Monday, October 3, 2016

Night Light for Couples - The Tin Monster

Night Light for Couples, the couples' devotional from Focus on the Family ministry founder Dr. James Dobson and his wife, Shirley, brings spouses together each evening, helping them stay connected with each other and their Lord.

“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

At least my intentions were good. I (jcd) once ordered a swing set for my children identical to a shiny display model I’d seen at the store. What arrived, however, was a long box containing roughly 6,324 pipes, 28,487,651 bolts, 28,487,650 screws, and a set of instructions that would have befuddled Albert Einstein. For the next two days, I sweated to assemble bent parts, missing parts, and parts from a 1948 Ford thrown in just to confuse me.

Finally, the wobbly construction stood upright. I got another shock when I read the final line printed on the back of the instructions: “Please retighten all the bolts on this apparatus every two weeks to ensure safety and durability.” I now had to devote every other Saturday to this tin monster or it would gobble up my children!

Everything you own will eventually own you! Unchecked materialism becomes your master, both when you make the purchase and when you must sweat to maintain it. That’s why I heartily encourage you to decide together to own less… and enjoy life more.

Just between us…
  • Do we have a “tin monster”—something new and supposedly valuable that’s more trouble than it’s worth—in our lives?
  • What do we have that we don’t need and could simply give or throw away?
  • What guidelines could we agree on to avoid the trap of materialism?
  • How can fewer possessions bring us closer to God?
Dear Lord, we are so easily driven by the desire to own more things. We want to live with less. Change us with Your truth about lasting value. We want to hold all our income and possessions in trust for You, the real owner. Amen.
  • From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
    Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Commentary: How pets influence our faith

From Living Lutheran
By Erin Strybis


As I was preparing to write this article, Gus, my 9-month-old puppy, was hit by a car. My husband and I had been at a family funeral when our pet sitter broke the news. It seemed like a cruel joke. How could anyone have faith at a time like this?

That night, after visiting Gus at the emergency clinic, I couldn’t sleep. In the early hours of the morning I grasped for my phone and sent out an SOS, asking family and friends to pray for him. I was feeling so weary and incapable of prayer, it felt comforting to lean on their faith.

One by one messages from loved ones came in—reading them brought fresh tears to my eyes. Eventually I attempted a feeble prayer, whispering, “Lord, if you are out there, please let my puppy live. Please.”

Gus made it through the night, and the next day and the day after that. Today, to our amazement, he is happy and healthy.

Through pets, gifts of God’s creation, God continually amazes us. In response to our “Pets and faith” call, Living Lutheran’ s readers flooded my inbox with a multitude of reflections, each naming special dogs, cats—and even a llama—that brought them closer to God. What follows are a few common themes and highlights from those letters.

They teach us unconditional love

In her 13 years of life, Lucy the beagle accompanied Sean Wilson through highs and lows. When Wilson’s wife Hadley died three years after they married, he was devastated. “It was much, much, too soon,” Wilson recalled. “My life fell to pieces.”

He said the only constant in his life was Lucy: “No matter how bad I felt about myself or the hand I had been dealt, Lucy was there. There was never judgment, never frustration from her. There was only her promise to stay with me no matter what happened.

“Her complete and infallible love for me reminds me of the love Jesus has for us. We are imperfect, but we are loved without exception and reservation. … Knowing that love is there has made all the difference to me.”

The loving presence of Gus, a yellow labrador retriever, at Camp Kirchenwald brought comfort to children who really needed it, wrote Conrad and Winnie Youse. In his 14 years of life Gus always joined his owners as summer staff at the Lutheran camp in Colebrook, Pa.

Though as a puppy he often stole clothing from campers and interrupted games by running off with equipment, Gus matured into an important staff member, they said, intuitively identifying children who were homesick and painfully alone. “To those children he licked away their tears and offered a paw of consolation that could not be refused,” they wrote.

Gus was not only a counselor but a guide, leading lost groups back to camp. His behavior, they said, was an example that most Christians would do well to imitate.

They teach us to pray

Luna the llama taught Susan Dahl the importance of looking to God during times of trouble. Dahl and Luna live on a farm with other animals outside of St. Charles, Minn.

