Tag: God

How Do We Know What Love Is?

Don’t listen to me. Listen to the apostle John:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

WOW!!! Are you ready to lay down your life for a “brother and/or sister” like Jesus did? And, by the way, that’s not as in a “blood” brother or sister. That’s in a complete stranger who should be treated like a blood brother or sister—or, for some of us, how a blood brother or sister should be treated!

The problem is, forget about giving up a life. If we could only show some kindness and respect to others—our “brothers and sisters.” Jesus not only showed us the way to love but He commanded us to love. In fact, it is the one and only thing He commanded us to do, and is the root of everything He did and said on this earth.

Love all comes down to putting others before ourselves. It’s really as simple as that. I know, trust me—simple to talk and preach about but tough to do. But, then again, we have the model in earthly love in Jesus.

Try a little love today!

Pray Continually

Short and sweet. Says it all.

If you think of prayer as something formal, this makes little sense. If you think of prayer as communication with God, it makes a lot of sense.

Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Great advice from the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. After all, who passes up the opportunity to converse with God all day, every day?

PRAY! One of the Real Secrets to Life.

Listen, Read, Love, Fight, Believe, Live & Pray

These are the 7 Secrets to Life I have found. Pretty simple. No, make that really simple.

LISTEN to/for God because He is always there calling you. Yes, you. God has a unique, special purpose for you.

READ the Bible because it is our God-given handbook on life. It’s not some old book. It’s a timely book containing answers—if you want them.

LOVE because God commands us to love, and lead a life of love. That’s pretty simply.

FIGHT the devil because it is around every corner whispering doubt about everything—starting with God—in our ears.

BELIEVE that God is in you because He made you. You can do anything if you just believe and don’t doubt. Reread the last Secret to Life if you doubt any of this.

LIVE this life like it’s only a tune-up for your life of eternity. Where you spend that eternity depends on how you live this life. Back to that love thing!

PRAY because it’s simply conversation with God. It works—if you give it a chance.

These 7 Secrets to Life work for me. They are simple and clear. You may find others but these work for me. I hope they work for you.

Have a GREAT week! 

Obeying God

Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:20

This verse in the Christian Bible and Hebrew Torah haunt me lately. Why? Because God gave us what should be 2 very simple commands: Love Him and love others.

As I look from Capitol Hill in DC, where I was most of this week, to my personal life, I see people clashing with one another, not loving one another. Can it really be that hard to come together as one people, not warring factions? What are we if we are not listening to God and following His very simple commands?

Good questions to contemplate.

Have a great day and even better weekend!

What to Wear?

I can’t tell you what to wear any better than Paul:

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

Five pretty clear words: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

So, think today when you decide how to “clothe” yourself!

Shirt Off Your Back

The common thinking is that the idiom about “giving the shirt off your back” originated in the 18th Century. It may have gained popularity back then but it was eighteen centuries before when Jesus said “from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold your shirt” (Luke 6:29). Translation: give to anyone in need, even if that literally includes giving the shirt off your back. And Jesus didn’t just talk the talk as so many so-called “Christians” do today. He walked the walk in going way past giving His shirt. He gave His life.

There’s not much more to say about this. It’s all pretty clear. Someone asks you (or begs) for something, give it to them. No questions asked. And if you ignore that person just think what Jesus did and asks us to do. Are you listening to that dark voice inside or Jesus?

Have a great day giving!

Only You Can Take Away Your Peace

The outside world cannot take away your peace. And, yes, unless you don’t know it, you have natural peace within you. That’s simply because God created you and God is peace to the core. Only you can take away your peace. Not someone else.

Not at peace? Events and/or people around you “stealing” your peace? Well, they can’t “steal” your peace unless you let them. Your peace is your’s. Only you can let events and/or others take your peace away. You own it.

Not at peace? Lost your peace? Find a quiet place like a church, library, mountaintop, etc. and tune out the world. Dig down deep inside of you looking for your peace. You will find it if you really try. And, if you don’t realize it already, that peace is God inside of you.

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Have a PEACEFUL week!!!

Be Anything, Do Anything!

I have said this and written about it many times—you can be anything and do anything! How? Because God is in you. He is woven into your DNA because God made you.

I know this sounds crazy. But the only person holding you back is you. You let that devil of doubt whisper in your ear that you can’t be anything but who you are now.

There’s a reason why I have found that the first Real Secret to Life is LISTEN for and to God. If you LISTEN to God you will start believing in yourself because God believes in you. And you will realize the untapped potential in your life to be anything, do anything.

I came upon this quote and I hope it helps gives you a little motivation and inspiration.

Your power to choose the direction of your life allows you to reinvent yourself, to change your future and to powerfully influence the rest of creation. It is the one gift that enables us to elevate our life to higher and higher levels. Steven R. Covey, The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness

We Can Do All Things!

Came upon this and says it all. Get in the game, believe, and you can do anything!

Clothed in His grace we can do all things, whether to give a talk, go to Africa, battle an illness, kick a habit, lay hands on the sick, or love somebody that drives us crazy. We just believe and get our carcasses to the starting gate.
Elizabeth Mulloy, Divine Love Song

Have a great week ahead!!!

First or Last?

Good question to ask yourself! What am I talking about?

He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35

That was Jesus asking. Your answer?

Jesus put Himself last because He is first. He gave up His life for you, me, and every other person who has and will live. Jesus is first because He is the Son of God.

If you truly want to get closer to God you need to move to the back of the line. You need to be last to be first.

OK. What does this practically mean today and tomorrow. You need to think more about others than yourself. It’s that simple. But the thinking part has to play out in actual actions. Jesus healed, put Himself in harms way, and eventually gave up HIs life. We don’t have to go to those extremes. We can walk before we run.

Help someone. Anyhow. A lot of people out there need a lot of help. Give. Anything. Just do something for someone before you do for yourself.

Enjoy the rest of this weekend!