Tenth Avenue North- Losing

Love & Obedience = Joy

Recently, I looked up scriptures on "love" to hear what God had to say about it. At times, I find it a BIG struggle to love those that do not show love. But God does not want us to base our attitudes and reactions on what the world does, we can only control our own actions in situations. Here is what I found;


God loves us Deeply.
We are commanded to love others, including our enemies.
We are to love God most.
We are not to worry about peoples approval but be obedient to God.
Jesus loves us, like God loves Him.

Obedience to God = Joy
Jesus is our best buddy.
He chose us and will equip us for His missions.
The world will hate us.
Us loving others, fulfills the law of God.
I am of no value, if my motive is not love.

LOVE

Is: patient and kind
Isn't: jealous, proud, demanding, irritable
It doesn't: keep records of wrong, like injustice, give up, or loose faith.
Always: Hopes, Endures, is forever, is #1 & eternal.

We are to be filled with love from a pure heart.
Love with a true love.
Deep love covers sin.
Love doesn't fear.
His deep love for us, lets us love others.
We defeat evil by trusting Christ to give us victory.

In a word, what do we want to be remembered for? ...

I pray to you God, that you would win over my sinful attitude and actions, and help me love others like you do.

Proverbs 10:12, Mal 1:2a, Matt 5:44-45a, 10:37-39, John 5:41-44, 15:9 & 19, Romans 13:8, 1 Cor 13:3 & 13 4-13, 1 Tim 1:5b, Heb 13:1, 1 Peter 4:7-8, 1 John 4:18a,19, 5:4, 14

Consult God

Joshua 9:14b “… they did not consult the LORD.”

Today, the kids and I were reading Joshua 9.  In this passage it reminded us of what happens when we don’t consult the Lord.

The people of Gibeon heard about how God was helping the Israelites win battles and wanted to strike a dishonest deal with Joshua. Joshua did not look into things or speak with God about it before he agreed to a peace treaty. This treaty seemed innocent enough but led to anger and an awkward alliance. 

We too, can be led astray and rush ahead with our own plans, without consulting God. I have found out the hard way that this leads to people and circumstances that I would not have had to endure if I had asked and listened to God first, and waited on what He wanted. How much better would our lives be if we just went to God first, listened, trusted Him and followed His lead?

My prayer is that I remember that Jesus is my Savior and I am living for Him. That I am not to act on what I think, but pause and ask God what He thinks. Also, that I am to trust Him with what I don’t understand and to rely on Him to guide our family. God is the one who saves, protects, and loves like no other. As we make choices about life, we will be held accountable. When we pray for others to listen to the Lord too, we must let go and leave them in the Lords hands because we all have a free will.

Satan likes to make our hearts worry about the things we can not change but God wants us to trust His plans and communicate with Him daily as we rely on Him.