"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your path straight."
-Proverbs 3:5-6
As I sit here on Christmas Eve on my nice comfy couch in my warm living room with the floor covered in several recently unwrapped gifts, I can't help but think about all the people in the world today that will be spending Christmas day eating out of dumpsters in the frost and coolness of the night. Many will not have presents, no one to read them the Christmas story, and most will not have warm pj's to wear. When I think about it in this perspective, it makes all these gifts and things seem so frivolous.
I wonder how many know the story of Jesus and how his birth is really the greatest gift we could ever receive. Here's a challenge for you this Christmas season: If you find yourself out and about, find a way to bless someone. Whether it be a smile and a "Merry Christmas", helping someone put groceries in their car, blessing someone with a few dollars . . . the possibilities and the blessings that follow are endless.
God's given us the greatest gift of all time, Jesus Christ. It's time we share it with others who have yet to receive Him.
May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
-Morgan
"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said" 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
1 John 4:9-12
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."
John 13:34-35
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Proverbs 8:17
"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."
Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;"
1 John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."
Source:
King James Version
Thanks to http://voices.yahoo.com/10-awesome-bible-verses-gods-love-5619992.html for the verse references. :-)
What is love? It's a small statement with a deep meaning. Miriam-Webster's Online Dictionary describes love as (my paraphrasing) a strong affection; an assurance of affection; devotion; unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.
In a culture where love is selfishly thrown around only to get what one wants, we need to go back and re-discover real love...a true love that endures forever.
Last week, my family and I returned from a Be in Health conference in Georgia. Since returning home, I've pondered this 'what is love?' question. As humans, and more specifically as young people, we all have a desire to love and be loved. God created us for this. But today, love is not protected nor kept safe. It's no longer special and pure. Do you wonder why? Because we've left our first Love. We've gone looking in all the wrong places and now we live in a country where marriages are falling apart, children are being aborted, hearts are being stolen and broken, and the list goes on. Many feel empty and no matter how hard they try, the feeling of being unloved is always there.
God's desire is that we not feel this way. If fact, He's crazily, head-over-heels in love with us. His love is so deep that He sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ here to earth, to die on the cross for us (and our sins), so that we can enter into a love relationship and one day spend an eternity with Him. That's an example of true love. All we have to do is accept His proposal, turn from our selfish ways, and trust our lives completely to Him.
If people would start here (even before a commitment to an earthly marriage is made), we would begin to see a change in the culture's 'normal' cycle.
So now I write to all my fellow young adults out there. It's time for us to turn the tide. We need to find out who we are in Jesus Christ. It's only through Him that we will find true contentment and real love. If we are completely in love and content with Him then one day when God brings that special someone into yours and my life, no matter what trials may come in your relationship and marriage, you will look to Jesus for help, safety, and satisfaction (not in someone who's human like you and me, and cannot give you what God can).
Love is a snowball effect. Once Jesus is your first love, you will be able to love yourself (truly love yourself as He does) and then you will be able to genuinely love and care for others.
Being in love with Jesus is imperative within a marriage covenant as well . Before I ever marry my guy, the one God has planned for me, I want to be deeply in love with my heavenly Husband-to-be...because it's only then that I will be able to really and truly be capable of loving my earthly one. And, as much as I want my guy to be devoted and unselfishly loyal to me, I need to be preparing to be the same for him. And it all starts with Jesus--my first Love (Did you know He's jealous for me? He's jealous for you too). Another way to prepare myself is to start at home. If I don't learn how to be a devoted, unselfishly loyal, and loving daughter to my parents (specifically my dad), then I'm not prepared to be joined to another. :)
"So, what is love?"
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
-1 Corinthians 13:4-7
May you be richly blessed and find true happiness and contentment in Him!
Falling in love with my Jesus,
Morgan
P.S. For more encouragement about God's love for you I highly recommend the book "Crazy Love", written by Francis Chan. It revolutionized my view on God's love for me. I'm not a big reading fan, but this book was hard to put down. His website is www.crazylovebook.com. (The other books and resources written by Francis are great too.)
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How He Loves Us
by David Crowder Band
Worship the King.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever." -Psalm 136:1
I have this little story up in my bedroom on my mirror. It was given to me at a birthday party quite a while ago. I thought it was neat, stuck it in my mirror and there it has been for almost a year now. About a week ago I happened to start reading it while doing my hair. Instead of just briefly reading over it, this time I took time to read and then digest what it meant. Afterwards, I couldn't help but just sigh. This is what I had been struggling with for the past few months. God shows us things to encourage us at just at the right time doesn't he? :-)
I would like to share this little story with you. Be encouraged to not just read it to read it, but to understand it and "remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until he sees is image in you". God holding us in a hot spot, refining us, is not comfortable--it's oftentimes painful. But in the end, the result is beautiful. I want God to see his image in me...and it's then I will be able to be a light of the world--a city on a hill that cannot be hidden from shining His light (Matthew 5:14).
Malachi 3:3
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group as their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered that YES, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long int he flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?' He smiled at her and answered,
'Oh, that's easy---When I see my image in it.'
When you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until he sees His image in you.
Have a blessed week!
-Morgan
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Change Me
By: Ben and Crysty Fiorello
If you have a chance to look up the other songs by Ben and Crysty, I highly recommend their music. It's positive, encouraging, relaxing, and draws you closer to our Heavenly Father. :-)
