Is your love for others ever increasing?

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
“Increase my faith, O Lord.” “Increase my strength,” “Increase my wisdom,” “Increase my knowledge.” We often pray for these things, but when is the last time you thanked God for your love increasing? Can you think of anything more exciting to say about your church (your brothers and sisters in Christ) than “The love every one of you has for each other is ever increasing!” “Increase my Love, O Lord.” Let’s pray and act to make it so! God will then add the rest unto us.

MY PRAYER…
Holy Father, may Your love so fill us that we cannot help but share it with everyone we come in contact with, especially others who call on Your name as we do. May this love grow and increase in our lives so others may readily see its benefits and recognize that it is a direct response to Your lavish love shared on us through Jesus. In Jesus, Name, I pray.
Amen

Did you know we are to love our enemies?

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Luke 6:35 New King James Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
As Christians we are supposed to do and act like our Precious Lord did when He walked on this earth. He says we are to love our enemies and do good to and for them. If we show forth His love to those who are in need and those who would despise and use us, to those where we know we will not get a return back from, then we will receive His reward. He will receive us as His children, children of the most High God. Heirs to the Kingdom of righteousness. And we show forth the true meaning of Christianity — being “Christ” like!

MY PRAYER…
Father I thank You that You have not asked us to do something that You have not already done Yourself and that You have not already equipped us to do. For You have given us Your grace, Your mercy, and Your strength to cope with the things of this world. You have given us a Name that is above all other names. That You sent forth Your Son Jesus, my Lord and Savior, because You so loved the world. The strength and grace You sent through Him more than equips me to carry out Your will. Thank You Father, for the reward You have reserved in heaven for me and for the blessings bestowed upon me now and for the grace to continue to do Your will here on earth. Father I give You all praise and glory in Jesus’ wonderful name.
Amen

Do know and understand the secret of God’s A.S.K. principal?

If any of you lacks wisdom he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Wisdom is that illusive quality we respect in others, especially in our leaders, and yet find so difficult to develop in our own lives. Solomon asked for it with a pure heart and God gave him great wisdom and also much, much more. God promises wisdom to those who truly, from their heart ask for it. But remember the secret of God’s A.S.K. principal;
Asking, seeking, and knocking. Or better yet, check out Proverbs 2:1-11. Wisdom is ours only if we seek it with all our heart and above all other possessions and if we value it above all other diversions. God longs to impart it, but there is something about wisdom that demands we value it before we can receive it.

MY PRAYER…
Heavenly Father, one who gives all good gifts, please continue to bless me with increased wisdom today and tomorrow and from this day forward. Let me reflect Your will and live for Your glory in all my decisions. Let Your Spirit guide my heart as I make my choices and have Your Holy Spirit lead me in all Your ways. I confess, Father, that I cannot guide my own steps without Your help. So grant me wisdom this day Lord to be able to know Your will for my life and follow Your will in all I do. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen

Do you have the peace that passes all understanding?

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Peace – wouldn’t it be wonderful to always have total peace in everything you did or said? Through Jesus, we can have true peace (shalom) – wellness in body, soul, and spirit. His relationships with others, His victory over sin, death and the grave ensures that we can have that peace, too! That is, if He is your Lord & Savior! So as we receive the Spirit of Christ into our hearts, we can live with our brothers and sisters, no matter how flawed we may be, in a state of peace and love. Peace that passes all understanding, peace that comes only from having a daily relationship with Jesus. Besides, as Paul changes metaphors on us in the last part of the verse, we are the Body of Christ and of course a body does not want to be at war with itself. So live in peace and love with others, and do so with thanksgiving in your hearts, getting our strength and peace from our relationship with God through Jesus our Lord! Because we know Christ Jesus is, “The Truth, The Way, and The Life.” There is no other way!

MY PRAYER…
Blessed Father of all believers, please help me to change my heart so that I can love Your people as You do. I know that as the character of Jesus permeates my life, I will appreciate the preciousness of each of Your children more and will come to see those difficult family members as the grit out of which You will fashion my pearl. I pray that You will continue to give me grace and peace until my heart matches my commitment to love all of Your children just as You love each of them. Through the Blood of Jesus I pray.
Amen

Do you wait for or wait on the Lord?

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Many people read this and believe that it means they are to wait for the Lord to do something for them. They don’t discern the difference between ‘wait on’ and ‘wait for’. To wait on means that you are serving and taking care of, while wait for means that you are waiting for something to happen. See the difference here? Those that are waiting on the Lord are serving Him and in turn He will renew their strength. If you are waiting for Him, you will be waiting a long time because He is waiting for you to ‘wait on’ Him. A couple of translations also use the term ‘hope on’ instead of ‘wait on’ which means to be patiently expectant and isn’t really an accurate translation. Wait on is a more accurate translation of the Hebrew and more clearly describes what the Lord is requiring here of His people. To those waiting ‘for’ the Lord enjoy the wait, it’ll be a long one.

MY PRAYER…
Father, I pray that the eyes of our understanding would opened and that the knowledge of your wisdom would be made clear to us. That your Word would come alive in our hearts and that we would know and understand your will for our lives. That we might be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Amen

How often do you let God do major surgery on your heart?

The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
How often do you let God do major surgery on your heart (your inner man, your spirit) as His Spirit uses the Word to encourage, judge, motivate, convict, instruct, and inspire? With such a great tool so readily at hand for most of us, let’s not let a day go by that we don’t let God use His word on hearts. We may not always like what He has to say through His Word, or through the ‘man of God’, or a friend, but did you always like what your natural father had to say? What He does, He does because He loves us. Is it time to let God show you that you must make amends to those you have offended or treated badly? Is it time for you to forgive, forget, and move on?

