February 15, 2014

Saturday: February 15, 2014

READ: Song of Songs 6

THINK: “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing. Each has its twin, not one of them is missing.” – SoS 6:6

So…basically Solomon tells his woman, “You’re so hot baby, you don’t even have any missing teeth.” I can’t even help but laugh hysterically when I read that. I think, as a general rule, that we too often look down on ancients and assume that they’re dumber or less sophisticated than we are when, in reality, they aren’t – at least not to the degree we tend to think. But in this case, I think modern dental hygiene outpaces them by a wide margin. Having all your teeth was apparently a rare and quite attractive thing. 🙂

But here’s the thing I love about this verse: Solomon is loving his bride through her insecurities. He wants her to know that no matter what she’s thinking or what she’s worried about and no matter where he is he loves her completely. And I think the truth is that we all have insecurities. Every human being on this planet. We have fears and faults and failures. And usually we want to hide and obscure them so that nobody will notice. Why? Because we think that if they notice they wont love us or like us or accept us anymore.

But this is a problem. Because there is something deep inside every one of us – hard-wired into us as human beings – that wants to be fully known and loved anyways. And that’s God’s design for relationships. That they would be an imperfect, microcosmic reflection of the way that he loves us unconditionally despite all of our fears, faults, and failings. And he does. In a way and at a level that is beyond our imagination.

So here’s my question for all of us: how can we love the people around us despite their failures? What would it look like for us to reflect God’s unconditional love to them in the midst of their insecurities? Who are the people around us that most desperately need us to show love and send compliments – hopefully more culturally relevant ones than “you have all your teeth” – their way?

Those of us who know God have the incredible opportunity to reflect God’s amazing, indescribable, undeserved, unconditional love to the people around us. And we know that there are people in our lives – beyond just our significant others – who desperately need to believe that they are loved despite all the things they are insecure about. My challenge to all of us is to take a page from Solomon’s book today and do what it takes to make sure they see God’s passionate love for them shining through us.

PRAY: Ask God who in your life needs to know that they’re loved unconditionally, and ask for a heart that is sensitive enough to know what to say and how to say it. Then go do it! Our world is desperate for love – and the love they really need is God’s love. We have it. Let’s spread it!

Posted by on February 15, 2014 in Poetry.

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February 14, 2014

Friday: February 14, 2014

READ:  Revelation 5-7

BACKGROUND: Again, a lot in Revelation that is rich but sometimes confusing without context. Remember that all of the images are John’s human description of a supernatural vision, that the entire vision is a symbolic way of God communicating truths about Jesus and his ultimate victory over sin and death so that Christians would be inspired to persevere and hope, and all the numbers symbolically represent things as well (like perfection, fullness, etc.). Ask any questions you have in the comments and I’ll get back to you.

THINK: These chapters focus on the worthiness and holiness of the Lamb. Pastor John Piper explains the big idea behind the Lamb this way:

I want you to think seriously today about what makes a person truly beautiful or excellent or admirable or praiseworthy. My goal is that you might come to see Jesus Christ as irresistibly admirable and excellent and praiseworthy, and that you would be drawn to love him and trust him and give your full allegiance to him. The principle that I am trying to illustrate and that makes Christ stand out as absolutely unique is this: beauty or excellence consists in the right proportion of diverse qualities. For example:

  • we admire him for his glory, but even more because his glory is mingled with humility;
  • we admire him for his transcendence, but even more because his transcendence is accompanied by condescension;
  • we admire him for his uncompromising justice, but even more because it is tempered with mercy;
  • we admire him for his majesty, but even more because it is a majesty in meekness;
  • we admire him because of his equality with God, but even more because as God’s equal he nevertheless has a deep reverence for God;
  • we admire him because of how worthy he was of all good, but even more because this was accompanied by an amazing patience to suffer evil;
  • we admire him because of his sovereign dominion over the world, but even more because this dominion was clothed with a spirit of obedience and submission;
  • we love the way he stumped the proud scribes with his wisdom, and we love it even more because he could be simple enough to like children and spend time with them;
  • and we admire him because he could still the storm, but even more because he refused to use that power to strike the Samaritans with lightning and he refused to use it to get himself down from the cross.

The list could go on and on. Do you see what I mean when I say that beauty and excellency in person is not a simple thing? It is complex. It is a coming together in one person of the perfect balance and proportion of extremely diverse qualities. And that’s what makes Jesus Christ so irresistibly admirable and excellent.

