He is my strength

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Ephesians 6:10

A body fails for lack of strength, but the human spirit is sustained by strength in God. Beloved, God our Savior takes us from strength to strength. His strength gives spiritual discernment to dismiss temporal taunts of discouragement and provides us with insight to embrace eternal encouragement. Yes, the world offers weakness. Guilt and shame from sinful activity is exhausting, but prayer and perseverance in righteousness are rejuvenating to the soul and spirit. God’s strength gives focus to walk in wise ways, and become more than a conqueror.

Have the wiles of the devil worn you down? Has uncertainty rattled your faith? If so, lean on the Lord and tap into His everlasting strength. Faith in Him will get you through another day and He will arm you with courage to face future temptations. Jesus gives you enough strength for today and you can still trust Him with the cares of tomorrow. Hope in the Lord will renew your strength. Like an IV tube channels liquid nutrients to the body, so hope gives stamina to the soul.

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Those in power succeed well when they depend on Divine power for their success. His mighty power gives us wisdom to know the best decisions to make. His mighty power delivers us from disease and gives us determination to overcome injustice. His mighty power empowers us with inner energy to toil on when we are tired and say no to sin when we are tempted. Indeed, God’s tower of power suffers no outages, it’s live 100% of the time! He gives us power to share Jesus.

No shortcuts

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.   Exodus 13:17-18

Beloved please understand that shortcuts are seductive because they are appealing and inviting. Shortcuts caress our pride, stroke our ego, and garner immediate gratification. We sometimes seek shortcuts while driving (I know I do), preparing for school exams, career advancement, marriage maturity, parenting skills, financial success, and Lord knows in our spiritual development. Shortcuts are attractive to our clever side because we think that, with enough ingenuity and smarts, we can bypass the normal rite of passage.

However, the downside of shortcuts is that their promise of a faster way may be short-circuiting God’s best. Just because it is easier does not qualify it as the will of God, as most things God calls us to isn't easy, as anything God calls you too will take being dependent on God, trusting in God, and relying on His power. In fact, ease of execution may be evidence against God’s will. Instead, a season of suffering may be His plan (1 Peter 4:19).

So, do not depend on circumstances alone as the compass of where God is leading you. You may feel pressure from people, pride, politics, or finances to take the most expedient route. But be careful because expedience can be an excuse for the impatient and the distrusting. If you miss this opportunity there will be others, for God is much bigger than this one deal. Do not underestimate His wisdom in taking you through this laborious and sometimes painful process. It will be worth the wait because it is the process that is preparing you for His next steps, and it is making your stronger and more mature. If you rush through the process you may miss God’s best.

Many times, He is unconventional in His approach. This is the nature of God, for He will not be hemmed in or backed into a corner. Cut God some slack by giving Him the latitude to lead you however and wherever He desires. Just because a friend of yours went down a similar road does not mean you should follow. God’s will for you may be just the opposite. One thing is for sure: He will get the glory when we are patient to follow Him in trust and obedience. God’s glory is our goal (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Since the glory of God is our objective, keep God’s glory as our litmus test, and our other initiatives will take care of themselves. The shortcut is tempting, but it may be more complicated than we can comprehend for now. Its complexity will certainly compound if we have to backtrack from the shortcut and start all over again. It is much better to wait and do this once and for all. There will certainly be adjustments along the way, but have faith in God that He is facilitating His will even if some of your questions remain unanswered. He’s got your back even though the enemy may be breathing down your neck and whispering words of doubt. God is in control. It is much better to take the longer route with God than the shorter one without Him.

A little humble pie please

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food” (Proverbs 12:9).

Unpretentious living is an invitation to down-to-earth interaction with others. Rest and relaxation attend to those who are true to themselves without acting like someone they are not. However, pretentious speech and behavior require extra energy to engage with their environment. Contentment is illusive and intimacy is an illusion. Most individuals become the most stressful when they feel I have to live up to something or be someone I am not, which can happen often in the life of the church where people will have greater expectation for you then they have for themselves, and even greater than the Lord Himself has for you.

Moreover, when you are real, not fake, your friends feel the freedom to be the same. You give off energy instead of forever sucking it from others. In honesty I often ask myself, “Am I being myself, or am I trying to dress, talk, drive a certain car, or live in a high-status neighborhood that is motivated by a need to be somebody I am not?” Pretense is birthed out of pride, but humility is the fruit of unpretentious living.

