Tag: love
-
Preparing for Christmas – Faith Struggles

But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. – Luke 2:19 Sometimes we forget how much of a struggle Christmas was for the first people who experienced it. I think of the struggle of Mary and Joseph as they made their way to Bethlehem. I think of the struggles of everyone who…
-
Do You Trust the Love of God? (question 4)

Our final question that checks the reality of our faith is a different type of question. The first questions all dealt with our attitudes and values: Is Heaven your home? Do you want godliness or painlessness from God? Are you willing to look childish to become childlike? The last question is something about God. The…
-
The Mystery of the Love of God

It is one thing to talk about how much we need God to save us. It is quite another to talk about how much He wants to save us. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who…
-
God’s Love Seen in How He Responds to Sin

Even sin reveals God’s glory. That is quite a statement. Did I say sin? Yes, sin. It isn’t exactly a word we think of when we think of God’s glory, is it? When we talk about God’s glory, we usually focus on the parts that also encourage us. We usually focus on how great His…
-
Our Purpose Makes a Difference

I don’t know who said it, but I know that our world seems to live by this axiom, “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” However, we all know that it isn’t our stuff that makes a difference. Just look at the people in your life that have made a difference in you… It…
-
It Looks Like Love

In Romans 12 Paul challenges the church in Rome to love. He calls us to love without hypocrisy. He calls us to commit to loving in a profound way. Love is different from being nice. Love is real. Love is committed. Love rejoices with those who rejoice. Love weeps with those who weep. Love always…
-
Christmas All Year

How do we know people love us? Sometimes we know because they tell us. However, most often we know that people love us because of what they do. These actions are pictures of love. One of the great surprises we experience in life is the love of others. We are surprised that others value us. …
-
A Good Hurt

We say often in my house, “If wishes were fishes we would all be in the sea.” We wish a lot of things. As a Christian, I wish often that the people around me all knew Jesus. Sometimes, I even think so highly of them that I avoid thinking about their lostness. I avoid seeing…
-
Victorious Living

It breaks my heart when I see people who live defeated lives. It is as if they have lost hope. Why would a Christian live that way? We have the greatest reason for hope of anyone. Think about it…when we have such promises from God, how could we be defeated? “For I am convinced that…
-
All About Us?

Isn’t church all about me? Isn’t it about my wants, my wishes, my hopes, and my dreams? Are you saying right now, “No, of course not! It’s about Jesus!”? It is about Jesus, but do we make it sometimes about us? Paul spoke to the Corinthian church about something like this. He said, “For I…