Daily Devotional: Tuesday, Jan 26
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Love
Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the World by Matt Redman; Majestic by Lincoln Brewster; To the Ends of the Earth by Hillsong United; Healer by Kari Jobe.
Read: 2 Corinthians 6:14-16; Matthew 7: 24; 1 John 4:8; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
Think: Pastor Ben's message this weekend made me think about how important it is that our relationships are built on the rock - the solid rock of Jesus (Matt. 7:24). Our foundations are critical to our relationships. What we have in common allows us to come together in powerful ways, and a common platform to resolve our differences. The Bible says in 2 Cor. 6:14-16 "Don't team up with those who are unbelievers". I don't think this is God trying to limit us or be unfair to people who don't follow Christ, but this is His way of protecting us and guiding us toward successful relationships.
Pastor Ben spoke about all the ways that men and women relate differently, have different needs and different expectations of love. We experience these differences everyday but if we are tied to believers as husband and wife, or friends or colleagues and have all built our lives on the rock we have a common "yard stick" to measure differences by and a loving God to arbitrate.
The "yard stick" is love. If we know God, we know love (1 John 4:8) and if we stay close to Him we gain the fruit of the Spirit - the first and foremost of which is love (Gal. 5:22-23). We can judge our differences by reviewing 1 Cor. 13: 4-8, if it has to do with impatience, unkindness, envy, boasting, pride... then it's not love, it's not of God and we're wrong.
Do: Write down I Cor. 13:4-8 and carry it with you this week. The next time you face some difference with someone take it out and see if you are reacting in love.
Pray: Lord, I love you and I know that you love me even more than I can understand. Thank you. I want to express your love in my life everyday. Fill me with your love so I can pour it back out to others. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
