Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

So now I am giving you a new commandment:
Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you
should love each other. Your love for one
another will prove to the world that you are
my disciples.
John 14:2 NLT

Reflection:

A healthy definition of love is crucial to
understanding the central message of the
Bible. According to the Bible, love is not
confined to sexuality, nor is it primarily a
feeling at all. The Bible teaches that love
is a commitment. As a commitment, love
is not dependent of good feelings, but
rather on a consistent and courageous
decision to extend oneself for the well-being
of another. That commitment then produces
good feelings, not the other way around. Jesus
became the perfect demonstration of God's
unconditional love for us by laying down his
life for our benefit.

adapted from TouchPoint Bible with devotional
commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers,
Tyndale House Publishers (1996), p 1227

The love we give away is the only love we keep.
ELBERT HUBBARD

Scripture:

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,
[a] I plead with you to give your bodies
to God because of all he has done for
you. Let them be a living and holy
sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable.
This is truly the way to worship him.
[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs
of this world, but let God transform you
into a new person by changing the way
you think. Then you will learn to know
God’s will for you, which is good and
pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2 (New Living Translation)

Reflection:

I look around at various people in my life
and I see a vast diversity of what they do.
Some are ministers, some are maintenance
workers, many of my friends work in the
communication industry, some are out of
work, some are in school.
It seems that what we do is so very
important to us. 
I have a question then, Is it important to God?

I believe what matters most to God isn't
what we do, it's who we are.  I don't think
what accomplishments we pursue in life is
nearly as important as becoming the person
God created us to be.  I think we need to use
our time we have in life, on earth, very well. 
Each one of us needs to center our lives on
living up to our potential.  I believe we need
to think and to pray for God's help and His
strength every day. We need to grow into
the person that God wants us to be.  We need
to be someone who's free to live with love and
joy.  We need to be a person who lives with and
loves our God.    THAT'S THE PERSON I WANT
TO BE.

Prayer:

Oh mighty God, thank You for making me part
of you wonderful and marvelous creation.  Lord
help me be the kind of person You created me to
be.  Thank you God that through Your Son, Jesus
Christ, I am free to live with love and joy.

Scripture:

Psalm 15
A Psalm of David.
1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

Reflection:

I often have heard many a Christian say the following
statement, "Always walk close to God".  That's really
basically what David is asking here."What kind of person
dwells close to God?" It seems to me that is a pretty
important question to ask.  What kind of person is close
to God?
Well we are to be the kind of people who walk uprightly and
and do the right thing.  Even through "doing the right thing" may
not be PC anymore. We are to speak the truth that comes from
our hearts. We are to refuse to backbite or gossip,
"Wow when's the last time I did that".  As a matter of fact we
are not to do any evil to our neighbor.  We are not to speak
badly or reproach a friend.  We are to honor and
respect those who love the lord, and we are to keep their
promises even when it hurts.
And we are to be the type of people who lend money
without charging interest, in other words we don't have to
be out to make a buck. And we cannot be bribed to lie
about the innocent.
That's the kind of person who walks close to God!  A good
and kind person who cares deeply about the people around
them, Who loves the truth and does all they can to help others.
DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU?
Remember:  The closer we get to God, the more like Him
we will become.  — David H. Roper

Prayer:

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

AMEN