Jesus is clear, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11 nasb). In Christ you are somebody. High or low net worth, small or large home, new or used car, prestigious university or common college, in Him you are somebody. You are somebody to your Savior Jesus.

The Bible says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Out of your simple faith and modesty, the Lord takes center stage of your life. Humility positions you to point people to heaven. Therefore, keep your life unencumbered so people can see your Savior shine forth. Ask yourself, “Whom am I trying to impress, people I really do not know or the Lover of my soul, Jesus?”

We have this hope

Love always hopes. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Love is hopeful because it is fixed on Jesus for its assurance. It is a healthy optimism based on the promises of God. Love only loses hope if the Lord loses His way, but He is the Way, so we know He is never lost, which also qualifies Him to show us the way. There is no way Christ would lead His children astray. He is a rock of refuge and truth for a Christian’s compass of faith. Indeed, love finds a hopeful path through listening prayer. It’s in moments of quiet solitude that the Holy Spirit quiets the soul with His reassuring presence. Love hopes in Him.

Has your hope been shaken by circumstances that rocked your world? If so, retreat to a safe place with your Savior and invite Him to calm your spirit with His sensitive love. Your hope becomes unshackled from fear when your loving Lord Jesus comforts your heart. Human love has its limits, but His is limitless. Your heavenly Father’s love has never failed the test of providing hope that perseveres. His Spirit whispers, “It will be ok, I am with you, be hopeful.”

Your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:3

Furthermore, you are a pass through for heaven’s hope. Those around you hunger for hope in life after death. Their soul thirsts for salvation and eternal security in their Savior Jesus. In their quest for authentic assurance you love well when you share with seekers Christ’s commands. Hope humans provide is riddled with inconsistency, but God’s hope is rooted in consistency. You love when you share the hope of heaven. Hope fills a heart that hears you lovingly pray for them.

Hope is alive and well, because Christ is alive and well. He rose from the grave to become a living hope for all who embrace His resurrection. His love did not end in giving His life, but it culminated by Him coming back to life. Hallelujah our hope is in our risen and living Lord Jesus. Hope and love can never die, because Jesus is alive for evermore. Our hope is based on the two greatest historical events (the Cross and Resurrection) that exhibited the greatest love ever. Therefore, we can love someone today by helping them find hope in God. Love hopes in Him

Trust

Love always trusts. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Love trusts to the degree it trusts in God. There is an assurance that the Almighty is in control and He will carry out His plan in His timing. Loves sees the Lord as the instigator of all good things and thus, is completely trustworthy. I know that, humans fail (because I fail, and have failed and last time I checked I'm human), but love lifts up those who let them down and gives them a second chance (Just as Christ does. Remember we are to love as Christ has loved us). There is a perpetual prayer from a heart of love that trusts God to do a work of grace in a graceless heart, as God is the only one who can change and transform the heart of man. Love believes Christ can change anyone or anything.

Do you believe the best about your family, friends, and associations? Do you give them the benefit of the doubt? Your relationships grow more attractive as you make it a priority to totally trust. Fear from past disappointments  feed disapproval and disrespect in the present. Let go of unlovely lies that he or she cannot change and begin to treat them like the Lord wants them to become. Be respectful and trust they’ll act respectable. Be kind and trust they will grow in kindness.

Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31

Love treats others like it would like to be treated. Furthermore, there will be those who are gullible or naive in their approach to trusting love, but God is still at work. A shady soul may take advantage of someone’s good nature, but in the process they will more than likely meet Jesus in the giver’s trusting heart. So, be wise and discerning, but err on the side of extending grace. Love like you trust, with abandonment and without conditions. When in doubt, love.
Above all, trust in the unfailing love of your God. He is always reliable. Be still before Him and hear His voice, listen to His whispers of encouragement, warning and wisdom. Daily tap into God’s great love for you and the measure of your faith will magnify beyond where you have been. The end game in God’s plan for you is to love you, so you can love others and yourself. Trust Him by receiving His grace and love. Belief brings out His love.

