LOVE NEVER FAILS

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all that I own and if I hand over my body so I might boast but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not brag, it is not puffed up, it does not behave inappropriately, it does not seek its own way, it is not provoked, it keeps no account of wrong, it does not rejoice over injustice but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things.

Love never fails—but where there are prophecies, they will pass away; where there are tongues, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1Co 13:1-8)

LOVE NEVER FAILS

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

LOVE NEVER FAILS

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all that I own and if I hand over my body so I might boast but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not brag, it is not puffed up, it does not behave inappropriately, it does not seek its own way, it is not provoked, it keeps no account of wrong, it does not rejoice over injustice but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things.

Love never fails—but where there are prophecies, they will pass away; where there are tongues, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1Co 13:1-8)

LOVE NEVER FAILS

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

ITS THE PROCESS

Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.

(Mar 6:48)

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. As we utter our prayers and supplications, lifting them to Your mighty ears in the precious name of Jesus the Christ, our King, grant us such Holy sensitivity to Your moment-by-moment callings, and give us that which will cause us to immediately obey, Amen.

(Mar 6:49-50) But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid."

This scripture hit me like a ton of bricks this morning. So much so that I immediately wrote it down.  

The urging from the Holy Spirit, that I write this down and share it with you was NOT the goal as I understood it to be. Oswald Chambers explained: What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees the PROCESS itself as the goal.

It is the PROCESS not always the RESULT that brings a smile to God's face. It is not so much WHAT you do, as it is that you always do what you do with the express purpose of bringing glory to God and His Kingdom – then share it with others.

When a baby is born, God has already equipped the child with everything they will ever need to live. The rest is an ongoing PROCESS. We learn how to utilize those gifts that God gave from birth.  These talents allow us to refine our Walking, talking, thinking, calculating, evaluating, comparing. That is the PROCESS.God loves the process.

(Heb 4:7) He again fixes a certain day, "Today,"...."TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

God also works in the MOMENT. He gives us exactly what we need, at the exact MOMENT that we need it. Not a minute sooner, not a minute later. In that very MOMENT! That is also His PROCESS.

Today, this very moment, you who are saved have everything you will ever need to do God's will, now and forever. You are fully equipped!! The very moment you were saved, it was immediately in you. Let Jesus teach you the PROCESS. Have faith that He is with you always. Trust in Him. Everything that He does with you is in the moment. As He leads, and teaches, simply obey. Be a part of the PROCESS,  Moment to moment.

Oh my Lord, how many times have I ran down the field thinking that I know where the ball will be thrown only to take that long lonely walk back to the line of scrimmage with empty hands. You, gracious God, have equipped me with everything I need to serve. Teach me Precious Rabbi, to know the PROCESS, to have faith, to know that you are always with me, that your Holy Spirit speaks to me at all hours of the day and night. Help me Father to trust in you at all times, in all circumstances, in all trials. Help me to share this with others, and love them as you love me. In the name of Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

ITS THE PROCESS

Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them.

(Mar 6:48)

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. As we utter our prayers and supplications, lifting them to Your mighty ears in the precious name of Jesus the Christ, our King, grant us such Holy sensitivity to Your moment-by-moment callings, and give us that which will cause us to immediately obey, Amen.

(Mar 6:49-50) But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid."

This scripture hit me like a ton of bricks this morning. So much so that I immediately wrote it down.  

The urging from the Holy Spirit, that I write this down and share it with you was NOT the goal as I understood it to be. Oswald Chambers explained: What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees the PROCESS itself as the goal.

It is the PROCESS not always the RESULT that brings a smile to God's face. It is not so much WHAT you do, as it is that you always do what you do with the express purpose of bringing glory to God and His Kingdom – then share it with others.

When a baby is born, God has already equipped the child with everything they will ever need to live. The rest is an ongoing PROCESS. We learn how to utilize those gifts that God gave from birth.  These talents allow us to refine our Walking, talking, thinking, calculating, evaluating, comparing. That is the PROCESS.God loves the process.

(Heb 4:7) He again fixes a certain day, "Today,"...."TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

God also works in the MOMENT. He gives us exactly what we need, at the exact MOMENT that we need it. Not a minute sooner, not a minute later. In that very MOMENT! That is also His PROCESS.

Today, this very moment, you who are saved have everything you will ever need to do God's will, now and forever. You are fully equipped!! The very moment you were saved, it was immediately in you. Let Jesus teach you the PROCESS. Have faith that He is with you always. Trust in Him. Everything that He does with you is in the moment. As He leads, and teaches, simply obey. Be a part of the PROCESS,  Moment to moment.

Oh my Lord, how many times have I ran down the field thinking that I know where the ball will be thrown only to take that long lonely walk back to the line of scrimmage with empty hands. You, gracious God, have equipped me with everything I need to serve. Teach me Precious Rabbi, to know the PROCESS, to have faith, to know that you are always with me, that your Holy Spirit speaks to me at all hours of the day and night. Help me Father to trust in you at all times, in all circumstances, in all trials. Help me to share this with others, and love them as you love me. In the name of Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

AND A CHILD IS BORN

(Gen 4:1) Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a manchild with the help of the LORD."

