Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
Galatians 5:13 (MSG)
…use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself.
What do you have planned today? Does it include “serving another in love”? What about loving or affirming another?
I know, I know you are extremely busy today; errands to run, practices to attend, lots and lots of STUFF. But can I encourage you to grab your day planner and look for some white space, a little margin or a gap in today’s proceedings and get creative.
Today could be the day that your love of another might make all of the difference!
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ----Leo Buscaglia
Got time to pray for someone? Got time to make an encouraging phone call? Got time to drop your change in the Ronald McDonald House container at the drive thru or the Tim Horton’s camp collection after grabbing your latte’?
Yesterday I sat in a room with more than 50 men at REFUGE Encounter whose lives were being turned around because they were learning to serve and affirm one another!
They are learning and experiencing that…
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ― Aesop
How about we try today to find that margin of gentleness, to affirm another. How about today we extend some grace?
For when we do, we are taking on the very character of Christ.
Philippians 2:7-8(MSG)
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.
Not at all.
When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life…
Jesus served.
Jesus was never selfish, always selfless. Jesus was never haughty, always humble!
Can we do the same?
You don’t need a degree to serve or any special training or class-work. It just takes awareness. Look around you. The needs are there.
“Love the overlooked. Jesus sits in your classroom, wearing the thick glasses, outdated clothing, and a sad face. You’ve seen him. He’s Jesus. Jesus works in your office. Pregnant again, she shows up to work late and tired. No one knows the father. According to water-cooler rumors, even she doesn’t know the father. You’ve seen her. She’s Jesus. When you talk to the lonely student, befriend the weary mom, you love Jesus.” -Lucado
When you reach out and offer HOPE and POSSIBILITIES to the addicted, the discarded and the damaged, you EXTEND JESUS - Delaney
He, Jesus, dresses in the garb of the overlooked and ignored.
“Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me” (Matt. 25:40 MSG).
We can do that.
Even if our sweet spot of activity or life has nothing to do with encouraging others, the cure for the common life involves loving the overlooked.
Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort (1 Cor. 15:58 MSG).
...A good action not only brings good fortune, it brings God’s attention. He notices the actions of servants.
Remember GOD sent his Son to be one.
So what do you say today?
Serve another in love?
It won’t be a waste of time or effort. It will be a life-changer!
I love you all.
Have a blessed day!
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