A risky reward

And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage. Judges 1:12-13

Risk, many times, precedes reward, and reward may follow risk. War is risky because you endanger life and limb. The stakes are high. However, the rewards of war are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, at least that is what they say, the jury is still out on that. The victor enjoys the spoils of war, while those humiliated in defeat suffer loss. Marriage is risky because it entails the co-mingling of money, time, trust, and loyalty. What’s yours becomes hers and what’s hers becomes yours. You become one flesh, for it is a relationship of oneness (Genesis 2:24). But the rewards of marriage are love, joy, peace, companionship, sex, children, and spiritual/emotional maturity to name but a few. The many risks of marriage are overshadowed by the mammoth rewards it hands out to the husband and to the wife.

Business and ministry are risky undertakings. You have prayed about an idea, and now you are on the precipice of launching your start-up enterprise. You have invested a tremendous amount of sweat equity and financial resources. But now you are at the point of no return. The stakes are high; you may lose a ton, or you may gain a lot. There is a risk of failure, which means your confidence may crater and your reputation may reel from your inability to deliver. But the rewards are the sense of accomplishment and the ability to build an enterprise defined by a Christ-centered culture.
Like David, your model of risk-taking may inspire others to greater vision (1 Chronicles 11:19). You have the reward of positioning yourself to invest in and influence Kingdom endeavors. Keep this your goal, regardless of whether you fail or succeed. Success will always be accompanied by mini failures. So stay focused on God and obedient to His calling. Risk and reward are kept in the right perspective through prayer. God will lead you by His Holy Spirit because these initiatives come from a divine directive. Therefore, there is no need to take unnecessary risks. Be patient, and God will lead you to just the right opportunities at just the right time.

Over a lifetime, there are limited God-ordained opportunities that require risk. Therefore, allow the Almighty to guide you through the risky terrain of life. Avoid shortcuts and, instead, wait on Him. Pay the price of patience and seize the moment only when your faith, His Word, and godly counsel validate your direction. Persevere in the process because God may ask you to do things that seem larger than life. He has prepared your way with people and resources, so follow hard after Him. And what may seem risky to others will be peaceful to you. When you draft off the wake of Holy Spirit directives, you are positioned for rewards. However, for some, the rewards remain dormant until death. Your risk may be living an obscure and obedient life to Christ, with the joy of remaining faithful as your only earthly reward. But the reward of knowing and obeying Him is eternal, and it is enough. The risk is rejection from people, but the reward is acceptance from Him.

Gotta go gotta go

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8).

Ladies and gentlemen, It is time to go when God says so, even though you are not sure where you are going. Abraham was a “friend of God” (James 2:23 ) who trusted the heart of God. He was secure in his faith, knowing his heavenly Father would not lead him astray. Are you okay with only the call of Christ as your next step? Is He calling you out of your comfort zone to a new level of faith and obedience? It is here that you hear Him quite clearly.

Maybe He wants you to move with your company so your career can become the means of funding your passion for missions. Locals in foreign countries are keenly interested in teachers, housewives, doctors, bankers, and businessmen visiting their world. The marketplace is your ministry. It validates your value and confirms your character. The Lord will use your obedience to encourage the faith of others and especially the faith of your family, and friends.

The faith of parents often procures the blessing of obedience on their posterity. When your teenage son sees you say yes to Christ’s challenge, he is more likely to say yes to wisdom when faced with issues of trust. Your daughter will not soon forget your family’s earnest prayers as you sought to see God’s best and to obey. Parents who obey God’s call create the same expectation for their children; so follow the Lord for them, and for those with no children follow the Lord for the generations coming behind you, and those you have been called to model Christ for.

Lastly, the call of Christ leads to His blessing on earth and in heaven. It may mean prosperity. It may mean poverty. Or it may mean something in between. The most important reward is that of your eternal inheritance. Leave a legacy of loving the Lord, and you will have loved your children, and friends. Follow Him faithfully; there is a much higher probability they will as well. Is it time to go? Then go with your best friend Jesus.

Truth

Love rejoices in truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6

Truth reveals hidden realities. Therefore, the lover of truth daily discovers new opportunities to walk wisely in the ways and counsel of Christ. Because He is the Truth, a love relationship with Jesus illuminates truth by His Spirit and illustrates truth by His life. The fruit of truth grows in a life of faith, as faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17), and His word is truth. Those who embrace and love truth in God’s Word grow to know Him in deeper intimacy. Just as a loving husband is to pursue his wife, so loving followers of Jesus are to seek out His truth and His life. Truth is a tool for loving correction, not a club for angry retaliation. You speak the truth in love to one another and so bear one another’s burdens. Truth talking facilitates freedom to trust, as fear of a secret life fades away and is forgotten.

