Devotions - Prayer
Jesus said in John 15:14, “You are my friends if you do what I command” .
- You can’t say you love Jesus and then go live like the devil.
- You can’t say you’re a Christian and then keep on living a self-centered life.
- You can’t say you’re a follower of Jesus and then pick and choose the verses that you want to listen to and ignore the ones you don’t.
- Jesus says you’re his friend if you obey him and his commandments.
Why do we obey God? Nonbelievers get this wrong all the time. They say, “I don’t want to be a Christian because I don’t want to obey God. You believers obey him out of guilt or fear or obligation, and I don’t want that for my life.”
Why do we believers really obey God? Because he loves us! He wants the best for us. He loves you like nobody else will ever love you. The Bible says the only reason there’s love in the world is because God is love.
- We don’t obey God out of fear or guilt or obligation.
- We obey God out of love because he loved us and saved us.
Some people say, “Because you’re a Christian. You can’t do any of the fun stuff the rest of us do.”
Just look at them in the eye and say, “I could take all the drugs I want to take. I could get stoned all I want to get stoned. I could drink all I want to drink. I could go to all the parties I want to go to. I could go to bed with as many women as I want. I can disobey my parents.” But here’s the difference: Jesus changed my “want to.” I didn’t want to do those things then. I don’t want to do those things now. They are cheap, phony thrills that seem to give a temporary kick to life but then they kick back. They may look like freedom, but they don’t last, and they lead to despair, not dignity — depression, not delight.
John 15:9-11 says, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me … When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
God doesn’t want you to obey him because you’re afraid of him. He doesn’t want you to obey him because you’re scared of punishment. God wants you to obey him because of love. It’s HIS love that leads to true joy. AMEN
Psalm 142:3–4 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
I wonder whether you’ve ever felt like that: “No one cares about me. They don’t mind whether I live or whether I die. All I have is problems. I’m walking in a path and there are hidden snares on it. There are problems I don’t really understand and I don’t know how to solve. I can’t see any source of help. I look to the right, I look to the left. No one bothers about me. I’m just a speck of dust in the universe. I’m just a name on a list somewhere. There’s a birth certificate in some dusty office that relates that I was born, but no one cares.”
That’s not altogether true. There is someone who cares. There is someone who knows your way. That’s what the psalmist said, “When my spirit grows faint within me it is you who know my way.”
You may feel lonely, neglected, uncared for. You may not understand your own way, you may not know the problems that lie ahead, you may not have an answer to them all, but there is one who knows: it’s the Lord. He knows your way.
- He is with you;
- He will see you through if you will turn to Him in prayer.
- You are not forgotten, you are not neglected, you are not unwanted.
- He made you, He cares for you, He’s with you.
HOW DO YOU THINK JESUS SEES YOU?
- Ephesians 2:10: You are His Masterpiece.
- Psalms 139: He knit you together in your mothers womb.
- Ephesians 1:4: He knew you before the world was formed.
AMEN
Jesus replied, Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. (John 3:3)
A new birth is absolutely essential to enter the kingdom. John points to a radical new beginning which comes from above.
• It signifies God must do this.
• It is speaking of something radical, a new beginning.
• It is a second birth, but it comes from above.
• It is God that does it, not man; and it results in a new creation, a new beginning.
This idea appears many times in the New Testament.
• Paul speaks of babes in Christ, (1 Corinthians 3:1).
• Peter says, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow, (1 Peter 2:2).
• Again Peter says we are born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, (1 Peter 1:23).
• And he speaks of being born to a living hope, (1 Peter 1:3).
• Paul speaks not only of being new creatures in Christ but of a new creation; of passing from death unto life, of a new, radical start.
Jesus makes clear that this is the only way to enter the kingdom of God.
To be in the kingdom of God, of course, is to belong to God; it is to be a part of his rule, his reign, his domain. Paul speaks of being transferred from the kingdom of darkness, ruled by the god of this world, into the kingdom of the Son of his love, (Colossians 1:13).
Thus, Jesus was referring to a transfer of citizenship, a radical departure from what we once were.
Jesus sensed in Nicodemus (John 3) a deep hunger, an emptiness. Here was a man who was doing his level best to obey what he thought God wanted, yet he had an empty and unsatisfied heart that led him to seek out Jesus by night, at the risk of the displeasure of his peers, to talk with him about the kingdom of God.
Sensing this our Lord immediately puts him on the right track, saying to him, in effect, You are wasting your time if you think you can enter the kingdom of God the way you are. You cannot do it. You must be born again.