When Luna’s baby died after she gave birth, the llama “looked up to the heavens and cried a loud piercing cry, as if to say, ‘Why God?’ It was at that moment I truly believed that animals also turn to God at their time of need,” Dahl wrote.

For Stewart McDonald, a pastor in Tucson, Ariz., Fanny, his cat of 19 years, helped him take up the discipline of contemplative prayer.

One morning McDonald struggled to get started with contemplative prayer. “Then I noticed Fanny, curled up in my lap, totally relaxed. It was as if she was in heaven,” he wrote. “She led me to imagine what it would be like for me to sit on the lap of God, curled up like Fanny, totally relaxed. It worked!”

Becky Rische of Spicewood, Texas, believes her dog Cooper answers prayer. “He doesn’t do this alone, of course. God works through him,” she said.

He has introduced Rische to countless new neighbors and helps her see the best in others. “Consequently I pay attention,” she wrote, “because my dog can be one channel where God speaks.

They come to our rescue

When Ophelia came into Steve Poindexter’s life in 1999, he was in a rough place mentally and emotionally. Encouraged by his niece who had found the kitten at the veterinary clinic in Tulsa, Okla., Poindexter adopted Ophelia. The kitten was also in rough shape—she had been neglected and had recently undergone surgery for a broken hip.

Over time the two developed a deep bond. “Although my faith was somewhat tenuous at the time, I came to realize I was witnessing a small glimpse of God’s love for all creation through our relationship,” he wrote. “Seventeen years later … I see clearly now that I never actually rescued her, but rather she rescued me.”

Dooley the dog literally rescued Karen Yagher. At 2 a.m., Yagher woke up with searing pain in her back and headed downstairs for a glass of water and aspirin. Dooley followed.

“It’s OK, buddy dog,” she told him, “I’m just going to rest for a while.” That was the last thing Yagher remembered before waking up in the hospital. She was being treated for a bacterial infection that had destroyed several of her spinal vertebrae.

Later she found out that Dooley had stayed by her side, but at some point he became alarmed and ran upstairs to wake Yagher’s husband, who found her lying on the living room floor. He called for an ambulance right away.

Had her husband found her an hour or two later, the doctors said she would have died. “I don’t know why this happened to me, but I do know God used Dooley to save me that day,” Yagher wrote. “Dooley, my good and faithful friend, died last year. … He was more than just a dog, he was my guardian angel.”

They connect us to God

While recovering from her second cancer surgery, Jane McKinley of Lakewood, N.J., found it difficult to keep the faith. McKinley’s months-long, painful recovery left her confined to one room in her house.

Visitors came and went, but Rollie, her golden retriever, was a constant companion. “Rollie would come in every day, a little spring to his step, panting with excitement, eyes full of joy. I noticed after a while that my heart was beginning to feel his joy,” she wrote. “For the first time in a long while I was able to find God. … Rollie had been my angel. I don’t know if I could have made that connection without him.”

Jonah the cairn terrier also helped his owner, Herbert Chilstrom of Green Valley, Ariz., connect with God. The former ELCA presiding bishop wrote My Friend Jonah and Other Dogs I’ve Loved (Huff, 2014), where he recounted the day he and his wife took 17-year-old Jonah to be put down: “I held Jonah’s head in my big hands and leaned close to his ear. In a strong voice I said for the last of a thousand times, ‘Jonah, you’re a good boy.’ The doctor administered the fatal dosage. His head fell into my hands.”

At Jonah’s grave site that day, Chilstrom reflected on life beyond this world: “Is there more to life than the brief time we spend together here in this corner of God’s universe? Then I say, ‘Yes, I believe there is.’

“Thanks, Jonah, for teaching me how to live—and how to die.”

True goodness is unconscious

by Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“The better we become, the less conscious we are of our goodness. If anyone admits to being a saint, he is close to being a devil. Jean Jacques Rousseau believed that of all men, he was the most perfect, but he had so many cracks in his soul that he abandoned his children after their birth. The more saintly we become, the less conscious we are of being holy. A child is cute so long as he does not know he is cute. As soon as he thinks he is, he turns into a brat. True goodness is unconscious.”