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Love loves truth because it knows truth sharing is caring. When we love someone enough to not leave them in their ignorance we show we care. Love takes the time to explain and instruct, not complain and erupt. Yes, you patiently instruct your child in the teachings of Christ, so they will come to know Him and grow in His grace. Perhaps, you create a culture of apprenticeship at work so everyone has a mentor who models and teaches true best practices that develop leaders.

Lastly, season your passion of truth with the spices of humility and grace. Truth is volatile in the hands of pride, but embedded in a heart of humble grace it experiences transforming results. Also, use humor to illustrate hard facts that seem harsh when spoken directly. Also, levity can lighten the mood when the seriousness of a situation begins to become real. Above all love Jesus, Truth personified. His Spirit will direct you in all truth, so you can live truth in a spirit of love

Forgiveness

Love keeps no records of wrong. 1 Corinthians 13:5

Record keeping of wrongs is taboo for those who love genuinely. Love funnels all its focus toward forgiveness and relational restoration/reconcililation just like our Father in heaven. Love refrains from retaining resentment which leads to wasted emotional energy and unwanted stress levels. Yes, unforgiveness maintains a mental checklist of grievances that offers the enemy an entrance to encroach into a soul’s spiritual stability and begin to develop a root of bitterness which will block our ability to hear from God, and really serve God. Love is not an account ledger that credits rights and debits wrongs. Love is a white board that regularly erases infractions and hurts.

Do you bear the burden of accounting for all injustices committed against you? Are you weary of wishing you had not been wronged? If so, look into the keyboard of your heart and by God’s grace press the delete button of forgiveness and erase external irritations, and start over. Start with a clean slate and your spirit will be set free to rest and enjoy God, people, and serving God the way He intended for you. Let go of harmful words that broke your heart and let the Lord mend it with love. A mind at peace is the fruit of forgiven love.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. Romans 4:8
Since the Lord’s love doesn’t keep records of wrongs against us, we are wise to forgive ourselves of past guilt. The command to love ourselves includes not having a standard higher than God’s toward our transgressions. We are either forgiven of all or not forgiven at all. Jesus Christ’s redemption is not partial, but whole. He does not pick and choose cleansing based on the degree of our offense. We must understand that we are categorically and fully forgiven of past, present and future sins. That is a shout right there.

Therefore, since Christ doesn’t count your sins against you, you can’t count your offender’s sins against them. Your forgiving love chooses to wipe away hurtful infractions. Indeed, ask the Holy Spirit to repair relationships broken by another’s bad behavior: broken trust, broken promises, broken romance, broken cars, homes and bank accounts. Offer up your broken and contrite heart to God, receive His healing love and forgiveness and then extend His forgiven love to others.

Love over Anger

Love is not easily angered. 1 Corinthians 13:5

Ladies and gentlemen we must understand that anger dismisses love in the moment, as hurtful emotional outbursts overwhelm any evidence of love’s presence. However, anger’s most feared enemy is love and forgiveness. Love can handle anger’s influence. It sees anger coming and prepares for its onslaught with a prayer for patience and forgiveness. Tempers are tempered when a culture of love surrounds relationships. Love does not allow anger to make itself at home in a heart that’s been hurt. It avoids anger.

Has the someone who knows you the best hurt you most? Is it hard to love them because your pain screams for retaliation? If so, seek the Lord for an infusion of His fresh fire of love and forgiveness. Your unconditional love is needed most during times when your spirit has been crushed by an unlovely person. Let go of the need to inflict pain on the one who was insensitive to you. Grace and forgiveness are your tools of love that rebuild broken relationships. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. Luke 6:31-33

Your love is a gift you give in exchange for an angry interaction. Rise above petty arguments and model for others a mature faith that doesn’t fight back because you are experiencing some form of irritation/frustration. Because you have been loved supremely by your Savior you lavish the same unrestricted love on those who let you down, as we are admonished to love others as Christ has loved us, and trust and believe we have not felt His wrath in the moments where our sins and flaws have angered Him, so why let others feel your wrath and miss the Christ working in and through you. You replace an angry attack on your adversary with patient restraint backed by heaven’s unlimited resources. You love much because you have been forgiven and loved much by God.

