The Thing About Love

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. - Philippians 1:9

Here is the thing about love. You can’t sit around and wait for the feeling of love. Don’t wait to feel love. Just start doing loving things.

In 1 Corinthians 13 when Paul gave the classic definition of love, he didn’t talk so much about what love is as much as he talked about what love does: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged” (verses 4–5).

Some people keep a record of everything. They’ll say, “I remember when you said that hurtful thing twenty years ago.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I do.”

You know what? They need to let that go. It’s time for them to forgive.

One of the things Paul prayed for the Philippian believers was that their love would continue to grow. He wrote, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding” (verse 9). Paul wasn’t talking about a sentimental love here. Rather, this is a love based on a knowledge of God’s Word.

Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35).

And John reminds us, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” (1 John 4:20).

So don’t talk about how much you love God if you hate someone else. That is not acceptable. If you are a true follower of Jesus, then your life will be characterized by love.

© Greg Laurie

Meekness Is Not Weakness

For the spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his spirit fills us with power, love, and self control. - 2 Timothy 1:7 TEV

Isn’t a Christian supposed to be meek? Yes, but meekness is not weakness. There’s a big difference. Meekness means “strength under control.” Picture a wild stallion that has been broken and is now tamed. That stallion still has as much power as when he was wild, but now that power is bottled up for the master’s use.

Only two people in the Bible were called meek: Jesus and Moses. Neither of them were weaklings or wimps. They were strong men of conviction. God doesn’t expect you to just cave in every time somebody wants to manipulate you or control you. What would you do if someone asked you to do something immoral or illegal or unreasonable? You’d say no!

For a Christian, “no” is not a dirty word. It’s OK to say “no.” In fact, it’s necessary from time to time. The Bible tells us to say “yes” when we mean yes, and “no” when we mean no. It doesn’t tell us we need to feel guilty about doing so. It doesn’t say we have to make excuses for our decisions.

You can’t get through life, let alone ministry, without eventually being around someone who will try to intimidate, control, or manipulate you. How does God want us to deal with intimidating people?

2 Timothy 1:7 gives us the answer: “For the spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his spirit fills us with power, love, and self control” (TEV).

That’s the way God wants you to deal with people — in power (confidence), in love (focusing on their needs), and in self-control. God’s Spirit doesn’t make us timid. It doesn’t turn us into weaklings.

Yet, I know Christians who unconsciously think, “I have to be afraid of people in order to be spiritual. I just have to let people have their own way.” If you’ll look at the Bible, you’ll see that’s not the case.

You can’t please everyone. That’s a fact. So stop trying! When those difficult people come along, hold your ground, pray for those who persecute you, and leave the rest to God.

© Rick Warren

Pleading with God

So the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people. - Exodus 32:14

I find it amazing that Moses negotiated with God and got away with it. But he wasn’t the only one. Another man who negotiated with God was Abraham, and he was called the friend of God.

When God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham started praying. He said, “Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? . . . Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:24–25). He was actually telling God about His own nature.

God said, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city” (verse 26).

Then Abraham said, “Even though I am but dust and ashes. Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” (verses 27–28).

Next Abraham threw out the prospect of forty people, then twenty people, and finally ten. Even then, God said He wouldn’t destroy the city if He could find only ten righteous people. But God couldn’t find ten people, and ultimately He judged Sodom.

Abraham could talk to God that way because he was His friend. It might seem irreverent, but it speaks of the closeness of his friendship with God.

In the same way, Moses negotiated with God to spare the Israelites after they worshiped the golden calf, and God spared them. Moses had changed from an impulsive prince of Egypt into a seasoned man of God who put it all on the line for his people.

Does this mean that we should argue with God? Not really. But it does mean that we should plead with God. We should intercede for people whom we care about.

© Greg Laurie

You Are God’s Masterpiece

We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. - Ephesians 2:10 NLT

The reason you have value is because of what God says about you, not because of what other people say about you.

Many people lack self-esteem. They don’t feel good about themselves because they’re always trying to pump themselves up by the kind of clothes they wear, the kind of car they drive, and the things they say. They’re always trying to pump themselves up to make them feel better about themselves because they really don’t accept themselves — which is rebellion against God.

