The romance of religion isn’t nearly as beautiful as the reality of Christ.
What a show Caiaphas put on for his co-conspirators when he tore his clothes. Isn’t it ironic that this supposed defender of the faith broke the law in his fervor? In Leviticus 21:10, the high priest is specifically prohibited from uncovering his head or rending his clothes. But Caiaphas wasn’t really concerned with truth. He had hatched a scheme to rid himself of this prophet who spoke with authority he did not have.
When love is our purpose, when love is the goal, when love is our anchor, our lives and actions change to mirror the heart of our great God. When we love God with all our hearts, we trust Him so completely that we want His will in our lives because we know that is absolutely what is best for us. It’s not even a question. We no longer let other gods rule our life. We don’t demand our way and find ourselves on wrong paths. To serve others becomes the greatest joy, not the greatest burden.
Who are you thinking about? Who are you thanking God for? Who has needs that you can bring before the Father with joy?
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. Psalm 18:16–17, NIV.
Worship Him in love and obedience, with your whole life.
Do you feel like you are going under? In that moment, look up, don’t lose heart, and hold fast to your faith. Your God will rescue you. Apply Psalm 18 to your life. It’s one of my all-time favorites. God himself hears every cry and will always be there to walk you through any storm.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:3–4, NLT.
Are you unhappy? Do you feel lost and lacking in purpose? Focus on the needs of others and serve as Jesus did.
When we love God and His Word, we are able to walk with integrity and a quiet calm that defies everything happening all around us.
Are you in conflict with someone? Maybe you feel you’ve done everything you can to make things right. But is there anything else you can do? It would please God so much.
In life and leadership, you will make mistakes – and those around you will make mistakes as well. None of us are perfect.
With God beside us every moment of the day, we are safe – even when bad things happen, even when God’s timing is not our timing. He is our refuge.
George MacDonald, the nineteenth-century British preacher and author, said, “It is not the cares of today, but the cares of tomorrow, that weigh a man down. For the needs of today we have corresponding strength given. For the morrow we are told to trust. It is not ours yet. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear.
Where is your focus today? The beautiful or the ugly? Things to praise or things that are to be cursed? Things of eternal value or things that are worthless? Turn from the worthless and ponder the true, the noble, the authentic, the reputable, and the gracious. It took David deep into the heart of God and will do so for us!
He who began a good work in you will complete it. Don’t give up. Press on. No matter how far you feel you’ve come – or how far you feel you have to go – don’t stop now. Even if you miss the mark terribly, today is a new day. Live for “that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed” you.
Being a disciple maker is as simple as helping someone else experience the risen Jesus and draw closer to Him – just as happened in our own lives.
The Christian life is one of joy and blessing, and even in the midst of heartbreaking times, we have a hope that we can confidently cling to. There are so many things He does for us and gives to us. But as we grow closer to God, we realize that a full life is not about what we get, but what we give. We find the true happiness of serving others out of love for God.
Some people hold on to a position or title for dear life; they hold on so tight, in fact, that they sabotage their own lives in the process.
It is so easy to take our eyes off of God and look at the problems around us. That’s when we get discouraged and fearful, giving the devil an opportunity to pounce.
Don’t lose heart over the burdens you are carrying or any hardship you must bear. God is near. He loves you. You are not alone. He will save you. Not only that, you are in a position to reveal Jesus with power and clarity through His strength.