Let the Lord’s love lead you away from a focus that demands to be right and instead give room for flexibility and restoration. Dismiss the need to get your own way and own the need to love your loved ones at their point of need. Like miraculous modern medicine apply the ancient ointment of love to disjointed, even diseased relationships. Remove the cancer of anger with the sharp scalpel of selfless love. The Lord’s love frees your heart to be a fierce lover for Him!

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little. Luke 7:47

Helping those in need

He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy. Proverbs 14:21

We must understand that there are those in our lives who have unmet needs that cripple their ability to live life to its fullest. It may be the need for food, clothing, or a place to live. They may need a job, a car, or an opportunity to get ahead. The needy may be lost in their sins without Christ, which is the greatest of needs. Wherever their point of need lies is our obligation to kindly care for them. “Give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21).

Evidence of our following Jesus is shown by our caring concern for the poor. Our kindness may require us to give up something so that another can gain something. Perhaps there is a fun trip you give up so a poor person can enjoy food for a month. What financial expenditure can you put on pause? Do you know someone who could benefit from a car repair or a mortgage payment? Sacrifice solicits most when the need of others is highest.

“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Proverbs 14:31).

Furthermore, the best motivation for reaching out is kindness of heart, not guilt of mind. It is a kind word that lifts another person’s spirit. It is a generous gratuity to a diligent server. It is a gentle response to a demanding spirit. The needy are all around us, especially during economic downturns. Maybe there is a neighbor who is out of work whom you can invite into your home for dinner and  encouragement. Kindness is a culprit of compassion and care.

Lastly, look out for the needy because of the Lord’s great love toward you. Kindness asks, “Where would I be without God’s grace? Where in my life can I extend His grace, love, and mercy?” Blessings await those who give and receive kindness. We are all needy, some more than others, but our provider is the same our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Too loving to be proud

Love is not proud. 1 Corinthians 13:4

Beloved. Love and pride cannot coexist, as they are mutually exclusive in their motives. Pride is more concerned first about getting its own way, while love looks out first for the needs of another before looking at what is in it for me. Love is not proud and loves the proud, it is adorned with humility and submission to God, but pride perceives those who live by love as weak and easily overcome. Love walks in humble dependence on the Lord, while pride walks in arrogant dependence on self, like being all of that an a bag of chips with pink lemonade on the side. The flesh makes fools out of pride, but the wise rise out of humble love.

Does love incubate in your humble heart? Do you listen for the cries of those starving for love? You are the one God has appointed love others as you are loved by Him. Learn how to love well.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3

Moreover, make yourself available to be loved. Your pride wants to protect your image and not be vulnerable to receiving love. Any admission of need (even the need to be loved) is a sign of weakness to your pride. However, your humility is quick to confess a heart in need of comforting words and a warm hug. Let your loved ones in on who you are, so they can really know you and love the real you. Give the gift of authenticity to trusting friends and many will love you back.

Lastly, make it your goal for the grace of God to push out pride and replace it with a humble heart. You won’t think any less of yourself, but you will think of yourself less. Humility is like a deep and wide canal of watery grace, it is a channel for ships of love to travel. It bridges your heart with another hungry heart in need of love. Most of all humility connects your heart with your Heavenly Father’s heart. His love for you shuns pride and floods into your humble heart.

Love

Love does not boast. 1 Corinthians 13:4

Dear friends, lovely people boast about the greatness, the goodness and the glory of God. Yes, love looks up to the Lord in gratitude and does not look down on others. There is no bragging about self, only exalting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and all the great things His love has done and provided in our lives due to the loving relationship we have with Him. Love looks for ways to lift up those struck down by suffering or lost in sin without drawing attention to its heroics.

People who love understand that wisdom, success and wealth come from God. Bragging and the desire for accolades and constant acknowledgement has no place in the presence of love.

Love does not force its agenda, rather  works to collaborate and seek what’s best. For example in marriage, don’t demand your own way, rather in love take time to value each another’s ideas and desires and work towards them collectively. If organization is important, perhaps you schedule a day once a quarter to clear out the clutter in an area of your house. Furthermore, money management may be a fear of your mate’s, if so calendar time weekly to plan and discuss finances.