The Daily Readings for October 3, 2016


Hosea 14:1-9
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the LORD; say to him, "Take away all guilt; accept that which is good, and we will offer the fruit of our lips. Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; we will say no more, 'Our God,' to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy." I will heal their disloyalty; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily, he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon. His shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like that of Lebanon. They shall again live beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom like the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon. O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; your faithfulness comes from me. Those who are wise understand these things; those who are discerning know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

Acts 22:30-23:11
Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them. While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, "Brothers, up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God." Then the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth. At this Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?" Those standing nearby said, "Do you dare to insult God's high priest?" And Paul said, "I did not realize, brothers, that he was high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a leader of your people.'" When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead." When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.) Then a great clamor arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees' group stood up and contended, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks. That night the Lord stood near him and said, "Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome."

Luke 6:39-49
He also told them a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house."

Morning Psalms

Psalm 106:1-18 (Part I) Confitemini Domino
1   Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
2   Who can declare the mighty acts of the LORD or show forth all his praise?
3   Happy are those who act with justice and always do what is right!
4   Remember me, O LORD, with the favor you have for your people, and visit me with your saving help;
5   That I may see the prosperity of your elect and be glad with the gladness of your people, that I may glory with your inheritance.
6   We have sinned as our forebears did; we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
7   In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works, nor remember the abundance of your love; they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.
8   But he saved them for his Name's sake, to make his power known.
9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
10   He saved them from the hand of those who hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11   The waters covered their oppressors; not one of them was left.
12   Then they believed his words and sang him songs of praise.
13   But they soon forgot his deeds and did not wait for his counsel.
14   A craving seized them in the wilderness, and they put God to the test in the desert.
15   He gave them what they asked, but sent leanness into their soul.
16   They envied Moses in the camp, and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.
17   The earth opened and swallowed Dathan and covered the company of Abiram.
18   Fire blazed up against their company, and flames devoured the wicked.


Evening Psalms

Psalm 106:19-48 (Part II) Et fecerunt vitulum
19   Israel made a bull-calf at Horeb and worshiped a molten image;
20   And so they exchanged their Glory for the image of an ox that feeds on grass.
21   They forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
22   Wonderful deeds in the land of Ham, and fearful things at the Red Sea.
23   So he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath from consuming them.
24   They refused the pleasant land and would not believe his promise.
25   They grumbled in their tents and would not listen to the voice of the LORD.
26   So he lifted his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness,
27   To cast out their seed among the nations, and to scatter them throughout the lands.
28   They joined themselves to Baal-Peor and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
29   They provoked him to anger with their actions, and a plague broke out among them.
30   Then Phinehas stood up and interceded, and the plague came to an end.
31   This was reckoned to him as righteousness throughout all generations for ever.
32   Again they provoked his anger at the waters of Meribah, so that he punished Moses because of them;
33   For they so embittered his spirit that he spoke rash words with his lips.
34   They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them.
35   They intermingled with the heathen and learned their pagan ways,
36   So that they worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
37   They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to evil spirits.
38   They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, which they offered to the idols of Canaan, and the land was defiled with blood.
39   Thus they were polluted by their actions and went whoring in their evil deeds.
40   Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against his people and he abhorred his inheritance.
41   He gave them over to the hand of the heathen, and those who hated them ruled over them.
42   Their enemies oppressed them, and they were humbled under their hand.
43   Many a time did he deliver them, but they rebelled through their own devices, and were brought down in their iniquity.
44   Nevertheless, he saw their distress, when he heard their lamentation.
45   He remembered his covenant with them and relented in accordance with his great mercy.
46   He caused them to be pitied by those who held them captive.
47   Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy Name and glory in your praise.
48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting; and let all the people say, "Amen!" Hallelujah!


New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

The Daily Meditation for October 3, 2016

From Forward Day By Day
Written by Scott B. Hayashi

Luke 6:41 (NRSV) Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?

