Never forget, you are a child of God, through Him all things are possible. Do not be self-defeating, you are victorious in His Name.
Confer with God about all things in prayer. He will lead you in the right direction and help you make the right decisions every day of your life. Listen to His quiet voice. Hear His directions, follow the path He set you on and proceed in peace. Know He is with you.
Have a blessed, God filled day. The impossible is possible with God.
Some call this ’doing good’, but as Christians, we know this is an act of kindness.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12 NIV
Just imagine if you were a child, in the hospital ill, looked out the window and saw a superhero looking back at you. What a great moment you would experience, one that would help you through your struggles.
For several weeks many of us have been writing about following Christ and acts of kindness. 80 people were spared being left in freezing temperatures for three days.
Candice Payne used her personal American Express card to get homeless people off the streets during record-setting freeze in Chicago.
Love is the foundation for a Godly life. Without love, everything we think, say, or do is in vain. Without love all spiritual gifts are temporary. Love is permanent. Without the love agent, all ingredients remain materials but do not produce a permanent product. The gift of tongues without love leaves a hollow reverberation. James Boyce, workinpreacher.org, refers to love as the active agent.
I believe verses 2-13 AMP explains what love is more thoroughly than I can express.
And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.
4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous orenvious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. 10 But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. 13 And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.
The AMP version further explains love is the active ingredient, the basis for all things (vv. 4-7). According to Warren Wiersbe, love puts maturity into character. Love puts eternity into life (vv. 8-13). Love lasts, and what love does will last. Love is the greatest and does the greatest because “God is love”. (1 John 4:8)
Hayford’s Bible Handbook shares that this scripture focused on the Corinthians who were wasting their spiritual gifts. Jack Hayford further stated love is the motive for the gifts and the method by which they are to be conveyed.
Asheritah Ciuciu, Inspiring Bible Verses about God’s Love, ibelieve.com wrote – God is love and He loves us. We know that in our minds, but often we don’t live that way. This is an on-going disconnect, in that Paul shared the same concern with the Corinthians.
She wrote, but the reality of God’s love surrounds us day by day, as revealed in these inspiring Bible verses about God’s love below. We learn that…
God’s love is steadfast and unchanging
God’s love comforts us
God’s love is revealed to us through Jesus Christ
God’s love is poured into us through the Holy Spirit
God’s love compels us to love one another
Image – YouVersion, Roger Cole, Bible.com Scriptures – Bible.com Resources – James Boyce, workinpreacher.org; Hayford’s Bible Handbook; Asheritah Ciuciu, Inspiring Bible Verses about God’s Love, ibelieve.com
In December ago I watched a Christmas concert video where one of the performer is my little foster sister, Sandra. I very impressed and proud to see him sitting in the front of grand piano playing a classical Christmas repertoire accompanied by an orchestra. Elegantly her fingers danced swiftly on the piano keys. While I watched Sandra on the stage, I remembered when she was under 17, I often took her to watch music concerts. She was interested in music especially classical music. I still remember when we were watching a concert, I whispered to her, “Someday you’re not only sit as audience but you must sit on the stage as a player” she replied firmly, “Yes! I must…!”
Now Sandra has proven her words a few years ago, now she has moved from the viewer to be the real player. Sandra is in the right position according to…
God works through people. We are the light others see. How bright are you glowing? How many amps do you generate? Do you cast a dim light, or do you share the Word through your actions, deeds, and discussion allowing the Holy Spirit to emanate an overpowering light through you? ~Lisa Blair
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
This scripture reinforces one of my earlier posts. You are the light others see. Christ glows within you and like the filament in a light bulb emanates light outward.
The full scriptural verses read:
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
Only light contrasts the darkness. It is a symbol of the war that is raging between heaven and earth, God and Satan. Satan resides in the dark. He lost his light when he fell to the earth leaving his past as God’s most beautiful, intelligent angel behind to become Satan.
You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you will exist no more. Ezekiel 28:18-19 NLT
Ezekiel 28:18-19 NLT
“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!” Luke 10:18 NLT
“And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.” ~Jude 1:6 NLT
Our challenge, as human beings, is to overcome the darkness by acknowledging that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and then take up His cross and live a Christ-like life. Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior invites Him to reside in us as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the light that emanates through us and glows outward targeting observers. It is through this process that non-believers are drawn to you, inquisitive as to why you glow. What is different about you? They see the difference and then hear your story and the Word of God. The glow is planted in them, growing until there is a time when they too will hear the call to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Be clear, we are a vessel, we cannot ‘save’ anyone, not even ourselves. Our glow is the Holy Spirit, whose job it is to offer eternal life.
“In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:16 NLT
“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7 NLT
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT
“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” Luke 11:34-36 NLT
Images – YouVersion-Bible.com; Google Images-cdn.pixabay.com Scriptures – Biblestudytools.com, Bible.com Other Posts, same topic: Light, Jan 6, 2019, Never In Darkness, Jan 7, 2019
If your thoughts differ, please begin a dialogue online. Thank you for reading my Post. God Bless.
Lisa’s Daily Inspirations 