The human heart was made to stand in awe of ultimate excellence—you were made to admire Jesus Christ the Son of God—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, King of kings, and Lord of lords—and if your heart is not much taken up with him, then you don’t need to look any farther to know the deepest source of your frustration. A student once asked Bonaventure, the medieval Franciscan teacher, “Why don’t men love God more?” And he answered, “They don’t love him because they don’t know him.” That’s the way I feel about Christ this morning. Surely, if I can display for you just a flicker of the excellency of Christ today, you will love him and trust him and follow him, no matter what it costs. That’s my prayer for you.

I begin with the text by directing your attention to Revelation 5:5. John is receiving a vision of the throne room of heaven. “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Weep not; lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered.'” So Jesus here is described as a Lion, an animal who makes prey of others and who is strong and wild and majestic and dangerous. (See the prophecy in Genesis 49:9–10.)

But then in verse 6 John is allowed to see this Lion. But what he sees must have been a surprise after the words of the elder in verse 5. It says, “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.” So the Lion is a Lamb, an animal that is easily preyed upon and that is weak and harmless and lowly, sheared for our clothes and killed for our food.

So here is the point that I want to make this morning: Because Jesus is a Lion-like Lamb and a Lamb-like Lion, he has the right to bring the world to an end for the glory of his name and the good of his people.

…

There is one person who can open the scroll, namely, the Lion of Judah. And the reason that he is worthy to open the scroll is that he has conquered. But what does this conquering refer to? We can see that clearly in verse 9. Here the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the Lamb, and they sang a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast make them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on earth.

Now notice carefully the relationship between verse 5 and verse 9. In verse 5 the reason the Lion of Judah can open the scroll is that he has conquered. In verse 9 the reason he can open the scroll is because he was slain and by his blood ransomed men for God. In other words, his right to open the scroll is owing to the fact that he ransomed people for God by his death, and this ransoming was the victory referred to in verse 5.

What sort of Lion was he? He was a Lamb-like Lion. The Lion of Judah conquered because he was willing to act the part of a Lamb. He came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday like a King on the way to a throne, and he went out of Jerusalem on Good Friday like a Lamb on the way to the slaughter. He drove out the robbers from the Temple like a Lion devouring its prey. And then at the end of the week he gave his majestic neck to the knife, and they slaughtered the Lion of Judah like a Lamb. So he conquered sin and death and Satan not just because he was a Lion, but because he was a Lamb-like Lion. It was one of those classic tactical defeats that results in a strategic victory….The Lion gets the victory through the tactics of the Lamb.

…

[But] this is no ordinary Lamb. He is a Lion-like Lamb. Look at 6:16 where men call to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” And look at 17:14 where the final enemies of God fight against Christ: “they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings.”

In other words, he is a Lion-like Lamb.

So I conclude by stressing the main point: since Jesus is not merely a simple thing like a lion or like a lamb, but is a Lion-like Lamb and a Lamb-like Lion, therefore he is admirable and excellent and worthy to take the scroll and open its seals and bring this world to an end for the glory of his name and the good of his ransomed people. And you can be among that number if you trust him as your Lamb, and submit to him as your Lion, and join the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders and the millions of angels to worship the King of kings with all your heart.”

PRAY: Let this song be your prayer today.

Posted by on February 14, 2014 in Uncategorized.

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February 13, 2014

Thursday: February 13, 2014

READ: Acts 28

THINK: We speak boldly about what we believe deeply. We do this all the time. There are like 800 people in my life who believe that Frozen is a good movie. And they keep telling me that. And they’re wrong. I believe deeply that just because it’s a kid’s movie doesn’t mean the writers can be lazy and decide to skip the whole part about a movie having a coherent plot. Oh, she’s in love with a guy…how? Oh now a snowman talks? Oh she’s really in love with a different guy? And he was raised by rock trolls? And now they’re singing? Stupid! And I tell people that and then I get boldly told to shut up by all the people who don’t want to admit that I’m right. But the point is: if we see a movie or show we think is great then we tell people. If we fall in love and we think our boyfriend or girlfriend is the most wonderful person alive, we tell people. If we eat some delicious food, or take a class with a really great teacher, or get a job at a really fun place, or discover an amazing new band on Spotify then we tell people about it because something inside of us feels like their lives would be more complete if they knew, if they had that same experience that we did. We speak boldly about what we believe deeply.  What if we spoke that frequently, and that excitedly, and that openly, and that boldly to everyone around us about Jesus? Like Paul did in Acts 28 – boldly and without hindrance?