This is what the Lord says:“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches. Jeremiah 9:23

Love does not have to feel superior to be valued. On the contrary your modest assessment of yourself is what leads to mutual respect that validates love. Keep your ego in check by recalling how far God has brought you,  not forgetting how far you still have to go, as it always helps to keep one humble and right in their spirit. You are not God’s gift to the world, as that role is reserved for Jesus and Jesus only. Love does not have to brag, because it is secure in Christ’s love. Your part is to lay low, loving others and God’s part is to promote you in His time.

Beware of becoming a legend in your own mind, only the Lord deserves a legendary legacy. The more you grow in your capacity to love, the lower you go in needing to feel important. The ability to love is reward enough without having to be recognized. Your love will unify those you serve, because you are not worried about getting credit for the outcomes. Boast only about God’s faithfulness to answer prayer and extend His grace and favor. Great gain happens when we love like the Lord loves us.

Lead me guide me

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (Proverbs 11:3).

Integrity is an instrument of almighty God. He uses it to guide His children in the direction He desires for them. Have you ever wondered what God would have you do? Integrity is His directive to do the next right thing, trusting Him with the results. It is out of honesty we begin to comprehend Christ’s desires. He delights in our uprightness.

For example, are you totally honest on your tax return? Is your tax preparer a person of unquestionable integrity? We can trust professionals to represent us well, but we are ultimately responsible for an honest outcome. Furthermore, is there anything you are doing, if printed as a newspaper headline, that would embarrass you and your family? Indeed, integrity brings joy to heaven and security on earth. It is your guide for godly living.

Moreover, the iniquity of the unfaithful destroys. The blessing of God is removed as it cannot be bought with bad behavior. Relationships are scarred and some even severed over dishonest dealings. Overnight, poor judgment can soil and potentially destroy a hard-earned reputation. Pride acts like integrity is only for others. It deceives itself and becomes a disgrace for its dishonest and duplicitous ways. Iniquity is an unfaithful guide.

“I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do” (Nehemiah 7:2).

So we ask ourselves, “How can I be a man or woman of integrity over the balance of my life?” There is a simplicity about those who base their behavior on the principles of God’s Word; nothing fancy, only faithful living in their daily routine. The grace of God governs their soul, the truth of God renews their mind, and accountability is an anchor for their actions. Honestly ask yourself, “Is integrity my faithful guide?”

Kind loving

Love is kind. 1 Corinthians 13:4

Dear friends, kind love is the kind of love that shows up to serve. It always looks for ways to move beyond feeling generous to being generous through actions. Kindness transitions empathy into action and sympathy into service. Kind love is not stuck on itself, rather it relishes  reaching out to the needs of others as it is displayed in abundance through honor and humility. It wears a smile, gives a hug, kisses a head, pats an arm, lifts a burden, prays a prayer and writes a check. Love is kind, because Christ is kind and He is love. So, when you love kindly you are being like Jesus.

Let me ask you this, how does it feel when you have a kind encounter with someone? Probably a mixture of respect, joy and inspiration to name a few. Unsolicited loving kindness that comes to you when least expected, provides the most encouragement. Your kind love is the kind of support your spouse, friends, sibilings, and children need to get through the day and not be overwhelmed by unrealistic expectations.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

Indeed, your kind love is attractive to all with whom you have influence. Unkindness is a repulsive smell, but kindness is a sweet aroma that fills the air it occupies. Like honey to a bee, a scratch to a dog or a caress to a cat, your loving kindness is tasty for hungry hearts. It is security for souls that itch for intimacy. When you love kindly, you experience its fruit: peace, joy, patience, gratitude, respect and friendship. Kindness facilitates all kinds of good deeds.

Lastly it is the Lord’s loving kindness that causes us to be kind. His kindness draws us to Himself and leads us to repentance. Because of our heavenly Father’s great kindness, we want to be the kind of children that He is pleased to call His own. Therefore, from our grateful hearts we are honored to honor Christ by loving our loved ones in kind ways. Yes, we pray for our home to have a relational climate of kindness. Our kind actions speak the language of God's love.  Make love a priority of your life today.