7 verses about the power we have through Christ and again the unmistakable link between faith and a life of love..
I love verse 4. It's always been a reminder verse to me of what's really going on. The devil and all temptations are real and strong in the world and always waging on our hearts, but God who lives in our hearts is stronger than all of it! He permits his power to assist us in our weakness, making our faith real and strong against all of it! It's never a losing battle, ultimately, "through Christ who is our strength" (Philippians 4:13). It's so encouraging to know that whatever hardship, or hatred, misunderstanding or temptation we face at any given time is not too much for us because we have God backing us up. He is aware of all of it and always guiding and helping us to maneuver around or through it. He won't ever give us more than he knows we can handle, as hard as that is to believe sometimes!
God will always overcome Satan and his helpers in the end. Hallelujah, right!? :)
Some other focus points I got from this section:
-We can't expect the world to understand us or listen to us and like us. If truth and Biblical principals aren't popular in our world, then we who live by such truth and principals won't be popular either. It's one of those "you probably can't have it both ways" things. It's the life of a Christian. Unpopular, hard sometimes, but peaceful. We know we're on the right side, the eternal side..
-Love - faith - God: linked, always, only. One can't stand apart from the other in our lives, they all naturally flow into each other. "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love..." Remember that song? :)
-The best and most perfect example of how to love is and always will be God sending Jesus for us. He sent him from perfect blissful heaven to sin-sick, lonely, cold earth to save those that were indifferent to him (that's us!) and didn't love him back. It's indescribable and impossible to comprehend, but we want to remember & appreciate it - and often.
What a beautiful portion of Scripture ladies! I know I played catch up and read a few days' worth at once, but I hope you were/are able to spend some quiet moments on these verses also. They are comfort and guidance and glimmers of hope in the midst of busy schedules, stress, misunderstanding and sickness.
Through our Lord, everything is righted. I pray you all enjoy the newness of another week and take today as a fresh opportunity to love him with your lives and shine His light!
Love to you all,
~Cait
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Thanks, Caitlin. Your first "take-away" comment really hit home with me this past week. I've had some teachers who I have apparently rubbed the wrong way with my faith giving me a hard time. Like you said, though we strive for peace, it is inevitable that we will not be liked along the way. This is part of being a Christian. I need to acknowledge this more quickly when I'm faced with people who belittle me because of my faith. It can be hard to look with love at someone who tells me I am dense because I'm a Christian, but when I reflect that it is a battle of the spirit and not of flesh and blood, I can see that this person is someone who God loves, too, and he/she needs his grace as much as I do. This week, I am learning to pray for my enemies...and remember that I was/am as unlovable as they are. Sigh...thank you God for being so patient with me.
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