Tag: God is Love

Do You Have the Distinguishing Mark of A Christ Follower?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

John 13:34-35 King James Version (KJV)

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

What do you have and who gave it to you? What does Jesus say?

Notice the words of Jesus in the following passage:

John 10:28-30 King James Version (KJV)

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

Do you have this gift of life from God? If so, what are you doing with the life God has given you?

Our focal passage, John 13:34-35 gives us the answer to the question, “Do You Have the Distinguishing Mark of A Christ Follower?

Notice what Jesus said, and I restate it here:

John 13:35 King James Version (KJV)

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Do we love others in the manner that God loves us? If not, why not obey the commandment of God?

James 1:22 King James Version (KJV)

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Prayer:

Our Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, help to be demonstrations of people who have been loved by You.

1 Corinthians 16:14 New King James Version (NKJV)

14 Let all that you do be done with love.

“Lord, help me live from day to day

In such a self-forgetful way

That even when I kneel to pray

My prayer shall be for others.

Refrain:
Yes, others, Lord, yes, others,
Let this my motto be;
Help me to live for others,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee,
That I may live like Thee.”

Hymn: “Others” by Charles D. Meigs

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Link to my new devotional book Amazon Author’s Page. Everything about the book is found there with pictures, and more to come.
 

Are You An Ambassador for Christ?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 King James Version (KJV)

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

Of first importance is your status with God? Have you been born twice? Are you confident that you are in Christ? 

Allow me the privilege of encouraging you by sharing this conversation that Nicodemus had with Jesus.

John 3:1-3 King James Version (KJV)

3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The lyrics of a song put to music by B.B. McKinney speaks to my heart as I reflect upon those who are not yet in Christ. If you are an ambassador for Christ, let’s link our hearts together in prayer for those who are not in Christ. 

“Lord lay some soul upon my heart,

And love that soul through me;

And may I bravely do my part

To win that soul for Thee.”

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Father, we ask that You awaken in us the burning desire to share Christ with others in our talk and our walk. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

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Link to my new devotional book Amazon Author’s Page. Everything about the book is found there with pictures, and more to come.
 

Who or What Is Your Source?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Matthew 6:31-33 King James Version (KJV)

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

Today I have the believers in Christ on my mind. It is to those, who by faith, have committed their lives to Jesus. Do you believe this statement by Jesus, “Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things?”

The following verse should cause us to examine the object of our faith.

Matthew 6:30 King James Version (KJV)

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Do you have a confident faith in Our Father in Heaven?

Proverbs 3:5 King James Version (KJV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

The Bible says much about faith, but the following is one of my go-to passages when it comes to the belief that pleases God.

1 Peter 5:6-7 King James Version (KJV)

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Who has a confident faith that can say, “I know God sees and cares about me?” Let all who can and are willing unite in a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to our great God.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, we exalt You above every name on earth and heaven. We bow low at Your feet and give You honor, glory, and praise.

Father, we are grateful that we have a God who knows our needs and can meet all of our needs.

Father, therefore, we associate ourselves with Your servant David, a man after Your heart, when he wrote these words in Psalm 23.

Psalm 23:1 New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.

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Link to my new devotional book Amazon Author’s Page. Everything about the book is found there with pictures, and more to come.