Tag: Love

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A Mote, Not a Beam

SEPTEMBER 14

MATTHEW 7:3_And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

If your heart dwells on the truth of God’s love and mercy, you will understand you were saved while you were a sinner. That can be a beam – if you do not understand you are as guilty a sinner as anyone on the face of the earth. The only reason you find any freedom is because Christ paid your debt – with His life. 

As you grow in faith, begin to dwell on who you are in Jesus. It truly is amazing!

John 8:32 (KJV) “And ye shall know the truth [Jesus], and the truth shall make you free.”

Romans 8:37 (KJV) “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him [Jesus] that loved us.”

Philippians 4:13 (KJV) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Mark 11:23 (KJV) “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Matthew 19:26 (KJV) “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’”

To hold someone accountable does not mean you stand in judgment of them—it means you love them.

To judge someone as unworthy of mercy is to see a mote, not a beam.

PRAYER

God of the Impossible, I want Your kind of mercy—that loves and saves. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ’s love can save me—from anything!

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A Changed Man

SEPTEMBER 13

MATTHEW 7:3_And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Had the wicked servant dwelt on the unbelievable mercy rendered to him by the king, he would have bestowed mercy on his fellow-servant. However, non-believers can’t be expected to respond to life as believers. That’s why there is such a need for salty-lit-up disciples. Lifestyles that shine in such a way to draw captives to freedom, like a lighthouse to a ship lost in a raging storm. Light sends a ray of hope. Once the ship makes it to the safety of the harbor, it is time to preserve it with the salt of mercy – mercy that flows from unconditional love.

In the case of the apostle Paul the light shone on him, blinded him. When he was healed and his sight restored three days later, he was a changed man. The light blinded him to the hate that his hard heart had toward Jesus’ followers. It also blinded him to the lies (that Jesus was demonic and his followers would be the destruction of the Jewish religion) with which the devil deceived him.

The light set Paul free to become the Jesus follower who wrote the majority of the New Testament. 

He was salty and lit-up!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I want Your kind of light—that blinds, but heals. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ’s light can blind me—It can also heal me!

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Wise Judgment

SEPTEMBER 6

MATTHEW 7:2_For with what judgment ye judge…

Ephesians 6:1-4 (KJV), “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” There is night and day difference in the discipline of a child by spanking, and child abuse. To abuse a child verbally and physically and call it discipline shows a lack of judgment. Discipline administered with hot tempered anger causes more damage than it ever will cause good. “4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”   

Some Christians believe in spanking young children, and others do not. The core is to help children grow up to be responsible and discerning. Placing boundaries, and enforcing them (otherwise they are futile), is the best way to guide little ones. When boundaries are crossed there has to be some type of discipline.   

Today’s verse focuses on using wise judgment, because how you judge is how you will be judged. Wise judgment will always be founded upon love.  Firmness laced with some calmness administers discipline in a positive way.

Anger and name calling destroy obedience and respect – not wise judgment.

PRAYER

Loving Father, Help me know my judgment will come back to me.  In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                   

 Christ teaches wise judgment—He teaches me to obey!

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Worrying or Hurting?

AUGUST 21

MATTHEW 6:31_saying, what shall ye eat or, what shall ye drink, or wherewithal shall ye be clothed?

You can worry yourself sick – literally. Worry takes such a toll on the soul, the body can become weary, weak, and sick. The heart takes the worst beating from worry. The body was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The soul (mind, will, emotions) was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The spirit was not designed to worry at all! The spirit was designed to praise!

You are designed in God’s image to know and worship Him. You are designed to joy in the Lord. Worry can’t stand up against joy. 

Don’t confuse worry with times of struggle and trial that cause suffering. If you don’t believe God has the power and the mercy to bring you through … then you are worrying. If you are suffering during a trial, but believe God will bring you through, you are not worrying. If you believe God will cause some good to come from your pain, you are not worrying. You are hurting. 

Romans 8:35,37 )KJV), “35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”              

PRAYER

Lord of Love, Help me know there is nothing that can overpower Your love. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s love conquers—Whatever comes against me!

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Doubts

AUGUST 16

MATTHEW 6:30_shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

The basic purpose of Bible study is to get to know God, to learn how He thinks, to learn His heart. The last part of verse 30 teaches something about God. Another part of the I AM. The words much more describe God’s heart perfectly.

A heart which not only sends grass what it needs to survive, but dresses it up as well. Wouldn’t that heart care much more for a human – created in His own image? This is a heart you feel safe to trust. A heart that makes you feel more than just loved, but special.

You can gain understanding of God’s love and provision for His creation right from the get-go – in the very beginning. Genesis 1:28 (KJV), “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

God loved all of His creation and considered it good, but He set people above anything else. Just like with the animals, God had already created what people would need to live and enjoy the earth. 

Life brings confusing days of doubts. Doubts come from the devil. Don’t listen, don’t be of little faith. 

PRAYER

Omnipresent God, Thank You that if You care for nature, You care more for me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ gave people dominion on earth—He cares for me!