The Whole Point

“The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love —love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.”  1 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭5 MSG

The whole point is to love others and live your life open to God.

To simply love and simply be loved.

To love God and love people.

It is simple but certainly not easy.

Self-interest complicates it.

Self-protection kicks in.

Stress gives excuses.

A moment of simple love breaks through it all.

A moment of simple kindness lifts the eyes and encourages the heart.

God brings those moments to us so that we can give those moments to others.

May the love of God interrupt your day with a small blessing, or a gesture of kindness as well as an opportunity to pass it on.

Love and Faithfulness

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 

PROVERBS 3:3 NIV

Let faithfulness and love rule the day.

Start the right things and then finish them.

Finish what you start with love.

Be faithful to follow through until it’s finished.

Let today be guided by kindness and each task finished in love.

How God Tests You.

“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.”  ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17:3‬ ‭NIV

The crucible is a vessel used to melt the silver and gold so the impurities of the precious metal will rise to the top. When it does, the refiner will skim it off.

It is the same with your heart. The Great Refiner will use the hot fires of life to cause the impurities in your heart to be revealed so He can clear them out. In His kindness, He will bring to the surface the things that are holding you back. When He brings it to the surface, it means that you are ready to deal with it. Your job is to stay in His Hand, deal with what comes up (which almost always begins by forgiving yourself or others) and allow the healing balm of His love to make you new.

How is your heart? 

What is Jesus bringing up?

What do you need to do with it?

Dude, Be Kind

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Someone needs you to be kind today.

To preach without words.

To listen without judgment.

To speak the truth in love.

To serve without complaining.

To be brave.

To be real.

To be available.

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season;”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Be available for God to use you anywhere, anytime with anyone and He will.

Love and Faithfulness

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This morning, I want to remind you to be faithful to what God has asked you to do.

I want to remind you that faithfulness and love can be your top priority.

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What if your behavior was driven by kindness and completed by uncomplicated faithfulness every day?

Not out of legalism but out of love.

Not to earn anything but to embrace everything God has already given you.

It is better to be faithful in a few things than unfaithful in many.

What would your life look like if you finished what you started?

What are your “few” things you are working on?

The Grace that Grows you

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The same grace that saves you, grows you.

The same gift of grace through faith in Jesus that lifted you out of the depths of the lost wilderness will guide through the narrow mountain pass before you.

Your faith journey in Jesus begins with grace, continues by grace and will end in grace.

“Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!” Ephesians 2:8-9 MSG

The best way to grow to where you want to go is to get in God’s presence and let Him love you. Let Him shower you with amazing grace and uncontainable kindness. This will do more to heal your heart and life than you trying to be better.

Jesus loved you at your worst, loves you where you are at today and will love you where you are tomorrow. This relentless love will give you the courage to do whatever Jesus is asking you to do.

Grace will take you where works never can and do more than your best efforts ever will.

May the God of uncontainable love drench you in His presence.  May His awe-inspiring grace recharge your hope and fill your faith with the courage to trust Him. He has you in the palm of His hand.

 

Made for More

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You are created to live every day with:

overwhelming love,

deep joy,

persistent peace,

solid patience,

thoughtful kindness,

soul deep goodness,

stubborn faithfulness,

grace-filled gentleness and

Spirit inspired self-control.

What a beautiful existence, can you imagine?

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God wants you to do more than just imagine it, He wants you to live it.

Jesus paid for it.

The Holy Spirit provides it.

You can live it.

You were made for more, don’t settle for anything less.

What is holding you back?

Kindness

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Someone needs you to be kind today.

To preach without words.

To listen without judgment.

To speak the truth in love.

To serve without complaining.

To be brave.

To be real.

To be available.

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season;”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Be available for God to use you anywhere, anytime with anyone and He will.

Uncomplicated Faithfulness

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This morning, I want to remind you to be faithful to what God has asked you to do.

I want to remind you that faithfulness and love can be your top priority.

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What if your behavior was driven by kindness and completed by uncomplicated faithfulness every day?

Not out of legalism but out of love.

Not to earn anything but to embrace everything God has already given you.

It is better to be faithful in a few things than unfaithful in many.

What would your life look like if you finished what you started?

What are your “few” things you are working on?

Simply Love

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“The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love —love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.”

1 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭5 MSG

The whole point is to love others and live your life open to God.

To simply love and simply be loved.

To love God and love people.

It is simple but certainly not easy.

Self-interest complicates it. It is difficult to simply love others when your innate human desire to self-protect kicks in.

It is easier to go with the flow of human nature than to intentionally choose God’s way.

It is easier to hedge your bets against hurt than it is to be vulnerable and reach out.

It is easier to build your case of good reasons to disconnect than it is to lay them down and trust Jesus.

Going down that road, you will find yourself isolated and self-righteous instead of connected and invested.

A life open to God means that you recognize when human nature high jacks the work God wants to do in you and through you.

Sin complicates it, brokenness contaminates it, unforgiveness taints it.

The cross simplifies it.

The only way to deal with your human nature is to take it to the cross of Jesus.

The place He laid down His life and took up your sin.

He took your brokenness there so he could offer you wholeness here.

He took the bitterness of unforgiveness there, so he could offer you the sweetness of grace here.

The cross is where you can lay down your nature and freely take up his.

Be set free to be who God created you to be and simply love those who God brings to you- they need it as much as you do.

What do you need to take to the cross today?

What does living your life open to God mean to you?

Who, in your world, desperately needs your love?