Father, thank you for the miracle of new birth which comes only from above. It is only through your great power and love that such a thing could happen to me. Amen (See Ephesians 2:1-10 too)
“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” – Ecclesiastes 7:9
Anger can result from many circumstances. Anger is like warning lights on the front of your car dashboard. They signal that there is something going on under the hood, and we should take a look to examine the source of the problem.
Anger can be traced to a few sources.
First, when we lose control of a circumstance that we have placed certain expectations on and those expectations do not result in our desired outcome, we are tempted to get angry.
The source of this type of anger is both fear and protection of personal rights.
You see, when we believe we have a right to something, we have not given the Lord permission to allow an outcome different from what we want.
If an outcome is different from our expectations, this may stimulate fear.
The next time you get angry ask the Lord what is the source of that anger? Did the Lord allow that failure to let you see what is “under your hood”? God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind (see 2 Tim. 1:7).
In Genesis 4 the account says that Cain was angry at God’s rejection of his offering, and his face was downcast.
Cain was angry and resentful.
Cain was jealous because his brother was accepted and he was rejected. As the New Testament tells us, he was angry because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous (1 John 3:12), and so he was filled with jealousy.
But notice God’s grace. He simply asks him a question, Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
That is the best question to ask a jealous, resentful individual. Why? Think it through, now, why are you so angry? Why are you filled with resentment against this person?
Why should you assume that you have special immunity to the normal problems, injustices, and trials of life?
How often I flare up with jealous anger Lord, when I feel I am being robbed of what I deserve. Forgive me, and continue to remind me that Your ways are, indeed, not my ways. Amen
Psalm 23:1-3 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved and memorized Psalms. King David’s personal experience as a shepherd gave him unique training to be king and special insight into God’s role as our Good Shepherd.
These first three verses highlight God’s gentle and generous care for us.
- Green pastures mean plenty to eat without the constant struggle of moving from place to place in search of food.
- The still waters provide abundant water without the fear that fast-moving streams might evoke.
- The paths of righteousness are the safe and beneficial routes God leads us in life.
God’s spiritual sheep enjoy all these blessings in abundance through God’s Word (our food), the Holy Spirit (our water) and God’s righteous and beneficial way of life.
Lord, Thank You for being our Shepherd and help us to allow You to Shepherd us each and every hour through your voice, your word and Christian relationships. Amen
Only as we’re willing to “empty” ourselves are we ready to be “filled” with God.
* “I shall lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.”Psalm 116:13
Are You Living a Divided Life?
I see so many of us Christians today who divide up our lives into tightly packed little compartments: the sacred and the secular.
The sacred is what we do on Sunday, and the secular is up for grabs.
It’s just whatever happens! So we have our sacred life at church, and we do our business with the world the rest of the time.
But the real Christian life—the Jesus life—is to do all things in word and in deed to the glory of God.
There’s no difference between what you are on Sunday and what you are every other minute of the week!
That’s why this commandment in [Matthew 22:37] is just so important. It’s Jesus’ reminder to you and me that when we truly love God, it will be with every fiber of our being.
*It’s not that we just give Him one day a week and live however we want the rest of the week.
No, we seek to glorify Him with our entire lives. That’s real love!
Maybe you’ve found yourself at times acting like a different person depending on whether you’re in a “religious” or “secular” setting. But in reality, you should be the same person in both settings.
So lets not let the day of the week dictate how devoted we are to following Christ.
Honor JESUS every day with your entire being!
Our need to love is every bit as strong as our need to be loved.
Dear Lord, thank You for calling us Your children – And for making a home within us, so we may rest secure in You. Because You are our dwelling place, we are never alone. Help us have Your Value system be the Same 24/7 for Your Glory and our Joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Have you ever felt like you have been obedient to the Lord for something He called you to do and all you get are more roadblocks?
This is the way Moses felt. When Moses went to tell Pharaoh to release the people because God said so, Pharaoh simply got angry and made the people make bricks without straw.
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all. – Exodus 5:23
*Moses caught the blame for this from the people.
*Moses was just learning what obedience really means in God’s Kingdom.
*You see Moses had not even begun to release plagues upon Egypt.
*He hadn’t even gotten started yet in his calling, and he was complaining about his circumstances.
Why would God tell Moses that He is going to deliver them and not do it?
It was all in timing. God never said when He was going to deliver. He just said He would.
