January 31: The Same Love
The command to love our enemies sounds crazy until we remember that Jesus loved us when we were his enemies.
January 29: True Love Leads To Action
Many believe that love is just an emotion; a feeling that comes and goes. That idea couldn’t be further from the truth.
January 28: They Will Fast
As with all of the spiritual disciplines, the end goal of fasting is not to be more disciplined. It is to be with Jesus and be more like him.
January 27: Neither Do I
In a way we are all that woman caught in the act of adultery. None of us is perfect (see Romans 3:23) and no matter how “big” or “small” our sins are, we all have some reason to feel ashamed when we approach Jesus.
January 26: As You Promised
It’s not uncommon to hear people say that the God of the Old Testament is angry and judgmental, while the God we see in the New Testament is loving and gracious. Almost as if they were two different beings. The promise referenced in Micah 7:20 (first found in Genesis 15) tells us a different story.
January 25: He Delights In Mercy
Many think that God’s “modus operandi” is anger. They think that he is furious with us and that he will only change his attitude when we approach him in repentance for our sins. But if we think like that, we are reading the story backwards.
January 24: Breaking Generational Patterns
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Like father, like son.” The truth is that, like it or not, our family of origin has a profound impact on us. The good news is that the Bible is clear that it is possible to break the patterns that our family handed to us.
January 23: It Had To Happen
Many events simply don’t make sense at the moment, but years later we discover that even the bad things that happened to us were an essential part of making us who we are today. Trust the process. Or better said, trust God in the process.
January 22: The Power Of Forgiveness
When we choose to obey God in seemingly insignificant things like the command to forgive others (see Matt. 18:21-22, Lk. 6:37, Lk. 17:3-4), we end up playing a part in his greater plan of reconciliation with the world. A decision that seems small at the moment may end up having an impact for generations to come.
January 21: God Meant It For Good
Joseph’s response shows that he understood a crucial truth: in the midst of his pain and suffering as a slave and a prisoner in Egypt, God was working out a greater plan.
January 20: The Word Of The Lord Tested Him
Don’t despise the process that you are passing through. If you allow God to do his work in it, you will come out on the other side more humble, more dependent on God and more prepared to live well in the fulfillment of his promises.
January 19: The Lord Was With Joseph
Joseph was a slave in a foreign land, but Genesis 39:2 tells us that he prospered. How? Because the Lord was with him. And God’s presence changes everything.
January 18: Dreams Others Don’t Understand
Remember this: the fact that a dream or aspiration comes from God doesn’t mean that others will accept it as such or like it. The good news is that the fulfillment of dreams doesn’t depend on other people but on God.
January 17: The Angry Older Brother
We were all once the “Prodigal Son,” but if we are not careful we can easily become the older brother. It is in that dangerous place of thinking that we can earn God’s love that we are capable of condemning our brothers and sisters whom Jesus died to save.
January 16: Lose The Speech
The mistakes of your past do not affect the love that God has for you and they can’t cancel the purpose that He has for your life. Remember that when your past tries to convince you that you are unqualified to fulfill the calling that God has for you today.