I think we don’t cause we’re afraid of the consequences. Our words are powerful. The effect that words spoken by others has on every one of our lives cannot be overestimated. Words can connect us. They can be used to encourage and build others up and spread love and truth. Stupid words spoken carelessly can be hurtful and offensive to others and can have serious consequences for us if we speak them. Our words are powerful. They are, in fact, so powerful, that we are often encouraged not to speak them at all. We are invited not to speak at all because something we say might possibly offend somebody else. Because someone might not agree with what we say. And so we face this intense cultural pressure to keep our mouths shut.

And I think this pressure is felt by everyone in our culture, but it is most intensely felt by and applied to Christians. Sometimes that’s frustrating but it shouldn’t be surprising. People who hold other viewpoints can say things and people from other religions – any other religion – can say things in areas where culturally Christians are pushed to stay silent. Why? Because all words are powerful, but true words are more powerful. Because all ideologies are compelling in some way, but nothing in this world has been more compelling, more earth-shaking, more life-changing over the course of the last 2 millennia than the name and the love of Jesus Christ. A world that does not want to change and does not to be powerfully transformed cannot possibly be too careful about making sure that Jesus is pushed to the margins.

It’s time for us, despite the cultural pressure which incidentally is nothing close to death that Paul was facing, to stand up and speak boldly about Jesus. Jesus came and he died on a cross so that we could be forgiven for our sins and set free from our brokenness and healed from our pain, and reconciled to God and to the life we were created to live. And when we fully understand that he did that for us – gave his life – even though nothing in us deserved it because he loves us passionately and he deeply desires to set all things right and make all things new…we have to share it! No more making excuses about “just letting our lives do the talking” because we’re scared and afraid. Paul was in Rome knowing he faced with inevitable death at every moment of every single day for speaking the name of Jesus. And he was eventually killed. But he faced that persecution gladly with joy and love in his hearts because he knew Jesus. He saw what he had done! And he absolutely could not contain it! Will you do the same?

ASK: We speak boldly about what we believe deeply. If you don’t speak boldly maybe it’s because you don’t believe deeply. Ask yourself: Do I speak boldly about Jesus? If not, why not? If I really believe he died for me, how does that compel me to speak?

PRAY: Ask God to give you the courage and the bold words necessary to speak the gospel message of Jesus to your world today. Then go do it. Ask him for an opportunity to speak boldly about Jesus TODAY, and then go speak Christ into somebody’s life.

Posted by on February 13, 2014 in Gospels.

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February 12, 2014

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

READ: Deuteronomy 27 and 28

THINK:  Warnings….do you remember any? As little school kids, we were shown a film about child abduction. I vividly remember the big black car, the driver leering out the window, then pulling over to lure his innocent victim inside with a puppy or candy or something.  Off the car zoomed, with the screaming child in tow. Terrified, I knew then and there I would NEVER make that mistake! And some time later as I walked the block and a half home from my piano lesson, a car really did pull over. And the driver really did motion me to come to his car. And I RAN! HOME! A real or imagined danger, it didn’t much matter. I had learned my lesson and whether this was a neighborly act of kindness or a monster on the loose, I would not get in a car with a stranger!

Obviously, that warning had a big impact on me. And it wasn’t the last. During junior high we were shown films with strung out druggies, lives wasted, track marks lining their emaciated arms. High school? Gory Driver’s Ed films where cars were wrapped around trees while sirens blared and body bags lined the highway. Ick. Enough. You get my point. A good, old-fashioned scare tactic can go a long way toward keeping us on the straight and narrow.

Chapters 27 and 28 are full of warnings: vivid and graphic and terrifying – drought, heat, boils, tumors, blindness, mothers eating their own children. Terrified Israelites must have known then and there that they would NEVER make those kind of mistakes! Surely they had learned their lesson! Life is a series of choices and consequences and surely they would choose obedience and blessing rather than disobedience and curses.