Jesus knows that it is often easier to see the faults of someone else than to see our own. At the same time, it is often easier to see the good in someone else than it is to see the good in ourselves.

If it is easier to see someone else more clearly than we see ourselves, then a good practice would be to ask a close trusted friend, a spiritual director, or a counselor to give us an honest evaluation, assessment, or description of how they see us so that we may see ourselves more clearly.

This is not an easy thing to ask or do. Many people shy away from any type of review, much less one that requires such deep honesty. But we must remember that we are all beloved children of God, so deeply valued that Jesus gave his life to save us.

Since each of us has this much value, might we not be bold enough to help each other to see our faults—and our virtues?

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Standing Strong Through the Storm - PEACEMAKING IS VERY PRACTICAL

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18

Jesus instruction to His followers to be peacemakers is not as easily practiced in some areas of the world as we in the west might think. Tribal differences can cause deep divides.

In April 2011, Open Doors sponsored a Christian youth camp in the southern Philippines bringing together 115 youths, mostly believers from Muslim background (MBB’s) from four different Muslim tribal groups. The goal of this camp was to show the youths that Jesus is the ultimate source of peace. When we have Him in our hearts, then, we can have peace within ourselves, with others and with our environment.

Every activity of the camp was also designed to foster awareness and appreciation of each other’s tribal identity. Short drama presentations every night gave the youths a chance to tell their story. Bringing these ethnic groups to a point of understanding and acceptance was the crucial part of the camp. During Bible sessions, facilitators combined their lectures with tasks that encouraged campers to express their thoughts and feelings. They described their idea of peace, distinguished between peaceful and conflicting situations, and discovered their biblical responsibility as peacemakers taking after Christ’s example.

While peacemaking starts with one’s self, it does not end there. It must affect other people’s lives. And so, the campers did community service in three neighboring areas during the camp. But the true litmus test for a peacemaker is when a conflict breaks out. The camp was on its homestretch when two campers from different tribes got tangled in a fight during the morning assembly. It was about to turn violent, until other youths stepped in. The two youths were brought to the camp director. Everyone was clearly upset as they streamed into the classrooms for the day’s round of Bible sessions.

They were in for a surprise. An Open Doors co-worker shared, “The fight was staged. We wanted the campers to have an opportunity to apply what they had been learning so far. During the Bible session, we processed what happened. They realized that it brought out their biases and impatience; that some of their responses were condemning. They wanted to be a peacemaker, but they had yet to learn how to sow peace in times of conflict. It is a lifestyle.”

It was an important lesson for the youths to learn, especially for those who lived in conflict areas. After the session, many campers approached the two volunteer actors and asked their forgiveness for judging and condemning them.

Then, the youths were given some time to write down their commitments to becoming a peacemaker. One fifteen-year-old said, “It’ll be hard becoming a peacemaker, but I will try my best…The pastor taught us that becoming a peacemaker like Jesus comes with suffering. I must be prepared for that too.”

RESPONSE: Today I will take practical steps in being a peacemaker for Jesus wherever I am.

PRAYER: Pray for young tribal Christians who struggle with Christ-like actions and responses in conflict situations.

Women of the Bible - The Woman with the Issue of Blood


Her character: So desperate for healing, she ignored the conventions of the day for the chance to touch Jesus.
Her sorrow: To have suffered a chronic illness that isolated her from others.
Her joy: That after long years of suffering, she finally found peace and freedom.
Key Scriptures: Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48

Her Story

The woman hovered at the edge of the crowd. Nobody watched as she melted into the throng of bodies—just one more bee entering the hive. Her shame faded, replaced by a rush of relief. No one had prevented her from joining in. No one had recoiled at her touch.

She pressed closer, but a noisy swarm of men still blocked her view. She could hear Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, raising his voice above the others, pleading with Jesus to come and heal his daughter before it was too late.

Suddenly the group in front of her shifted, parting like the waters of the Jordan before the children of promise. It was all she needed. Her arm darted through the opening, fingers brushing the hem of his garment. Instantly, she felt a warmth spread through her, flushing out the pain, clearing out the decay. Her skin prickled and shivered. She felt strong and able, like a young girl coming into her own—so glad and giddy, in fact, that her feet wanted to rush her away before she created a spectacle by laughing out loud at her quiet miracle.

