August 6, 2013

Focusing Love

One thing that knowledge and experience have helped me with is determining what is worth focusing on.

So often, it’s easy to get caught up in our to-do lists of life. You might even have a spiritual checklist in your mind of all the things you think you need to do in order to please God. And we should have the desire to please Him and follow His commands, but pleasing Him starts with our heart condition. Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians that only faith, hope and love will last into eternity. We can’t have faith unless we first have hope, and our faith won’t work without love. The point is that we have to remember to adjust our focus and make sure that we aren’t just going through the motions in our spiritual walk. We can do a lot of “good” things, too. But if we don’t have love, they won’t matter in eternity. We can have a lot of knowledge, but if we don’t have love, it won’t do us any good. However, when love is the foundation for everything we do, it honors God and opens the door for the life of victory in blessing He has prepared for you. Are you focusing on your love walk today?

July 30, 2013

Constructive Love

Love is what makes you a good father or son, mother or daughter, boss or employee. It’s bringing out the best in others.

“Love looks for a way to be constructive.” In other words, love looks for ways to improve someone else’s life. Love brings out the best in other people. Don’t just get up in the morning thinking about yourself or how you can make your own life better. Think about how you can make someone else’s life better. Ask yourself, “Who can I encourage today?” “Who can I build up?” You have something to offer those around you that no one else can give. Someone in your life needs your encouragement. Someone in your life needs to know that you believe in them. I believe God will hold us responsible for the people He’s put in our lives. He’s counting on us to bring out the best in our family and friends. Are you improving the lives of those around you? Are you pouring confidence in them? Why don’t you ask the Lord to give you creative ways to bring out the best in others? As you sow into the lives of others, God will send people along your path that will build you up so that you can embrace every blessing He has in store for you. What is your love doing for others today?

June 23, 2013

For the Love

Get your thoughts, actions and words aligned to bring out of you what is in you, not only to do more, but to be more to others.

I’ve heard it said that you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving. Love isn’t just about our words or thoughts, it’s about our actions. Love is about reaching out and meeting the needs of others. Sometimes meeting someone’s needs is as simple as a smile or sharing a word of encouragement. There are many ways to show love to someone. Can you pay for someone’s gas or groceries? Do you see a need in someone’s life that you can meet?  The Lord wants to bless you today so that you can be a blessing to others. He wants to work through you to show His love and compassion. Today and every day, look for ways to put your love into action. The Bible says that it’s His kindness that leads people to repentance. He wants to show His kindness in the earth through you. Step out and sow good seeds of love by meeting the needs of others. God promises that those seeds will produce an abundant harvest in your life in return! Are you showing the love to someone today?

June 7, 2013

Favor

God’s love is the foundation of hope, the essence of living fully alive.

God loves you and He is for you! He is for your good; He is for your success; He is for your future. He desires for you to have every blessing and every promise declared in His Word. This is what the Bible calls His favor. At some point in our lives, even if we didn’t recognize it, we have all experienced God’s favor. It is simply His undeserved, unearned, unexplainable goodness in your life. God’s favor causes you to reap where you haven’t sown. His favor protects you, promotes you and opens new doors. His favor takes you places you could never go on your own. Today, I speak over your life that in the coming days and weeks ahead, God is going to unleash His unprecedented favor on you — favor like you’ve never seen before! The key is to stay connected to Him, stay in fellowship with Him through prayer, worship and reading His Word. Let Him direct your steps and mold and shape your character. As you pour yourself out to Him, He will pour out Himself on you! He’ll pour out His grace, mercy and supernatural, undeserved, unearned, unexplainable favor on every area of your life! Are you ready to walk in what God has planned for you?

May 21, 2013

God's Love Blog/Podcast

When unexpected things happen — trials, difficulty or tragedy — the enemy sends a whirlwind of fear to try to shake our faith and steal our focus.

Click to listen to Podcast

His goal is to take our eyes off of God and cause us to feel overwhelmed by circumstances. But if we will choose to stay focused on the love of God, if we choose to meditate on His goodness, the truth will set us free from fear and ground our hearts in confidence. Today, know that God loves you perfectly. He is a good God. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that His plans for us are for good. He has thoughts of peace, not for evil. He wants to give you a future and hope. Anytime thoughts of fear come, replace them with words of love. Just say, “Thank You, God, for loving me. Thank You for leading me into peace. Thank You for hope for my future.” As you think on His love and goodness, you’ll feel faith rise up in your heart. You’ll feel hope, you’ll feel strength, and you’ll feel empowered to move forward in the good path He has prepared for you. Do you know that God loves you today?

April 28, 2013

Decision of Love

Love doesn’t have anything to do with feelings. It has everything to do with the decisions we make.

Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by how long you’ve been a Christian, how much you know, or how often you go to church. Spiritual maturity is measured by the way you treat other people. It’s measured by the love you allow to operate through you. First Corinthians 13 tells us about the characteristics of love. One characteristic is that it is not rude. That means, when we are walking in love, we treat other people with courtesy and respect. Are you courteous to other people? Are you kind to the person at the checkout counter that may be moving too slowly for you? Are you gentle when you are driving down the highway and someone cuts you off? Are you patient with your family and coworkers? These are all ways we show love. The Bible also tells us that love is patient. It is kind. It does not envy; it is not proud. It is not rude. Love is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love never fails. Notice that these characteristics don’t have anything to do with feelings. That’s because love is a choice. You can choose to walk in love toward people even when you don’t feel like it. Today, make the choice to do what is right. Choose today to show kindness and be courteous to others. Look for ways to cultivate the greatest thing in your life — love! As you do, you’ll move forward into the life of blessing God has in store for you. Are your decisions based on love today?

April 26, 2013

Good Foundation

It is my desire is to see you grow and increase in every area of your life—especially in your love for others.

That’s because love is the greatest thing, and it is all that matters in eternity. The book, Love at Last Sight: 30 days to Grow and Deepen Your Closest Relationships  says it perfectly. It says, “At the end of the day—in this all-too-short life we all share, all we really have are relationships with people we love and who love us. In light of relationships, the job and career we set as goals now aren’t really so important; the ladders we try to climb don’t matter so much; the objects we long to possess seem utterly trivial. What really matters in the end is that special look that you share with your spouse, the arms of your child reaching up to you, the quiet comfort of being with a friend who stands by your side in a difficult time.” Today, I pray that your love continues to grow and build a solid foundation for your faith. I pray that through your connection with God, you are strengthened in all of your relationships as you move forward into the life of blessing He has for you. Are you rooted and grounded in love today?

April 23, 2013

Caring

Do you know how important you are to God?

He cares so much about every detail of your life. He cares about your thoughts, feelings and emotions. In fact, what you are going through is so important to Him that He records every sorrow and collects the tears you’ve shed. Why would God record your sorrows and collect your tears? Because everything that affects you matters to Him. He is your Vindicator. He’s keeping an account of every wrong that’s ever been done to you so that He can make up for every single one of them. He wants to restore to you everything that has ever been stolen. He wants to heal every hurt and pain. Today, know that God cares about the things that concern you. He cares about the things that hurt you. He is close to the brokenhearted, and He wants to bring you peace and comfort. Turn to Him and receive His love. Let Him bring healing to your heart and restoration to your soul. Do you know how important you are to God?

April 4, 2013

Building Up Others

Improving others is the best way to show love.

Love always looks for a way to be constructive. In other words, love looks for ways to improve someone else’s life. Love brings out the best in other people. Don’t just get up in the morning thinking about yourself or how you can make your own life better. Think about how you can make someone else’s life better. Ask yourself, “Who can I encourage today?” “Who can I build up?” You have something to offer those around you that no one else can give. Someone in your life needs your encouragement. Someone in your life needs to know that you believe in them. I believe God will hold us responsible for the people He’s put in our lives. He’s counting on us to bring out the best in our family and friends. Are you improving the lives of those around you? Are you pouring confidence in them? Why don’t you ask the Lord to give you creative ways to bring out the best in others? As you sow into the lives of others, God will send people along your path that will build you up so that you can embrace every blessing He has in store for you. Who will you show some love to today?

March 8, 2013

Kindness and Respect

Treat every person with kindness and respect, even those who are rude to you.

Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by how long you’ve been a Christian, how much you know, or how often you go to church. Spiritual maturity is measured by the way you treat other people. It’s measured by the love you allow to operate through you. First Corinthians 13 tells us about the characteristics of love. One characteristic is that it is not rude. That means, when we are walking in love, we treat other people with courtesy and respect. Are you courteous to other people? Are you kind to the person at the checkout counter that may be moving too slowly for you? Are you gentle when you are driving down the highway and someone cuts you off? Are you patient with your family and coworkers? These are all ways we show love. The Bible also tells us that love is patient. It is kind. It does not envy; it is not proud. It is not rude. Love is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love never fails. Notice that these characteristics don’t have anything to do with feelings. That’s because love is a choice. You can choose to walk in love toward people even when you don’t feel like it. Today, make the choice to do what is right. Choose today to show kindness and be courteous to others. Look for ways to cultivate the greatest thing in your life — love! As you do, you’ll move forward into the life of blessing God has in store for you! Are you treating people withe kindness and respect today?