Romans 5:1-8
Our faith is important. In this world, there are many people and things competing for our faith. If we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we will be justified in the sight of God and will receive his grace. God pours out his love for those that place their faith in Jesus Christ, his son, by giving us the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. In this world, there are wicked people doing wicked things. However, there are people loved by God who have accepted the Holy Spirit into their heart through their faith in Jesus Christ. These people are showing the love of God to the people they interact with each day. The reason people can receive the Holy Spirit and show the love of God to others is because God demonstrated his love for mankind through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died for our sins, that separate us from the presence of God, over two thousand years ago. Some of our ancestors were not living on this continent when Jesus died on the cross then rose on the third day! God was thinking about who we are today and where we are today even back then. Jesus is the ultimate expression of the love of God. How often have you thanked God for his love these last few weeks? Do you know someone that needs to receive God’s love? In the past few weeks, have you shared with someone how they can receive God’s love?
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John 17
Chapter 17 Verses 1-5 John wrote about the prayer Jesus had before being betrayed by Judas in this chapter. In the first five verses, Jesus prayed about his work he completed for God. God loves us so much he gave Jesus the authority to give eternal life to everyone God gave him. Jesus defined what eternal life is in verse three: “that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Chapter 17 Verses 6-19 In these verses, Jesus prayed for his first disciples. He knew that hardships would come to them after he left them. He did not ask God to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the evil one. Jesus protected the disciples with the name God gave him. Jesus asked God to protect them with the power of his name. Jesus also prayed that the disciples would be one as he and the Father are one. Chapter 17 Verses 20-26 Jesus finished his prayer by praying for all believers that would believe in him based on the message the disciples would preach. Jesus prayed that we would all be one. Jesus prayed in verse twenty-three that we would be in complete unity, “to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” In verse twenty-six, Jesus said that he has made the Father known to us and will continue to make the Father known to us so, “the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” How has Jesus made God the Father known to you recently? What has God protected you from, in the name of Jesus? Who have you shared the message of the love of God with recently? Romans 8:38-39
Too often, life throws a lot at us and we forget a simple truth that we need to know and accept. That simple truth is this: God loves us. The apostle Paul acknowledged this truth, accepted it, and expressed his understanding of it in verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine. Paul wrote that nothing could separate a child of God from the love of God. How often are we stressed, anxious, depressed, bitter, angry, or defeated by our experiences on this earth? Life is not easy on this earth. The struggle is real. The good news is that God’s love is greater than our struggle. The good news is that God’s love is greater than our hardships. God’s love is shown to all mankind through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Have you looked to scripture about God’s love to help you through difficult times? Has someone reminded you that you are loved by God recently? Have you reminded someone that they are loved by God recently? Chapter 13 Verses 1-8
The writer of Hebrews gave the readers a few instructions on good things they should do. A few of the instructions are how to treat strangers and those going through hardships. The writer encouraged the readers to love each other as brothers and that marriage should be honored by all. In verse five, the readers were told to be content with what they have and do not allow the love of money to be in their lives. The way to be content is to remember what God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Verse eight is a verse we can hold on to when things in our lives are changing and we do not have peace about all the changes. Chapter 13 Verses 9-25 The writer finished the letter with more verses about the offering the high priest used to give and the offering Jesus gave. The writer also encouraged the readers to obey their leaders, because it would not benefit them to be a burden on their leaders. The writer closed the letter with prayer requests in verses eighteen through twenty-one and final thoughts in verses twenty-two through twenty-five. Have you ever written a letter to someone? Have you ever received a letter from someone? Who or what encourages you and do you encourage others? |
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