Love one another

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Racism is wrong!

Jesus said, “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” ~ John 13:34 (NLT) 

Love is color-blind, beautiful, wonderful, and shows the facets of God’s love.
 
“Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.” ~ 1 John 3:15 (NLT)
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)
 

Heavenly Father, I ask for unity and love among my brothers and sisters. Oh, Father You have made us all in Your image, help us to remember to love one another with Your love,  to live in peace and harmony in Your peace and harmony. Thank You for the beautiful colors of skin You have made. Please help us see one another with Your eyes and love with Your love. May Your love fall fresh and new on Your children so the world will see the fresh and new love that You freely give. 

love-one-another-heart

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The hope within

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Coronavirus has rocked our world. The news and social media bombards with fact, fiction, and conspiracy theories. It’s hard to know what to believe, making it very easy to be depressed, anxious, and hopeless.

As I visited with a friend the other day, via online methods, I realized I had started to sound like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

“Things will never be the same.”
“It’s all so sad.”
“Who knows what the world will look like when this is over.”

My comments may have been true, but they sure weren’t uplifting. The early church lived in extremely difficult times. However, Peter advised them to “… prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. [Live] as obedient children [of God]…” ~ 1 Peter 1:13-14 (NASB)

The world has changed, is changing, there are things that make us sad, and we don’t know what the world will look like in the future. However, we have a choice where we focus and how we live our lives. When we remember that Christ is eternal, our life in Christ is eternal, we have hope that is eternal!

Peter later wrote to be ready to make a defense “…to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you…” ~ 1 Peter 3:15 (NASB)

Do others see the hope we have in Christ? Are they asking about the hope within us?

Let’s live in Christ, focusing on Christ, so that others will be drawn to the blessed, eternal hope found in Christ.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” ~ 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NASB)

The hope within you first appeared on https://lisabuffaloe.com
Flower photo by Lisa Buffaloe

Covered in His love

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“I love the story that describes Peter when he stepped out of the boat onto the water. As he was walking toward the Lord on the stormy sea (what an incredible experience), he suddenly looked around and was seized with fear. Scripture says ‘Beginning to sink, he cried…‘ Did you get that? ‘Beginning to sink, he cried out.’ That provides a perfect reminder for what we must do when we find ourselves sinking. Don’t wait to cry out. Are you ready for some super encouraging news? When we openly acknowledge our condition before our God, He won’t reject us. Nor will He put us on probation and watch us squirm. On the contrary, we’ll find the Lord to be explicitly interested and compassionate, quick to forgive, I find that wonderfully inviting.” ~ Charles Swindoll ([1])

Jesus willingly went to the cross for us, taking our sins and cleansing us with His forgiveness. His love paid the price we could never pay. His love catches us by the hand and saves us. His love pours down and covers us with His grace-filled, unfailing love.

“Why did Jesus do that? There is only one answer. And that answer has one word. Love. And the love of Christ ‘bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things’ 1 Corinthians 13:7. Think about that for a moment. Drink from that for a moment. Drink deeply. Don’t just sip or nip. It’s time to gulp. It’s time to let his love cover all things in your life. All secrets. All hurts. All hours of evil, minutes of worry. The mornings you awoke in the bed of a stranger? His love will cover that. The years you peddled prejudice and pride? His love will cover that. Every promise broken, drug taken, penny stolen. Every cross word, cuss word, and harsh word. His love covers all things. Let it. Discover along with the psalmist ‘He… loads me with love and mercy.’ Psalm 103:4 “Picture a giant dump truck full of love. There you are behind it. God lifts the bed until the love starts to slide. Slowly at first, then down, down, down until you are hidden, buried, covered in his love. ‘Hey, where are you?’ someone asks. ‘In here, covered in love.’ Let his love cover all things. Do it for His sake. To the glory of His name. Do it for your sake. For the peace of your heart. And do it for their sake. For the people in your life. Let his love fall on you so yours can fall on them.” Max Lucado ([2])

“God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17, NCV)

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.” (Exodus 15:13)

 

[1]   Charles Swindoll, Living Above The Level of Mediocrity, Guideposts, Carmel, NY, 247
[2]   Max Lucado, Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, pg 136

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