Tag Archive | Love

In The Love Of God

Feb22

keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. — Jude 21

Keep ourselves in the love of God. Hmmmm, how is that done?

First we must come to believe the love that God has for us. We must believe that His unearned love is simply who God is, He is love. We know Him when we abide in love. Abiding in love is abiding in God. When we abide in Him, He abides in us. Jesus said, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.”

Jesus is our example. He tells us that He kept the Father’s commandments and abided in His love. Jesus informs us that if we keep His commandments we will abide in His love. So keeping His commandments means loving one another. God’s Word says that if we love one another God abides in us and His love is perfected in us. We need to seek Him, love, keep His commandments, love one another to abide in Him.

When we do abide in our Lord, we bear much fruit. Apart from the vine the branch cannot bear fruit. So let us keep ourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, being fruitful to eternal life.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. — 1 John 4:16

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. — John 15:9

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. — John 15:4

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. — John 15:10

No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. — 1 John 4:12

 

Because of You

Feb18

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad because of You. Let those who love Your salvation continually say, “The Lord is great!” — Psalm 40:16 (GW)

Because of You, Lord God, I seek You. Because of You I am glad and rejoice in You. Because of You, Lord Jesus, I love Your salvation and I will shout, “The Lord is great!”

Because of You I have life, my Creator. Because of You, my Provider, I have all I ever need for Christ is sufficient. Because of You, my Redeemer, I am forgiven and washed as white as snow. Because of You I have the capacity to love since You first loved me.

Because of You, magnificent, Perfect, all Powerful, all knowing, ever present God, I will tell of Your greatness, Your love, Your salvation and peace. The Lord is great!

Because of You . . .

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Walk in His Ways

Feb11

“Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,                                                                                    — Deuteronomy 10:12   

It really is all about God. He has set His standard, “to fear the Lord your God”, reverently fear. A respectful awe of our Lord.

He commands us to walk in His ways. His commandments are to be followed because He is, was and always will be the One and only God, Creator, Lord, Master, our All in all. He deserves our utmost obedience.

The first and foremost commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. If we love Him we will keep His commandments, serve Him and fear Him — that is walking with the Lord. 

Walking with the Lord is so much more than obeying commandments and serving. God gives us these commandments and instructions in His Word for our benefit. Walking with the Lord Jesus is a walk of peace and joy. Within the confines of obedience to His Word we find a trustworthy, faithful friend who will never fail us. Living in the boundaries He has set for us we find contentment. We might be commanded but it is for our benefit and blessing. Surrender to a wonderful walk with Jesus and let His commandments guide you to a deeper, more solid faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. Deuteronomy 8:6

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. — Deuteronomy 6:5

Seek And Be Blessed

Feb5

How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. — Psalm 119:2

What a blessing to seek the Lord through His word. The blessing is seeing and learning about the Lord God Almighty. His testimony written in this precious book, the Bible, reveals our God. He shows Himself through His word. A testimony or proof that God exists and is alive.

As I observe His law it testifies to me of His existence, of His attributes, and gives me many opportunities to experience His promises that are written in His word. When His word tells me, “All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies”, and I strive to observe them I confess that I am blessed. His word is true and trustworthy.

God’s testimony reveals how to live effectual, abundant lives. A life filled with blessing, peace, joy, love. Isn’t that what people are seeking for in life? Well Jesus is the fulfillment of all we need and desire. We need to seek Him with all our heart through His word, applying it to our lives and we really will find blessing.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.  — Psalm 25:10

With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. — Psalm 119:10

“Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, — Deuteronomy 10:12

The Best Friend Ever – Part 3

Feb2
Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; — Deuteronomy 7:9
The best friend ever has an attribute of faithfulness. Our Lord is faithful and can be trusted. He keeps His covenant and has enduring compassion for His friends – those who keep His commandments. How can we help but love Him? The great thing about this faithful friend is that if I am faithless, He remains faithful. His faithfulness does not depend on my faithfulness or in other words, my unfaithfulness does not effect His faithfulness. He cannot deny Himself.
Do you need a faithful friend? Jesus, our faithful friend, is calling you. He is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. This faithful friend loves us and released us from our sins by His blood. He is calling you into fellowship with Him. He so desires to have a relationship  with you that is lasting and faithful. Let Him into your life today and this faithful friend will take care of you like no other friend you ever had.
Simply confess you are a sinner to Jesus, your faithful friend, thanking Him for dying on the cross (shedding of His blood) to save you from darkness and eternal condemnation and believe that God raised Him from the dead. A heart felt prayer to God will change your life. Then tell someone you have done this so they may rejoice with you.
Don’t delay. Your faithful friend is waiting for that eternal relationship that begins with that simple prayer. Jesus is waiting to take you on the journey of a lifetime. Then seek Him continually.
Continually seeking Him,
Sharon

