Entertaining Strangers

 

     If you are like me, change can be difficult. God continually guides us to new adventures, new opportunities, and into the lives of the most unexpected people. He brings others into our lives for a lifetime, a season, a year or a day for His purposes. Did you know that even angels can disguise themselves as people? Listen to this verse:

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2

     Keep your heart and mind open to God’s work in your life. Is He asking you to try something new? Has He brought someone new into your life? Are you taking every opportunity to speak of and to show His love? He may bless you with the presence of an angel. The spiritual realm is at work all around us.

     Many of the angels spoken of in Scripture were created to worship and honor God and to surround His holy presence, including the seraphim and the cherubim. Other angels are watching over us:

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1;14

     God protects His own. Pray for His protection, for His angels to surround you and your loved ones and watch for exciting opportunities each day. Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone and into a new adventure.

Lord,

We can’t imagine all the times we miss out on Your work around us. Keep our hearts and minds open to what You are doing and to where You are leading. We thank You for Your ministering angels sent for us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Dearly Loved

 

     Walk in confidence today as a child loved by God. You are dearly loved. Yes, you!

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you. 1 Thessalonians 1:4

     Dear sisters and brothers loved by God, He has chosen you. He has chosen me. Christ will give us His righteousness, His power, and His wisdom and His truth. Our steadfast faith in Him gives us confidence.

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. Jeremiah 17:7

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 2 Corinthians 3:4

     Equally and uniquely loved. He loved us so we may love our brothers and sisters in the faith, as well as others in the world. Our confidence rests in Christ, our faith secure. Be yourself. Let your personality, gifts and talents shine in this dark world. We walk in freedom and trust, knowing we are His, now and forever. Rest in that this week as you venture out, dear brothers and sisters loved by God.

Father,

We rest in Your love, moving in confidence. Your love never fails and You forgive time and time again. We remain Yours now and forever, children dearly loved..

In Jesus name.

Amen

Uniquely Loved

 

     We are equally and uniquely loved. Your relationship with Jesus will look different than mine. I have a good friend who is fortunate enough to spend two hours every morning in deep study and prayer. What a gift!

     Another of my friends is an extrovert who just takes Jesus with her wherever she goes, picking up nuggets of wisdom from Him along the way throughout the day. What does your relationship with Jesus look like? Are you aware of His presence? Do you ask for direction throughout the day? Do you seek Him when a decision has to be made? Pray for the health of others? Look to His Word for answers?

     He yearns to be close to each one of us equally and uniquely. He honors each one of us in deep love and concern. He is for us and with us every moment.

Now you are the body of Christ and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5

     Equal parts of the same body, each one uniquely created, to work together in service. Don’t you just love His plan? He loves us and we love one another.

Lord,

Thank You for the individual gifts You give, the way You guide us into relationship with You and with others. We wait for opportunities to serve, each one in the ways chosen by You. Teach us how to find our spiritual gifts and to use them to Your glory.

He First Loved Us

 

     We love because of Jesus. We are transformed because of Jesus. We can live with the Holy Spirit of the Creator of the universe because of Jesus. We can live supernaturally, with hope, because of Jesus.

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

     Because He first loved us. That love permeates everything about us. He lavishes us with the type of love that defeats death and brings life.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1

     We are children of God! He lavished His love on us with Jesus. And because of Him, because of His forgiveness, His grace, His new mercies every morning, because of His death, we can choose life, life now and forever.

Jesus,

Thank You for the gift of life everlasting, and for the great love You lavish on us each day. Help us to live out our lives with that same love for others. We love, because You first loved us.

Amen

Life Together

 

     This week, we are allowing God to lavish His love on us, and, in return, we will love and honor one another. One of the purposes of God’s love for us, is to take care of, and honor our brothers and sisters in Christ. We may have personality clashes, but we are to love. We may feel jealous of another’s gifts, but we are to be satisfied with our own. We are to rejoice with one another and suffer with one another.

     The deep fellowship in Christ is unlike any other. It will move from this earth to eternity. We are linked together forever as children of our Father. Let’s love.

So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.  Now, you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12;25-27

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15

     We are in this together, equally and uniquely His. Our joys can be shared and our burdens cut in two when we live out life together.

Father,

Thank You for brothers and sisters in the faith. Jesus died for all of us. We want to learn to love and to live through and with Him. Help us to be examples in the world around us, as we share the generosity and unconditional love of Jesus.

Amen

Equally Loved

 

     I have to remind myself, continually, that God loves me and always wants the best for me. So many days, I feel guilty about one thing or another. You, too? As human beings, we have our weaknesses, our temptations, our emotions and a myriad of other attributes that take us away from God’s plan.

     Today, let’s soak in God’s unconditional love for us. Don’t be hard on yourself. He loves you just the way you are. He understands your unique personality and your unique gifts. The ways you serve won’t look like the ways I, or anyone else serves. Let’s not compare and compete. We are all members of the same body, with different parts, all valuable to Jesus.

     Some of our gifts are quiet and encouraging, others boisterous and generous, others behind-the-scenes and, still others, up on the podium. None is better than another. You are gifted and loved. You are a child of God, a beloved child of God.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them, and in everyone, there is the same God at work. 1 Corinthians 12:4=6

     The same Lord, the same Spirit, the same God, working in us and loving us, quirks and all. He loves you!

Lord,

You are our God and the same Spirit is within each of us. That Spirit understands us deeply and profoundly, leading us in ways we often don’t notice. Guide us into truth and into Your love today.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Go and Tell

 

     The great commission from Jesus Christ is to “go and make disciples.” Do you find it challenging, awkward or scary to bring up Jesus in a conversation? Have you missed opportunities to share your faith? I know I have. I believe, if we are truly looking, God will place the right people at the right time in front of us. All He asks is that we plant the seeds.

     The Holy Spirit knows when a heart is seeking. As believers, we can jump in and assist in God’s work. I find that an impossibly amazing fact. God actually uses us! The Holy Spirit will give us the words. (Matthew 10:19) Let’s be ready the next time an opportunity arises.

     After their arrest, Peter and John were told by the rulers not to speak of Jesus. Even then, they could not keep the hope to themselves.

For we cannot help but speak of all we have seen and heard.  Acts 4:20

     Are you filled with the hope and joy of Jesus and His eternal hope? Let’s be ready!

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

Lord,

Fill us with courage, with gentleness, and with respect and give us answers to share with those who ask. You do not want to lose even one.

Amen

Blog will return on March 9th.