Love is not an option
Jesus said if you are going to be His disciples then you must love others. How is love defined: (1 Cor 13)
Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is not jealous
Love is not self seeking
Love is not proud
Love keeps no records of wrongs
Love doesn't get irritated
What love does:
It always
Endures
Hopes
Presses On
it never fails, Love never fails
34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” ~John 13:34-35
08/19/14 01:10:00 am, 
In You is My Trust
Jeremiah has got it right, when I need healing I know the one who can heal, when I need saving I know the one who saves, when I need provision, i know the one who provides:
His names are:
Jehovah-jireh The Lord My Provider
Jehovah-rapha The Lord My Healer
Jehovah-moshiekh The Lord Your Savior
14 O lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed;
if you save me, I will be truly saved.
My praises are for you alone! Jer 17:14
Paul Harvey - 1965 Airing of "If I were the devil"
Amazing broadcast by Paul Harvey in 1965 below is a copy of that dialog from that broadcast:
“If I were the devil, I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please. Do as you please.’
“To the young, I would whisper, ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to pray after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’
“And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors on how to lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
“If I were the devil I’d soon have families that war with themselves, churches that war with themselves, and nations that war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, and neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
“Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, and then the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
“If I were the devil I’d take from those, and who have, and give to those wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. What do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would question against extremes and hard work, and Patriotism, and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were to devil I’d keep on doing on what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, good day.”
In Better Hands
Often we want to do it ourselves, take control of our lives, do it in our own strength, raise or elevate ourselves to heights.
But the Bible says it is God who raises us up, His word tells us that if we would humble ourselves, in due time He would raise us up. Again it says that the Lord is sovereign over the Kingdoms of Men and He gives them to whomever He pleases. (Deuteronomy 4:17)
But I love this verse in 1 Peter 5:6 because if you understand who God is in your life then it is not hard to be humbled by His powerful hand and to understand that God knows the right time and the right power to apply to your life that will lift you to heights that no one could have ever taken you much less yourself.
Submit under the power of God's mighty hand and He will take you to Heights you would have never experienced, places you would have never went.
Humility says:
I trust your direction Lord
I trust your decisions Lord
I will submit to your direction
I will follow your direction
Today Lord I stand in awe of who you are in my life and I am ready for the every step you planned.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1 PETER 5:6
Beauty for Ashes
God is the only one who can bring beauty from ashes.
Not sure where you are at in your walk, but I know when I am faced with difficulties in life that I am reminded by Isaiah that God can make something good from my situation.
- joy for sadness
- praise for despair
- strength for weakness
- purpose for pointlessness
Today I pray for those who are weak that you would strengthen them, those that are sad, give them great joy, purpose to those who have been on the wrong path.
Give them beauty for ashes, crown them with a new life, a new perspective and a new love for your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen...
and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:3
