Love.

The following is an expanded translation of First Corinthians 13:4-8 by Rick Renner. A friend of mine gave me a framed picture of this translation that I keep on my nightstand. Every time I read it, I'm challenged and inspired...

• Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed;
• Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be;
• Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess;
• Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others;
• Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner;
• Love is not rude and discourteous — it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others;
• Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage;
• Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response;
• Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes;
• Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth;
• Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure;
• Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation;
• Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others;
• Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up;
• Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.

Love for All

This morning I was killing some time in Starbucks reading my bible and I came across this verse. 

"As for the saints who are on the earth, They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Psalm 16:3

This verse just JUMPED off the page at me. I love how David addresses God's people as "the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight." David's love for God's people is so evident here.

I read an awesome and challenging commentary on this verse that I thought I'd share... 

For many followers of Christ today are so negative about the people of God that they find themselves unable to see any 'excellence' in God's people. They are unable to 'delight in them.' David delighted in the people of God despite their failings, scandals, and embarassment. 

How we love other believers can be an easy way of measuring our relationship with the Lord. Do we love other Christians? Do we find it good and rewarding to be with them? Do we seek their company? This is a simple test. Those who love the Lord will love the company of those who love him.

The bible is pretty clear when it comes to loving other believers.. 1 John 2:9-11 says, "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them"

Wow.

I pray we can all have a heart like David's and can see EVERYONE through eyes of love-delighting in them as children of our Heavenly Father - Not Perfect, Just Forgiven.

Anna and the King

Not too long ago I watched the movie "Anna and the King." If you haven't seen its the story of the romance between the King of Siam and a widowed British schoolteacher named Anna during the 1860's. I love this movie for so many reasons, but mostly how perfect the timing was that I watched it. 
Have you ever had those moments when you see God's perfect timing played out in your life. It could be through a phone call from a friend or a message you may hear at church that just seems to come to you at the exact time you needed it. It's those moments I have to stop and smile because it's like a kiss from heaven reminding me that God knows and understands everything we go through. And even if He seems absent at the time He really is right there holding our hands through everything we face. It's just a reminder of how ever present He really is!
But back to the movie... 
There is a moment in the movie where the Anna is sharing her story with the King. Her story is one definitely marked by heartache, suffering, and trials. She had lost her husband, and had to move to Siam to take this job as a school teacher with her young son. Can you imagine having to pick up everything you know and move somewhere that you knew no one and start a new life right after losing someone like that? You could tell the King felt compassion for her and the hurt she was experiencing. But instead of just offering His condolences, the King leans down to her and says something that wrecked me. He said, "if you hadn't gone through your suffering..... then this unique opportunity to change the world would have been someone else's."
When he spoke those sweet words to her I completely lost it. I had to stop the movie, it was like the Lord himself had just whispered those words straight to my heart. Many times we don't understand why we go through the things we do. It's hard to understand why we have to walk through some of the trials we face. But in those moments I feel like the Lord is up in heaven cheering us on saying, "Endure! Endure! Endure! You can do it! You have no idea how I can use this difficult circumstance and turn it for good! It's going to change the world! You can do it! Hold your head high! I've got you! Don't loose heart! It's this moment right here that is preparing you for even greater things than you could ever imagine!!!"
If you find yourself going through something that seems overwhelming and hard to endure remember what Hebrews 10:36 says "Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised"
He has a plan so beautiful that it will blow your mind once you see all that He has promised fulfilled through your life. Your story will change the world!
Praying for Patient Endurance....

You Are Worth It! By: Mattie Montgomery

Loved this!

Never forget 

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Hurt... Heal.... Help!

I was reading this in my Joyce Meyer "Ending Your Day Right" devotional and felt led to share it.

"God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us" Romans 5:5


Sometimes people say or do things that hurt you, but you have the God-given ability to love these people One good way to start is by following the well-known golden rule. It isn't easy. In fact, it requires discipline. But God will help you if you really want to do it. 
Discipline is your friend- it is the ability God gives you to walk in His ways. Although, it is difficult, discipline is temporary discomfort that can lead to permanent or long-term enjoyment. 
It you've been hurt and learned to overcome it, you have a valuable tool to help others. God comforts us so we can comfort others. Here's the progression: We are hurt...we allow God to heal us... and we are ready to help others. Hurt...Heal... Help! It's a process that can literally change your life... and the lives of many others around you.


-It's easy to find ourselves stuck in our own hurt. Pain has the ability to paralyze us and actually keep us from fulfilling the call of God on our lives. I think there is comfort in knowing that God himself has provided a way past our pain.
When we learn to lean on the healing power of the Holy Spirit that is already at work in us, we will find ourselves loving others past our own capabilities. It's at that moment, the moment when we love outside ourself, that our hurt is transformed to help for someone else.

You're Kind of a Big Deal...

Ephesians 1:4-5 says:

"Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. "

Before we were born, before we even took our first breath, the God of the Universe had us on His mind. We were chosen and loved before we even existed on this Earth. Never doubt how how valuable you are!

TIMING

^"But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." 2 Peter 3:8-9

We serve a BIG God who lives well outside of our concept of time. I mean a day is like a thousand years to him right? Even still, He is a God of perfect timing, His plans are laid out so perfectly for us and we so often fail to realize it. Many times we find ourselves questioning God's plans and purposes for our lives because they just don't seem to be working out the way we would imagine... BUT the good news is His plans for us are far greater than we could ever imagine! Never doubt the fact that God is ALWAYS working behind the scenes for your good!

"And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth" Ephesians 1:10-12 (NLV)


"But when the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to [the regulations of] the Law, To purchase the freedom of (to ransom, to redeem, to [a]atone for) those who were subject to the Law, that we might be adopted and have sonship conferred upon us [and be recognized as God's sons]." Galatians 4:3-7 (AMP)