not only be spoken, it must also be shown. The beginning of love is God. He showed his love in the most sacrificial of ways so we could know our incredible value to him. The price of our adoption was the emptying of heaven of its greatest treasure, God the Son, who is our Savior. My Prayer...Loving Father, thank you for adopting me into your family. I can never thank you enough or repay you for your kindness, but please receive the service of my life as my ongoing thanksgiving for your grace and my small way of trying to share the love you have given me. Through my Brother and my Ransom I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 3:12 pm
February 26 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. — 1 John 4:9 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Love is an action. The Bible stresses this truth again and again. Love must not only be spoken, it must also be shown. The beginning of love is God. He showed his love in the most sacrificial of ways so we could know our incredible value to him. The price of our adoption was the emptying of heaven of its greatest treasure, God the Son, who is our Savior. My Prayer...Loving Father, thank you for adopting me into your family. I can never thank you enough or repay you for your kindness, but please receive the service of my life as my ongoing thanksgiving for your grace and my small way of trying to share the love you have given me. Through my Brother and my Ransom I pray. Amen.
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Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:05 pm
February 28 God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. — 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...Power! We like that concept. When it is godly power, might does make right because godly power is accompanied by love and self-discipline. These three together make a person's life effective, constructive, and corrective. Live life to its fullest: not as a closet Christian afraid of standing true and firm, but one who lives by God's power, shares God's love, and displays God's virtues. My Prayer...Holy God, you are without compare in your majesty and might. I have no right to come into your presence and yet you have invited me here by your love and your grace. You are my Rock, my Fortress, and my Strength. I depend upon your guidance and your mercy to sustain me through my storms and reclaim me from my stumbles. Holy God, you are without compare and I worship you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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