 

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. — 2 Timothy 2:13

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. — 1 Thessalonians 5:24

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. — 2 Thessalonians 3:3
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— — Revelation 1:5
God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. — 1 Corinthians 1:9

The Best Friend Ever

Jan31

You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. — John 15:14-15

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. — Psalm 55:22

Jesus has called me friend. Wow!!! As my friend, He reveals all things that He has heard from the Father. What wisdom and insight is at my disposal simply because I am His friend. He is loving and caring and wants me to know all about Him and how to live an abundant life. He is a friend who wants the best for me and will do what is best for me. Can anyone find a friend who wants your best all the time? With a friend like that I desire to know Him more. I seek to know Him deeper. 

He listens and carries my burdens while giving me counsel to help in those burdens. He will not allow me to be shaken – His righteous one – another WoW! He considers me righteous because He is righteous and as my friend transposes His righteousness to me. Because of this I do what He commands, making me His friend.

Jesus is the best friend you could ever have. Seek Him through the Bible and by prayer (just talking to Him). Practice obeying His commands and you will never be shaken.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Living Water

Jan29

 

. . . “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” — John 7:37-38

. . . They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, . . . — Jeremiah 2:13

Some of the sadest words in the Bible are “They have forsaken Me..”. When I think of our Creator who made us in His image looks upon us with love and we forsake Him, it hurts my heart. We ignore Him, put others and things before Him, disregard His word, and are not thankful for all He has given us. One of those things He has given is living water.

God gives every person an internal thirst for Him. We try to satisfy that thirst with other things – the list is endless – and the thirst is endless unless it is satisfied by the One who put the thirst there. Jesus is the fountain of living water and He freely gives to those who seek Him. The great thing is that the water is ever flowing. This water satisfies our thirst as we continuously seek the fountain. As we drink of it the flow of living water is so abundant that it overflows to everyone around us. The Living Water touches others through us as we seek Him.

Make a difference in your life and those around you by drinking the living water.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Love Your Neighbor

Jan28

The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” — Mark 12:31

The first Commandment is to love the Lord and the second is just as important. How radiant a love lives in us through Jesus Christ. This radiant love radiates through us to others, our neighbor. God’s love can’t be suppressed if we truly love Him and seek to obey Him. If you love Him you will love His creation – all those who are made in His image. (Genesis 1:17)

Now our challenge is to love His creation, all made in His image, since love does no wrong to a neighbor. (Romans 13:10) The challenge can be accomplished only through Jesus Christ and a solid relationship with Him. We need to seek Him every minute of everyday so that Jesus is the one at work in us. Remember, it is not in our nature to love or to be kind but it is very much the nature of Jesus.

Let Him have dominance in your life. Make Him LORD of your life.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Genesis 1:17 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Ambition

Jan27

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.                                                                                                                                                                                    — 2 Corinthians 5:9

Through previous devotions we’ve established that God living in us is the love we need to love Him, which is the first and foremost commandment. Those we love we usually desire to please.

Growing up I remember always wanting to please my parents because I love and respected them. I also wanted them to be proud of me. Being married I enjoy doing nice things for my husband because I love him. Because I love my children I often did nice things to please them. It is no different with God.

I desire to please God because I love Him and want Him to be pleased with me. It is not works that I am doing to get approval but to simply please Him. The love He has bestowed on me through my relationship with Jesus Christ and the precious gift of the Spirit, motivates me to please the Lord. That motivation has become my ambition.

The ambition to speak the word of God, to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, and to glorify Him is my daily focus. When the focus on Jesus is practiced daily it soon infiltrates our whole being and pleasing Him becomes our ambition. I encourage you to seek the Lord daily and practice making your ambition to please our God.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Abundant Overflowing Love

Jan26

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. — Romans 5:5

This week the devotionals have been focused on loving God with ALL. . . I don’t know if anyone noticed the common denominator in the ability to love with all, but it is God Himself who enables us to love. I happened upon this verse and was blessed that God dropped this in my lap. It says it as I could not possibly have said it. “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us”.

Poured out. This gave me the impression of an abundant, overflowing love. Two different translations I looked up said, “the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love. (The Voice) and “we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! (The Message)

Oh the things God can accomplish through His people because of the great love He instills in us. We need to simply accept this love then give it right back to our Lord. Love is a wonderful motivator. Through God’s love and His marvelous word we can take His love and instruction and change the world. Without Him we are nothing, but with Him we are conquerors.

Seek Him by searching His word and communicating with Him in prayer continuously. Your life will never be the same. He has marvelous plans for you.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon