Devotionals

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

God is calling us into perfection by renewing us and making us like Christ.

“The question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what He intended us to be when he made us.” (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

In our passage from the Psalter, David sings about the wisdom of God that is revealed to humanity in creation, as well as the wholeness found in God’s Word. In Hebrew, the word “shalom” denotes wholeness, completeness, perfection, well-being—a manifestation of blessing! God’s creative power is observable in order to bring him glory. That same power God intended for creation is the same power God will use to renew each one of us as we follow his instructions or Truth. The Word changes the way we think—it spiritually renews and revives us to become what God intended.

Psalm 19:1-8 NLT

1The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.

2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.

3 They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.

4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.

5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.

6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.

The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

8 The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living.

In our passage from the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is teaching his disciples about genuine love in the shalom of God. How we love people reveals whether or not we are children of God being made whole in Christ. When we invite Christ into our lives and allow him to rule, he will not stop working within us until we radiate God’s glory and wholeness. Oh, we can try to push him aside, but Christ never gives up loving us into perfection. The love of God flows uninterruptedly from the core of mature believers. The Holy Spirit works until the Father is pleased and we become what he intended when he made us.

Matthew 5:43-48 NLT

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Prayer: Lord, we praise you for working in our lives by making us whole in your shalom and filled with your love, grace, and glory. Thank you for pursuing us each day to renew a right spirit in us and transforming us by the inner God-life we have received in Christ. Cause us to become what you intended when you made us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hope to see you Sunday in worship; live in the blessing!

Intro: The practice of sin in our lives—failure to do what is righteous—is destructive and damaging. Sin rises from the heart and has three aspects: 1) disobedience to the law of God [transgress God’s Word]; 2) violation of relationships with people [transgress neighbor]; and 3) rebellion against God [transgress God’s rule]. Our sin grieves the heart of God, because he does not want his children to suffer the consequences of sin. God wants to share his goodness and blessings with his family.

In Scripture, sin is referred to as a “fall” from our original status as God’s creation. Sin cannot exist unless it has a host; it is a parasite of godly good. Sin causes us to mar or injure ourselves. It cuts us away from the Vine—life of God—and alienates us from God’s presence. For this reason, God sent his Son to redeem us and the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin.

In our passage today, David sings a song of repentance to the Lord; he has sinned against God. David experiences so many emotions; the consequences of his sin overwhelms him with guilt and sorrow. Yet, the hardest part for David is the suffering of not being able to enjoy the presence of the Lord with him. Therefore, David invites God to cleanse and restore him, so he can once again know the joy of the Lord’s presence.
Psalm 51:1-12 NLT
1
Have mercy on me, O God,    because of your unfailing love.Because of your great compassion,    blot out the stain of my sins.
2 
Wash me clean from my guilt.    Purify me from my sin.
3 
For I recognize my rebellion;    it haunts me day and night.
4 
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;    I have done what is evil in your sight.You will be proved right in what you say,    and your judgment against me is just.
5 
For I was born a sinner—    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 
But you desire honesty from the womb,    teaching me wisdom even there.
7 
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 
Oh, give me back my joy again;    you have broken me—    now let me rejoice.
9 
Don’t keep looking at my sins.    Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 
Create in me a clean heart, O God.    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 
Do not banish me from your presence,    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,    and make me willing to obey you.

Prayer: Lord, as we prepare our hearts through this season of reflection, please help us to clearly see any sin that lingers in our hearts. Please help us to be real and honest with you and ourselves, so we may repent and go forward enjoying your presence and finding our greatest delight in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Today is Ash Wednesday and this evening we will be gathering at Connect2Christ Church at 7PM for a time of praise, reflection, prayer, and Communion. For those who desire it, I will offer the imposition of ashes—symbolic of the dust from which God created us, as well as our repentance from sin.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel of our Lord!”

Intro: On Sunday, I had invited our family (and extended family) over to the house after church for brunch to celebrate the dedication of our sweet new granddaughter, Amana, to the Lord. Since I would be at the church for several hours before the brunch, it was necessary to program a delayed start time for my oven in order to cook a french toast casserole. I rarely use this function on the oven, so I could not remember how to properly set it up for the desired result. Intently, I hunted for the oven instruction manual so I could understand how it was designed to work. I set the oven according to the instructions and when I returned home the most wonderful aroma filled the house. Success!

The Hebrew word for “instruction” is Torah. When God gave Israel the Torah, he was sharing the way humanity was designed to function and live before their Creator. Humanity was created to live righteously for God’s glory; as a reflection of his faithful and merciful love for the world. God provided grace that would be available to save and protect his people. If God’s people would listen to his instruction, they would know his plan and walk in his ways. The results would be abundant living.

In our passage today, the psalmist sings about the power of God and the lessons Israel learned and did not learn from their history. God rescued Israel from slavery and provided for them throughout their journey in the wilderness. This testimony of God’s faithfulness was to be passed down from parents to children in order to cause them to remember their rebellion against God’s law/instruction in the past. As well, knowing history would help future generations remain more faithful to God’s instructions.

I praise God every day for the love and sacrifice of Christ for my sin, because I cannot flawlessly follow God’s righteous instruction. However, every time I go to the instructive Word of God, I can refresh my thinking and grow in the Spirit; growth is progress. I am then reassured that saving grace has drawn me to God and perfecting grace will continue to grow Christ’s character in me before I return home to him. God has always wanted human lives to be successful—the sweet aroma or fragrance of Christ (the Living Word) in the world (2 Cor 2:15). Ask the Spirit to help you be the aroma of Christ for someone, today.

Psalm 78:1, 10-11, 17-18, 37-38, 52-54 VOICE
1
O my people [Israel], listen to me!    Hear my instruction; soak up every word of what I am about to tell you.

10
Yet, they [Israel] were not loyal to their covenant with God;
    they turned away and refused to walk in it;
11 
They did not remember all the wondrous things He had done,
    even the great miracles He had revealed to them.

17
Even after witnessing all of these miracles, they still chose to sin against God,
    to act against the will of the Most High in the desert!
18 
They tested God in their stubborn hearts
    by demanding whatever food they happened to be craving.

37 
They were not consistently faithful to Him,
    and they were untrue to their covenant with Him.
38 
Yet by His great compassion,
    He forgave them
    and decided not to put an end to them.
Most of the time, He held back His anger
    and did not unleash His wrath against them.

52
Then He guided His people like sheep to safety
    and led them like a flock into the desert to freedom;
53 
He took them on a safe route so that they would not be afraid,
    and He allowed the hungry sea to swallow all of their enemies.
54 
He led them to His sacred land—
    to this holy hill, which He had won by the power of His right hand.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for writing your instruction on our hearts. May our minds continue to be renewed in the Truth. Help us to honor your instruction, live in your ways, teach them to our children and grandchildren, so we can all live for your glory. We want our lives to be a sweet-smelling aroma that draws all people to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today, we are looking at eight of the seventy-two verses from psalm 78, which is the second longest psalm next to psalm 119. Four of the verses are from the first half of the psalm and the next four verses are from the second half.

Israel’s past is presented within psalm 78 as a lesson for the present generation, and so the next generations to come will set their hope in God and not forget His glorious miracles for their ancestors and obey His commands (v. 7). The generations to come need to learn from Israel’s stubbornness, rebellion, unfaithfulness, and refusal to give their hearts to God (v. 8).

You and I can look back and clearly see how God rescued the Israelites, His people, from slavery in Egypt and how He led them safely through the wilderness. Miracle after miracle was being displayed for God’s people so He could lead them home. God remained faithful, even when His people lacked faith in Him.

God remains unchanged and faithful to you and me, His people. He wants us to be transformed by our salvation in Christ and to grow more and more faithful each day. Many times, you and I find ourselves within the wilderness, and as Pastor Mary explained during yesterday’s sermon, “each one of us will find ourselves suffering in some way for our commitment to Christ, because God is wanting to bring transformation of His glory through our suffering.” She went on to explain that some of us will receive the transformative work of God and others will not. I don’t know about you, but I want to be transformed by the Holy Spirit each day and for my heart to be growing more and more like Jesus’s heart. I pray all of the time that until God leads me Home, that my heart will never harden and that I will remain faithful to Jesus.

Psalm 78:17-20, 52-55 NLT

17 Yet they kept on sinning against him,
rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

18 They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
demanding the foods they craved.

19 They even spoke against God himself, saying,
“God can’t give us food in the wilderness.

20 Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,

52 But he led his own people like a flock of sheep,
guiding them safely through the wilderness.

53 He kept them safe so they were not afraid;
but the sea covered their enemies.

54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this land of hills he had won for them.

55 He drove out the nations before them;
he gave them their inheritance by lot.
He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for remaining unchanged and faithful to me. Help me to grow in my faith each and everyday, and allow my heart to be more and more like Your heart. Please use all of my suffering to transform me so that you can use it for the good of Your Kingdom. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: Believers are people who choose to live by faith, hope, and love in Christ (1 Cor 13:13). We know these three works—trinity of grace—are immortal gifts which go with us into eternal life [perfected when Christ returns]. Yet, until Christ comes, one of these graces is to be highly exalted in our lives—Love. Why? Because we cannot sustain genuine faith or hope without Love—God.

In the beginning of our passage today from a letter written to the Hebrew Christians, we read about the supernatural love of parents [Amram and Jochebed] for their baby of grace [Moses]. That love motivates their faith [trust in God] to act according to a very unusual rescue plan. These parents placed their confident hope in God’s promise of eternal life. Love must drive their faith and hope, because the full plan of God is not visible to them in this situation. But please read the full story, because miracle after miracle follows Moses and this trinity of grace (Ex. 2:1-10).

Moses continues to grow in the midst of the Egyptian culture, but he never stops identifying with the oppressed Israelite people who love God. Moses chooses the wealth of God’s promise over anything the world [Egypt] has to offer. Eventually, Moses lets go of everything familiar and comfortable in order to follow God into the unfamiliar and supernatural work of abundant grace. As Moses follows God in acts of faith and hope, not only does he become a very powerful tool in God’s hand, he becomes an Old Testament typology [symbolism] of the life of Christ. Christ is the perfect living revelation of faith, hope, and love in “I Am” [I Exist].

May we all have spiritual eyes to see the reward ahead promised by the Father and be willing to cling to God [Love] even while we are temporary pilgrims in this sinful world. We cannot live a hybrid faith—we must choose the Love of God over the world. The Holy Spirit will stir our faith and hope each day to live in the miraculous as we remain in God’s Love found only in Christ (John 15:9). “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” (Heb 11:6). If you have never tasted the pure love of God found through a relationship in Christ, simply pray and ask Christ to rescue your soul, today. Have a great weekend and hope to see you in worship on Sunday. Blessings…

Hebrews 11:23-28 NLV

23 By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of the Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. 27 By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover [which foreshadows the coming of the Messiah/Rescuer] and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer [death] of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel/people of God).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the grace that protects us while we are growing in our understanding of what pleases you. Fill us with faith and hope as we walk in your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: This morning as I sit praying about our Scripture verses for today, I am suddenly both saddened AND hopeful in my soul. Both sets of feelings are valid. I have heard this state of human emotion being described as “bittersweet.” This passage has lead me to experience a bittersweet lesson of love.

Yesterday, we observed Valentines Day—a time when many people focus on romantic love, as well as sweet friendships. Expressing our love to endearing people is to be the focus of the observance. For a plethora of reasons, this holiday can be bittersweet for many people. And, in the midst of the celebration do we express love for the One who actually is Love?

In our passage today, the psalmist pens a song about the lack of love the world has for the Lover (Creator) of their souls who is the eternal Lord. In the first few verses, we gain an understanding about the world’s great need for Messiah and his established order, because the rulers of the world actually fight against God. However, their efforts to diminish God are revealed in time to be futile and foolish.

Sadly, even today our Creator’s sweet and perfect love is considered undesirable by much of His creation. His rule of love is rejected by the nations; God’s authority (Word) is seen as enslavement and something from which to be freed. But Hope comes for those who are called according to the name of the Lord. We love and live for him now as Ruler of our hearts and we pray knowing he has promised to come take to his rightful position as the ultimate Ruler of the world. Then, there will be no more confusion about who is really in power.

Psalm 2:1-3 NLT
Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
2 
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
3 
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your patience and mercy with all of creation. Holy Spirit, we must humble ourselves, before our arrogance leads us toward destruction. Help us to seek you and welcome you into every area of our human brokenness and rebellion. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Of all the special insights we may desire to pass along to our children as they grow and develop, the most important would be for them to know God and choose to live their lives in His wisdom—in Christ. Fear has no place in godly wisdom, so fulness of life [in the liberating Spirit] can be experienced by our children. Oh, how I desire that for every child of God. Wisdom is like a precious guide to lead believers through the difficult times we will all face in this fallen world. When we invite Jesus into our hearts, we have invited wisdom to rule (1 Cor 1:30). Then, we need to remain attentive to the work of the Spirit who bears witness to the Truth, because the Spirit searches the depths of God (1 Cor 2:10).

In our passage today, a father guides his son to seek wisdom—a gift from God—because it will guard him against evil. So, obeying the Word and having a respect for God is the beginning of wisdom; obedience causes us to live in the protective care of God (Pro 9:10). We grow in godly wisdom by reading Scripture, inviting the Spirit to bring us understanding, and then applying it to our lives. Scripture teaches us, “Jesus himself grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and people” (Luke 2:52). Therefore, we have this journey in godly wisdom to make in Christ. An easy way to define and remember wisdom is: Applied Truth. Wisdom is the fruit of our faith in God and here is the best part…all a believer needs to do is ask for it! Thank you, Lord!

Proverbs 2:1-8 NLT The Benefits of Wisdom
1 
My child, listen to what I say,    and treasure my commands.
2 
Tune your ears to wisdom,    and concentrate on understanding.
3 
Cry out for insight,    and ask for understanding.
4 
Search for them as you would for silver;    seek them like hidden treasures.
5 
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,    and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 
For the Lord grants wisdom!    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 
He guards the paths of the just    and protects those who are faithful to him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the wisdom you have made available in Christ to your children. May we treasure your godly wisdom and teach our children and loved ones to desire and ask for this extravagant gift from you. Holy Spirit, help us to apply godly wisdom from your Word to our lives every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: How do you handle instruction, direction, or criticism when you are working on a project around others? The world is filled with people who have different levels of knowledge, experience, or expertise to share. We will always run into folks who “know” how to do things better and are willing to tell us so. It is wise to simply listen and consider the information, because God may be trying to get our attention in order to reveal something about Kingdom life beyond our initial surface impression. It is also wise to remember, every single day Jesus is trying to teach us the deeper lessons of life by how we respond to the love of God and turn to love one another.

In our passage today from the gospel of Luke, Jesus chooses to call his first disciples—four fishermen. Now, with authority and instruction, Jesus begins to demonstrate the gospel of grace by taking over the boats of these fishermen. Then, he goes a step further by telling these fishermen how to catch fish. Is Jesus a fisherman? Nope; and they do not know more about him than what they have seen or heard thus far. Jesus then directs Peter to do something he is not interested in doing—going back out to fish when he just returned. Peter has human wisdom about this fishing situation, but he is about to learn the truth, work, and grace of God beyond his present understanding. Jesus is setting this fisherman up to be schooled! Jesus is moving Peter and the fish in the same direction! lol!

Our lesson teaches us about the abundance of grace that moves us deeper into a greater measure of dependence and trust in the Word of God. Be listening and willing to go into the deeper waters of love and truth, today. The experience Peter and his friends had in the love and grace of God that day was so powerful they left everything behind to follow Jesus. On this Valentine’s Day, please remember Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus died so humanity could enjoy life with God—this is the greatest love story ever told!

Luke 5:1-11 NLT The First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this wonderful lesson about the importance of seeing each day as a place of learning more about you and the power of your grace. Help us to respond humbly to your direction for our lives. Holy Spirit, cause our spiritual ears to be astute to the instruction you bring and continue to reveal blessings upon blessings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

As followers of Christ, we should have a radically different perspective of how we handle suffering than how nonbelievers handle suffering. In today’s passage, James urges us to consider each moment of suffering as an opportunity for great joy.

I know that it sounds odd, to be joyful in the midst of suffering; but, as Christ followers, you and I have something that nonbelievers do not have, and that is Jesus. When our faith is firmly rooted in Jesus, Whom we know is sovereign over every fiber of our being and aspect of our life, then by our faith we should trust in Him and His purpose, plan, and provision for each moment, which includes moments of suffering. Remember, God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Friends, our faith should be growing daily. How? Well, we should be in the Word of God all of the time and praying for His wisdom to grow us closer to Him and away from this dark world. During yesterday’s sermon, Pastor Mary spoke about a call to obedience. You and I cannot be people who are divided in our loyalty. We need to make a choice, we either choose God or we choose this world. Once we choose God, and in order for our faith to grow, we cannot simply just attend a Sunday service once a week and expect that when a storm of suffering comes our way that our roots of Truth are deep enough to not only withstand the pressure of the storm, but to be joyful in the midst of it. The only way that we can stand joyful and endure the pressure of a storm is if we are standing loyal and obedient to God and against the ways of this world in our faith, at all times, then we get a chance to continue to grow with Jesus.

James 1:2-8 NLT
Faith and Endurance

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our source of joy. Help us to continue to grow in our faith with You so that we can endure through the toughest storms until we cross over to be with You in eternity. Keep us rooted in Your Word each day and help us to fixate our spiritual eyes on You, Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: Although I drive a six year old vehicle, it still has many features to help me understand the health of my car. When I first start the engine, the dashboard becomes alive with indicator lights. The colors of those lights are varied according to the importance of the sensory component it represents. For example, a white light means a component or feature is actively engaged [e.g. road departure mitigation or LDW]. I am grateful for this lane departure warning sensor and indicator light to keep me centered!

Sometimes if I wander too far left or right in the lane, I feel a tug at the steering wheel to correct my path. This reminds me of the work of the Spirit of God in my life.
In our passage for today, the Apostle John connects God’s command from the Old Testament to love one another with the new practical instructions from Jesus on how to overcome sin or darkness by staying on the righteous path of love (Lev 19:18). Jesus shines his divine light and brings a practical application for this command from God, so his children can stay spiritually healthy and powerful. We are to extend genuine respect to our spiritual brothers and sisters and sacrificially serve one another. When we are actively engaged in divine love—expressed through selfless giving and living—there is no tug from the Spirit on our soul to correct course. We are pleasing to God and we shine the glorious light of his approval.

John teaches our love for fellow believers is essential and must be actively engaged, otherwise, it indicates a warning that we have departed off the righteous road. The world is a selfish system that is under the influence of Satan who uses human desires and passions to steer people off course and away from our love for God and one another. Love is not necessarily easy, yet it is always a believer’s responsibility, as well as a choice and a commitment of our faith. Love is our indicator Light! I am praying we can stay centered on God’s righteous path. However, if the Holy Spirit tugs at our hearts, let’s be quick to correct course! Have a wonderful and blessed weekend. Hope to see you or share with you in worship on Sunday…

1 John 2:7-9, 15-17 NLT A New Commandment
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness.

Do Not Love This World
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the understanding you bring to your children about the essential work of love to protect our spiritual course for growth. Take us deeper in your love and position us in your family to be examples of selfless giving and living. If we wander off course, please tug at our souls and help us choose to stay centered on your path of love. In Jesus’ name.