Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 10, 2023 6:14:48 GMT -6
Found in my prayer closet this morning...
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"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
Fear not, O believer, for there is naught to stand against you! All potential powers and enemies pale in significance to the power of God. No mere creation can threaten to undo the work and will of its Creator. God is sovereign. He holds all things in the palm of His hand, He does whatsoever He wills to do. And He loves you! Therefore rejoice, for while God is for you, O child of faith, nothing can truly be against you. And He is with you to everlasting.
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 11, 2023 6:37:40 GMT -6
Contentment
"For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." Philippians 4:11
Pastor Erik Raymond wrote a book called Chasing Contentment, and this was his definition for that elusive quality: “Contentment is the inward, gracious, quiet spirit that joyfully rests in God’s providence.” In other words, contentment isn’t loud. It’s not the finale at the fireworks exhibition. It’s the quiet pleasure of a cup of hot tea tinged with honey. It’s the purring of a cat or the cooing of a baby. It’s what we need for our emotional and spiritual health.
Pride thrives on a competitive nature that tries to remain on top. Pride is a brutal master; it keeps you struggling, striving, and grasping for some kind of worldly recognition and success. If you want to experience peace, live humbly and be content in what God has given you and called you to do. Writer Pearl S. Buck said, “Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness.”
There’s nothing wrong with more, but blessed is the person who is content with less. Don’t be contentious. Just be content!
"You say, “If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.” You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." Charles Spurgeon
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 12, 2023 6:15:47 GMT -6
Show and Tell
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13
The English language has nearly five hundred words that can function as both a noun and a verb—words like judge, mail, shop, aim, exhibit, balance, slide, file, place . . . and hundreds more. From the Bible’s perspective, the most important word on that list is love.
Uniquely, love is a noun that is best described by its actions. If we ask, “What is love?” we quickly move beyond the feeling-type definitions to the examples of love in action. When the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about love, he first spoke of it as a noun (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) but then moved to describing what love does (verses 4-8). Love is one of those things in life that may be hard to define, but we know it when we see it. Paul describes the actions that make us know we’re seeing true love: Love is patient and kind, doesn’t envy or boast, doesn’t act rudely, doesn’t promote self, is self-controlled, rejoices in good rather than evil, perseveres, trusts, hopes, and endures. Love, Paul says, is the greatest virtue.
Tell someone you love them today. Better yet, show them in person.
"Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair." G. K. Chesterton
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 13, 2023 6:33:32 GMT -6
Generous Ambition
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3
The notion of ambition often gets criticized—as if ambition is a bad thing. But ambition is nothing more than the desire to accomplish or achieve a goal via determination and often sacrifice. We could say that Jesus was ambitious in that He accomplished the work that the Father gave Him to do when He came into the world (John 17:4).
So why does ambition often have a negative connotation? Because ambition is frequently carried out with selfish motives and actions. That’s why Paul wrote that we should do nothing out of “selfish ambition or conceit.” He didn’t say, “Don’t be ambitious”; he said, “Don’t be selfishly ambitious.” A thin line divides noble ambition and selfish ambition, a line that Christ walked perfectly. He accomplished the work God gave Him to do by serving others in the process (Philippians 2:5-8).
We are to be like Christ—considering others before we consider ourselves. As you go about your day, look for ways to generously serve others as you pursue your tasks.
"Many collapse under the weight and pressure of self-promotion and self-exaltation. But when God promotes, His promotion is sustainable." Vance K. Jackson
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 14, 2023 6:34:19 GMT -6
Let Love Rule
"Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4
As the Gospel spread from Jerusalem into the world of the Gentiles, cultural issues arose that required a spiritual response. For instance, in the food markets of large cities like Corinth and Rome, meat would be sold that was leftover from sacrifices in pagan temples. In other words, it was meat that had been offered to idols. The question arose as to whether Christians could eat that meat without defiling their conscience.
Paul wrote two lengthy passages addressing this issue in 1 Corinthians 10:14–11:1 and Romans 14:1-23. In short, he said that there was no harm in eating meat from pagan temples, but he left the decision up to the individual. More importantly, he cautioned against letting one’s own conscience be a standard of judgment against others. He said that peace in the church and mutual edification were most important (Romans 14:19). As always, love was to be the guide: “Love...does not seek its own” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).
In all our relationships—home, work, church—we are to love one another, not judge one another. Pursue peace and edification wherever you go today.
"Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating." Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 15, 2023 6:15:27 GMT -6
Be Angry, But . . .
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath. Ephesians 4:26
What emotion motivated William Wilberforce to campaign tirelessly against England’s participation in the African slave trade? Or, in the same vein, what propelled Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to protest against racial injustice in the United States? Even more importantly, how was Jesus feeling emotionally when He cleared the merchants and money changers from the temple in Jerusalem?
We could say that anger was the motivating emotion—but not sinful anger. Anger in itself is not sinful; it is one of many human emotions that can lead to good or evil outcomes. Anger at injustice can lead to reforms that result in justice or to destructive behaviors that fuel further negative outcomes. The psalmist David warned against being angry in a sinful way. He advised meditation and stillness to sort through the emotion (Psalm 4:4). And the apostle Paul quoted David’s words with advice on relationships: be angry but don’t sin by dwelling indefinitely on your anger. Resolve your anger by the end of the day.
When you feel angry, ask yourself: Is my anger self-centered or will it motivate me to help others? Keeping anger on a short leash will help you decide.
"When anger is present, look for the pain." R. C. Sproul
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 16, 2023 6:16:51 GMT -6
The Marks of Faith: The Marks of Healing
"But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them." Mark 1:30-31
We know with reasonable certainty the very spot where this miracle took place. The ruins of Capernaum have been uncovered, and archaeologists have identified the house of Simon Peter, based on ancient records. In the early centuries of the Church, it was converted into a meeting place for Christians. Jesus relocated to Capernaum after His rejection in Nazareth, and He was in Peter’s house often.
On this occasion, Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed, suffering from a fever. Jesus healed her, and what did she do? She went right back to work, serving the family—tending the kids, cooking, cleaning, washing dishes and clothes, sewing, and doing whatever she could to contribute to her home and town.
Jesus has a way of healing us from so many afflictions, doesn’t He? Whenever we experience any kind of healing—physically, emotionally, or otherwise—what should we do?
Start serving! That’s the true mark of healing.
"The cure is in order to…minister to Christ, and to those that are his for his sake." Matthew Henry
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 17, 2023 6:13:01 GMT -6
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
How bountiful the mercy of our Lord that He should not only allow salvation, but promise it to those who seek Him. Praise God for your everlasting life! Praise the Lord that He drew you to seek Him!
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 18, 2023 6:26:11 GMT -6
Forget It and Move On!
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13, NIV If you’re having trouble getting over an insult, hurt, or injustice, here are two verses that may help. In 1 Corinthians 13:5, we’re told that love “keeps no record of wrongs” (NIV). We have to take that list of grievances, give it to the Lord, then burn it in the fire and turn it to ash, putting it behind us.
Isaiah 43:18-19 contains this counsel: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (NIV).
If someone has done you wrong, your anger might lead you to want to seek revenge. Refusing to forgive another for their transgression can keep you bound by this anger. Choose today to forgive in the power of the Lord who has forgiven you, and free yourself from this sort of anger addiction.
Burn the list of past grievances, and go into the future knowing God is doing a new thing in your life.
"Divine love is kind even when misunderstood. Love knows how to take sorrow and heartache victoriously." George Sweeting
Dr. David Jeremaih
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 19, 2023 6:35:56 GMT -6
No Limit
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32
Love is at the heart of everything—even forgiveness. But not because forgiveness is a loving thing to do (though it is). But because it is a sacrificial thing to do. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says that “love suffers long” (verse 4), which is usually a way of saying that love is patient. But when the need for forgiveness comes often, it can result in longsuffering—patiently enduring the offense that necessitates forgiveness no matter how often it arises.
When Peter asked Jesus how many times he was required to forgive the one who offended him—and suggested seven times would suffice—Jesus surprised him with a different number: seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus didn’t mean that 490 was the limit; He was suggesting that we are to forgive an infinite number of times. We are to forgive without counting. We wonder if Paul had this teaching in mind when he exhorted the Ephesians to forgive each other “as God in Christ forgave you.”
God puts no limit on the number of times He is willing to forgive us. Neither should we limit our forgiveness for others.
"If you are suffering from a bad man’s injustice, forgive him lest there be two bad men." Augustine
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 20, 2023 6:50:55 GMT -6
Keep No Record
"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7
Is it possible to “forgive and forget”? We can choose to forgive, but can we choose to forget? Every time we tell ourselves to forget about an offense we have suffered, it refreshes the emotion of that painful event.
It is possible to forgive and not forget an offense, though in time the offense can become a distant memory. The danger in not forgiving is that forgetting becomes impossible. If we don’t forgive, we replay the offense over and over, keeping it alive in our mind as if it happens afresh every day. Then resentment sets in—and resentment gradually transitions into bitterness, a source of trouble and defilement (Hebrews 12:15). So what do we do? First, we choose to forgive when we are hurt. Then we love by bearing, believing, hoping, and enduring all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). We bear the offense and believe and hope that it will never happen again. We begin each day with a clean slate, keeping “no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV).
If you have been hurt, first forgive, then love. Live as if you have no memory of the wrong suffered.
"Forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future." Lewis B. Smedes
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 21, 2023 6:53:14 GMT -6
Put Out the Fire
"Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth." 1 Corinthians 13:6
“Gossip” goes back to the Old English godsibb—a godfather, godmother, or baptismal sponsor. It evolved to refer to anyone who was a close friend, associate, or relative—that is, a person with whom one talks about intimate matters. The idea of “gossip” gradually became that of “idle talk”—the words themselves or the person who speaks them.
Proverbs has much to say about idle talk and those who engage in it. Sin is potential in a multitude of words; the one who restrains his speech is wise (Proverbs 10:19). A gossip’s words are like delectable sweets, going down deep in a person (Proverbs 18:8). The best way to put out a fire is to remove the wood; the best way to stop strife is to remove the gossip (Proverbs 26:20). In a neutral sense, gossip is just words between people—positive or negative words. But biblically, gossip is always viewed in a negative light. Gossip is kept alive by spreading rumors and recounting unsavory news that should remain private. Gossip is the opposite of “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Love does not delight in spreading rumors of dark deeds. Love participates only in what edifies and honors others.
"Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you." Unknown
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 22, 2023 6:42:00 GMT -6
A Safe Harbor
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Everything we know about love stems from God. The apostle John wrote that “God is love” and that “we love [God] because He first loved us” (1 John 4:8, 16, 19). Our love for God, as well as our love for others, is a response to the God of love who first loved us. As we abide in God’s love, we respond by obeying His command to love others (John 15:10).
Psalm 91 is a testament to God’s loving protection for those who love Him: “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him” (verse 14). When we get to the New Testament, we find Paul writing that everything works for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28). And in the same chapter (a mirror of Psalm 91), Paul lists all the things in life that might separate us from God’s love and says none of them will (Romans 8:35-39)!
To be loved unconditionally—by God or by others—is a safe harbor. Dwell in God’s love today so you are equipped to love others.
"We are called upon to reflect the love of God as much in trial as in tranquility." John Blanchard
Dr. David Jeremaih
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 23, 2023 6:59:10 GMT -6
The Marks of Faith: The Marks of Deliverance
"And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed." Mark 7:30
It comes with a jolt to realize Jesus once left Israel and ventured into modern-day Lebanon, effectively becoming a foreign missionary. Most commentators believe He traveled there for rest, privacy, and quiet instructional time with His disciples.
A Greek woman came asking Him to cast a demon from her daughter. Jesus’ reply was odd: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (Mark 7:27). This was probably an old proverb and wasn’t as harsh as it now sounds to us. Christ was telling her His primary mission was to the Jews. But the woman replied, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs” (verse 28). When the woman returned home, her daughter was healed.
The Gospel of deliverance is for all the world. It is for us all. Deliverance is one of the marks of faith, for the power of Jesus alone can free us from all the bondages of the evil one.
"Each new day is another chapter in the unfolding promise of deliverance and life." Elizabeth George
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 24, 2023 6:17:55 GMT -6
"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith..." (Philippians 3:9)
When we accept Christ as our Savior, His righteousness is placed upon us. It is not our own semblance of righteousness (which is as filthy rags) that clothes us, but Christ's own perfection (which is as robes of white).
My Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for Your love that allows me to be clothed in Your righteousness! May I never take it for granted!
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 25, 2023 6:23:57 GMT -6
A Shield
"But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head…. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid." Psalm 3:3-6
King David’s darkest days were when he fled Jerusalem, pursued by his own army, which had come under the control of his rebellious son Absalom. David’s heart was broken by family problems, and his crown was threatened by national rebellion. In this setting, he wrote Psalm 3: “Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!” (verse 1)
But David had evidently been reading Genesis 15:1, where the Lord told Abraham, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield.” David claimed that concept for himself, visualizing his God as a shield that surrounded him in all directions like a globe of grace. Therefore, he could lay down and go to sleep, unafraid. He knew God loved him.
