Lifepointe Alliance Church

Happy Happy Mother's day to all those wonderful moms out there in facebook world.... blessings upon you

Mother's day coming.... Time to get a card out or buy a present for your mom or your wife or that special woman in your life....

Praise the Lord for all those fantastic women out there that our amazing prayer warriors for the church worldwide

God, please let every veteran of our nation’s armed forces feel truly and appropriately honored by the attention and appreciation of their fellow citizens. Let no one feel forgotten or neglected. Let every man and woman, young or old, feel the deep and enduring gratitude of our nation and its inhabitants.

Love Locks - Today's Scripture & Insight: Song of Songs 8:57 I stood amazed at the hundreds of thousands of padlocks, many engraved with the initials of sweethearts, attached to every imaginable part of the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris. The pedestrian bridge across the Seine River was inundated with these symbols of love, a couple’s declaration of forever commitment. In 2014, the love locks were estimated to weigh a staggering fifty tons and had even caused a portion of t...he bridge to collapse, necessitating the locks’ removal. The presence of so many love locks points to the deep longing we have as human beings for assurance that love is secure. In Song of Songs, an Old Testament book that depicts a dialogue between two lovers, the woman expresses her desire for secure love by asking her beloved to place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm (Song of Songs 8:6). Her longing was to be as safe and secure in his love as a seal impressed on his heart or a ring on his finger. The longing for enduring romantic love expressed in Song of Songs points us to the New Testament truth in Ephesians that we are marked with the seal of God’s Spirit (1:13). While human love can be fickle, and locks can be removed from a bridge, Christ’s Spirit living in us is a permanent seal demonstrating God’s never-ending, committed love for each of His children. By: Lisa M. Samra

Today’s Devotional is from Our Daily Bread from September 24 written by: Julie Schwab Never Too Sinful... If I touched a Bible, it would catch fire in my hands, said my community college English professor. My heart sank. The novel we’d been reading that morning referenced a Bible verse, and when I pulled out my Bible to look it up, she noticed and commented. My professor seemed to think she was too sinful to be forgiven. Yet I wasn’t bold enough to tell her about God’s loveand that the Bible tells us we can always seek God’s forgiveness. There’s an example of repentance and forgiveness in Nehemiah. The Israelites had been exiled because of their sin, but now they were allowed to return to Jerusalem. When they’d settled in, Ezra the scribe read the law to them (Nehemiah 7:738:3). They confessed their sins, remembering that despite their sin God did not desert or abandon them (9:17, 19). He heard them when they cried out; and in compassion and mercy, He was patient with them (vv. 2731). In a similar way, God is patient with us. He won’t abandon us if we choose to confess our sin and turn to Him. I wish I could go back and tell my professor that, no matter her past, Jesus loves her and wants her to be part of His family. He feels the same way about you and me. We can approach Him seeking forgivenessand He will give it! Do you know someone who feels they’re too sinful for Jesus to forgive them? How does the truth that Jesus has come not for the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17) speak to this way of thinking? Dear Father, thank You for forgiving my sins and for Your assurance that no one is too sinful to be forgiven.

Today is Patriot Day in Remembrance of 9/11/01 A day where we all came together as American's to support one another. May this video serve as a reminder of what we lost, as a reminder of the hero's on that day, and as a reminder to continue to pray for our nation. May we always stand for the flag and kneel at the cross. ... May God Bless America! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTJGB5XEUkA

From Our Daily Bread A Great Work Today's Scripture & Insight: Nehemiah 6:14... The security guard found and removed a piece of tape that was keeping a door from clicking shut. Later, when he checked the door, he found it had been taped again. He called the police, who arrived and arrested five burglars. Working at the Watergate building in Washington, DC, the headquarters of a major political party in the US, the young guard had just uncovered the biggest political scandal of his lifetime simply by taking his job seriouslyand doing it well. Nehemiah began rebuilding the wall around Jerusalema task he took very seriously. Toward the end of the project, neighboring rivals asked him to meet with them in a nearby village. Under the guise of a friendly invitation was an insidious trap (Nehemiah 6:12). Yet Nehemiah’s response shows the depth of his conviction: I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you? (v. 3). Although he certainly possessed some authority, Nehemiah may not have rated very high on the hero scale. He wasn’t a great warrior, not a poet or a prophet, not a king or a sage. He was a cupbearer-turned-contractor. Yet he believed he was doing something vital for God. May we take seriously what He’s given us to do and do it well in His power and provision. By: Glenn Packiam

