Image from facoc.org
This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:16-24)
Good day dear Friend! I share with you a devotional thought that I pray blesses you in whatever you're facing in your life. I pray that in Jesus' name we might read and receive with His grace guiding us to a deeper walk with Him today and all days.
We are so blessed in having the Savior we have. Jesus modeled a life of love for us; His demonstration of love included the ultimate sacrifice of giving Himself for us. The writer of this letter is thankful for it, and he's intent on sharing what he believes to be our duty; to live a life of love that shows it! He knows that in showing and living love, we begin to address within ourselves the things that plague us and those around us. Notice the verse that says that if we see someone in need and we fail to help others because of Christ's love in us, soon God's love begins to disappear; and we were the cause. "My dear children, let's not just talk about love; lets' practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living, truly living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there's something to it." Isn't that a great thought? A lot of what we suffer sometimes comes from within; the more we learn to give love away, the stronger it grows in us and soon the root causes of our self-criticism begin to disappear. And we love ourselves again in the way God intended, and soon joyful acts will pour out to bless others. How great it would be to no longer accuse or condemn ourselves; we can become bold and free believers of Jesus Christ.
Dear one, may our prayer be to truly love the Lord, receive His love, apply it to our way of life to become giving people, helping people that soon find ourselves more blessed than when we started out. God is the source of peace, pace, and patience if we invite Him to come in and guide us. Whatever pressures you're feeling, shoo them away in Jesus' name, invite the calm and peace of Jesus and respond with love to all things. It's easier to react than it is to reflect and respond, but as believers in He who loved and prayed and responded after prayer, we can be like Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving Father, my prayer begins with this dear reader; may they be blessed in new and wonderful ways. May love guide and bless them, and as they give of themselves to others, shower them with peace, the pace they need for their lives and the patience that only You can provide. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Pace yourself with peace as Christ shares it with you!
Eradio Valverde
PRAYER UPDATES AND REQUESTS: Barry Boothe underwent successful surgery yesterday here in Seguin. He'll recover for a couple of days and return home soon. Pray for his comfort and recovery. Pray for one another, even those we don't know.