But, ultimately, none of us gets it right all the time. We grow old and tough to scare. We get complacent, apathetic, and forgetful. And when we fail to heed the warnings, none of us has what it takes to make it right again. Remember the uncut stones in the first few verses of Chapter 27? God is telling the Israelites that no work, no talent, no skills will go into the making of the altar. This is God’s work. We cannot reconcile ourselves to God; we cannot do the work at the altar. None of us are good enough or holy enough or obedient enough either. And our uncut stone, our rock of redemption is Jesus. He does it all – his atoning sacrifice covers us.

If the choices we’ve made have left us in a scary place, the wonderful news is that we can always go running home to JESUS! He is waiting. He is our redeemer and he will forgive and renew and restore and when we choose obedience, he will abundantly bless us!

ASK: Have I believed and accepted the sacrifice of Jesus for my sins? Do I know that through HIS shed blood, I have eternal life? Am I in a place I shouldn’t be? Can I begin to take steps of obedience?

PRAY: Lord Jesus, open our eyes so we can see that obedience really is the easy way! You promise to bless us when we follow your life giving commands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by on February 12, 2014 in Uncategorized.

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February 11, 2014

Tuesday: February 11, 2014

READ:  Revelation 3-4

THINK: “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place…” – Revelation 4:1

A higher state of mind and spiritual vision can only be achieved through the higher practice of personal character. If you live up to the highest and best that you know in the outer level of your life, God will continually say to you, “Friend, come up even higher.” There is also a continuing rule in temptation which calls you to go higher; but when you do, you only encounter other temptations and character traits. Both God and Satan use the strategy of elevation, but Satan uses it in temptation, and the effect is quite different.

When the devil elevates you to a certain place, he causes you to fasten your idea of what holiness is far beyond what flesh and blood could ever bear or achieve. Your life becomes a spiritual acrobatic performance high atop a steeple. You cling to it, trying to maintain your balance and daring not to move. But when God elevates you by His grace into heavenly places, you find a vast plateau where you can move about with ease.

Compare this week in your spiritual life with the same week last year to see how God has called you to a higher level. We have all been brought to see from a higher viewpoint. Never allow God to show you a truth which you do not instantly begin to live up to, applying it to your life. Always work through it, staying in its light.

Your growth in grace is not measured by the fact that you haven’t turned back, but that you have an insight and understanding into where you are spiritually. Have you heard God say, “Come up higher,” not audibly on the outer level, but to the innermost part of your character?

“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing…?” (Genesis 18:17). God has to hide from us what He does, until, due to the growth of our personal character, we get to the level where He is then able to reveal it.

– Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest

ASK: How have I grown spiritually over the last year? If I haven’t, what steps do I need to take to make sure that I don’t waste 2014? Even if I have, what changes to my life do I need to make in order to be called higher over the course of this year? What are the temptations in my life where I’ve been called higher and higher that I need to get rid of?

PRAY: Ask God to help you grow in him and help you prioritize Christlikeness over the course of the next year. Ask him to help you immediately live up to all that you learn about him.

Posted by on February 11, 2014 in Prophecy.

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February 10, 2014

Monday: February 10, 2014

READ: 1 John 5

THINK: Reread the first 3 verses from The Message twice more:

Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we’ll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God’s children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome.

What do you think of the connection between loving God and loving others? Does one or the other feel more difficult for you? Which one? What about it is difficult?

PRAY: Talk to God about the difficulties you experience in this area. Openly share with him your feelings about your struggle. Spend some time right now listening for what he might have to say.

LIVE: C.S. Lewis wrote, “It may be possible for each of us to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbor…The dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship…There are no ordinary people.” How does Lewis’ suggestion alter the way that you view others today? How does it alter the way that you view yourself? As you go through your day, ponder this more but also be ready to put it into practice. As you come across God’s children during the day, look for small ways to love them.

– Adapted from Eugene Peterson

Posted by on February 10, 2014 in Epistles.

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February 9, 2014

Sunday, February 9, 2014

READ: Deuteronomy 24, 25, and 26

BACKGROUND: Our reading today may seem long, but these three chapters finish this section of Deuteronomy. Moses is in the final weeks of his life and he is giving very specific instructions to the Israelites for life in the new land. (Of course, his words are exactly what GOD has inspired him to say.)  While it may be easy to get lost in the details, remember why obeying these warnings and commands was so crucial: Sin turned an eleven day journey into a 40 year trek in the desert! Sin left an entire generation dead in the wilderness. Sin meant Moses would never enter the land he longed to see.

What Moses knew, and what he so desperately wanted the Israelites to know,  was that obedience was essential to possess the promised land. Moses reminded them of God’s mighty acts then showed them how to love, remember, worship, serve, honor and obey.

THINK: Moses message – God’s message – to the Israelites is still God’s message to us!  If you love God with all your heart, you must obey God with all your strength! Sin will cost us something – time, delayed blessings, missed opportunities, lost blessings. Obedience equals God’s best. Obedience always results in God’s blessing. And like Moses, the most important words we can speak are those that point others to God! Remind one another of God’s faithfulness! Encourage one another as you worship and serve. Honor and obey God together with other believers and see his purposes fulfilled in your church or small group or school or family. Refuse the wilderness of sin and let obedience allow God to bless your life.

ASK: Where might God be calling you to obey? What words might he be asking you to speak for him?

PRAY: Dear God, Obedience is hard work. Please give us strength to follow and obey and speak for you at every opportunity. Thank you for your amazing promises and your desire to bless us when we follow you!

 

 

 

Posted by on February 9, 2014 in Uncategorized.

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February 7, 2014

Saturday: February 8, 2014

Read: Deuteronomy 22-23

Note: There are a lot of laws listed in these two chapters, and we don’t have time to cover everything being written about. However, if you want to know more about what you just read, comment below.

Think:  Woah, after reading these two chapters you may feel a little uneasy. Maybe questioning what in the world you are doing following a God who would make this many rules. You might be doubting whether or not you are good enough to even call yourself a Christian! Well I have some news for you – you aren’t. There is no way you can perfectly live up to who God wants you to be. However, Jesus death took our sins from us and his resurrection allows us to live new life in him! So no matter how messed up you are – God loves you, because he sees Jesus covering you.

Before you relax and feel like you are off the hook from all of these Old Testament regimented laws thanks to Jesus, let’s think about it all a bit more. I’m going to focus in on what is said in verses 13-30, about marriage and purity. We’ve been talking a lot about this subject thanks to the Song of Solomon posts – so I find it appropriate to bring in more discussion on the topic from our Deuteronomy reading.

The rules listed out in these verses are extreme. God makes it very clear to the Israelites that they are not to be sleeping around, and that their marriage bed should be holy and set apart. The consequences for disobeying these laws? Death.

Before we discredit these consequences and claim that this ancient culture was just cruel and over-the-top, let’s look at what Jesus himself said about such things.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Matthew 5:27-29

Ouch! Jesus does not throw away the old law and call it ridiculous – he amps it up! Jesus comes in and says, “Hey, it’s not just the physical act of adultery that is wrong, it is the motive of the heart also.” Jesus gives perfection a whole new meaning.

You’ll notice that Jesus does not say to stone someone to death if they have committed adultery, but he does imply that if you don’t take care of the sin in your life, your life is heading toward death. Your relationships will die, your joy will die and your ability to get close to God will die. No, you are not sentenced to immediate death – but you are warned that if you don’t take care of your wandering eye, of your lustful thoughts or your rude words, your life will become death.

But o how gracious and good our Jesus is! That no matter how long we have lived with a sin and an act of disobedience, he is ready to take us back. He is calling us and pursuing us to turn back to him. Maybe you are a person who has messed up in the area of purity, big time. Here’s what God wants from you – not to be stoned to death or mocked, he wants you to seek him, realize your foolishness, turn away from that sin (even if it means doing something drastically difficult), and run to his arms! He loves you dear one!

Pray: Ask God to convict you of anything in your life that is not holy and pleasing to him. Then make a commitment to God that you will do whatever it takes (no matter how crazy or drastic or weird you might feel about it) to be pure and holy. Thank God for allowing us to live a freeing, hopeful life in him and for showing us the path of righteousness to do so.

Posted by on February 7, 2014 in Uncategorized.

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February 7, 2014

Friday: February 7, 2014

READ:  Song of Songs 5

THINK: Marriage was designed by God to be a picture of the deep, unconditional, incredible love relationship with God that we were created for. That’s what it’s all about. But guess what: marriage doesn’t always live up to that picture. It doesn’t always live up to God’s design. Know how I know that? I’m married! At it’s best, marriage can be this amazing space of love and acceptance that reflects the gospel, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that marriage – or any relationship – is gonna be like that all the time.

That’s an unrealistic expectation. Because marriages are made up of 2 flawed, messed-up, sinful people. Mine is. Especially Jenny! 🙂 So conflict is inevitable! And the key to a strong marriage – or friendship or any relationship for that matter – is not if you fight but how you fight! Song of Songs is this amazing, kinda crazy, sometimes creepy poem about attraction and love and sex and marriage. Guess what: 25% of the book is devoted to the 2 of them fighting! I mean, like, right after the wedding night comes the 1st fight. 25%. Sounds about right. But my last marital fight was my fault. I was sitting on the couch when Jenny got home and she said, “What’s on the TV?” and I said “Dust!”

Conflict is a reality. And there’s a right and a wrong way to handle it. This chapter contains the couple’s first fight. He comes home late (you know, his softball game went extra-innings that night) and he wants to…well…to do what only husbands & wives are meant to do…and she tells him no way! I’m tired. I already got ready for bed. I’m not coming to open the door (cause back then they slept in different rooms) I’m not opening the door cause I don’t wanna get my feet dirty and have to wash them again. She basically says, “Forget you, I’m tired!” Here, the bride is being kinda selfish. Not that she owes him anything different or she is wrong, but she’s putting her own feelings before his in the moment. Notice she says “I…I…I” But what does he do? He doesn’t yell…or kick in the door…he basically, it says, leaves myrrh on the door-handle. Weird right? But myrrh symbolizes love so what that symbolizes is that he just reaches out and says – I love you anyways. Not, I’m happy with your decision or I agree completely, but I love you anyways. I am committed to you.

And she’s moved by that gesture. She’s so touched that she gets up to open the door and let him in but he’s already gone. And what is so cool about this story, I think, is that even when she was rejecting him and not doing what he wanted and locking him out, he affirmed her and pursued her and expressed his unconditional love for her…just like Jesus did for you and me. Even when we reject him and ignore him and push him away he stands at the door reminding us that he loved us enough to die. That is the gospel. And it’s an awesome picture of what marriage should be! 2 people committed, completely and unconditionally to loving one another and submitting to one another and giving themselves up for one another – even when the other person is wrong or frustrating or imperfect or not doing what we want because we’re being selfish in asking.

PRAY: If you are married, pray that God would help you to be more self-sacrificial in your relationship and be better at showing unconditional love. If you aren’t married, pray that God would help you to be the kind of person that is worth marrying because of the way that you give yourself and sacrifice to show love. Everybody, pray that you would be better at handling conflict by showing Jesus love in all of your relationships.

Posted by on February 7, 2014 in Poetry.

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February 6, 2014

Thursday: February 6, 2014

READ: 1 John 4

THINK: “He that loveth not knoweth not God.” – 1 John 4:8

The distinguishing mark of a Christian is his confidence in the love of Christ, and the yielding of his affections to Christ in return. First, faith sets her seal upon the man by enabling the soul to say with the apostle, “Christ loved me and gave himself for me.” Then love gives the countersign, and stamps upon the heart gratitude and love to Jesus in return. “We love him because he first loved us.”

In those grand old ages, which are the heroic period of the Christian religion, this double mark was clearly to be seen in all believers in Jesus; they were men who knew the love of Christ, and rested upon it as a man leaneth upon a staff whose trustiness he has tried. The love which they felt towards the Lord was not a quiet emotion which they hid within themselves in the secret chamber of their souls, and which they only spake of in their private assemblies when they met on the first day of the week, and sang hymns in honour of Christ Jesus the crucified, but it was a passion with them of such a vehement and all-consuming energy, that it was visible in all their actions, spoke in their common talk, and looked out of their eyes even in their commonest glances.

Love to Jesus was a flame which fed upon the core and heart of their being; and, therefore, from its own force burned its way into the outer man, and shone there. Zeal for the glory of King Jesus was the seal and mark of all genuine Christians. Because of their dependence upon Christ’s love they dared much, and because of their love to Christ they did much, and it is the same now. The children of God are ruled in their inmost powers by love-the love of Christ constraineth them; they rejoice that divine love is set upon them, they feel it shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto them, and then by force of gratitude they love the Saviour with a pure heart, fervently. My reader, do you love him? Ere you sleep give an honest answer to a weighty question!

– Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon

PRAY: Talk to God about your answer to Spurgeon’s closing question. Do you love him? And how does it show in your actions and your words each day? And if it doesn’t show, ask for forgiveness and pray that God would give you the clarity of understanding and courage of conviction you need to let his love pour out of you upon your world.

Posted by on February 6, 2014 in Epistles.

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