MY PRAYER…
Almighty God, Your will is my heart’s desire. But I realize that I need to be fed more consistently by Your Word. You revealed Your Word in Scripture. You sent Your Word in the flesh, Your Word paid the price for me on Calvary. I realize that I need to read, to meditate, to speak , and to do Your Word more and more every day. Give me strength and consistency in my walk with You through Your Word. Through Your Holy Spirit, inspire me to change what needs to be changed and to be blessed and encouraged in the areas that I need it most. I turn to You and rely on and trust in Your Word to point me in the direction You have for my life. Through Jesus I pray.
Amen

It’s not, is God on your side, but rather are you on God’s side?

Seek (inquire for and require) good and not evil that you may live, and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate the evil and love the good and establish justice in the [court of the city’s] gate. It may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph [the northern kingdom].
Amos 5:14-15 Amplified Bible

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
A whole bunch of folks claim that God is on their side, and He truly wants to be. In reality, what’s more important, is whether we are on God’s side, since God doesn’t take sides! He is No respecter of persons. Whether or not we are on God’s side is determined more by what we seek and do rather than what we say we believe. For what you seek and do truly reveals what you really believe, not what you are saying you believe. “For by their fruit shall you know them.” God longs to be with us, but He will not sacrifice His character to extend us cheap grace, a grace that does not call us to be like Him. He’s looking for believers who put their character, their actions and their lifestyle where their mouth is through what they do, not just what they say they believe. It’s easy to say you love God and are a Christian, but does your walk prove it? OR do you just go to church once in a while and pretend to be a Christian (Christ-like). He’s looking for people who will believe what He says in His Word and live the lifestyle everyday that He has described for us, not what we want, not what the world says we should do. Not with ungodly, immoral and unethical lifestyles, and not by condoning such behavior in others under the pretense of loving everyone, but with Godly character and lifestyle will you honor God. Do you live and walk the talk or just talk the talk? Talk is cheap!

MY PRAYER…
Most Holy God. Your righteousness and Holiness are beyond me and my ability to attain. Yet I long, Father, to be more like You in every way possible. Jesus told Philip, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father”. Let me see the presence of Jesus, and know that Your presence is with me as I seek You and Your character in my life. Through Jesus, my Righteousness, I pray.
Amen

Who are you following?

It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Deuteronomy 13:4 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
Make sure that the voice you are following is God’s. There are many other voices sounding off in our minds and all around us in the world today. Do you know and heed God’s small still voice when you hear it? God has not called His people to be homosexual or lesbian, in fact He has said it is an abomination to Him! Even if you don’t do it but condone it in others then you are an abomination to God also! Many are people wanting us to follow their lead and obey their voice (doctrines of men and the devil). Most of the time it’s the evil one himself trying to distract and deceive you from the ‘Plan of God’ for your life. But God has proved himself faithful and loving through the ages. Learn His voice and learn to follow it in all things [(John 10:27 KJV) My sheep hear
my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:]. We are to obey and keep his commandments, and we are to serve him and depend upon him in our daily lives, not the things of the world. Follow His example and treat everyone with love! Let His light shine forth through you.

MY PRAYER…
Holy and Righteous Father, help me to learn Your voice and to know Your voice from ALL others. Help me Father to take my praise and worship for You outside the church building and into my day to day life. That I may display in my everyday life the feelings I have for you, that others may know from my actions and feelings that You are foremost in my life. Help me Lord to let the love I have for You spill over on all who are around me, even those who try to be my enemies. Lord help me to love them also. In Jesus name I pray and ask this.
Amen

Is your humility, patience and gentleness as solid as Jesus’ was?

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2 New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
“You mean I have to put up with that?” “You expect me to do what?” “Why, I could never do that!” There are many folks in life who speak these things all the time. Just as a grain of sand in an oyster works to form a beautiful pearl, a gem of great value, these traits are the grit out of which we are to allow God to fashion our pearl of life. These traits are the example that we as Christians want to pay attention to and be sure and do. Our great and glorious example in this challenge is Jesus. Think of what he had to put up with in his 12 disciples, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, the Romans, and even Pontus. Remember how his patience and gentleness was tried and tested so often. And yet He always maintained His patience and His love for all. Can we dare to be or do less? Shouldn’t we ask our selves in every situation, “What Would Jesus Do?”

MY PRAYER…
Father, increase my strength and patience, that I may be as loving, gentle, and patient with others as You have been with me. Let Your Holy Spirit come and fill me fresh each day with the power and the grace and the love that I need for others.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen

Are you Holy before God?

Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:15-16 New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…

“Holy” is one of those words we generally associate with the religious people (Pharisees & Sadducees) — a word only “religious church folks” (those who live under the Law – the Ten Commandments & Jewish Law) use. That may be true, but it’s still a great concept. Every kid knows that you don’t eat hot dogs and potato chips on Mom’s best china. Mom’s china is reserved for “special company” or “special occasions.” Or is it? Should it be? When God is calling us to be holy, He’s calling us to be like fine china — something special just for Him, and as Peter emphasizes, just like Him (JESUS). The Greek word translated here as holy could also have been translated: sacred, pure, blameless or consecrated unto God. God wants us to be set apart from the world – but also consecrated unto Him. God wants us to stand out as not being like the world around us, but different. Different in that we are like Him Holy and Righteous in the eyes of God regardless of what is going on around us. Different in that the light and love of God shines forth from us to those around us that we meet. That is what being Holy is about.

MY PRAYER…

Holy Lord, Almighty God , I come before You knowing how great the distance is between Your holiness and my commonness. But, I thank You for making me holy and righteous through the sacrifice of Jesus and by sending Your Holy Spirit to live inside of me. Please receive my life today as a holy offering to You. Empower me to become and live the righteousness of You. Through Jesus, the pioneer and perfector, the author and the finisher of my faith I pray.
Amen