If God wanted you to be somebody else, you wouldn’t exist. But he wanted you! He made you to be you. Real self-esteem comes from three facts:

• God created you.
• Jesus died for you.
• God’s Spirit lives in you.

The Bible says, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). The New Testament was written originally in Greek. The Greek word for “masterpiece” is “poema.” It’s the word we get “poem” from. God says, “You’re my poem. You’re my masterpiece. I don’t want you copying somebody else. I’ve put gifts in you — heart, abilities, personality, and experiences — and I want you to use them.” You have worth because of what God says about you and has done for you.

You’re not just wanted; you’re needed! The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, “There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person” (GW).

You are needed. You’re needed in your church. You are needed in your community. You are needed in this world. If you weren’t needed, God would not have made you. He didn’t create you to just sit and soak and sour. He brought you here to make a contribution with your life. And everybody is needed.

There are no little people in the family of God. Every part is necessary. Do you know what the most important light is in my house? It’s not the big chandelier in the dining room. It’s the little dinky light I turn on every night so that when I get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I don’t stub my toe.

Every role is important. You are important. You have value because God said so and because he paid such a large ransom for your life when he sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you.

© Rick Warren

Even Though

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4, ESV

These are some of the most familiar words ever written: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” They also ring with courage. In the original Hebrew, the phrase “the shadow of death” is one word depicting a deep ravine through which a shepherd would lead his sheep in order to take them to better pasture. On that treacherous walk, a time would come when the cliff walls became so narrow and sheer that the very sunlight was blocked out.

The valley of the shadow of death looks different for different people. But it represents the hardest times of life, the darkest nights of the soul, the deepest, loneliest places we pass through. Whatever creates a sense of hopelessness can be called a shadow in the valley.

The first word of this verse—“even”—has such weight. Everything God has revealed about Himself is true. Even in the darkest times. Even when life turns hard. Even when we feel hopeless.

Never does the faith of a believer shine more brightly than in the most difficult moments. I’ve seen people who have lost everything respond with faith, even in the most desperate, devastating circumstances. Even in those dark valleys, the people of God raise the flag and point to Christ.

You may think you couldn’t go through a valley like that—and you would be right. You couldn’t do it, alone. But God promises His presence. In the darkest valley, He is with you. David links his confidence to that truth: “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

That valley might feel endless. You might fear, The rest of my life will be in this valley. I’ll never laugh again. I’ll never again enjoy a simple pleasure. But we don’t camp in the valley; we walk “through” it. As dark as it might seem in the moment, it won’t always be that way. You won’t always be living your life in that desperate place. The seasons of hardship and even the deepest valleys will come to a conclusion.

God brings you “through,” and He’s with you every moment. He repeats this promise in Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” That’s a sure, consistent promise from God to His children: whatever you walk “through,” He is right there with you.

© James MacDonald

How Do You Find Out God’s Will?

God … invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord. - 1 Corinthians 1:9 TLB

God’s not playing games with you. He wants you to understand his will, his purpose, and his plan for your life.

You may say, “I want God to guide me, but I still get confused. I don’t know what to do.” Often the problem is we’re looking for the wrong thing. You need to know what you’re looking for before you can find it.

So, what is God’s will?

1. God’s will is not a feeling.

Some of you are looking for a feeling or a supernatural sign. You want God to pull your heartstring so you’ll know exactly what to do.

The problem is that feelings are unreliable; they will often guide you the wrong way. Feelings can come from fatigue, hormones, or an event you’ve just experienced. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful” (NIV). Even your heart plays tricks on you. Even the devil can create a feeling. If I had listened to my feelings, I would never have married my wife, Kay. The day before the wedding, my feelings said, “Run!” But that wasn’t God’s will. It was fear!

Don’t wait for a feeling when you’re trying to figure out God’s plan for your life.

2. God’s will is not a formula.

In our culture, we want everything to be easy. We want things to follow a simple formula so it will instantly change our lives. We want a step-by-step guide.

But there’s a problem with this approach: There’s no room for mistakes. If God’s will is a recipe, what happens if you leave out one ingredient? If you leave baking soda out of a recipe, you’ve got the difference between a birthday cake and a pancake. What if you have “52 Steps to Knowing God’s Will,” and you leave out number 37?

God’s will is not a closed system. It is dynamic! It is not always an issue of choosing A or B. In fact, many times you can choose from A to Z, and any of them will be OK. It’s your choice. Why would God give you a brain and not expect you to use it? He lets you make choices, and he gives you second chances.

If God’s will is not a feeling or a formula, then what is it?

3. It is a relationship.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God … invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, even Christ our Lord” (TLB).

There is very little in the Bible about the technique of knowing God’s will. But there are thousands and thousands of verses that talk about developing a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Why? Because God’s will is a relationship.

The better you get to know him, the less confusion you’re going to have about what his will is. Get to know God, and everything else becomes secondary.

© Rick Warren

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. - Psalm 139:1-10

When God looked at the world He’d made, He declared it good. Genesis 1:27 summarizes the crowning achievement of His creative work: “God created man in His own image . . . male and female He created them.” Psalm 139 reminds us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

The Lord has given each of His children great potential for service in His kingdom. However, some of us have serious doubts that this is true. When we compare ourselves to other people, we notice the things we lack. At other times, we repeatedly criticize ourselves for mistakes we’ve made. How can we have awesome potential when we see so many ways in which we fall short? Consider these biblical examples:

Moses appeared to have many advantages while he was growing up in Pharaoh’s household. Then he killed an Egyptian and fled the country. No longer did he seem a likely candidate to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But God looked beyond what Moses had done and saw who he could become.

Paul, prior to salvation, had vehemently persecuted those who believed in Jesus. Yet through God’s mercy, the apostle became a mighty evangelist and author of nearly a third of the New Testament.

Peter was a simple fisherman who denied—not once but three times—that he knew Jesus. Still, the Lord chose him to become the leader of the Jerusalem church.

Our Father sees beyond our human frailties to the potential we have in Christ. Because we were made in God’s image and His Spirit dwells in us, we have a greater capacity for spiritual transformation and service than we could imagine. Seek to become the person God has equipped you to be.

© Charles Stanley

Why God Loves You Even On Your Bad Days

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 NLT, second edition

God loves you so much that he sent Jesus on a mission of love with a message of love. The Bible doesn’t say God has love; it says God is love. Love is his nature; God is love.

God created the entire universe. He created this planet; he created the human race. Then, he created you because he loves you.

It could be said the reason you’re alive is because God created you as an object of his love. God made you so he could love you and so you could love him. God’s love for you is the reason your heart’s beating right now; it’s the reason you’re breathing.

God’s good news is that he loves you on your good days as much as he loves you on your bad days. He loves you when you can feel his love, and he loves you when you can’t seem to feel his love. He loves you regardless of whether or not you think you deserve his love.

There is nothing you can do that will make God stop loving you. You could try, but you simply can’t do it — because his love for you is based upon his character and not on anything you do or say or feel.

God loves you so much that he sent his only Son, Jesus, into this world “so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16b NLT, second edition).

When Jesus stretched his arms out as wide as the cross, he was saying, “I love you this much! I love you so much it hurts. I love you so much I’ll die for you so that I won’t have to live without you.”

God’s love surpasses all human knowledge, and it is difficult for any of us to grasp the width and length and height and depth of God’s love for us (Ephesians 3:17-19).

© Rick Warren

Handling Difficult Circumstances

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3:8-11

The apostle Paul understood how to handle tough circumstances. Even while confined in a prison cell, he kept his eyes on Christ and trusted firmly in the Savior. Therefore, despite being in chains, he was able to celebrate the Lord’s work in his life. In fact, the epistle he wrote from jail to the Philippians was filled with rejoicing and praise (Philippians 1:18; Philippians 2:18; Philippians 3:1).

Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles look insurmountable and overwhelm us with a sense of failure.

However, fear and defeat can’t live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you will forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care instead. He is the Deliverer (2 Corinthians 1:10). He is the Healer (Jeremiah 17:14). And He is the Guide (Proverbs 3:6). The believer who lays claim to divine promises discovers that God pushes back negative emotions. In their place, hope, confidence, and contentment take up residence (Philippians 4:11). You aren’t going to be happy about any difficult situation, but you can be satisfied that God is in control and up to something good in the midst of trouble.

The Lord’s principles and promises don’t change, no matter how severe or painful the situation is. Focus on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial. Then you will be ready to answer Paul’s call to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

© Charles Stanley