ExpressYourself4Him

Passage of the Day:

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete,” Luke 6:46-49.

Reflection:

Luke appears to repeat the words of Jesus spoken at the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27. However, in this context, Luke is citing an open-ended question from a first century conversation that Jesus has with Christians. As Jesus noticed these individuals from afar, they wanted to be known as disciples, but their actions did not represent a faith built upon the teachings of Jesus. Faith isn’t something that you do like going to church. Rather, faith is a lifestyle, rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus, Colossians 2:6-7. You may try to be charitable, seeking to rely on your own strength. However, genuine charity can’t be faked.

Prayerful Action:

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds, James 2:17-18.

Learning to Love this Decembers as God Forgives You:

There is a fine line between being polite and faking faith in the form of charity. Depending upon the relationships that you have with family members, gatherings like Christmas can be difficult. As my parents once told me before arriving at grandparents, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it!” Despite this warning, some individuals know exactly how to get underneath your skin. This is where faith is tested and if you’re not spiritually prepared, your foundation of faith will be shaken. As you get ready to reunite with family this Christmas, be a doer of the Word.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

When I begin to struggle spiritually, this is one of the songs I lean on for encouragement. May the lyrics of My Anchor help restore your faith by building it on the foundation of Jesus’ teachings.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” ¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[c] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]” ²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth, Matthew 19:16-22.

Reflection:

If you’re not making much money, emptying your wallet for a worthy cause isn’t that difficult. However, when you’re making over $50K thousand per year or more like this rich young man in the first century, it’s hard to let go of wealth. To those tithing for the first time, looking at the amount on a check before placing this into a giving basket can be depressing. Subsequently, the key to avoiding the same fate of this rich young man is realizing the source of all money.

Prayerful Action:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows, James 1:17.

Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:

Once this spiritual truth in James about the source of all blessings is conceived, the fear of giving fades. This is when Christians become open to the words of one Old Testament prophet in Malachi 3:6-10. When a spirit of conviction falls upon believers that they are robbing God by not giving back, the concept of tithing begins to take shape. This opens hearts to charitable convictions, especially during the Christmas season. As Christians begin to grasp the words of King Solomon in Proverbs 3:5-6, trusting in God to provide will transform your desire to give.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

Trusting in the Lord with all your heart can be hard for people with trust issues. However, as Christians mature by seeing God as the giver of all good things, charitable convictions will become a natural part of your life.

by Jay Mankus

Passage of the Day:

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister, 1 John 4:16-21.

Reflection:

If you are ever church shopping, looking for a local church to call your spiritual home, you’ll notice the smallest details most Christians overlook. Unfortunately, this is where you could become judgmental, dissecting every imperfection inside this body of believers. Since there is no such thing as a perfect church, falling short of God’s glory in some shape or form, Romans 3:23, you have to accept specific weaknesses. Maybe the worship music is outdated or subpar? Is the biblical teaching solid, but dry? However, my one non-negotiable for a home church is a spirit of love. As long as love is present, flowing inside and outside of church, I’m willing to accept other shortcomings.

Prayerful Actions:

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, Ephesians 5:1-2.

Learning to Love this December as God Loves You:

At the end of the first century, John becomes the oldest living disciple of Jesus. While other apostles and disciples were put to death for their faith, John was exiled to the Island of Patmos where the book of Revelation was written. If someone wanted to know what Jesus was really like, he could provide specific details from his 3 years as one of Jesus’ spiritual pupils. Yet, from an elder statesman perspective, John had visited enough churches to know which ones emulated the love of Jesus from those which were superficial. Genuine love follows the Golden Rule of loving one another without any exceptions like earthly brothers and sisters. When a spirit of charity in the form of forgiveness is demonstrated by a body of Christian believers, love is made complete.

Song of the Day:

Final Thoughts:

The love of God is a mystery to those currently living outside of a loving church. However, to anyone who has experienced a powerful movement of God’s love, this answer is found by listening to the hearts of Christians who have tapped into the power of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:3-4. Therefore, as you listen to the lyrics of Listen to Our Hearts, may you begin to grasp when love is made complete.

by Jay Mankus