From Our Daily Bread Living on Purpose Today's Scripture & Insight: Romans 12:921... We’re going on vacation! my wife enthusiastically told our three-year-old grandson Austin as we pulled out of the driveway on the first leg of our trip. Little Austin looked at her thoughtfully and responded, I’m not going on vacation. I’m going on a mission! We’re not sure where our grandson picked up the concept of going on a mission, but his comment gave me something to ponder as we drove to the airport: As I leave on this vacation and take a break for a few days, am I keeping in mind that I’m still on a mission to live each moment with and for God? Am I remembering to serve Him in everything I do? The apostle Paul encouraged the believers living in Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire, to never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord (Romans 12:11). His point was that our life in Jesus is meant to be lived intentionally and with enthusiasm. Even the most mundane moments gain new meaning as we look expectantly to God and live for His purposes. As we settled into our seats on the plane, I prayed, Lord, I’m yours. Whatever you have for me to do on this trip, please help me not to miss it. Every day is a mission of eternal significance with Him! By: James Banks

From Our Daily Bread Named by God Today's Scripture & Insight: Ruth 1:1922... Riptide. Batgirl. Jumpstart. These are a few names given to counselors at the summer camp our family attends every year. Created by their peers, the camp nicknames usually derive from an embarrassing incident, a funny habit, or a favorite hobby. Nicknames aren’t limited to campwe even find them used in the Bible. For example, Jesus dubs the apostles James and John the sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). It’s rare in Scripture for someone to give themselves a nickname, yet it happens when a woman named Naomi asks people to call her Mara, which means bitterness (Ruth 1:20), because both her husband and two sons had died. She felt that God had made her life bitter (v. 21). The new name Naomi gave herself didn’t stick, however, because those devastating losses were not the end of her story. In the midst of her sorrow, God had blessed her with a loving daughter-in-law, Ruth, who eventually remarried and had a son, creating a family for Naomi again. Although we might sometimes be tempted to give ourselves bitter nicknames, like failure or unloved, based on difficulties we’ve experienced or mistakes we’ve made, those names are not the end of our stories. We can replace those labels with the name God has given each of us, loved one (Romans 9:25), and look for the ways He’s providing for us in even the most challenging of times. By: Lisa M. Samra

From Our Daily Bread: A news article in May 1970 contained one of the first uses of the idiom on the bubble. Referring to a state of uncertainty, the expression was used in relation to rookie race car driver Steve Krisiloff. He’d been on the bubble, having posted a slow qualifying lap for the Indianapolis 500. Later, it was confirmed that his timethough the slowest of those who qualifiedallowed him to compete in the race. We can feel at times that we’re on the bubble,... uncertain we have what it takes to compete in or finish the race of life. When we’re feeling that way, it’s important to remember that in Jesus we’re never on the bubble. As children of God, our place in His kingdom is secure (John 14:3). Our confidence flows from Him who chose Jesus to be the cornerstone on which our lives are built, and He chose us to be living stones filled with the Spirit of God, capable of being the people God created us to be (1 Peter 2:56). In Christ, our future is secure as we hope in and follow Him (v. 6). For [we] are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that [we] may declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light (v. 9). In Jesus’ eyes we’re not on the bubble. We’re precious and loved (v. 4). By: Ruth O’Reilly-Smith

Trusting God Day by Day Devotional By: Joyce Meyer You’re an Everything/Nothingand So Am I! Pride is a terrible sin, and we are instructed in God’s Word not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought (see Romans 12:3). That doesn’t mean we need to have a bad opinion of or look down on ourselves. It does mean that we are to remember that we are no better than anyone else and whatever God has enabled us to do is a gift from Him. We have no more right to claim credit fo...r a special ability we have than we do for blue eyes or brown hair. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and asked them what they had that did not come as a gift from God (see 1 Corinthians 4:7). When we are warned not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to, it means we are to realize that we are nothing apart from Jesus and without Him we can do nothing. The value we have is found in Him, and we can celebrate who we are only because of Him. Actually, when we celebrate who we are in Jesus, it is a way of celebrating Jesus Himself. We make this a lot more difficult than it needs to be. It is simplewe are everything in Jesus and nothing in ourselves. I like to say, I am an everything/nothing! We celebrate because of the amazing work God does in us, and not because of any worth we have in ourselves. As long as we continue giving God the glory for anything good that we manifest, we are on a safe and right track. For some reason, religion has taught people that to be godly, they must have a low, or even bad, opinion of themselves, and I believe this kind of thinking has done incalculable damage to the plan of God. As long as we know we are lower than God and He is always our Chief and Head, then we are safe. Trust in Him Say out loud daily, I am nothing without Jesus, but in and through Him, I am valuable and I can do great things.

Better Together Devotional Exhort consistently. Friendship is not threatened by honest criticism. It is strengthened. Charles Swindoll ... People often think that exhortation and encouragement are synonymous. That is partially true. Exhortation is encouragement but it is so much more. In the original Greek language, the word for exhort in Hebrews 3:13 is parakale. It means to admonish, advise, warn, challenge, teach, console, and yes, encourage. What makes this difficult is that people don’t always want to hear what we have to say. Even the people in our community. Let’s discuss both aspects of exhortation: Admonish and challenge appropriately. We are never short on people’s advice at any time. Everyone has their own opinions about almost everything. But admonishing or challenging someone with the wisdom of the world is not good enough. We must be grounded in what our God says in order to offer the life-giving wisdom from His Word. If we care about the people in our close-knit community, we must be willing to offer our thoughts and advice to them, even if our words are unpopular. And we must also want the same done in return. Just like we need to offer godly counsel, we also need to receive it as well. Encourage and teach continually. It is so difficult to keep a positive outlook when much around us is negative. When we encourage someone, we are instilling courage in them. According to Hebrews 3:13, if we don’t encourage others, we will become deceived by sin. If we don’t receive the encouragement we need, our spirits will be spiritually malnourished. Reflect Is it hard for you to build people up and say nice things to or about them? Why or why not? Do you find it difficult to have challenging and uncomfortable conversations? Write down your reasons. Write down any revelation that God speaks to you through today’s Bible reading or devotional.

Trusting God Day by Day Devotional By: Joyce Meyer Your Plans or God’s Plans? We must learn to wait for God’s plans to develop. He perfects everything that concerns us. True boldness moves in God’s timing; it moves at the right time. ... During the three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry, people thought He was crazy. His own brothers were embarrassed by Him, and in an effort to save their reputation, they told Him He needed to go somewhere else and do His works. If He was unwilling to do that, they had another option for Him. They told Him to take action and stop doing His works in secret. They tried to convince Him it was time to show Himself and His works to the world. In other words, they wanted Jesus to impress the people with what He could do. He responded to them by saying, My time (opportunity) has not come yet (John 7:6). How many of us could show that type of self-control? If you could do the miracles that He could do and were being made fun of and challenged to show your stuff, what would you do? Would you wait until you absolutely knew that it was the right time, or would you take action that was not sanctioned by God? It is good to have plans, and I believe we should plan boldly and aggressively, but we must be wise enough to know that our plans will ultimately fail without God. God’s Word says, Except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1). We can build without God as our foundation, but like any building without a strong foundation, we will eventually fall. Trust in Him Are you operating in your own timing, or are you trusting God’s timing? Trust GodHis plans are always best!

Trusting God Day by Day Devotional By: Joyce Meyer Your Change Begins with You If you have made your mind up that you intend to enjoy the best life God has for you, then you must realize that the change you’re waiting for begins in you. You must believe what God’s Word says about you more than you believe what others say or what your feelings or own mind say. Your circumstances aren’t your problem, because they won’t lastbut until you change your thinking, no matter what’...s going on in your life, you’ll still be stuck. Maybe you have had negative messages fed to you. It could have been parents who had troubles themselves and took their frustrations out on you. It could have been a teacher who delighted in belittling you in front of the class. Perhaps your parents excessively compared you to another sibling, giving you the impression you were flawed. You may have experienced one or more broken relationships and become convinced it was your fault. Whatever the reason for your self-doubt and negative attitude toward yourself, it has to change if you truly desire to enjoy God’s best in your life. See yourself as God sees you, not the way the world sees you or the way you see yourself. Study God’s Word and you will find out that you are precious, created in your mother’s womb by God’s own hand. You are not an accident. Even if your parents told you they never really wanted you, I can assure you that God wants you; otherwise you would not be here on earth. You are valuable, you have worth, you are gifted, you are talented, and you have a purpose on this earth. God says that He has called you by your name and you are His. Take a minute to look into your heart. What do you see there? How do you feel about yourself? If your answer does not agree with God’s Word, I encourage you to begin today renewing your mind about yourself. Trust in Him God says in His Word that you belong to Him and that you’re uniquely and carefully created by Him. Do you believe it?

Trusting God Day by Day Devotional By: Joyce Meyer It’s No Surprise to God One of the strongest and most persistent fears people experience is the fear that they won’t have what they need. We want to feel safe in every area of life. But we’re constantly attacked with the fear that we won’t have what we needwhether it’s finances, relationships, or the ability to do what God has called us to do.... More than any other command in Scripture, God tells us not to fear. God never promises us a trouble-free life, but He does promise us His presence and the strength (mental, physical, and emotional) we require to get through our troubles. Several years ago, a friend of mine went in for a routine checkup and learned days later that her doctor feared she might have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the most aggressive form of the disease. More tests were needed, and she was told it might take two or three weeks before a confirmed diagnosis could be reached. I asked my friend how she got through those weeks of uncertainty and if she was afraid. Yes, I was afraid, she said. But I also knew that whatever the outcome was, it would be no surprise to God. Then she said something else that might be of help to you. She told me she realized that if she worried for three weeks, she would have wasted three valuable weeks of her life. Believe it or not, she said, I didn’t lose a minute’s sleep for those twenty-one days. When the tests finally came back, my friend learned she did indeed have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She had surgery and endured many months of chemo. I’m pleased to tell you that, ten years later, she’s in terrific health. And she didn’t waste three valuable weeks. Trust in Him What are you afraid of? No matter what you are going through, it’s no surprise to God. He’s not unsure of what’s around the corner or unprepared for whatever you’re going through. Put your trust in Him and be confident in His plans for your life.

Trusting God Day by Day Devotional By: Joyce Meyer One Good Choice After Another ... Are you enjoying the life and blessings of God in your everyday life? Or have you made a series of choices resulting in disappointment, pain, or feeling that everything you do requires great effort and produces little reward? Don’t spend your time and energy mourning all the bad decisions you have made; just start making good ones. There is hope for you! The way to overcome the results of a series of bad choices is through a series of right choices. The only way to walk out of trouble is to do the opposite of whatever you did to get into troubleone choice at a time. Maybe the circumstances of your life right now are the direct result of a series of bad choices you have made. You may be in debt because you have made a lot of bad choices with money. You may be lonely because of a series of bad choices in relationships or in the way you treat people. You may be sick because of a series of unhealthy choices: eating junk food, not getting enough rest, or abusing your body through working too much and not having enough balance in your life. You cannot make a series of bad choices that result in significant problems and then make one good choice and expect all the results of all those bad choices to go away. You did not get into deep trouble through one bad choice, it was multiple. If you really want your life to change for the better, you will need to make one good choice after another, over a period of time. No matter what kind of trouble or difficulty you find yourself in, you can still have a blessed life. You cannot do anything about what is behind you, but you can do a great deal about what lies ahead of you. God is a redeemer, and He will always give you another chance. Trust in Him Invite God to get involved, trust in and follow His directions, make one good choice after another, and you will see amazing results.

Trusting God Day by Day Devotional By: Joyce Meyer Form New Habits... God’s Word teaches us that when we receive Christ as our Savior and Lord, He gives us a new nature. He gives us His nature. He also gives us a spirit of discipline and self-control, which is vital in allowing us to choose the ways of our new nature. He gives us a sound mind (see 2 Timothy 1:7), and that means we can think about things properly without being controlled by emotion. The way we once were passes away, and we have all the equipment we need for a brand-new way of behaving. God gives us the ability and offers to help us, but we are not puppets and God will not manipulate us. We must choose spirit over flesh and right over wrong. Our renewed spirits will then control our souls and bodies or, to say it another way, the inner person will control the outer person. Without God’s help we have difficulty doing things in moderation. We frequently eat too much, spend too much money, have too much entertainment, and talk too much. We are excessive in our actions because we behave emotionally. And after the thing is done and cannot be undone, we regret doing it. But we can choose to form new habits, not doing something just because we feel like it but instead doing what will produce the best result in the end. We do not have to live in regret. God gives us His Spirit to enable us to make right and wise choices. He urges us, guides and leads us, but we still have to cast the deciding vote. If you have been casting the wrong vote, all you need to do is change your vote. Forming new habits will require making a decision to not do what you feel like doing unless it agrees with God’s will. Trust in Him God wants you to live out of your new nature, not your old one. Every time you put your trust in Him and cast the deciding vote to obey, His Spirit transforms you and makes you more like Him.

Freedom in Christ Devotional By Charles Stanley No Condemnation Do you believe God likes you? Don’t you mean, ‘loves me’? you ask. No, likes you. Do you believe God likes you? This is one of my favorite questions to ask. The reason is it cuts through to the core of how an individual really believes God feels about him or her. So, do you think God likes you? If He were to show up in bodily form, do you think He would seek you out? Would you be someone He’d enjoy being arou...nd? Isn’t it strange how much more comfortable we are with the concept of love than with the concept of like when it comes to God’s feelings toward us? Why do you think that’s true? Often, the reason lies in the fact that we’ve not come to grips with the real extent to which God has forgiven us. Consequently, we live with a subtle sense of condemnation. It’s as if there’s always a dark cloud separating us from God. We say we’re forgiven, but in our hearts, we’re never fully convinced God isn’t still a little angry with us. The truth is, every reason God had for being angry with us was dealt with at Calvary. Our forgiveness is so complete that God is not only free to love us, He can like us as well. Think about this: There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). If you’ve placed your trust in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, the Bible says you are positionally in Christ. And once you were placed into Christ, you were separated from the guilt that once brought divine condemnation. You’re not condemned. Christ was condemned on your behalf, and now you’re free. But, you may ask, why do I feel so condemned? Why don’t I feel forgiven? It’s probably because you’ve not made up your mind to take God at His Word. Instead, you’ve measured your worthiness and acceptability by your performance. To be free from feelings of condemnation, you must renew your mind to this powerful truth: There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Freedom in Christ Devotional By Charles Stanley Maximum Freedom Statements like Galatians 5:1 made little sense to me: It was for freedom that Christ set us free. I would read them over and over and wonder why, if Christ came to set us free, I felt like such a slave. ... When reading Genesis, a thought popped into my mind: Adam and Eve had one rule (Gen. 2:17). The implications are astounding. Most significant, however, is the fact that in the perfect environment, where God had everything just the way He wanted it, He issued only one thou shalt not. To put it another way, God’s not a God of rules. Our God is a God of freedom. In the beginning, He placed the first man and woman in a beautiful garden and for all practical purposes said, You’re free to enjoy yourselves. So, you may ask, why all the moral and ethical taboos now? The answer is found in Genesis 3. Our earliest ancestors opened the door for sin to enter the world. And with sin came death. Thus, humanity became a slave to sin and death. Whereas our world teaches that freedom is gained by throwing off all restraint, Scripture teaches us that the opposite is true. As we begin to put two and two together, it becomes increasingly clear that freedom is gained and maintained by adherence to God’s laws. Just as a good father sets loving limitations for his children, so our heavenly Father sets moral and ethical perimeters for us. Can we trust God knows what’s best for us? Can we believe He has our best interests in mind? Adam and Eve didn’t. And they lost the very freedom they were convinced their sin would ensure them. Are you willing to accept that God is a God of freedomthat His laws are for your protection, given to ensure and not hamper your freedom? If so, take a few moments to surrender to God the areas over which you’ve maintained control. Confess your lack of faith, then rest in the assurance God will grant you the maximum amount of freedom available in this sinful world.

Freedom in Christ Devotional By Charles Stanley Truth That Sets Us Free Truth and freedom are constant companions. Freedom in any area of life comes from discovering the truth about it. And discovering truth in a particular area always results in freedom of some kind. ... It’s when a child accepts the truth that there’s nothing to be afraid of that she’s finally free from a fear of the dark. Likewise, it’s only as we accept the truth of all that Christ did for us at Calvary that we begin to enjoy the freedom He provided. The truth will set you free. In six simple words, Jesus outlines the process by which any man, woman, or child can gain freedom in this life. Freedom is not gained through having our way or doing as we please. On the contrary, prisons are full of men and women who simply did as they pleased. These people certainly didn’t gain freedom; they forfeited their freedom. And so it is with us every time we carelessly strike out on our own to do our own thing. What results isn’t freedomit’s bondage. If I were to ask you whether or not you’re free, you may be tempted to answer yes without giving it much thought. But let me ask you this: Are you constantly battling with fear, lust, jealousy, hatred, bitterness, conceit, deceitfulness, a lack of faith, or discouragement? Are there habits in your life over which you seem to have little or no control? Are there certain environments and people you avoid because of an insecurity? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then you are not free. Sin has a way of entrapping each of us, keeping us in bondage that the Lord never intended for us. It is through Christ’s death on the cross where He defeated sin and death once and for all that our true freedom can be found. And when we accept Christ as our Savior, the chains that had us bound are broken, and God’s freedom truly sets us free.

Freedom in Christ Devotional By Charles Stanley The Freedom Jesus Promises For years, my spiritual life was like a roller coaster, up and downwith far fewer ups than downs. There were times when I experienced more anxiety than peace, more fear than faith, and more failure than success. I’m sure you can relate. Was I saved? Yes! Was I free? No. For all practical purposes, my new-birth experience had not set me free. I knew the Lord’s pardon, but not His freedom. Old habits... still harassed me. Twisted emotions still paralyzed me. The power of sin attempted to defeat me. I longed for the freedom Jesus promised, but for some reason, it eluded my grasp. My problem was not one of desire. I wished with all my heart to please God. But there were times I felt as if I was fighting a losing battle. Eventually it dawned on me that I was in bondage; I was a prisoner. It was in the early morning hours, after crying out to the Lord throughout the night, that I suddenly realized I must relinquish to Him control of my entire life. With a deep longing in my heart, I began to search the Bible with one objective: to know the joy of real freedom in Christfreedom to become the person God intended me to be. And I found it. Jesus unlocked the door to my prison cell with six simple words: The truth will set you free (John 8:32). With this promise in my heart, I began applying to my life the principles of true freedom that I was learning about in God’s Word. In doing so, I experienced freedom that transformed my life. Now I want to share these same truths with you. It’s my prayer that as you read through the days that follow, these devotionals will expose areas of bondage in your life, and more importantly, that God’s truth will set you free. See more

UNCOMMEN DEVOTIONAL: Speaking The Good News We are ending our devotion on freedom by discussing our ability to speak the Good News of Jesus to others with Truth and Grace. I love reading the following in Isaiah: ... The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me Do we live our lives as if the Spirit of the Lord God is upon us? I know more times than not, I do not live that way. The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings Do we understand that we have been anointed to preach good tidings? See the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 16-20) To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Do we know we can speak on the topic of freedom to captives? If there was ever a year in which people needed to hear about freedom from prison, it's in 2020. As you can see, not only are we to experience freedom in Jesus, but we are to speak it to others. I believe we all understand we are free to speak the good news to others. The problem is that sometimes we are afraid to. Here are some ways to share the good news.: Write stories, blog articles or write a book Serve in areas where people are more receptive to hearing the Word Become a mentor and weave your faith into your counseling Read the Bible and learn how to communicate with others who need to hear the Good News Find a mentor who may be able to help you grow in this area Pray for wisdom and courage to speak when the time comes I pray that each of us starts to live our lives with the freedom we've spoken about in this Devotion (Location, Trust, Choices, Love, and Speech)

UNCOMMEN DEVOTIONAL: But The Greatest Of These Is Love We've all heard of teenage angst and have probably experienced it first hand with our children. But there are adults out there that struggle with some of the same emotional issues they had as teenagers. In fact, during the 20 - 50 age range, we tend to have to scratch and claw through life with work, family, finances, and more. This tends to make for a group of people who may not be open to loving their fellow man or woma...n. Social Media may have given a platform and a microphone to allow people to share their true selves with people, but that person was always there. There is tremendous freedom in loving someone instead of hating them. We will not always get along and we won't agree on everything, but we are called to love one another (Matthew 22: 36-39 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.") There is more that connects us than separates us. When you start to love someone as God loves them, you become concerned for them in ways not previously considered. But as always, you and I are free to love or not love others. We are commanded to love, but we are still able to choose to do so or not. The best example of love leading to freedom is John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son...to die for the sins of the world. Because of that love, once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are FREE from the penalty of sin. Uncommen Questions Do you love others as you love yourself? Do you love others enough for them to know you love them? Uncommen Challenge I challenge you and me to examine how we convey our love to others. It's great to say we love someone, but we must show it as well.

Happy 4th of July! May we turn towards God and give him thanks for blessing us with the freedoms of our land! God Bless America!... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD-aXtcUEOs