In the next chapter, we find Moses arguing with God about not being capable of the job God had called him to:
But Moses said to the Lord,
“If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?” Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and He commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 6:12-13)
God had a good reason for His delays. He said,
“And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it” (Ex. 7:5).
God not only wanted the people of Israel but also the Egyptians to know Him. It would be the greatest show of God’s power on earth.
God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded.
Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8).
Imagine that – Jesus having to learn obedience.
What does that say for you and me?
Sometimes God’s delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience.
Faint not, for the promise may yet come.
Are you in need of hope today? Will you choose to remember God’s faithfulness, love, and mercy, despite the despair and destruction around you? Today, dare to hope.
Dear Lord, I want to dare to hope, but life around me seems uncertain and tentative. Will You help me remember Your faithfulness, love and mercy? Thank You in advance for what You are going to do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
My only comment is: Does Halloween bring glory to God? No! It glorifies the devil! Nuff said.
Read the verse below and ask yourself what and where are your treasures?
Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Is your heart after–Earthly wealth, flesh, or is your heart after spiritual wealth?
If after spiritual wealth, then your heart and desire will follow.
If isolated from the rest of God’s Word, there are some scriptures that could be interpreted to mean that having money or wealth is wrong.
*However there are other scriptures that speak of riches as a blessing.
**The harmony between these two apparently opposite positions is that money is neither good nor bad.
*It is the love of money that is the root of all evil, and many have committed the sin of loving money who don’t even have a dime.
1 Tim. 6: 10. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
The “Love of Things” (covetousness) is idolatry, and this is what Jesus is addressing.
Because it is so easy to lust after money and the things it can provide, the Lord established a system whereby prosperity is a by-product of putting God first.
As Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
We should no more reject the blessing of prosperity than we should covet it, which is idolatry.
The reason for not laying up treasures on this earth is so that we will not have our hearts drawn away from the things of God.
A key to success in the Kingdom of God is singleness of purpose. (Eternal Perspective).
We don’t have the capacity to do our best in two areas at the same time.
If we will simply put God and His Kingdom first in every area of our lives, He will add to us all the wealth that we NEED.
What is more valuable or important than knowing Him? (see John 17:3)
Father, I look to you for direction. You are the only one who has the way that will not fail. Teach me those ways so that your kingdom will grow and you will get the glory. Help me see too that: Every spending decision is a spiritual decision.
YES—KNOWING YOU IS OUR GREATEST TREASURE!!! Amen
The most difficult question of the Christian life is: “If God really loves me, how can He let ‘this’ happen to me?” “This” for some of us might be a divorce, the death of a child, or a loved who gets cancer.
How we face adversity in this life tells us a lot about whom we love and trust.
Sometimes God allows our life, relationships, and health to not just go from bad to worse, but from bad to impossible. It’s during these most difficult times that we may know that God loves us, but deep down in our hearts we may struggle with really trusting Him.
Sometimes, our perception of God’s slowness of lack of response to our pain or to our prayers is that He doesn’t care or He has abandoned us.
In John 11, the Apostle John tells us a story that shows how we’re to trust God in the midst of impossibly difficult situations in our life. In the story, Jesus raises his friend Lazarus from the dead.
In the beginning of the story, Jesus gets word from Mary and Martha that their brother Lazarus is very sick.
When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” (John 11:4-7)
We discover that it’s because “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” that He decided to stay where He was at for two more days! The sisters probably began to wonder… “What’s going on? I thought Jesus loved us! He’s the Son of God, so why isn’t he coming to help?”
When our life doesn’t go according to plan, or our circumstances go from bad to worse, it’s natural to begin to wonder about what God is doing. This is true especially during those dark moments when we cry out to Him and He doesn’t fix our problem in the way or in the timing that we expect.
Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to “fix” their problem – to come quickly and heal Lazarus. But Jesus had other plans: to raise Lazarus from the dead and demonstrate God’s greater power and glory.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” But Martha thought He was talking about the final resurrection of the dead.
Then Jesus said these startling words to her: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (v. 21, 23-26)
Jesus’ answer to us, as it was to Mary and Martha, is not to just fix our problems in our way and in our timing. Jesus often has a different – and better – agenda.
His answer to our life’s most difficult problems comes to us as first as a person: He offers us His presence. He asks that we trust in Him and in His timing, even when it doesn’t make sense.