Thus the FIRST MOTHER excitedly exclaims as she gazes upon her child. The first ever child born of the God ordained union of one man and one woman. The first birth of the womb. First born of man.

I recall as it were yesterday.... laying my eyes on my First Born. My son. The exhaustion in his mothers eyes quickly overcome by the joy in her heart.

Only God can do this amazing thing.

(Psa 139:14) I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

This week I saw the face of another young man, a Godly man, whose countenance was overwhelmed in awe at the very majesty of the Lord's power of creation; drained emotionally and overflowing spiritually as he held his first born son, this newborn of God's creation in his arms. His beautiful young bride physically spent but somehow renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is filled with these wondrous miracles. Miracles, they truly are. David and Bathsheba gazing at newborn Solomon; Zacharia finally being able to speak when Elizabeth delivered John, who would become the herald for the coming of another newborn, Jesus, the Christ Child, Amen. Joseph and Mary were in awe.

For today's newborn parents, reality returns home quickly. Usually somewhere around the fourth or fifth diaper change, the question arises, “How can something so cute and tiny and so sweet smell so very bad!!”. Likewise, parents will soon realize that you really can go without sleep for days on end and not die!

Parents in the Bible shared all of these experiences and Pampers were not yet invented.

Remember the song, Turn Around? One day they are tiny, the next day they are grown. Before you can blink, they are welcoming a newborn of their own.

(Gen 17:4) "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. Abraham had no concept of the magnitude of what was about to unfold!

Father God, let us impress upon our sons and our daughters how quickly our time on earth evaporates. How tender and precious every minute of every day is and that it all is a gift from Him who created us. Let us teach our children to love and cherish each other and especially to honor and hold in great fear and reverence He whose breath of life we received. Thank-you Father. In Christ, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

AND A CHILD IS BORN

(Gen 4:1) Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a manchild with the help of the LORD."

Thus the FIRST MOTHER excitedly exclaims as she gazes upon her child. The first ever child born of the God ordained union of one man and one woman. The first birth of the womb. First born of man.

I recall as it were yesterday.... laying my eyes on my First Born. My son. The exhaustion in his mothers eyes quickly overcome by the joy in her heart.

Only God can do this amazing thing.

(Psa 139:14) I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

This week I saw the face of another young man, a Godly man, whose countenance was overwhelmed in awe at the very majesty of the Lord's power of creation; drained emotionally and overflowing spiritually as he held his first born son, this newborn of God's creation in his arms. His beautiful young bride physically spent but somehow renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is filled with these wondrous miracles. Miracles, they truly are. David and Bathsheba gazing at newborn Solomon; Zacharia finally being able to speak when Elizabeth delivered John, who would become the herald for the coming of another newborn, Jesus, the Christ Child, Amen. Joseph and Mary were in awe.

For today's newborn parents, reality returns home quickly. Usually somewhere around the fourth or fifth diaper change, the question arises, “How can something so cute and tiny and so sweet smell so very bad!!”. Likewise, parents will soon realize that you really can go without sleep for days on end and not die!

Parents in the Bible shared all of these experiences and Pampers were not yet invented.

Remember the song, Turn Around? One day they are tiny, the next day they are grown. Before you can blink, they are welcoming a newborn of their own.

(Gen 17:4) "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. Abraham had no concept of the magnitude of what was about to unfold!

Father God, let us impress upon our sons and our daughters how quickly our time on earth evaporates. How tender and precious every minute of every day is and that it all is a gift from Him who created us. Let us teach our children to love and cherish each other and especially to honor and hold in great fear and reverence He whose breath of life we received. Thank-you Father. In Christ, Amen.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

PRAYING AND BEING PRAYED FOR

(Rom 15:30) Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.

Lord God, we come to you with thanksgiving in our hearts and a knowledge that prayer is not just the profession of the Pastor, the Preacher. It is but a privilege to be so ordained to the power of prayer. Teach us, Father, to pray constantly for those who are always praying for us, Amen.

E.M. Bounds reminds us that “The preacher must pray; the preacher must be prayed for. These two propositions are wedded into a union that should never be separated.”.

Many members of the local congregation have no idea the load that many pastors / preachers are under. The several hats they must wear. The secrets that they hold inviolate in their hearts forever. Truly, it takes all the praying he can do, to meet and to carry the crushing responsibilities AND the successes in God's ordained work.

Without the on-going lifting of our voices to heaven to gird the preacher with stamina and strength, wisdom and purpose, and to do all this with the conviction of Holy Love, and without his pleadings to the very throne of the Creator, this pastor, this preacher would be instantly crushed to dust under the weight. If you truly want to help your pastor to be the best he can be and bring glory to God then pray for him.

Father God, I pray for all of the pastors and preachers today and everyday. Help them and guide them, Lord Jesus, and fill them with an abundance of Your mighty blessings, Hallelujah, Amen.

HAVE YOU PRAYED FOR YOUR PASTOR TODAY?