I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
What Does Love Look Like?
We often define love by what we value or enjoy the most. But with so many different definitions of love that are often contradictory, Jesus’ followers should desire the truth.
A true definition of love doesn’t come from culture, our own values, or from within ourselves—it comes from God, because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). So, any right understanding of love must come from God.
In fact, an entire chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians is entirely devoted to defining what love is. Take a look at a few verses:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
1 Corinthians 13:6 says that love does not delight in evil. Evil is anything opposed to God or His ways. When we disobey God’s law, choose to do the wrong thing, or cause harm to someone else—that is evil.
Essentially, evil is when we fail to love God and love others.
For instance, if someone difficult doesn’t know the love of Jesus, we shouldn’t delight in that. Love should lead us toward sharing the truth about Jesus with them. Or, if someone who hurts you is suffering, we shouldn’t rejoice over their pain. Instead, we should forgive them, just as God forgave us. Love rejoices in God’s truth being told, lived, and shared.
Take some time to consider how your own definition of love is different from God’s definition. What actions or thoughts need to change for you to be more loving? Ask God to show you two or three people you can share His love with today.
First Things First
There are plenty of things in life that beg for our attention. Our days are filled with relationships and responsibilities, all of which take time.
In Jesus’ famous sermon in Matthew 6, He spends some time talking about the various things we give our attention to. He explains that instead of spending all of our time and energy worrying about our basic need and desires in life, we should first seek His kingdom and His righteousness. If we do that, everything else will fall into place.
So, what does it mean to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness?
God’s kingdom is about God’s rule and reign over all of creation. His kingdom was unleashed during Jesus’ ministry on earth, and is now growing and expanding throughout the global Church. The work of the kingdom is to continue to tell others about the hope of Jesus, and to teach everything that Jesus has commanded.
To seek God’s righteousness is to desire to live the way God intended. It's to live according to God’s...
