“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16 (New International Version)
This week (meaning every new week), remember Jesus' work on the cross. Dwell in Him and His good works for your life. God is good, is He not?
Every day as I approach the throne, I ask, "Father reveal in me what I need to be protected from. Help me to see the damage that I project onto myself, yet blame others for our heartache and pain." Many times I have walked away hurt and claiming the victim role, when really it was my own thoughts that unraveled and disallowed me to see what was mine and what was real.
We must ask ourselves, daily, "What are you hanging onto today that is keeping you from His blessings or help?" And, at the same time, stand strong before the throne and let the Holy Spirit lift and assist You tonight. It's time to be right before the LORD, it's time to let go so peace can enter. Let tonight be the night.
We stand with you in prayer.
Father we come to You in awe daily for what You do with us and what You did for us because You love us. We come to You, broken and disobedient, in need and often times reluctantly through our trials. We love You and need Your guidance constantly, and thank You whole heartedly for always giving us You when we are so undeserving. Thank You for giving us Your love unconditionally through our Savior Jesus.
As we remember the resurrection, it is every day we celebrate our living God through our life here. Daily we remember the suffering, death and resurrection, we pray for discernment to be Your witnesses, we pray for boldness to speak truth, love and Your promises with others. We pray Father for the constant Spirit of desire to be wholly Yours. Awesome, mighty, perfect God, we are everything with You and nothing without You; thank You that we have chosen well, choose to be righteous, yet know we are fallible, will sin and will need You always. Thank You for Your reminders when we forget, and Your love when we are so unlovable at times and Your correction that we need more often than not. Thank You in the name of Jesus, that we have Jesus, need and trust Jesus and come to You through Jesus. Amen.Often I hang onto "wanting to help (fix) others"; and that has been my downfall in the past. I worked so hard, exhaustively hard, to do for others, make their life easier or better, when really all I was doing was making them see themselves without need or desire to know they needed saving. What I have learned about myself is that I just thought I could do it better or easier. What arrogance!
"By this the children of God and the children of the devil are evident: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, namely, the one who does not love his brother.
God is Love, so Love One Another
"For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another, not as Cain, who was of the evil one and violently murdered his brother. And for what reason did he violently murder him? Because his deeds were evil and the deeds of his brother were righteous.
"Do not marvel, brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that every murderer does not have eternal life residing in him. We have come to know love by this: that he laid down his life on behalf of us, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers." ~1 John 3:10-16 (Lexham English Bible)
Today, I encourage others to reach for God's hand, ask for His strength and courage, and they are encouraged, and He is edified.
If there is something stopping you, it's important to know what that is. If you are hindered in praise, do it anyway. If you struggle with prayer, pray anyway. If you feel the need to continue in a behavior regardless of what you know God has directed and confirmed, stop and seek Him, while beginning a habit of discipline. Need help? If you feel you are all alone, seek help from a friend and open up, regardless of how you feel. Sometimes we put up walls of protection from others, when it is really our own thoughts that we need protecting from.
It's time to dismiss the habits of the enemy, and embrace the desires of Your LORD God and Savior to glorify Him.
Try this... if you dare. ;-)
Feeling down, go encourage someone and try to feel down when you see a smile. Need prayer, but don't know who to ask, go pray for someone else and watch God work your needs out during the process. Feeling overwhelmed, unappreciated or overworked, set boundaries and seek value from the One who gives you all your value. Are you doing so much for others, that you cannot hear God?
Sometimes we have to stop doing and allow others to do. Take care of the small and weak, pray for the others. You are a mighty child of God, use His strength to say no to what harms you; the enemy will keep you tired and overwrought and make you feel guilty for "not doing for ......" Sometimes it's the strength to "not do for others" that the LORD provides.
My biggest blessings have been realized when I see others doing what I painfully did for them. It is when they realize that they too are valued and accomplished.
He is risen, and I live because He lives.
© 2012 Giving Thanks Daily, Shawn Boreta
Web: http://shawnsgivingthanksdaily.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150327530757809
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We are Wonderfully Made (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wonderfully-Made/130178720330362), living to encourage and Equip His People (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Equip-His-People-Ephesians-411-13/170487976325407) and completely committed to believing greatly Psalm 139 with purpose (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Psalm-139-with-purpose/183264461708034).
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