Community (Page 8)
Knowledge “without love (Agape)” is unfruitful
1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (NLT) While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for. That the ancient Greeks were exceptionally clever goes without saying. Anyone who has read their philosophers, attended their plays, studied their buildings, learned their mathematics, or contemplated their art recognizes their unique skills.…
Emotions are God-given: Learn to SHARE your emotions with one another
Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” Have you ever felt disappointed, sad, frustrated, fearful, or angry? Did you know the Bible teaches that emotions, both positive and negative, are gifts from God? How dull life would be if we had no feelings. Try to imagine watching a sunset, a ball game, or the ocean with no emotions. Imagine…
Love, even as Christ loves you
Matthew 5:43-45 Jesus said, “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” There are times when others will misunderstand, mistreat, or persecute us, and it’s hard not to respond to such treatment by retaliating or rejecting those who act that way toward us. That would…
Emotional healing leads to Fruitfulness
Psalm 56:8 (NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. The year was 387. A small group of Africans were leaving Italy to return to their homeland. Among them were a mother and son. The two had developed a close bond over the years, the mother praying ceaselessly until her son’s conversion, which had occurred the previous year. Now they were staying in…
Through patience and hope, we bear everlasting fruits.
1 Samuel 2:1-2 (KJV) Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! Oh, how the Lord has blessed me! Now I have an answer for my enemies, as I delight in your deliverance. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” God still answers prayers, irrespective of what people may think, throughout history, we see and witness the greatness of His power and authority in redemptive works, and…
In humility, God refreshes & revives me
Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in that high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts.” This verse gives us a beautiful picture of God’s relationship with his people. He is high and holy, the glorious, exalted One. He reigns over all in heaven and on earth. The Lord Almighty needs…
Be fruitful, by being a person of peace
The uncertainties of our times are such that the bravest of all is lost in not knowing what to do and the seemingly intelligent ones are clueless as to what to do. We are facing dangerous situations unlike anything we have seen before, governments are clueless as what the solutions are and the wisdom of the wise are failing them. In these seasons, people are gripped by fear and anxiety. They seek peace and they look for meaning in the…
God is your STRENGTH, Trust Him.
Isaiah 40:28-31 (KJV) Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. [29] He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. [30] Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: [31] But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew…
Let our deeds reveal Christ
Divine principles when lived by and applied to our daily lives does guarantee the desirable outcomes that are favorable to our well-being. Therefore, we must understand the value of such principles and consciously apply them in our interactions. One such principle is that of doing what is good. In the context of the scripture, it speaks to doing what is right within the society. Christianity is not a license for lawlessness. We must apply ourselves to obeying the laws of the land…
Trust God to guide and lead you
Isaiah 49:10 (KJV) They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. The commitment of God in the life of His children is everlasting. His intentions are good and His promises are sure. We serve God in whose Hands are authority and power, there is no searching out of His understanding. And His ways are…
Let our motives and attitudes glorify God
Motives and attitudes are two central elements upon which God judges and rewards all that we do. The truth is that God sees the heart and knows the very unformed thoughts of our heart and when it comes to serving God. It is the will of God for you and me to approach anything we do for people, executing our career assignments and more from the vintage of “as unto God.” This motive and attitude will ensure that: You do things…
Pursue God passionately
Psalm 27:4 (KJV) One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. In a world where desires run wide and we are daily plugged by the pursuit of our desires, it is imperative to establish what exactly is important in life. For when the dust of life’s…