JESUS BETRAYEDMatthew 26:14
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priestsMatthew 26:20-25
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.”Matthew 26:47-56
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”[a]
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled.JESUS ARRESTEDMatthew 26:57-68
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[a]
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said,
JESUS DENIEDMatthew 26:69-75
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.JESUS CRUCIFIEDMark 15:21-41
21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.
27 They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. [28] [a] 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[b]
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,[d] and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.JESUS BURRIEDMark 15:42-47
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.JESUS IS RISENLuke 24:1-53
24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension of Jesus
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Living In Uncertain Times
Living In Uncertain Times
Psalm 1211 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Be sure to make praise a part of your daily routine, and although your circumstances may not change right away, your perspective will. Be blessed and be encouraged, God is with us and He is not sleeping!
9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you,
“You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Peaceful Sleep And Sweet Dreams
Psalm 4:88 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 23:1-3
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Matthew 11:28
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
In my lifetime I have had many restless nights. There have been times when I tossed and turned all night, only to realize that morning had come and I had not rested or slept at all. Stress and worry of course, are the culprits when this happens.You see, the enemy wants us to feel tired and defeated. He wants us to think that whatever we are worried about will not be ok, and that there is no hope. Don’t forget he is the deceiver, he will lie to you. Be clear, his main strategy is to get you to doubt that God will come through for you.As I have matured spiritually, my faith in God’s ability to protect, provide and take care of me and my family, has definitely increased to a whole new level.Now, when I have situations that arise that are out of my control I simply say, “God will be up all night so I will let Him worry about it”. This may sound crazy but it really does help me to release whatever I am worried about to Him, so I can rest.The other thing that I do is journal every night before I go to bed. When I get my concerns out of me and on paper, I feel lighter and not as weighed down. I also pray and read scriptures every night before I go to bed and that gives me a very peaceful sleep. Prayer + Scripture Reading +Journaling = Peace.This is truly another way to have joy in the midst of your storm. Being able to function each day is very important, and in order to do so, we all need to get our rest. Don’t let the enemy rob you of your peace or your rest.I have provided a list of questions below that may help you, if life currently seems overwhelming. Please take a few minutes to answer these questions.1. Do you currently feel worried or overwhelmed about something?2. Are you having a hard time releasing it?3. Have you prayed about it but you have not totally given it to God?4. Do you stay awake thinking about your problems at night?5. Do you wake up tired or exhausted?6. Do you have a consistent prayer life?7. Do you consistently read your Bible?8. Would you be open to journaling to process your feelings?9. Do you have a wise Christian sister that you can talk to?10. Do you truly trust that God will help you?Praying that your nights will be very restful, and that your dreams will be very sweet!
Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer
3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
Lord, thank you for allowing me to see this new day. I thank you for watching over me as I slept and slumbard last night.As I start this glorious day that you have created, I ask you for guidance, direction and wisdom for every decision that I must make today.Help me to move past any disappointments or hurts from yesterday, by forgiving those who may have caused me pain. Help me to see this day as a fresh start, and to embrace all that this day holds for me, being fully aware that you will only allow what is best for me.Help me to be kind, loving and compassionate to all that I come in contact with this day. Lord allow your light to shine brightly through me today, that others might see you in me and desire to know more about you. Help me not to miss any opportunity to share the Good News with others, and to share with them how you have blessed my life.As I start my work day, help me to work as unto you. Help me to do my best to honor you, by working at a level of excellence that will make you proud.Lord, please reveal to me any opportunities that may be offered to me that I should take advantage of. I ask you to bless me with creative thoughts and ideas.I pray that your favor is all over me wherever I go and with whomever I meet.Help me to always handle my dealings with others with integrity and fairness. Help me to be honest no matter what.I pray that you help me to make wise and healthy food choices, so that my body will be nourished and have the energy to do all that you would have me to do today. I pray that every cell in my body is totally healthy.And lastly Lord, I pray for protection over me and my family from any hurt, harm or danger of any sort. Please watch over us and keep us safe from the fiery darts of the enemy. At the end of this day I ask you to please bless us to return home safely, and I ask all of these things in the Mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
Psalm 143:88 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
Deep Faith
11 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:6
6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
After hearing someone’s story, have you ever thought that they had an incredible amount of faith? Maybe you feel that you are not as courageous or as patient at enduring hardships as others are. But whatever the case, you are in the right place at the right time. All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed to turn your life around, and when this happens your faith muscles will start to get stronger and stronger. When we exercise faith for small victories, we get more and more opportunities to have faith for larger victories. |
Faith however is not just about believing, it’s about moving forward on what we believe. Obedience is a key element to our faith being productive.
My prayer for you is that your journey will be blessed by the hand of God leading and guiding you every step of the way. And that when you get weary from your journey you will trust the One who knows your way. Then you will know that your faith has truly deepened.