The Bible says love “hopes all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7).
When a difficulty arises, remember we can remain hopeful because our loving God is a shield around us. There is no situation we cannot face with His divine love around and within us.
"The Psalms are inexhaustible, and deserve to be read, said, sung, chanted, whispered, learned by heart, and even shouted from the rooftops" N. T. Wright
Dr. David Jeremaih
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 26, 2023 6:06:03 GMT -6
Unfailing
"My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26
We all fail from time to time, even the biblical heroes did. The psalmist said, “My heart pants, my strength fails” (Psalm 38:10). Jeremiah wrote, “My eyes fail with tears” (Lamentations 2:11).
But not God! He never fails! Joshua 21:45 says, “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken.” Psalm 89:33 says, “My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail.” Isaiah 42:4 says the Lord “will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth.” Lamentations 3:22 says, “His compassions fail not.”
His eternal existence cannot fail. We read in Hebrews 1:12 that even the heavens will be folded up like a garment, but as for God: “Your years will not fail.”
Zephaniah 3:5 says plainly: “The Lord is righteous…. He never fails.”
That’s why 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails.” We can be confident that love never fails because God never fails and God is love. Give thanks that we can always count on the love of God to see us through all things.
"Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail." Robert Grant
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 27, 2023 6:27:38 GMT -6
God’s Great River Project
"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:5
Have you heard of the Great Man-Made River project? It’s the world’s largest irrigation project, a network of pipes and aqueducts that supplies fresh water across Libya. There are vast aquifers under the Sahara desert—enough water to last a thousand years, according to some estimates. Others aren’t so sure how long the supply will last, but this incredible engineering feat keeps the faucets of Libya running.
Have you heard of the great God-Made River project? It’s the outpouring of love, channeled into our heart by the Holy Spirit. When we accept Christ as Savior, God sends us the Holy Spirit—His love in us. This enables us to love others through situations we would have found impossible before. Give a prayer of thanks to God that He chose to send His love into us through the Holy Spirit, and ask Him to enable you to show others the love of Christ in you.
"The reality of God’s love in a believer’s heart gives the assurance, even the guarantee, that the believer’s hope in God and His promise of glory is not misplaced and will not fail." John A. Witmer
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 28, 2023 5:24:07 GMT -6
Whatever You Do
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1
Consider a cobbler who is so busy making shoes for other people that his own children go barefooted. That might speak to pride, selfish ambition, or negligence by the father. At the very least, it shows a lack of love for his children. When love is absent, life is unbalanced.
The apostle Paul began his chapter on love with illustrations of “ministry” replacing love in the church. He cites several commendable activities: using the gift of tongues or prophecy, having spiritual knowledge and faith, being generous to the poor, and dying for the sake of Christ (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Then he says that if any, or all, of these ministries are performed without love—that is, for carnal or self-promoting reasons—then the ministries themselves are worthless. Better not to undertake such ministries at all than to undertake them without the motivation and practice of love.
Consider this paraphrase of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whatever you do, do it in the Spirit of love.” Clothe your words and deeds today with a cloak of true love.
"Every Christian would agree that a man’s spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God."C. S. Lewis
Dr. David Jeremiah
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Sept 29, 2023 6:09:31 GMT -6
Love in Spite of
"For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:10
“Luv” is a playful, whimsical expression of sentiment. One would never luv one’s enemy or express unconditional luv. One wouldn’t luv someone who didn’t luv one back.
That sets luv apart from the true, biblical meaning of love in Scripture. God’s love—expressed by the Greek word agape—is unconditional love. It is the kind of love that rises above feelings of warmth or affection; it is love based on an act of the will that seeks the best outcome for others. It is a love so strong that it can be expressed toward an enemy (Matthew 5:43-47). In fact, the apostle Paul refers to us as enemies of God who were nonetheless reconciled to God because of His great love for us. We didn’t deserve God’s love, but God so loved us that He sent His Son to reunite us to Himself. That is the kind of love we are to have for one another (Romans 12:10).
Look for opportunities today to love unconditionally—in spite of how others treat you.
"Religion that does not glow with love is unsatisfactory." Richard Glover
Dr. David Jeremiah
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