No Deeper Love

Today's Scripture

Colossians 3:12-14 NKJV - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Sometimes this world can seem so huge and overwhelming that you’re tempted to believe that with the millions of people on this earth, you are too insignificant to matter. Some even believe that if they were to die, no one would even notice they were gone. But no one is ‘insignificant’ to God! He not only created you, but He “knows you” by name and has counted every hair on your head! (yes, He knows how many hairs you have lost too!) The Bible says in Hosea 2:19, “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.” And in Isaiah 54:10, He tells us, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord.” What a beautiful expression of God’s love for His children. On days when you are in the depths of despair, feeling unloved, unnoticed and everything seems dark, think on this: Jesus loves you more than you could possibly know! You are so important to Him that He left heaven to come to this earth and die on a cross, just so that you could live with Him forever! Love just doesn’t get deeper than that! Text: Zephaniah 3:17, Micah 7:19, Ephesians 5:1-2, Colossians 3:12-14.

God Requires Obedience

Today's Scripture

Philippians 4:9 NKJV - The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Everyone loves to hear the heartfelt words,”I love you,” for it is human nature to want to be loved. But expressing that love by our behavior is much sweeter than merely saying the words! God loves to hear us express our love for Him too, but it’s important not only to actually say the words, but to show Him as well. One of the ways we can show God how much we love Him is by obeying His laws. The Bible says in John 14:15, “If you love me keep my commandments.” It’s important to be obedient not only by our words and actions, but in our thoughts as well. In Luke 11:28 we’re told, “blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Many times, our hearts long to serve the Lord with “blind obedience,” but we are weak. Whenever we feel the enemy pressuring us to disobey, remember that the “power to resist” comes from God. All we need to do is pray, “Lord, please give me the courage and strength to do what is right so that Your will may be fulfilled in my life.” There’s a beautiful promise in 1 John 2:17 that we can claim for our own, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” Text: Deuteronomy 4:2, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Philippians 4:9.

The Battle Is Already Won

Today's Scripture

Psalm 34:7 NKJV - The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.

The world today is faced with a pandemic, protests, wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, human tragedies and financial collapse. It seems no matter which way you turn, there are dangers and unrest, so much so that it can easily keep you in a state of panic. And when you throw politics in the mix, it seems this world is going downhill fast! This age of uncertainty is one of the main ingredients for a life lived in fear where every cell in your body cries out for stability and security. But when life seems dismal and bleak - remember that as Christians there’s no need to be afraid, because you know the end of the story! You know that God wins! Your security is in Jesus Christ alone. With Him by your side - the battle is already won! When everything and everyone fails you, Jesus never fails! All the upheaval and scary things going on in the world show just how much you need a Savior, the stabilizing source of your faith in troubling times. When you feel afraid, give your uneasy feelings, your fears and your anxiety to God and ask Him to hold your hand and never let go! He will calm your fears and take away that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach. The Bible says in Psalm 27:1, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?” No matter what is happening in the world, you can depend on Jesus, for He will never let you down! Text: Psalm 46:1-2, Isaiah 35:3-4, Psalm 24:8, Psalm 34:7.

Confession Good for Your Soul

Today's Scripture

Romans 3:23-24 NKJV - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Satan uses every possible tool to separate you from Jesus! He knows your weakness and he boldly exploits it to his advantage. Let’s face it–Satan makes sin look very attractive, and he can take the ugliest parts of sin and make it appear to be fun, exciting, and downright enticing. He wouldn’t be very successful at tempting you to sin if he didn’t make it so alluring. Please note this: it is not a sin to be tempted–it’s a sin to “yield” to temptation. That’s why it’s best not to even allow yourself to be placed in a position where you are pushing your sinful desires to the limit! Walk away and say, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Once you submit to sin, it gets easier and easier to keep on sinning. Sin is sin! It doesn’t matter if it’s adultery, selfishness, pride, gossip, overeating, or murder–sin will keep you out of heaven–period! But praise the Lord, He has given a plan for salvation that none should perish. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” The key word here is “confess.” You need to repent and confess your sin before your Savior and He will give you His gift of forgiveness.” He earned that right when He paid the price for your sins on Calvary. Confession is not only good for your soul–your salvation depends on it! Whatever your favorite sin that you are hanging on to–ask God to give you the strength and power to surrender it to Him so that you can experience the true joy of walking with Jesus! Text: Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 32:5, Acts 3:19, Romans 3:23-24.

Good Morning! It's Days Of Trouble Are Temporary Friday. Read Ephesians 6: 13, NKJV. "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." In life we all have days of trouble, days of opposition, days of darkness. But the same God who said there will be a day of trouble also said there will be a day when that trouble ends. You may be in difficulty right now. Be encouraged, it’s not permanent. God has set an expiration date to it. You’re in the middle now, but at the appointed time, the end will come. Don’t be overwhelmed by a sickness, or a legal problem, or a situation in your finances, each has an expiration date. It’s one of those days of trouble for which God has a day of deliverance, of healing, of breakthrough. You can’t control everything that happens to you. Just take your stand in faith, be your best, and trust God to take care of the rest. God has you in the palms of His hands. Right now He’s working out His plan for your life. Don’t get discouraged by the process.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
“Father, thank You for Your promise that You will work out Your plans for my life. Thank You that You have equipped me with armor to withstand the days of trouble. I believe that You have me in the palms of Your hands, and You will get me through. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”