Love Is The Proof That God Changed My Life.

"If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead." 1 John 3:14 (NLT)

Love for Mary . . . love for his God, both simultaneously motivated Joseph to act. A carpenter by trade, his sandaled feet straddled the dirt of the ninety miles necessary to enroll in the census decreed by the Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus. Tenderly caring for her needs, without that love, Mary might have never reached Bethlehem alive! When we are outside of love, we are outside of the will of God, no matter how justified we feel. We read in 1 John 3:14 that "if our life has been changed, it will be proven by the love we show towards others." Most of us would deny the fact that we hate anyone because hate is such a strong term. But the truth is, if we do not actively exercise the love of God toward the people around us, we express hate towards them.

I have seen people in the ministry brutally criticize, step on others, and defame those with whom they work in order to accomplish their ministry goals, as if God's call was solely to build a big ministry. We must understand, however, it is never right to disrespect people, no matter how just the cause. Even though offenses come, we must be certain that they do not come through our hands.

If we do not strive to walk in love with the people around us, we prove that our lives have yet to be touched by God. Without love, whatever we do in the end results in destruction and failure. Without such love, the world might not have seen the Savior's birth. Jesus said it like this: "You will know them by their love..." The question you must ask yourself is: do others know me by my love?

Daily Confession
Father, I thank You that I prove I am changed by the love I show towards my brothers and sisters. I imitate You and love others as You love me.

by Robb Thompson

Always Remember...God is Good!

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. "(Psalm 107:1, NLT).

As a young man growing up, I loved to play baseball. And like any child that ever put on a uniform, I dreamed one day of making it to “the big leagues.” In the world of baseball, there’s nothing bigger than Yankee Stadium, and on Saturday night, I stood at second base in front of a packed crowd.

But instead of a baseball glove in my hand, I had the Word of God. A dream had come true – and it was better than I could have possibly imagined.

Our historic night of hope from Yankee stadium was the first non-baseball event ever held at the world-famous ballpark, and it was also our first open air stadium event as a ministry. It was a night Victoria and I will never forget.

My prayer is that the tens of thousands in attendance and the millions more watching on television will always remember – God is good!

When it feels like your dreams will never come true, when the challenges, pain and pressures in life become overwhelming, you’ll be tempted to forget that God is good. His Word reminds us that His faithfulness and His love endure forever.

God’s goodness is stronger and mightier than anything you’ll face in life. If you’ll keep holding on to your dreams and thanking God for His goodness, He’ll make your dreams come true. And it’ll be better than you could ever have imagined.

On behalf of our entire ministry team, Victoria and I would like to thank you for helping to make this amazing night happen. We believe that God did something extraordinary in the hearts of everyone who experienced this powerful event. We know we could not have done it without your prayers and support.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank you for being so good and loving us so much. Help us to always give thanks, no matter what we’re going through, because we know that we can count on your faithful love that endures forever. Give us the courage to keep holding on to our dreams as we trust in you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

He is strong in you!

Today's Scripture

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"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness…" (Romans 8:26 NLT).

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Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Osteen

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Sometimes, people get distracted by what they consider to be a disadvantage or weakness in their lives. It may be something about their personality or looks that they don't like. Or maybe they've been through an unfair situation: a divorce, a bad business deal, or a bad break. We all have things that can feel like disadvantages; things that make it harder on us. It may even be a physical handicap where you can't get around like you used to.

But just because you have a "disadvantage," just because you've been through a tough time, doesn't mean you're supposed to sit back and settle where you are. God still has something great for you to do! He wants to show Himself strong in and through you. The Holy Spirit wants to help you when you feel weak. If you will stay in faith and not get negative toward yourself or your future, then God can take what you think is a liability and turn it into an asset. What you think is a disadvantage, God will turn around to be an advantage so you can move forward into the abundant life He has for you!

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A Prayer for Today

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Father in heaven, today I give You all that I am. I invite You into the weak places in my life so that You can turn them into strengths. Thank You for working in my life and filling me with faith and expectancy. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

religious jokes

Just a Poor Preacher
"I'm just a poor preacher."
"I know. I've heard your sermons."

Grandpa, Did YouKnow Noah?
Grandson (staring at his grandfather): Grandpa, were you on the ark when the Flood came?
Grandpa: No, certainly not.
Grandson: Well, then, why weren't you drowned?

E-mail Me a Prayer
I had been teaching my three-year-old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer.
Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer:
"Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some e-email. Amen."

Snow Days
A heavy snowstorm closed the schools in one town. When the children returned to school a few days later, one grade school teacher asked her students whether they had used the time away from school constructively.
"I sure did, teacher," one little girl replied. "I just prayed for more snow."

How Many Christians Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?
Charismatic: Only 1 - Hands are already in the air.
Pentecostal: 10 - One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
Presbyterians: None - Lights will go on and off at predestined times.
Roman Catholic: None - Candles only. (Of guaranteed origin of course.)
Baptists: At least 15 - One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.
Episcopalians: 3 - One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks, and one to talk about how much better the old one was.
Mormons: 5 - One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.
Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.
Methodists: Undetermined - Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.
Nazarene: 6 - One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.
Lutherans: None - Lutherans don't believe in change.
Amish: What's a light bulb?

St. George and the Dragon
A tramp knocked on the door of the inn known as St. George and the Dragon. The landlady answered the door.
The tramp said, "Could you give a poor man something to eat?"
"No," said the woman, slamming the door in his face.
He knocked again and said, "Could I have a few words with George?"

Q & A: Before Boaz Married
Q: What kind of man was Boaz before he married?A: Ruthless
Q: What do they call pastors in Germany?A: German shepherds.

Making God Laugh
You know how to you make God laugh?
Tell him your plans.

Bee Inconspicuous
Two bees ran into each other. The first bee asked the other how things were going.
"Really bad," said the second bee. "The weather has been really wet and damp and there aren't any flowers or pollen, so I can't make any honey."
"No problem," said the first bee. "Just fly down five blocks and turn left. Keep going until you see all the cars. There's a Bar Mitzvah going on and there are all kinds of fresh flowers and fruit."
"Thanks for the tip," said the second bee, and he flew away.
A few hours later, the two bees ran into each other again.
The first bee asked, "How'd it go?""Great!" said the second bee. "It was everything you said it would be."
"Uh, what's that thing on your head?" asked the first bee.
"That's my yarmulke," said the second bee. "I didn't want them to think I was a wasp."

Letter Home
A college student wrote a letter home:
Dear folks,
I feel miserable cause I have to keep writing for money. I feel ashamed and unhappy. I have to ask for another hundred, but every cell in my body rebels. I beg on bended knee that you forgive me.
Your son, Marvin
P.S. I felt so terrible I ran after the mailman who picked this up at the box at the corner. I wanted to take this letter and burn it. I prayed to God that I could get it back, but I was too late.
A few days later, he received a letter from his father:
Dear Son,
Good news! Your prayers were answered. Your letter never came!

A Joke for Kids
Q: Why was Adam a famous runner?
A: Because he was first in the human race.