Lord help me to truly experience more each day what it means to have a personal, intimate relationship with YOU the living God. Amen
Revelation 12:11 But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,…
*My Testimony is that I’m already paid for by the blood of Jesus!
What’s the Purpose of Testimony
*When you tell other people about what God has done for you, you are sharing your testimony.
*A testimony is when you share your story of how you came to faith. Every Christian has a testimony.
*Some Christians have dramatic testimonies where they tell of being delivered from a life of drug addiction or crime or some bad deeds.
*Other Christians don’t have testimonies that are quite as dramatic – but they are just as significant.
Your testimony is not about what you gave up for Jesus.
Your testimony is about what God gave up for you.
*Don’t share what you have done for Jesus.
**Share what Jesus has done for you.
Jesus is the one who has done the work. It is Jesus whom we are proclaiming.
A good, strong testimony will lift up what Christ has accomplished.
The fact of the matter is that all of us were sinners hopelessly separated from God, traveling in the same boat on our way to hell; and the same gospel came and transformed us. That is the testimony we all have.
*God loves people more than He loves their comfort.
*God invests a great deal into mankind. *God desires a personal relationship with us and will go to great lengths to create such a relationship in order for us to receive the rewards and inheritance He has for us.
*God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded.
*Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8).
*Imagine that – Jesus having to learn obedience.
What does that say for you and me?
Sometimes God’s delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience.
Faint not, for the promise may yet come.
Thank You Jesus for each persons unique testimony that only You could create for our good and Your Glory. Help me lift up what You have accomplished in and through my life. Amen
By John Piper
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)
Here are two great incentives from Jesus to become a World Christian and to dedicate yourself to the cause of Frontier Missions.
Every impossibility with men is possible with God (Mark 10:27). The conversion of hardened sinners will be the work of God and will accord with his sovereign plan. We need not fear or fret over our weakness. The battle is the Lord’s, and he will give the victory.
Christ promises to work for us and to be for us so much that when our missionary life is over, we will not be able to say we’ve sacrificed anything (Mark 10:29–30).
When we follow his missionary prescription, we discover that even the painful side effects work to improve our condition. Our spiritual health, our joy, improves a hundredfold. And when we die, we do not die. We gain eternal life.
- I do not appeal to you to screw up your courage and sacrifice for Christ.
- I appeal to you to renounce all you have to obtain life that satisfies your deepest longings.
- I appeal to you to count all things as rubbish for the surpassing value of standing in service of the King of kings.
- I appeal to you to take off your store bought rags and put on the garments of God’s ambassadors.
I promise you persecutions and privations — but “remember the joy”! “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).
On January 8, 1956, five Auca Indians of Ecuador killed Jim Elliot and his four missionary companions as they were trying to bring the gospel to the Auca tribe of sixty people.
Four young wives lost husbands and nine children lost their fathers. Elisabeth Elliot wrote that the world called it a nightmare of tragedy. Then she added, “The world did not recognize the truth of the second clause in Jim Elliot’s credo: ‘He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.’”
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11 – Acts 21:11-12
Paul understood his personal mission, which should be the personal mission of every believer in Jesus Christ. It is the one summary statement that best describes the purpose of our existence on earth and the goal of our Christian experience. It can be reduced to three important characteristics.
- To know Christ.
- To know and experience His power.
- To identify with His sufferings.
All that flows from these three objectives becomes a by-product.
- Salvation is a by-product.
- Miracles are a by-product.
- Christ likeness is a by-product.
Paul’s focus was on relationship. He understood that the deeper the relationship, the more power he would experience. He also understood that as he grew in this relationship, there would be suffering.
Whenever the Kingdom of Light confronts the kingdom of darkness, there is a battle, and this often results in casualties.
Christ confronted these earthly kingdoms and suffered for it. Hebrews 5:8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
If we are living at this level of obedience, we, too, will face similar battles; it simply comes with the territory.
Matthew 5:11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
- Does this sound like your personal mission statement?
- Is your focus in life centered on knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection?
- If not, press into Him today in order to begin experiencing Christ more intimately.
Lord thank you for persecution because it takes our eyes of earthly rewards, it strips away superficial belief, it strengthens the faith of us who endure and our attitude through it serves as an example to others who follow. What a testimony it can be to bring YOU the Glory! Amen
BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS
We can have joy, even in hardship. Joy does not come from outward circumstances but from inward strength. As Christians we must not rely on what we have or what we experience to give us joy but on Christ within us;.