But Jesus blocked her escape and silenced the crowd with a curious question: "Who touched me?"

"Who touched him? He must be joking!" voices murmured. "People are pushing and shoving just to get near him!"

Shaking now, the woman fell at his feet: "For twelve years, I have been hemorrhaging and have spent all my money on doctors but only grown worse. Today, I knew that if I could just touch your garment, I would be healed." But touching, she knew, meant spreading her defilement—even to the rabbi.

Twelve years of loneliness. Twelve years in which physicians had bled her of all her money. Her private affliction becoming a matter of public record. Every cup she handled, every chair she sat on could transmit defilement to others. Even though her impurity was considered a ritual matter rather than an ethical one, it had rendered her an outcast, making it impossible for her to live with a husband, bear a child, or enjoy the intimacy of friends and family. Surely the rabbi would censure her.

But instead of scolding and shaming her, Jesus praised her: "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

His words must have been like water breaching a dam, breaking through her isolation and setting her free. He had addressed her not harshly, but tenderly—not as "woman" or "sinner," but rather as "daughter." She was no longer alone, but part of his family by virtue of her faith.

That day, countless men and women had brushed against Jesus, but only one had truly touched him. And instead of being defiled by contact with her, his own touch had proven the more contagious, rendering her pure and whole again.

Her Promise

God promises to heal us. That statement may seem to fly in the face of the many who have suffered from illness and disability for years on end, but we need to remember that our concept of healing is not necessarily the same as God's. For some, healing may not take place here on earth. True healing—the healing that will cure even those who don't suffer from any particular physical ailment here on earth—will take place not here but in heaven. There, God promises the ultimate healing from our sickness, our disabilities, our inclination to sin.

Girlfriends in God - Oh, How He Loves


Today’s Truth

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35, NIV)

Friend to Friend

Grandchildren often remind me how to find joy in the simple things of life. When our twin grandchildren were about two years old, I took them on a little shopping trip. When Mimi comes for a visit, there is always a shopping trip on the agenda. Lelia and Jaydan piled into the car, and we headed to the store. I think I was more excited than they were. That’s how grandmothers are.

Once inside the store, we grabbed a shopping cart, and off we went in search of treasures. In other words, we needed toys!

As we headed to the toy section of the store, we passed the pharmacy - which reminded me that I needed to pick up some vitamins. The twins were very patient as I searched the pharmacy shelves and found what I needed. I tossed the box of vitamins in the cart and said, "Let's go! The toys are just ahead!"

When we reached the first aisle of the toy section, I reminded Lelia and Jaydan that they could each pick one very special toy for Mimi to buy. Jaydan headed straight for the "crucks" and cars. No surprise there! But Lelia didn't seem very interested in looking at much of anything. Now that was surprising!

As I tried to figure out what the problem could possibly be, I spotted something pink out of the corner of my eye. A closer look revealed a small pink box of Hello Kitty Band-Aids clutched tightly in Lelia’s little hands. Judging from the slightly crumpled box, I knew she had been holding her treasure for some time.

Suddenly it hit me. The vitamin aisle! Evidently, Lelia had done a little looking on her own while I was searching for my vitamins, and had come up with a box of Band-Aids. But Mimi did not travel all the way from Kansas to North Carolina to buy her precious little granddaughter a paltry box of Band-Aids!

When I tried to persuade Lelia to pick something else - something a little more exciting than Band-Aids - she politely refused. Lelia was happy, but Mimi was not. I wanted to buy her a "real" toy, but what Lelia really wanted was a box of Hello Kitty Band-Aids.

We often treat the difficult people in our lives the same way. Have you noticed that sandpaper people are usually needy people? I have discovered that their irritating behavior is often nothing more than a disguised plea for help.

True love is God’s love. It looks beyond abrasive behavior to see and meet the real needs hidden there.

