Monday, May 6 – “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8) There are so many things that you won’t need in eternity. Faith is set aside in eternity, because faith dissolves into sight. Hope is set aside in eternity, because hope will melt away into your experienced reality. Prophecy is set aside in eternity, because everything will be fulfilled. Tongues are set aside in eternity, because signs and wonders won’t be needed. Knowledge is set aside in eternity, because you will know everything. Love is the only thing that continues into and through eternity, because love is permanent.
Tuesday, May 7 – “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) As long as we’re living on this side of eternity, we have to live by faith. For faith is our response to God’s promise and provision. Faith is the belief in things not seen. And faith is all we have. I don’t know about you, but I have to believe that there’s something more to life than what I’m experiencing right here, right now. When I was young, I used to believe that this reality was the only reason behind the creation of Christianity. I reasoned that life sucked and we all needed something to lean on. So, what better than faith in Jesus? My concern for you, because of what I’ve learned from where I’ve been, is into what or who are you placing your faith; to get you through the day?
Wednesday, May 8 – “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25) What is the hope into which we were saved? Deliverance. Deliverance from sin, death and separation from God. Hope, by its very nature, requires faith. For, as Paul shares in today’s verse, we don’t hope for something that we already have. Yet, through hope we develop patience, endurance and perseverance. For we hope in what is to be. In spite of what currently is. It’s true that hope floats. For hope keeps you going. If you want to stay afloat in this life, you have to keep hope with you at all times.
Thursday, May 9 – “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18) How is love absent of fear? Afterall, love is directed towards others and what is more fear-full than what others might do with your love? Do you know someone who had their love used against them in some way, shape or form? Someone who loved and lost? It all sounds down-right terrifying to me. Yet, the fear that is spoken of in today’s verse “has to do with punishment”. And punishment is all about the consequence of doing something that isn’t just or legal. Can you really love, if you’re always afraid you’re going to get caught doing something unjust or illegal? Yes, you can be afraid to get hurt loving. But that’s a far cry from being someone who fears loving.
Friday, May 10 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) For the Father had such an intense feeling of deep affection for the world, that he gave us his Son. So that we could all have a right relationship with God, both now and for all eternity. The definition of love is the same as a noun and a verb? Love, as a noun, is “an intense feeling of deep affection”. Love, as a verb, is “a feeling of deep affection for someone or something”. Love is both a person, place or a thing; as well as an action. You accept this fact without any discussion. Well, guess what? God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the three-in-one, all at the same time. Basically, God is love!
Saturday, May 11 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) It’s significant to understand that the author of these words once did all that he could, to persecute followers of Jesus. Even to the point of murder, in God’s name. Paul knows what it means to be someone who has been saved by grace. Paul knows what it means to have once been blind, but now he sees. Paul knows what it means to be “crucified with Christ”. Those who’ve received much, love much. How about you? Are you loving, in proportion to what you’ve received from God?
Tuesday, May 7 – “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) As long as we’re living on this side of eternity, we have to live by faith. For faith is our response to God’s promise and provision. Faith is the belief in things not seen. And faith is all we have. I don’t know about you, but I have to believe that there’s something more to life than what I’m experiencing right here, right now. When I was young, I used to believe that this reality was the only reason behind the creation of Christianity. I reasoned that life sucked and we all needed something to lean on. So, what better than faith in Jesus? My concern for you, because of what I’ve learned from where I’ve been, is into what or who are you placing your faith; to get you through the day?
Wednesday, May 8 – “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25) What is the hope into which we were saved? Deliverance. Deliverance from sin, death and separation from God. Hope, by its very nature, requires faith. For, as Paul shares in today’s verse, we don’t hope for something that we already have. Yet, through hope we develop patience, endurance and perseverance. For we hope in what is to be. In spite of what currently is. It’s true that hope floats. For hope keeps you going. If you want to stay afloat in this life, you have to keep hope with you at all times.
Thursday, May 9 – “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18) How is love absent of fear? Afterall, love is directed towards others and what is more fear-full than what others might do with your love? Do you know someone who had their love used against them in some way, shape or form? Someone who loved and lost? It all sounds down-right terrifying to me. Yet, the fear that is spoken of in today’s verse “has to do with punishment”. And punishment is all about the consequence of doing something that isn’t just or legal. Can you really love, if you’re always afraid you’re going to get caught doing something unjust or illegal? Yes, you can be afraid to get hurt loving. But that’s a far cry from being someone who fears loving.
Friday, May 10 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) For the Father had such an intense feeling of deep affection for the world, that he gave us his Son. So that we could all have a right relationship with God, both now and for all eternity. The definition of love is the same as a noun and a verb? Love, as a noun, is “an intense feeling of deep affection”. Love, as a verb, is “a feeling of deep affection for someone or something”. Love is both a person, place or a thing; as well as an action. You accept this fact without any discussion. Well, guess what? God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the three-in-one, all at the same time. Basically, God is love!
Saturday, May 11 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) It’s significant to understand that the author of these words once did all that he could, to persecute followers of Jesus. Even to the point of murder, in God’s name. Paul knows what it means to be someone who has been saved by grace. Paul knows what it means to have once been blind, but now he sees. Paul knows what it means to be “crucified with Christ”. Those who’ve received much, love much. How about you? Are you loving, in proportion to what you’ve received from God?
You try to eat right. You drink plenty of water. you exercise. don't forget your spirit - feed it!
daily devotions
