This Week’s Theme – Love God and Love Your Neighbor
October 12, 2018
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Thought For Today
Do you struggle with ongoing resentment and ill feelings against others? Does that tend to lead to talking about this with friends in a way that stirs up anger inside you? Our verse today is a reminder to get to the end of this bondage once and for all.
You can forgive. You can let go and allow God to heal past hurts completely. If you tend to hold on to the pain of wrongful acts, it will lead to bitterness, anger and a lack of joy. Forgive as Christ forgave you.
This Week’s Theme – Love God and Love Your Neighbor
October 11, 2018
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:30-31
Thought For Today
The fuel that ignites all other goals, desires, and commitments for life comes from our love for God. If you learn to love Him above all else, you will move through each day with a clear focus. You will not be confused by all the distractions of the world. It is from this heart of love for God above all else, we have the capacity to love others deeply.
So he answered and said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:27
Thought For Today
Jesus gave a clear message of the priorities we should have to be all God wants us to be. Of all things God commands, it can be summed up in these two commands. Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.
Love God with heartfelt love, a love that understands that all you are and all you have is because of Him. Love Him with all your strength. It is a strong love that supersedes all other commitments. Love God with an intelligent love (with all your mind). And because of a clear understanding of all that God is to you, take that truth and choose to love others as yourself knowing that this love is life-changing.
Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39
Thought For Today
My wife, Jennifer and I have been in Lexington and Corbin, Kentucky today participating in meetings for the start-up of a new mentoring program for youth here in the Corbin community.
The commitment of the church community and dedicated believers who want to see kids lives changed is profoundly moving.
Mike Duffy, of the Gene Duffy Family Foundation, shared this story with us last night. It fits well with today’s verse. I hope you will take a few minutes and watch this short video.
Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.
Psalm 69:16
Thought For Today
Our attitude about God when we pray does make a difference. Have you ever approached someone with a lousy attitude and received a less than desired response? If you approach God with a negative opinion about Him, about His character, and even wonder whether He has a kind spirit, you might be disappointed with the outcome of that prayer.
The verse today focuses on the truth about God’s character. “Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.” Psalm 69:16
This attitude says God is full of loving-kindness, He is good, and He responds to our needs with a multitude of tender mercies. He is full of compassion, and He has proven it over and over with His loving mercy in the past. His supply of mercy and kindness will never run dry, so go to Him with full confidence in a loving, merciful Father, who is ready to hear your request today.
LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear.
Psalm 10:17
Thought For Today
God is the same as He has always been. You can take great comfort in this. Since he has been so responsive to the prayers of the humble in the past, you can be sure He still responds with a listening ear when we come humbly to him.
Here are three truths for today about how he hears our prayers.
1. God prepares our heart for effective prayer. God is the one who conditions our heart for humility. Be open to His work in your life today to get rid of pride and come before Him with a humble heart.
2. God protects the innocent. When we come to Him in humility, we can be sure, He hears us, and He moves with great strength to protect the innocent, the fatherless, and the oppressed.
3. God pleads our case and puts an end to our persecutors. He is a deliverer of victory and a restorer to all we’ve lost in our life.
