1 John 4:7-8
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Did you know that we were given a litmus test for ourselves? This is not the only place in Scripture that tells us this, but we are defined primarily by our loving attitude and behavior. The world has even been given permission by Jesus Christ to judge our Christianity by the way we show love. You know that song that goes, "they will know we are Christians by our love"? There is a lot of truth in that statement. God loved us, and that in turn enables us to love others. First our brothers and sisters in Christ and then the rest of the world.
Showing posts with label more than bread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label more than bread. Show all posts
Monday, April 28, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 4/28/08
1 John 4:10-12
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
I have been doing a lot of thinking the past few days about God's love. I have a feeling that we really never have a very firm grasp on the love that God has for us and what it does in our life. Sometimes I think I have it, and I know I am continuing to grow in this, but then I see that there is so much more to learn and to understand. I asked my son, Jonathan, about 1 John 4:10 Sunday morning before church. It is his favorite verse and I asked him why that was. He told me that it was because this is the verse that led him to want to ask Jesus into his heart. Imagine that. As a four year old kid, he heard about the love of God and responded to it. Jesus said we have to come to Him as little children ourselves. Could it be that sometimes we just need to hear and understand the love of God and respond to it?
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
I have been doing a lot of thinking the past few days about God's love. I have a feeling that we really never have a very firm grasp on the love that God has for us and what it does in our life. Sometimes I think I have it, and I know I am continuing to grow in this, but then I see that there is so much more to learn and to understand. I asked my son, Jonathan, about 1 John 4:10 Sunday morning before church. It is his favorite verse and I asked him why that was. He told me that it was because this is the verse that led him to want to ask Jesus into his heart. Imagine that. As a four year old kid, he heard about the love of God and responded to it. Jesus said we have to come to Him as little children ourselves. Could it be that sometimes we just need to hear and understand the love of God and respond to it?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 4/22/08
John 5:19-20
19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.
Did you ever stop to consider what Jesus said here? He said that He did nothing by Himself; He did only what the Father did. The funny thing is a lot of times, I have convinced myself that I can do this small little thing that I know would please God on my own. I mean it is just a little thing. But then I remember that Jesus said He could do nothing by Himself. You know nothing as in no thing. Makes you stop in your tracks when you think about it. If you are trying to do something, even something small, for God on your own, it is destined to fall short.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.
Did you ever stop to consider what Jesus said here? He said that He did nothing by Himself; He did only what the Father did. The funny thing is a lot of times, I have convinced myself that I can do this small little thing that I know would please God on my own. I mean it is just a little thing. But then I remember that Jesus said He could do nothing by Himself. You know nothing as in no thing. Makes you stop in your tracks when you think about it. If you are trying to do something, even something small, for God on your own, it is destined to fall short.
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