Developing our character begins with God’s work in us. But Growth also requires self-discipline, obedience to God’s Word, and concentration on our part. Christ gives us power to lay aside our personal needs and concerns. We dare not be self-centered. When we give up self-interest, we can serve with joy, love and kindness.
JOY is the quiet, confident assurance of God’s love and work in our lives—that he will be there no matter what!
• Joy is Suffering 1:1-30
• Joy in Serving 2:1-30
• Joy in Believing 3:-4:1
• Joy in Giving 4:2-23
Read the ENTIRE Book of Philippians and Look For Balance!
1. All Jesus has done for you.
2. What you can do for Jesus.
3. See how all is based on Jesus Christ
4. We agree to have the mind set of Christ or to say–THINK LIKE GOD THINKS!
Read Philippians verses below and what do they all have in common?
1:6-7
2:2&5
3:15
4:2
4:10
HOW DOES GOD THINK?
* What does Luke 17:3 say is needed before forgiveness?
* READ MATTHEW 16:22-28 WHAT DOES IT SAY?
* HOW TO THINK LIKE GOD THINKS! Get Jesus character from the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.
Lord, Thank You for your Word which is Truth and following it, I can get some balance and purpose for my life. Amen
Ephesians 4:30-32 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
What a marvelous understanding of the nature of sin and the character of God’s forgiveness is found in these verses!
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:1-2).
There are three things David asks for.
1. First, he understands that sin is like a crime.
If criminals are to be delivered from the effects of their crime, they do not need justice but mercy. Sin is an illegal act, a violation of justice, and an act of lawlessness and rebellion and therefore requires mercy.
2. Then he says, “Blot out my transgressions,” and thereby he reveals that he understands sin is like a debt. It is something owed, an account that has accumulated and needs to be erased.
3. Finally he cries, “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
He understands that sin is like an ugly stain, a defilement upon the soul.
Even though the act fades into the past, the dirty defiling stain remains a stigma upon the heart. So he cries out and asks to be delivered from these things.
Notice that David understands well the basis for forgiveness. He asks on the basis of two things:
First, “according to your unfailing love.”
He understands that he himself deserves nothing from God, that God is not bound to forgive him.
Some people are never able to realize forgiveness because they think they deserve it, that God owes it to them. But David knows better. He realizes that only because of God’s love may he even approach God to ask.
On the basis of that unqualified acceptance, that marvelous continuing love-that-will-not-let-me-go, he says to God, “I am coming to you and asking now for this.”
Second, as David appeals to God “according to your great compassion,” he again indicates his understanding of the character of God.
When God forgives, He forgives beyond our utmost imaginings.
What relief comes when we begin to understand this fullness of God’s forgiveness.
Father, thank You that I can come to You with my sin and cry out for mercy and love. Your love is steadfast; your mercy is abundant. I trust that You are always willing to forgive. Amen
READ PSALMS 32 AND GET SOME FREEDOM FROM THE WORD!
God wants us to be intentional about our thankfulness every day.
God wants us to develop this spiritual habit, one that is reflected in the life of a radical believer.
The truth is, the more deeply you understand God’s love, the more grateful you’re going to be.
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. That’s radical gratitude. In all circumstances give thanks, because it’s God’s will for you.
You can thank God in every circumstance because God is in control.
He can bring good out of evil. He can turn around the stupid mistakes you’ve made. No matter what happens, God isn’t going to stop loving you. There are a hundred things to be thankful for in any circumstance, even when the circumstance stinks.
Radical gratitude — being thankful in all circumstances — is God’s will because it creates fellowship. Gratitude always builds deeper relationships between you and other people and between you and God.
Whoever you want to get closer to, start expressing gratitude to that person.
If you’ve taken for granted your husband or your wife, or your parents or your friends, you need to start doing what you did when you first met them: Express gratitude. Write little notes of kindness and encouragement. Make calls or text during the day, just to tell him or her that you’re thankful. Do the things you did at first. The reason you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling is because you stopped doing the things that created that lovin’ feeling early on, and you take each other for granted.
Do you want to build your small group? Don’t just go to small group. During the week, text them, email them, call them, write them. Say, “I’m grateful for you, and here’s why.” You’ll find that the more grateful you are for your group, the more your group will bond.
The Bible tells us to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
As you build others up, you’ll find that God builds into your life as well through your deep relationships with him and others.
Lord, give me a deeper respect for you and the encouragement you instruct us to give others in building up of your body. Help me to have a heart of gratitude in all circumstances. Amen