Meeting a need in the life of a sandpaper person can be messy and usually demands a sacrifice of some kind on our part. It is easier to simply placate or avoid difficult people than it is to love them the way they need to be loved – not in a way that makes our life easier. For example, when we see that sandpaper person coming, we turn around and head in the opposite direction. When the caller ID shows the name of a sandpaper person in our life, we do not answer. Hurried conversations replace a listening heart. We offer tolerance instead of acceptance.

And God is not pleased. He is committed to our character – not our comfort.

God wants us to love each other in the same way that He loves – unconditionally. In fact, God wants us to love in such a way that the people around us will know we are fully devoted followers of Christ. I wonder what our relationships would look like if we did love the way Jesus loves us.

Nowhere in the Bible will you find the words, “When you feel like it, love others.” Nope! It is not in there.

The Bible tells us to practice love. Love is an ongoing and very deliberate choice – not an emotion or a feeling. I challenge you to step out in faith today and choose to love that difficult person in your life the way Jesus loves you.

Let’s Pray

Father, I have to thank You for looking beyond my faults and for loving me unconditionally. Forgive me when I fail to love others in the same way. Give me eyes to see the needs of the difficult people in my life, and show me how to meet those needs in a way that pleases You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.


Now It’s Your Turn

Read the following commitment and fill in the blanks with the name of your sandpaper person. Be sure to sign and date your commitment.

Father, I choose to love _____________________ as a step of obedience to You.
I will show Your love to _____________________ by sending her/him a note of encouragement. I will pray for _____________________, remembering that he/she is made in Your image and that You love him/her just as much as You love me.
Sign__________________________ Date ______________

More from the Girlfriends

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Un Dia a la Vez - Oración por dominio propio

Dios [...] nos enseña a rechazar la impiedad y las pasiones mundanas. Así podremos vivir en este mundo con justicia, piedad y dominio propio. Tito 2:11-12

Padre de la gloria, me presento delante de ti para darte gracias por un nuevo día. Para reconocerte como el Dios de mi vida.

¡Oh, Señor, cuánto te necesita mi alma!

Hoy, mi Dios, necesito tu intervención milagrosa, ya que mi carácter es débil y me resulta difícil tener dominio propio.

Muchas veces me he prometido cambiar y dejar malos hábitos, pero vuelvo a recaer o incluso a fallar.

Por eso, mi Señor, en este día vengo ante ti para hacer un pacto contigo, pues sé que solo con tu ayuda saldré adelante.

Dios mío, hoy te entrego este hábito (decir el tuyo) y te prometo que me esforzaré al máximo para no fallarte.

Gracias, mi Dios, porque sé que cuento contigo. Tú me darás la fuerza que necesito y podré dar testimonio de tu poder.

En el nombre de Jesús, amén y amén.

Verse of the Day - October 03, 2016


1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) [ Praise to God for a Living Hope ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Read all of 1 Peter 1

Our Daily Bread - No Outsiders


Read: Deuteronomy 10:12–22 | Bible in a Year: Isaiah 17–19; Ephesians 5:17–33

What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him. Deuteronomy 10:12

In the remote region of Ghana where I lived as a boy, “Chop time, no friend” was a common proverb. Locals considered it impolite to visit at “chop time” (mealtime) because food was often scarce. The maxim applied to neighbors and outsiders alike.

But in the Philippines, where I also lived for a time, even if you visit unannounced at mealtime, your hosts will insist on sharing with you regardless of whether they have enough for themselves. Cultures differ for their own good reasons.

As the Israelites left Egypt, God provided specific instructions to govern their culture. But rules—even God’s rules—can never change hearts. So Moses said, “Change your hearts and stop being stubborn” (Deut. 10:16 nlt). Interestingly, right after issuing that challenge Moses took up the topic of Israel’s treatment of outsiders. God “loves the foreigner residing among you,” he said, “giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt” (vv. 18–19).

Israel served the “God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome” (v. 17). One powerful way they were to show their identification with God was by loving foreigners—those from outside their culture.

What might this small picture of God’s character mean for us today? How can we show His love to the marginalized and the needy in our world?

Heavenly Father, help us bless others today by showing Your love in some small way.

In Christ, there are no outsiders.

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries