What is Love?

What is love? Good question. Everyone wants it, searches for it, lives for it, and will do anything for it and one man actually did it all.

He's our example. We are going to save the world by screaming and preaching at them. We are going to save them by living by love.

So we need to understand it before we hit the streets a blazing.

God Bless.

October 31, 2014
What Love Is

Bill Crowder

Romans 5:1-8

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8
Years ago I asked a young man who was engaged to be married, "How do you know that you love her?" It was a loaded question, intended to help him look at his heart's motives for the upcoming marriage. After several thoughtful moments, he responded, "I know I love her because I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy."

We discussed what that meant-and the price tag attached to the selflessness of constantly seeking the best for the other person, rather than putting ourselves first. Real love has a lot to do with sacrifice.

That idea is in line with the wisdom of the Bible. In the Scriptures there are several Greek words for love but the highest form is agape love-love that is defined and driven by self-sacrifice. Nowhere is this more true than in the love our heavenly Father has shown us in Christ. We are deeply valued by Him. Paul stated, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).

If sacrifice is the true measure of love, there could be no more precious gift than Jesus: "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son" (John 3:16 nlt).

Amazing love!
How can it be
That Thou, my God,
Shouldst die for me? -Wesley
The measure of love is what you are willing to give up for it.

© 2014 by RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

First Response

What is your first response when things go haywire? Mine is to scream a little bit, throw in a good tantrum, and follow it up with dramatic tears.

Thank heavens there is a better way.

God Bless.

October 25, 2014
First Response

Cindy Hess Kasper

James 5:13-16

Be anxious for nothing, but . . . let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God . . . will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

When my husband, Tom, was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, I began to call family members. My sister and her husband came right away to be with me, and we prayed as we waited. Tom's sister listened to my anxious voice on the phone and immediately said, "Cindy, can I pray with you?" When my pastor and his wife arrived, he too prayed for us (James 5:13-16).

Oswald Chambers wrote: "We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there's nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all."

At its root, prayer is simply a conversation with God, spoken in the expectation that God hears and answers. Prayer should not be a last resort. In His Word, God encourages us to engage Him in prayer (Phil. 4:6). We also have His promise that when "two or three are gathered together" in His name, He will be "there in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).

For those who have experienced the power of the Almighty, our first inclination often will be to cry out to Him. Nineteenth-century pastor Andrew Murray said: "Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us."

When I come before His presence
In the secret place of prayer,
Do I know the wondrous greatness
Of His power to meet me there? -Hallen
Pray first!

© 2014 by RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

Confidence in His Name

And what a name to be confident in! The Ruler of the world. The soon coming King. The great I Am.

The name above all names. Now that is something to get a hold of and get excited about! Jesus's name is everything you needs and holds your everything you will ever need.

God Bless.

Confidence in His Name

Let the name of Jesus stir new confidence in your life today. He has granted His own name as the signature, the badge of authority, the security, the guarantee of every promise offered in God’s Word. And in that name, we are to expect results—in our life, in our family, in our neighborhood, in our church, and in our world.

Yes there is the waiting of faith and the patience of hope, but people who pray in Jesus’ name can expect action. Boldly believe!

Moments with Majesty

Receive Jesus into Your Daily Life

After reading this devotional and thinking about what Joyce saying, I came to the conclusion I don't like where I am at in my walk.

This devotional shows me I still have a long way to go. I wanted to share this with you to encourage to keep running the race that is before us.

God Bless.

Receive Jesus into Your Daily Life

by Joyce Meyer

If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.] 
—Galatians 5:25

We ask people all the time if they have received Jesus, without ever really thinking about what that means. If we receive Him, then what do we do with Him? We certainly don’t put Him in a little box marked “Sunday morning,” go get Him out on that day, sing a few songs to Him, talk to Him a little, then put Him back in the box until the next Sunday. If we receive Him, then we have Him with us always.

It is not pleasing to God for people to leave Him out of their daily lives, while going through religious formulas to try to get what they need. Don’t just go through the motions. Either have a real relationship with God that is alive and meaningful, or face the fact that you don’t have one at all and do whatever is needed to get one.

Ask yourself these questions, and you will discover where you are spiritually:

• Are you growing daily in your knowledge of God and His ways?
• Do you look forward to going to church, or is it something you do out of obligation? Are you waiting for it to end so you can finally go to lunch?
• Do you feel close to God?
• In your life are you manifesting the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), and self-control (see Gal. 5:22–23)?
• Do you have areas of your life that you have not let God into?

If you are not satisfied with your answers to these questions, throw your life entirely open to God and ask the Holy Spirit to get involved in every aspect of it. If you will do that in honesty and sincerity, He will begin to work in you in a powerful and exciting way.

Trust in Him: Are you just going through the motions, or have you fully committed your life to Christ, trusting Him with everything so that He can do a powerful work in you?

---

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2012 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

The Word Was Made Flesh

I really needed to hear this today! This reminder about the word who became flesh devotional came just in time and I didn't want to be selfish so I'm sharing it.

God Bless


October 23

The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. – John 1:14

The most wonderful event in the history of the world was the coming of God in human flesh to dwell among men. The “Word” was in the beginning, that is, from eternity. Then in time the Word became flesh and lived among us. That is what took place that quiet night at Bethlehem when Jesus was born.

Wonderful was the life that dwelt for three and thirty years on earth. Jesus Himself interpreted it when He said, “He that hath seen the Father.” As we read the beautiful story of the life of Jesus and see His gentleness, His patience, His unselfishness, His abounding kindness, we are looking at God revealed in simple, human ways. In no other way could we ever have learned the character of the invisible God. In the incarnation He came down and lived among us, and now we know how easy it is to get to God, how loving and patient and merciful He is, and how ready He is to help us. The Christ of the Gospels is the God with whom we have to do.

Devotional provided by Morings with God

This is the closet I have come about feeling good about prayer.

I don't know about you but I have a huge problem in thinking I am not doing this right. This devotional has helped put my mind at ease.

God Bless

Simple, Believing Prayer

by Joyce Meyer

And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking…. For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
—Matthew 6:7–8

We must develop confidence in simple, believing prayer. We need the confidence that even if we simply say, “God, help me,” He hears and will answer. We can depend on God to be faithful to do what we have asked Him to do, as long as our request is in accordance with His will. We should know that He wants to help us because He is our Helper (Hebrews 13:6).

Too often we get caught up in our own works concerning prayer. Sometimes we try to pray so long, loud, and fancy that we lose sight of the fact that prayer is our conversation with God. The length or loudness or eloquence of our prayer is not the issue; it is the sincerity of our heart and the confidence we have that God hears and will answer us that is important.

Sometimes we try to sound so devout and elegant that we get lost. We don’t even know what we are trying to pray about. If we could ever get delivered from trying to impress God, we would be a lot better off.

Lord, free me from the belief that my prayers must be eloquent and just right. Keep reminding me that what You really want from me is a heartfelt conversation. Amen.

---

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Ebola

This devotional from Daughters of the King brings me peace and I wanted to share it with you. For the sign of the times a word to help calm our fears.

Ebola.

“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19

The Ebola virus has become the name that people fear most. More than cancer, HIV, or any other disease. There is a growing fear of going out into public places, fear of traveling to foreign lands, fear of gathering together in one place. Below is a prophetic word from God regarding Ebola that will help to give you His mind on the matter. Please read and take heed.

“I am going to raise up a standard against this disease like the world has never seen. It will be undeniable that I am real. The cure is faith in Me. The cure is being fully persuaded that I am Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord that heals. I am Jehovah-Rohi, the Lord that protects. And though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil. For I am Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord who is with you. My rod and my staff comforts you. I am your shield. I am your protection. The enemy is trying to create fear of gathering together, fear of going and doing the work I have called you to do, fear of uniting together in one place. But you must not fear! You are not without hope! You have Me on your side. You must not fear. No fear! Only faith in Me and My word. Fear Me, not a disease. Fear Me, not an epidemic. Fear My name and walk in the authority I have given you to heal, deliver and set people free.” Says the Spirit of the Lord.

Prayer: Father God, You are my God and I put my faith in You and Your name. Fill me with Your Spirit and power. Fill me with wisdom and knowledge of Your will. Any disease that is trying to exalt itself higher than You must come under subjection. I activate my faith in Your supernatural ability to heal. Be my shield God. Stir up every spiritual gift You have placed in me and let me be used by You in this last day. You have not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. I receive soundness of mind right now on this matter and I rest in You. You are my God and my faith is in You. Be glorified in me. In Jesus name, Amen.

(Read Luke 10:19; Psalms 23:4; 2 Timothy 1:7; Mark 16:15; Hebrews 10:25; Luke 3:4-6)