It's about love!

You have had enough! You seek after God and find the love Jesus has for you and His love for God.  

1 Peter chapter 3 verses 10-15.

If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Try to live in peace even if you must run after it to catch and hold it! For the Lord is watching His children, listening to their prayers; but the Lord's face is hard against those who do evil. Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good. But even if they should, you are envied, for God will reward you for it. Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.  

In John chapter 14, Jesus is trying to tell the disciples who He is. Phillip asks, "Sir, show us the Father and we will be satisfied." Jesus replied, "Do you not even yet know who I am, Phillip, even after all this time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see Him? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say are not My own but are from My Father who lives in Me. Just believe it---that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me."

   Jesus is God's gift to us. He is His love for us. We can continue going through life without Him or we can come to know His wonderful love for us through Jesus. It is through knowing Him that we become filled with His love and that changes everything. 

 Jesus continues to say, "Or else believe it because of the mighty miracles you have seen Me do." You are one of His miracles. And it is through the miracles He does in your life that reinforces your love for Him. 

   We believe because of love. It is not the physical love between two people, it is our love for God who has given us a life of love with His Son, Jesus. The temptations and desires we face daily can become hurdles that are hard to get over and can have lasting affects upon us. God wants our focus to be on Him, in a world that needs His help. God has helped you overcome, by putting the right thoughts into your head and leading you with patience and understanding. 

   Ephesians chapter 6 says, "Use every part of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is over, you will still be standing up." 

   We are to be strong and we are meant to resist. We have God with us and that leaves us prepared with an overwhelming joy of love for Him. What is it that tugs at you and takes your thoughts off of Him? Is it anger, jealousy or fear? 

   God replaces those emotions with love, as we focus on whom He is and what He has for us. And that love we have for Him is meant to be shared and extended to others.

   What do you mean, I am expected to love those who want to hurt me? Who frustrate me and try to take advantage of my weaknesses. 

   To overcome and to have peace means you need to trust in God and let His peace fill you with right living. That is to walk in life as Jesus did, living among those who constantly sought His help, yet wanted nothing better than to trip Him up. 

   In John chapter 4, Jesus says, "It is not where we worship that counts, but how we worship---is our worship spiritual and real? Do we have the Holy Spirit's help? For God is Spirit, and we must have His help to worship as we should. The Father wants this kind of worship from us."

   Our battles and struggles can easily be overcome by not losing focus of God. Keep your eyes upon Jesus and pray all the time. Talk to Him all the time about everything and give Him the thanks and praise that comes from seeing His hand upon you. 

   You do not have to let your thoughts play games with you. Our worries and concerns eat up our time and take our thoughts off of Jesus. You may be facing a task, one that will challenge you, you want so bad to have a good outcome that is acceptable to you and to others. No one likes critical feedback, no one likes to be told what to do and no one likes being taken advantage of. 

   Jesus did for us more than we would ever expect anyone to do. He gave His life so that we can have life. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 says, "Since we believe that Christ died for all of us, we should also believe that we have died to the old life we used to live. He died for all so that all who live---having received eternal life from Him---might live no longer for themselves, to please themselves, but to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them."  

   So start your day with worship and praise to God. Pray for His strength and power to be with you in the day ahead. And with a thankful heart, know that He is there, watch for Him in your actions, in the words you speak and the thoughts you have. You will be amazed at what happens and how others respond.  

   Jude verse 20 says, "Build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our Holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit." 

   The book of Jude continues to remind us that we must stay within the boundaries of His love where He can reach us and bless us. We are to wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in His mercy is going to give you. We are to be merciful to those who doubt. We are to save some by trying to snatch them away from the very flames of hell itself. As for others, we are to help them find the Lord by being kind to them. But we are warned to be careful that we are not pulled along into their sinful ways. 

   Jude verse 25 says, "Christ our Lord is able to keep you from slipping and falling away, and to bring you, sinless and perfect, into His glorious presence with mighty shouts of everlasting joy."

   Thank You Father for Jesus. From the moment You came into my life, the mighty shouts of joy have filled my heart with everlasting love. God's love for all. 😊      

Hebrews chapter 12 verses 10 and 11.

Our earthly fathers trained us for a few years, doing the best for us that they knew how, but God's correction is always right and for our best good, that we may share His holiness. Being punished is not enjoyable while it is happening---it hurts! But afterwards we can see the result, a quiet growth in grace and character. 

John chapter 3 verses 31-34.

John the Baptist told them, "Jesus has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of the earth. He tells what He has seen and heard, but few believe what He tells them! Those who believe Him discover that God is a fountain of truth. For this one---sent by God---speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon Him without measure or limit.  

Matthew chapter 7 verse 12.

Do for others what you want them to do for you.

Verse 15.

Beware of false teachers who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are wolves and will tear you apart.

Verse 20.

The way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit produced.

Verse 24.

All who listen to Christ's instructions and follow them are wise.

Verse 28.

The crowds were amazed at Jesus' sermons, for He taught as one who had great authority, and not as their Jewish leaders.