Scripture: 1 Peter 4:8-11
Summary: Love one another, be hospitable, serve one another. Speak the words of God, serve with the strength that God supplies.
Thoughts: I love this scripture! When I try to describe God to someone, the word love always shows up in my description. God is love. So this scripture, which encourages us to love each other and serve each other only cements the concept of love. As God loved us, we should love others. This scripture also says that "whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ." I am well known for being kind of a nut about missions. I think some of my best moments happened when I was on a mission trip. I've been on 40-50 mission trips in the past 10 years. So you might think that it would get humdrum. But they never do! Each trip is different. Sometimes we go to a different place, but there are always new people to get to know on the trip (people traveling with me and people that I meet on the trip). My point is that on every trip, I have some point when I realize that I don't have the strength that I need. And when I realize that my strength is gone, God supplies me with strength. With that strength, I am then able to do what needs to be done, to the glory of God. Where in your life is God supplying you with strength?
Prayer: God, thank you for loving me and giving me strength when I most need it so that I can do Your work. Amen.
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
1 Peter 1:22-25 - born anew into love
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22-25
Summary: You have purified your souls and have genuine mutuual love, so love one another. You have been born anew through the word of God. Our flesh withers but the word of God endures forever.
Thoughts: I have just finished a week at Perkins School of Youth Ministry. If you have never been, PSYM is a place were youth ministers gather from across the country to learn and fellowship together. I always leave PSYM feeling renewed.and challenged to continue God's work of bringing young people into relationship with God through Christ. Although it is easy to get disillusioned and disheartened by the state of the world, the state of the economy, or the state of youth today, I gain new hope from the stories of these people who work daily with youth. I find comfort in learning that I am not the only one dealing with the problems that I face and I always come away from PSYM with new ideas for my ministry. This scripture today reminds me of PSYM in 2 aspects. First, it tells us to "love one another deeply from the heart." I heard over and over again this week that relationships are the key to youth ministry. So I am returning my focus this year to loving each youth that I encounter, hoping that a glimpse of God's love for that person may be seen in my love. Second, the scripture says that "You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God." We have been born again. We all have the chance to remake ourselves in the image of God, as shown us by Jesus Christ. Let's take that chance, each day, to be like God as we love one another deeply!
Prayer: Loving and passionate God, create in me a new desire to be like You, to love all of those around me. Remind me each day that I have the chance, in that day, to start afresh, living my life following Christ. Amen.
Summary: You have purified your souls and have genuine mutuual love, so love one another. You have been born anew through the word of God. Our flesh withers but the word of God endures forever.
Thoughts: I have just finished a week at Perkins School of Youth Ministry. If you have never been, PSYM is a place were youth ministers gather from across the country to learn and fellowship together. I always leave PSYM feeling renewed.and challenged to continue God's work of bringing young people into relationship with God through Christ. Although it is easy to get disillusioned and disheartened by the state of the world, the state of the economy, or the state of youth today, I gain new hope from the stories of these people who work daily with youth. I find comfort in learning that I am not the only one dealing with the problems that I face and I always come away from PSYM with new ideas for my ministry. This scripture today reminds me of PSYM in 2 aspects. First, it tells us to "love one another deeply from the heart." I heard over and over again this week that relationships are the key to youth ministry. So I am returning my focus this year to loving each youth that I encounter, hoping that a glimpse of God's love for that person may be seen in my love. Second, the scripture says that "You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God." We have been born again. We all have the chance to remake ourselves in the image of God, as shown us by Jesus Christ. Let's take that chance, each day, to be like God as we love one another deeply!
Prayer: Loving and passionate God, create in me a new desire to be like You, to love all of those around me. Remind me each day that I have the chance, in that day, to start afresh, living my life following Christ. Amen.
Monday, October 11, 2010
James 3:1-2 - teaching
Scripture: James 3:1-2
Summary: We who teach will be judged with greater strictness. Everyone makes mistakes
Thoughts: Those of us that teach, whether it's those who teach every day in school or those who teach in Sunday school, have an incredible responsibility. Although we like to think that they aren't listening to us, they are picking up far more than we give them credit for. The tricky part is not usually in what we prepare for the lesson. It's pretty easy to filter that information to make sure it's suitable to be taught. The problem is in the stuff outside of the lesson. We also teach by our actions and our casual words. Am I always careful about what I say when my students are near? Do I show them by my actions that they are all important, that they are all loved by me? Or do I play favorites? Do I take part in the gossip that is flying around the room before class starts? When this scripture says that teachers will be judged with greater strictness, I hear a reminder to be careful at all times to make sure that my actions match my words. To be certain that the love of God shows through in everything that I do. Because the most important lesson I have to teach is not what is in the lesson plan. It's what is in my heart.
Prayer: Lord shine through me. Let those that I attempt to teach get some small idea of your love through the love that I show them. Amen.
Summary: We who teach will be judged with greater strictness. Everyone makes mistakes
Thoughts: Those of us that teach, whether it's those who teach every day in school or those who teach in Sunday school, have an incredible responsibility. Although we like to think that they aren't listening to us, they are picking up far more than we give them credit for. The tricky part is not usually in what we prepare for the lesson. It's pretty easy to filter that information to make sure it's suitable to be taught. The problem is in the stuff outside of the lesson. We also teach by our actions and our casual words. Am I always careful about what I say when my students are near? Do I show them by my actions that they are all important, that they are all loved by me? Or do I play favorites? Do I take part in the gossip that is flying around the room before class starts? When this scripture says that teachers will be judged with greater strictness, I hear a reminder to be careful at all times to make sure that my actions match my words. To be certain that the love of God shows through in everything that I do. Because the most important lesson I have to teach is not what is in the lesson plan. It's what is in my heart.
Prayer: Lord shine through me. Let those that I attempt to teach get some small idea of your love through the love that I show them. Amen.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Mark 6:30-44 - Compassion for the World
Scripture: Mark 6:30-44
Summary: This is the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish.
Thoughts: Jesus always had compassion for the needy around him. As his followers, we need to do the same. Who are the needy around me? What about the homeless people that are showing up in Plano (a suburb of Dallas)? What about the guy at the gas station who asks for $5 for gas to get home? What about the neighbor whose lawn mower broke? There are people that I see every day that could use a helping hand or a kind word from me. What is stopping me from offering that hand or that word?
Prayer: God, give me the eyes and ears to notice those around me who need my help. Give me the compassion to act quickly to meet these needs with love.
Summary: This is the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish.
Thoughts: Jesus always had compassion for the needy around him. As his followers, we need to do the same. Who are the needy around me? What about the homeless people that are showing up in Plano (a suburb of Dallas)? What about the guy at the gas station who asks for $5 for gas to get home? What about the neighbor whose lawn mower broke? There are people that I see every day that could use a helping hand or a kind word from me. What is stopping me from offering that hand or that word?
Prayer: God, give me the eyes and ears to notice those around me who need my help. Give me the compassion to act quickly to meet these needs with love.
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