7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:17-19
17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”[a] 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
Hebrews 11:30
30 It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.
The Power Of Peace
The Power Of Peace
John 16:33
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Romans 15:13
13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever been blindsided? Maybe you thought you had the perfect plan for your life. You were excited about your future and in your mind everything was on track to work out perfectly, when out of nowhere disaster hits.
Well let me tell you, I have been there, and nothing about it feels good. As a matter of fact it can be downright frustrating. So what do you do when God has a different plan for your life? You see we all have a choice. We can choose to be pitiful or powerful.When we choose to be pitiful, we are upset and everyone knows it. We throw what I call an adult tantrum, because we can’t have our way. We complain, and in some cases even become angry that God is interrupting our well laid out plans. Anxiety levels become high and we may even experience some sleepless nights.There are some people who will even try to walk through doors that God has made it very clear that He has closed, even locked. When this is our life experience it becomes very evident that we are not trusting God and when we fail to trust God there is no peace in our lives.When we choose to be powerful, well that looks totally different. There is something about trusting God that empowers us to stand up straight, and look life straight in the eye, eyeball to eyeball without flinching.When we have unwavering faith in God’s ability to bring us through any and every situation, there is a peace that surpasses all understanding that will come over us and sustain us through the worst of times. The power of peace is a sustaining divine power that can only come from God. It gives us hope, strength and courage to keep looking ahead for a better day, while still being grateful for where we are currently.Simply said those who are experiencing the power of peace and have contentment in their lives, have chosen in faith to trust God and they have also chosen to be grateful in the process. Which will you choose?Isaiah 26:33 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Psalm 29:11
11 The Lord gives his people strength.The Lord blesses them with peace.
Colossians 3:15
15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Romans 8:6
6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Philippians 4:7
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
When Two or More Agree
Never underestimate what God can do with the simplest of heartfelt prayers. Oh how blessed we are that He hears every single one of our prayers!
19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers,[a] I am there among them.”
James 5:14-16
14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Romans 15:5-6
5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:1
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.[a]
Acts 1:14
14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
The Power Resides Within You
That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with POWER through his Spirit in your inner being.
John 14:26 But the HELPER, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have to you.
Ephesians 3:20
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
2 Peter 1:3
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
Luke 10:19
19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For 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.
2 Corinthians 12:9
9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
Philippians 4:13
13 For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength.
Ephesians 3:16
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Isaiah 41:10
10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
1 Chronicles 16:11
11 Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.
John 14:12
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
2 Peter 1:3-4
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Matthew 19:26
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
Psalm 28:7
7 The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
Happy Valentines
Who Is Love?
1st John 4:8
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
John 4:16
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
How Does God Love Us?
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 15:13
13 Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Ephesians 1:4-5
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
John 4:7-10
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
How Are We Commanded To Love?
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have a love for one another.”
John 15:12-14
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
How Should We Love One Another?
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
1 John 3:14-24
14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother[a] abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in the tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know[b] that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us[c] commandment.
1 John 5:1-3
5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
How Should Husbands and Wives Love One Another
21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.[a]
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body,[b] of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Love Your Enemies
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’[a] 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[b] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[c] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren[d] only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors[e] do so?48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Romans 12:14
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Romans 12:17-21
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Clean On The Outside, Messy On The Inside
Clean On The Outside, Messy On The Inside
1 Samuel 16:7
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
On yesterday a friend came by to pick me up for lunch. When I got in her car, there was dog fur everywhere, from her sweet dog shedding his fur. Please be clear, I am not sharing this with you, to be judgmental or gossipy. This lady has a super busy schedule and I realize that. So I understood that she had been on the go so much lately, that she just had not had a chance to take her car in to be detailed. In her defense, I must say that I know for a fact that she does have her car detailed from time to time because of her dog’s excessive shedding.
As we were riding, she decided to whip into a local car wash and have her car washed. Afterwards, it was nice and shiny and it even looked brand new. It’s actually amazing what a little soap and water can do. But what the other drivers passing by could not see when they saw her shinny cleaned car, was how dirty it was on the inside. I immediately thought that this was so much like life. How many times do we see someone who is all put together, and we decide that everything in their life runs perfectly? They couldn’t possibly have any issues, because we are basing it on their outward appearance. Only to find out that they are a hot mess on the inside. They may have low self-esteem, or they may be dealing with low self-worth.
It may be that their life is filled with sin. They may even have secret sins that only they and God know about. We only see the gorgeous clothes, the flawless makeup, the perfect hair and the matching shoes and purse and we immediately decide that they have it all together. I want to assure you that at some point, from time to time we all look like the inside of my friend’s car, a mess. We look great on the outside but we are torn to shreds on the inside with fear, worry or doubt about something.
Today I want us to make a decision to love people where they are, remembering that we are not perfect either. We are all a work in progress. We have absolutely no authority to judge anyone.
| Let’s love as Christ loves, and that is unconditionally.
Let’s also commit to spending as much time focusing on our inner self as we do our outward appearance. When that becomes our focus, I think our world will start to see a change. Have a blessed week my sisters!
3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
1 Peter 3:3-4