Tag Archive | Love

Wake up Americans!

Jun16

The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. — Deuteronomy 28:9

“The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me. — Deuteronomy 28:20

“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” — Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Look at the United States of America’s history and then tell me that Jesus doesn’t make a difference in the lives of people and nations. God will get the glory! How do you want to participate in that glory?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

The Lord Is

May10

The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
The Lord keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever. — Psalm 145:17-21

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Hugs

May3

For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the  hearts of the saints have been  refreshed through you, brother. — Philemon 1:7

I’ll start out by saying that I am a huggy person. My children are very aware that hugs are mandatory when you walk in the door and when you leave (a few during the visit doesn’t hurt either). I love that I work at a Christian entity and get to give and receive hugs from co-workers. A hug to me is encouragement, acceptance, love and honoring.

My parents church, that I had the privilege of attending for 21 months, was that kind of church. Sunday mornings I was fueled up for the week. When we were visited at home hugs were plentiful.

The idea of this to me is that family hugs one another. Along with those hugs comes genuine concern for another, taking time to listen, sending cards or emails to say, “Hey, I care and was thinking of you today and said a prayer.” Connecting. Making a difference in someone’s life.

To me a hug is not just a hug. It is so much more. Is your church just a gathering of people or are you family? Is your love for the saints refreshing them? Do they know the love of the Lord and being refreshed by you?

This verse just brought this to mind today and I’m sure has nothing to do with hugs specifically, but are the saints in your life experiencing the outpouring of God’s love from you?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

P.S. Handshakes work too.

Transparent So Others Hear

Apr29

because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; — Philemon 1:5

Are others aware of your faith in the Lord Jesus? Do others see your love for the saints (believers, followers of Christ)? I’m speaking of places outside the walls of the church. Is God’s love and your faith transparent? The world needs you to be.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Love Through Prayer

Apr27

I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, — Philemon 1:4

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. — 1 Samuel 12:23

One meaningful way to obey “love your neighbor” is to pray for them. Who is on your prayer list?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Love One Another . . . . . .

Mar15

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. — Romans 13:8-10

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want  them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. — Matthew 7:12

The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” — Matthew 22:39

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. — John 13:34

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” — Galatians 5:14

If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. — James 2:8

Hidden message? Seems pretty clear to me and I know the message has been repeated over and over again. Could it be we need to be reminded?

How “well are you doing”?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Be Devoted

Mar4

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. — Romans 12:10-13

I don’t know about you but these words are pretty convicting. Reminds me of the verse, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”. I have sinned and fallen short but that gives me no excuse to give up, quit trying. I must devote, be diligent, fervent (passionate), serving, rejoicing, persevering, contributing and practicing everyday these Words of God.

They are all action words that demand I participate in my walk with Jesus. It begins with loving the Lord with my whole being, with all I’ve got. That enables me, by His love, to love others. By loving others I am motivated to serve them, pray for them, contribute to their well-being. In serving I honor others but also our Lord. In Him we find hope and persevere because of that hope.

So honor God today by practicing His Word. His Word is wisdom for life. May God bless your endeavors to serve Him.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Love Good, Hate Evil

Mar3

Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. — Romans 12:9

Love:

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. — 1 Timothy 1:5

Hate evil:

But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;  abstain from every form of evil. — 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Love and cling (hold fast) to what is good!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Conformity

Feb27

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. — Romans 12:2

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, — 1 Peter 1:14

so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. — 1 Peter 1:2

Conformity to the world or conformity to God?

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. — 1 Peter 4:7-11

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Convinced?

Feb20

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? — Romans 8:35

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:38-39

Do you believe that Jesus is God? Do you trust Him as your Lord? Then nothing can separate you from the love of God.

God’s love for mankind was and is so great that He sent Jesus, His only Son to be crucified so that through Him we may be reconciled to God. Don’t miss what is written, that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. You are already separated from God if you don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord. But the good news is that after you are reconciled to God, nothing can separate you from the love of God.

Do you believe what is written?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon